Healthbeat: Healthy eating for one
Are you a student out on your own, a single working adult, an older adult living alone, or someone otherwise cooking just for one?
When eating alone, the comment or thought "it's just me" is often the reason given for not preparing meals or being less attentive about foods eaten. Unfortunately, this can mean skipping meals, nibbling on less healthy foods throughout the day, or overeating fast food or take-out. Some studies suggest that people who live alone often do not meet their nutritional needs.
Not eating healthy food consistently throughout the day may be because of a busy schedule, fatigue, lack of cooking skills, not planning ahead, not being consistent with grocery shopping for adequate amounts of healthy foods, depression, getting bored with eating the same thing day after day, or other factors.
The good news is that there are some steps you can take to improve the nutritional quality of your day. Some involve making healthy foods available in the home, finding sources of healthy take-out or restaurant options, or finding some easy healthy recipes online/in cookbooks/magazines. If eating with other people improves your food intake, try planning more meals with friends or family, or eating in public places (like taking a picnic meal to a beach or park).
If your budget allows and there are healthy options available where you like to eat, eating out once in a while can add variety and a social setting. Since meals eaten out tend to be larger than the recommended serving sizes, plan to take at least half of the meal home — to save money, time preparing meals at home and your waistline.
Some of the new healthier grocery stores offer prepared foods as well. Although a little more expensive than a home cooked meal, they can be a treat once in a while to give you more variety. Browsing through their stores can also give you ideas of foods you might be able to prepare at home. If you do not know how to cook, consider taking a cooking class. These can be a really fun!
Whether buying a meal out or cooking a meal at home, keep the healthy food groups in mind. Vegetables in particular are often lacking in meals eaten alone. At each meal, think about including some form of lean protein, a less-processed grain (think whole grain), some fruit, a source of calcium (low-fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, dark leafy greens, beans, etc.), and lots of veggies (fresh and/or frozen). Purchased frozen meals tend to have a minimal amount of veggies, so add some on the side. They also can be high in sodium and sometimes fat, so read the food label.
Making quick and easy, healthful meals at home puts you in total control of your food options. It also means you can tailor the quantities of the foods you eat to fit your nutrient and calorie needs. With a little planning, making your own meals can also save you money.
A good starting point is grocery shopping for healthy meal and snack foods. Keeping less healthy foods in the house that you nibble on all day can mean that you are less hungry for meals. These foods might fill you up and cover your calorie needs, but they do not contribute to your nutritional needs.
Buying some foods in bulk can save money and may mean fewer trips to the grocery store. Family packs of chicken can be portioned into individual zip bags and frozen. Dry goods like canned cooked beans, whole grain pasta, nuts and nut butters, and low sodium sauces can be kept on hand for quick, easy, healthy meals.
One-dish meals can be quick and healthy. This might mean a stir fry made with fresh or frozen veggies plus some form of protein (chicken shrimp, pork, beans, etc.) served over whole grain pasta or brown rice. It could be low sodium tomato sauce with beans or leftover chicken served over some form of whole grain. Soups and stews are great for portioning and freezing.
Using a slow cooker is not only convenient, but smelling the food as it cooks can improve appetite. Just keep in mind that everything that goes into the cooker is what you are eating. This means that if you are adding meat, all the fat is in the final product (for some cuts, not good for lowering your cholesterol, fat, or calorie intake), so choose lean versions.
Poaching or broiling is usually quicker than baking. To poach chicken or fish, put a small amount of water in a pan, add the chicken or fish, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer until done. Drain off the water and top with salsa, honey mustard, pasta sauce, pesto, or other flavorful topping. Serve with a steamed veggie or salad and add a whole grain. Another hint — you can make whole grains (or even whole meals) in bulk and freeze in portion-sized containers so they just have to be heated when needed (remember to label and date them before freezing).
To provide more variety, think of ways to use leftovers — like adding grilled or broiled chicken or fish to a salad. To improve flavor, think of additions like fresh or dried herbs, rubs or spice mixes (preferably unsalted), curry, cumin, chili powder, lemon/lime/orange zests or juice, flavored mustards, mushrooms, garlic or other onion-type ingredient, dried fruit, balsamic or other vinegars.
If you are really not in the mood to cook, a meal made up of several healthy snacks can be an option. The key word here is "healthy."
Try to make "cooking for one" a time to relax and enjoy yourself — a way to nourish your mind and body. It can also be used as a good de-stressing transition time between work and home. Make meals an event and enjoy the moment — light a candle, put flowers on the table, smell and savor each bite — you are worth it!
