Tips and Tricks To Eat Healthier In 2016

In order to eat healthier, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor. While people in culinary academy already have a knack for tweaking recipes to make them taste better, there are plenty of small changes that can be made to your favorite dishes to make them healthier. If your resolution for the new year is to eat healthier than you did in 2015, try these tips:

Try eating every three to four hours
This will keep your eyes from getting bigger than your stomach. You’ll eat just enough to keep your stomach from grumbling. But try not to eat two hours before you go to sleep. You want to give your body enough time to digest your food before you lay down for eight hours.

Grocery shop with a list
Have an ongoing grocery list on your refrigerator. Every time you run out of a staple, like greens or milk, add it to the list. Take that list with you when you go shopping and stick with it, only deviating if you’re making a specific meal. Too often we over shop, buying processed snacks we don’t need.

Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice
Not only will it be more filling than drinking a glass of juice, but actual fruit is significantly healthier than any juice in a carton. Store-bought fruit juice is full of dyes and sugars and none of the fiber that the fruit has. Instead, pour yourself a glass of low-fat milk to eat with your breakfast and serve it with an apple, orange or grapefruit.

Stop making salads with iceberg lettuce
With so many greens available to you, why would you continue making your salads with what is basically just crunch water? Use some romaine, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, or combination of the two to make a much more flavorful salad, one that won’t make you so sad to eat at lunch time.

Invest in an air popper
Microwave popcorn is full of chemicals and “butter,” so invest in an air popper instead. This route for movie snacks is more budget-friendly and healthier. Invest in different flavored popcorn seasonings, like Cajun, white cheddar or even s’mores, so you can flavor your snack depending on how you’re feeling that day.

Choose brown over white
Whether you’re choosing between whole wheat and white bread, brown or white rice, or whole wheat or regular pasta, always go with the darker of the two. Bleached, refined or otherwise lightened carbohydrates are missing most of the nutrients like fiber and antioxidants that are present in the alternative.

Appreciate the avocado
Often referred to as a super food, avocado is chock-full of nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. It has a unique texture that makes a good addition to almost any meal, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Spread some avocado on your toast in the morning, add some guacamole to your nachos for lunch, and add it to your dinner for good measure.