5 Ways to Eat a More Varied Healthy Diet

It is much easier to stick to what you are familiar with when you are choosing food to get and prepare, right? Especially if you are extra busy and there is not enough time for you to figure out something totally new.

Having the go-to foods which you know how to make is great, however, it is also fun to be adventurous sometimes and try new things. For in terms of food, the more varied and healthier options you get, the better!

Adding variety to your diet adds the potential to have a variety of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and nutrients and increasing the chances of such nutrients to work together in various ways in order to reap greater health benefits.

In general, most people would love to look away from their food patterns and try new things, but do not know where to start. Here are some ways for adding variety in your diet in order to help you get out of the boring meal plans and find some exciting new food pairings!

1. Color is Key

If your daily menu is composed of less or the same colors, then it is high time that you include foods of different colors and eats with your eyes!

If you love your salad, then you can add naturally-colored veggies which are orange, purple or red in color to your yellow and green staples. When your meal is more colorful, then your diet is more likely to be healthier and yummier!

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If cooking, you also have to make sure that the various food ingredients you match and mix according to colors complement each other in terms of taste and flavor.

An individual’s eating pleasure also comes from seeing food which looks delightful and vibrant. This is one of the many reasons as to why most food magazines, cookbooks, and cooking shows are very popular. For a “wow” factor when dining in, extensively choose and arrange creatively!

2. Try Soup

Soup goes a long way in history and it is getting more popular thanks to its health benefits. However, if you are looking for a way to add variety on your diet without taking in a lot of calories, then soup is a great way to go!

Soups are a great way to eat servings from more than one food groups. With the best soup making machines, you can easily make various soup recipes that contain colorful veggies, noodles, beans or meat. Plus, soups are an easy way to control your diet thanks to their filling form, you do not risk yourself from overeating and binge eating even after a bowl of soup!

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3. Be on The Look Out For Something New

If you tend to cook the very same, boring recipe dish every week, get yourself some cookbooks and find a new, fresher recipe and cuisine that you have never tried before. Be consistent in trying something new and try tasting at least one new dish every week.

Take note of the recipes that you actually like and discard the ones that you don’t. This way, you will never get bored with your meal plan and look forward to what you’ll be eating every day.

4. Emphasize Each Food Group

An alternative to adding a variety of foods, you can focus on one food group at a time. For instance, if you wish to add a variety of meat, then try to focus on that for just a couple of weeks.

Here are some tips on how you can spice up your meals, one food group at a time:

• For your main meals, try various types of pasta, noodles or rice. Or if you have the time, try to create your own pasta.
• Rather than white potato fries, sweet potato, cooked legumes or corn can be a great alternative.
• For steak, add cherry tomatoes or potatoes as a side dish.
• For sandwiches, try a different type of bread like wraps (tortillas or pita bread) or Turkish bread rolls.
• For salad, try stir-fry and curry or pasta and add chopped nuts.
• For breakfast, you can pair it with cook mushrooms, spinach, or tomatoes.

5. Use New Foods in Familiar Ways

The easiest way to switch into a new food with ease is to swap it with something that you already know how to use. Trying a new grain? Use it in place of rice on your meals and recipes. Want a new root veggie? Use it where you normally use sweet potatoes in a recipe. Experimenting on a new protein source? Make it like how you would normally prepare chicken.

By doing so, you can stick to familiar recipes that take the effort out of finding a new recipe for a single ingredient. Plus, it is also a great way to get an idea of flavoring new food and brainstorming what else can you try with it.