When eating alone, the comment or thought "it's just me" is often the reason given for not preparing meals or being less attentive about foods eaten. Unfortunately, this can mean skipping meals, nibbling on less healthy foods throughout the day, or overeating fast food or take-out. Some studies suggest that people who live alone often do not meet their nutritional needs.
Not eating healthy food consistently throughout the day may be because of a busy schedule, fatigue, lack of cooking skills, not planning ahead, not being consistent with grocery shopping for adequate amounts of healthy foods, depression, getting bored with eating the same thing day after day, or other factors.
The good news is that there are some steps you can take to improve the nutritional quality of your day. Some involve making healthy foods available in the home, finding sources of healthy take-out or restaurant options, or finding some easy healthy recipes online/in cookbooks/magazines. If eating with other people improves your food intake, try planning more meals with friends or family, or eating in public places (like taking a picnic meal to a beach or park).
If your budget allows and there are healthy options available where you like to eat, eating out once in a while can add variety and a social setting. Since meals eaten out tend to be larger than the recommended serving sizes, plan to take at least half of the meal home — to save money, time preparing meals at home and your waistline.
Some of the new healthier grocery stores offer prepared foods as well. Although a little more expensive than a home cooked meal, they can be a treat once in a while to give you more variety. Browsing through their stores can also give you ideas of foods you might be able to prepare at home. If you do not know how to cook, consider taking a cooking class. These can be a really fun!
Whether buying a meal out or cooking a meal at home, keep the healthy food groups in mind. Vegetables in particular are often lacking in meals eaten alone. At each meal, think about including some form of lean protein, a less-processed grain (think whole grain), some fruit, a source of calcium (low-fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, dark leafy greens, beans, etc.), and lots of veggies (fresh and/or frozen). Purchased frozen meals tend to have a minimal amount of veggies, so add some on the side. They also can be high in sodium and sometimes fat, so read the food label.
Making quick and easy, healthful meals at home puts you in total control of your food options. It also means you can tailor the quantities of the foods you eat to fit your nutrient and calorie needs. With a little planning, making your own meals can also save you money.
A good starting point is grocery shopping for healthy meal and snack foods. Keeping less healthy foods in the house that you nibble on all day can mean that you are less hungry for meals. These foods might fill you up and cover your calorie needs, but they do not contribute to your nutritional needs.
Buying some foods in bulk can save money and may mean fewer trips to the grocery store. Family packs of chicken can be portioned into individual zip bags and frozen. Dry goods like canned cooked beans, whole grain pasta, nuts and nut butters, and low sodium sauces can be kept on hand for quick, easy, healthy meals.
One-dish meals can be quick and healthy. This might mean a stir fry made with fresh or frozen veggies plus some form of protein (chicken shrimp, pork, beans, etc.) served over whole grain pasta or brown rice. It could be low sodium tomato sauce with beans or leftover chicken served over some form of whole grain. Soups and stews are great for portioning and freezing.
Using a slow cooker is not only convenient, but smelling the food as it cooks can improve appetite. Just keep in mind that everything that goes into the cooker is what you are eating. This means that if you are adding meat, all the fat is in the final product (for some cuts, not good for lowering your cholesterol, fat, or calorie intake), so choose lean versions.
Poaching or broiling is usually quicker than baking. To poach chicken or fish, put a small amount of water in a pan, add the chicken or fish, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer until done. Drain off the water and top with salsa, honey mustard, pasta sauce, pesto, or other flavorful topping. Serve with a steamed veggie or salad and add a whole grain. Another hint — you can make whole grains (or even whole meals) in bulk and freeze in portion-sized containers so they just have to be heated when needed (remember to label and date them before freezing).
To provide more variety, think of ways to use leftovers — like adding grilled or broiled chicken or fish to a salad. To improve flavor, think of additions like fresh or dried herbs, rubs or spice mixes (preferably unsalted), curry, cumin, chili powder, lemon/lime/orange zests or juice, flavored mustards, mushrooms, garlic or other onion-type ingredient, dried fruit, balsamic or other vinegars.
If you are really not in the mood to cook, a meal made up of several healthy snacks can be an option. The key word here is "healthy."
Try to make "cooking for one" a time to relax and enjoy yourself — a way to nourish your mind and body. It can also be used as a good de-stressing transition time between work and home. Make meals an event and enjoy the moment — light a candle, put flowers on the table, smell and savor each bite — you are worth it!
