According to MensHealth.com, the eight foods you should eat every day are:
- Spinach
- Yogurt
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Blueberries
- Black beans
- Walnuts
- Oats
How do I work these in? Almost every morning I have plain oatmeal with almonds or walnuts and blueberries (and maybe some chocolate chips. Chocolate, for some reason, did not make the list). Later in the day I will have plain yogurt with blueberries or berry mixture with another small helping of nuts. I snack on cold baby carrots instead of Pringles throughout the day, and usually have at least one salad with spinach and tomatoes.
As for you? Think of ways to add these items into your diet (a spinach, tomato, black bean, carrot and walnut salad includes five of the eight suggested foods).
My simple rules of thumb with food:
- Eat the colors of the rainbow whenever you can (excluding Skittles and M&Ms, of course).
- Don’t worry so much about what you shouldn’t be eating than what you should. Once you start battling with foods and relegating some into the “bad” category it becomes that much harder to eat healthily. Foods labeled “bad” suddenly become more exciting and will win in the short term - just like “bad” boys.
What I would personally add to the list?
- Ground flax seeds (in the oatmeal)
- Raspberries
- Chocolate (the good kind and in moderation)
- Olive oil (in moderation)
I actually eat most of those foods every day…and here is how I dress em up….
Yogurt: Either for breakfast as a side dish or I get the low fat Dreyers brownie batter frozen yogurt from the grocery store. It is all I buy for my family for an ice cream alternative and OMG…it tastes like chocolate HEAVEN!
Blueberries: I have a blueberry fetish…so I snack on these right out of the container during movies, work, or whenever.
Spinach: I always throw a small handful of this into a salad…it is so healthy and with all of the other vegies and light dressing…you hardly know its there!
Tomatoes: For an afternoon snack, I often slice these up, sprinkle with some salt and pepper and eat them with a fork…the s & p really dress up the taste and can satiate the “salty snack” desire that creeps up in the later afternoon
Walnuts: Same property as tomatoes….also great to hold you off until dinner…
Carrots: I tend to be a night time snacker, so instead of busting open the Frittos, I buy the pre cut carrot sticks from the grocery store (because I am lazy by this time) and compliment it with T. Margetti’s light ranch vegetable dip. The dip is REALLY tasty and has half the calories and fat of regular dressing. A welcome treat for those late night cravings!
Black Beans: I love these in a chicken burrito or even as a side. I eat these instead of refried beans
Oats: Oatmeal is VERY tasty for breakfast with some brown sugar or even BLUEBERRIES!!! Great for energy and keeps you full for a while too! The Quaker Oatmeal bars also work well for a mid morning snack for me or the kiddies!!
Just some ideas…they work GREAT for me!
Thanks Alana! That’s what it’s all about. Sharing what works for us and giving people ideas. I really like the Dreyer’s brownie batter part….