{"id":2198,"date":"2023-06-22T18:46:01","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T18:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drtanyahudson.health\/?p=2198"},"modified":"2024-04-05T22:02:29","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T22:02:29","slug":"so-what-should-i-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drtanyahudson.health\/so-what-should-i-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"So What Should I Eat??"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I love food, but it can become overwhelming when trying to figure out WHAT to eat.\u00a0 And then there is the planning, food prep, and making sure that my food choices are healthy and most importantly, taste good!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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I often hear from patients, “I am bored.\u00a0 I don’t know how to cook.\u00a0 It takes too much time.\u00a0 Healthy foods have no flavor.\u00a0 My kids won’t like the meals I make.\u00a0 My spouse won’t eat what I want.\u00a0 I am confused with all the diets out there!\u00a0 Paleo, Mediterranean, Whole 30, Vegan, Pescatarian, Keto!!!???\u00a0 What is best??”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hear you!\u00a0 It’s hard enough these days to choose from the 100 different types of protein bars or new flavors of Kombucha!\u00a0 (My 14-year-old son can’t get enough Kombucha!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KEEP IT SIMPLE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So here is my recommendation: KEEP THINGS BASIC.\u00a0 You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to eat healthy, delicious food.\u00a0 Focus on whole, colorful, nutrient-dense foods.\u00a0 What does this mean?\u00a0 When choosing a food, can you picture it running, swimming, or growing on the planet?\u00a0 If so, it’s a whole food (and don’t ask your 5-year-old this question because they WILL see Cheetos growing on trees).\u00a0 I don’t want your body to be part of a science experiment, so avoid boxed, processed, fast food.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EAT THE RAINBOW<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do you see lots of color on your plate?\u00a0 Not brown, tan, or white, but BLUE, GREEN, RED, YELLOW, PURPLE.\u00a0 I want the colors of the rainbow!\u00a0 The more color, the more nutrient value!\u00a0 It’s like having a multivitamin on your plate!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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What about nutrient dense foods?\u00a0 These foods are packed with vitamins and minerals, not just calories.\u00a0 A classic example is a handful of carrots versus a handful of saltine crackers.\u00a0 Both have about the same calories, but the carrots (of course!) have biotin, potassium, and vitamins A, K1, and B6.\u00a0 The crackers, well, they have air and wheat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE “MAGIC” RATIO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When planning meals, think about these basic ratios: 1\/2 the plate veggie, 1\/4 of the plate protein, and 1\/4 of the plate healthy starch.  For example, my family loves pan-seared wild salmon from Trader Joe’s (click >>HERE<\/a><< for basic recipe<\/strong>), with salad (or Swiss Chard as in recipe), and roasted potatoes (love this recipe–click >>HERE<\/a><<<\/strong>).  Bam.  All 3 categories covered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could also try Adelle’s sausages with asparagus and sweet potato fries (so many recipes out there!).\u00a0 Or a burrito (whole wheat tortilla–here is the starch) with beans and\/or grilled chicken (here is the protein), and LOAD IT UP with sauteed veggies (i.e. kale, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, lettuce, even cauliflower!\u00a0 Your choice!).\u00a0 The trick is remembering the veggies.\u00a0 This is often where we fall short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEAL PLANNING<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I realize that meal planning is a dreaded topic. It takes work and it takes time (for me it’s 1-2 hours on Sunday), but YOU WILL SAVE MONEY, EAT HEALTHIER, HAVE MORE TIME (BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO OUT), FEEL HEALTHIER, EAT HIGHER QUALITY INGREDIENTS, AND YOU WILL BE SO PROUD OF YOURSELF!!!!\u00a0 YOU CAN DO IT!!!\u00a0 I sit down Sunday morning with my favorite cookbooks (see my list below), my computer, and my Paprika app (to keep my favorite recipes organized) and write out the plan for Monday-Friday.\u00a0 I allow 1-2 meals out a week (we all need a break).\u00a0 Double the batches of some recipes for lunches or a busier night.\u00a0 Crock pot or Instapot meals can help!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RESOURCES aka COOKBOOKS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here are some cookbooks I love:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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