Preparing Foods to Eat a Healthy Diet

By using a few simple techniques in your food preparation routine you can apply these guidelines, get a balanced diet, and follow the Dietary Guidelines developed by the US Department of Agriculture for developing and maintaining a healthier diet:-

  • Decrease calories if you need to lose weight
  • Avoid too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
  • Increase starch and dietary fiber
  • Avoid too much sugar and other sweeteners
  • Avoid too much salt and other sodium-containing ingredients

Its as simple as that. By keeping these five points high on your agenda ( to-do-list) you will reduce your chances of becoming obese or developing any of the other adverse conditions covered in chapter on - Secondary diagnoses. It is not necessary to painstakingly follow an obscure diet that forbids you to eat your favourite foods, always weigh your foods, or meticulously count your calorie intake.

Use the recipes and menus that follow, until you are familiar with this healthy diet plan, and your lifestyle changes have developed to the stage where you are eating for nutrition and health (eating to live not living to eat). Only then be adventurous, plan your own menus, and live healthfully.

Variety and balance are the keys to planning menus. Each day's menus should include foods from the five major food groups -breads, cereals and grain products; vegetables; fruits; meat, poultry, fish, and alternatives; milk, cheese and yogurt. Foods in these groups provide the protein, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that you need. Go easy on foods in the sixth group - fats, sweets, and alcoholic beverages. Also vary your choices of foods within each group because specific foods differ in the kinds and amounts of nutrients they provide.

Keep in mind that no system is perfect! No one set of menus can satisfy everyone, nor can you always eat exactly as planned. It's what you do over the long run, day-to-day, week-to-week, that adds up to good nutritional health.

In spite of the trend to increased eating out, surveys show that people get about 70 percent of their calories from foods eaten at home or packed in a bag lunches. Keeping nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods on hand for quick meals and snacks can assure your family a healthful diet. [Discovering the Benefits of Planning Menus, USDA Human Nutrition Information Service Home and Garden Bulletin No. 232-8]