Eating Well

Healthy eating is really important to look after our general health and keep ourselves well. It is safe to say that many of us have indulged in more treats than usual over the past eighteen months. Resetting our routines into healthier versions can be tricky. Here are some simple tips to get you going.

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• try to keep to 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day
• use the Food Pyramid as a guide to help you choose healthier options, and try these useful guides to help with portion sizes.
• plan your meals for the week so you know what you will be eating in advance. You can find more help with developing your food plans here here
• if you are an absolute beginner at cooking, you can find some great videos on basic kitchen skills here, and a selection of really easy recipes here.
• make sure to drink plenty of water. Keeping hydrated is so important
• different foods have different nutrients so if possible try to have a variety of meals throughout the week. When you are buying fruit and vegetables, try to include a range of colours (think of a rainbow) as the different coloured options contain different vitamins
• use healthier cooking methods such as grilling or baking, rather than frying or roasting with oil or fat
• choose wholemeal and wholegrain breads, cereals, pasta and brown rice where possible
• try to eat 5 to 7 portions of fruit, vegetables and salad each day. At mealtimes, aim for half of your plate to be vegetables or salad
• avoid having foods that are high in calories, sugar and fat every day. They contain very little nutrition and can be very high in calories

You can find more Healthy Ireland healthy eating guidelines here

• your body needs some protein at every meal – good sources are meat, chicken, fish, beans and peas, nuts and seeds and eggs
• it is always a good idea to have some longer life foods in your store cupboard- tuna and sardines, baked beans, cartons of chicken soup or cans of lentil soup, tinned and dried fruit, dessert rice, and custard powder
• dinner doesn't always have to be meat and 2 veg, some days it is fine to have beans, scrambled eggs or tuna mixed with sweetcorn and light mayonnaise on toast
• try to have half a litre of milk daily- on cereal, in teas and coffees, as a drink with snacks and dinner and as a dessert- custard or rice pudding. You need calcium for your bones
• hot meals and drinks help to keep you warm, so have regular hot drinks and eat at least one hot meal a day if possible. Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during winter

We all have busy lives, some of us are raising families, working full-time and there are many other competing responsibilities. Whatever your circumstances, getting tasty nutritious meals to the table quickly can be a daily challenge.

Batch cooking is a great way to get tasty nutritious meals on the table every day in the least amount of time. Setting aside time each week to cook a few meals, or simply making double the amount when you do cook and freezing whatever is leftover can save you time and money later on in the week.

Safefood have some great tips on batch cooking here

Fresh produce is almost always the best option, but when it is not available there are plenty of healthy alternatives that are easy to store and prepare e.g tinned and frozen foods. Make sure your store cupboard is stocked with key everyday ingredients, for example pasta, rice, and eggs.

Safefood have lots of recipes for really nutritious, simple meals here

When making your healthy eating plan make sure to include 2-3 healthy snacks per day, but don’t cut out treat foods completely. A little now and then is okay.

• try not to keep a large supply of treats at home, this just adds to the temptation
• make sure there are plenty of healthy snacks available, such as fruit, veg, cheese, nuts, and yoghurt
• don’t be afraid to say no to giving your kids treats. Make a plan to only have treats on certain days and stick to it. Find other ways of rewarding them, such as playing a game with them, taking them to the park, or allowing them to choose a movie to watch

Safefood have more useful tips on managing treats here and some great ideas for healthy snacks here.

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