Following a strict diet plan can be hard enough as is, but when you have a family to feed it can become even more of a challenge. Trying to cook two separate meals every night can get old quickly, and let’s face it, your kids are probably not going to be happy eating celery sticks for dinner. So how do you make sure everyone in the house is fed and happy without sacrificing your own diet goals?
Luckily, we’ve got a few tips to help you out. With a little bit of creativity and some planning, you can make delicious, nutritious meals for your whole family that will help you stay on track with your diet goals. Here are eight tips that will make it easy for you to prepare great food while sticking to your diet plan.
Air Fry Instead of Deep Fry
Deep frying foods is one surefire way to make them unhealthy. Not only does it add extra calories and fat, but it can also make food less nutrient-dense. If you’re craving fried foods, try air frying instead. Air frying uses hot air to cook food, so there’s no need for oil. This means that your food will be lower in calories and fat, and it will retain more of its nutrients. It’s not just healthier, air frying can also be quicker and easier than deep frying. For instance, air-fried chicken only takes about 15 minutes to cook, while deep-fried chicken can take upwards of 30 minutes. And during the hot summer months, you won’t have to heat your house by using the oven or stovetop. The best part? Your kids won't even taste the difference.
Get Creative with Veggies
How many times have you heard your kids say they don’t like vegetables? And how many times have you said the same thing when you were a kid? The truth is, most people don’t like vegetables because they’re not prepared in a way that tastes good. So start getting creative with how you prepare them. Roasting vegetables in the oven brings out their natural sweetness and make them taste great. You can also spiralize vegetables like zucchini and carrots to create noodle-like dishes that are perfect for pasta substitutes. And don’t forget about salads! There are endless possibilities when it comes to creating a salad, so experiment with different ingredients until you find a combination that you love. To make salads more filling (and satisfying), add some protein like grilled chicken or hard-boiled eggs.
Use Healthy Substitutes
One way to make sure your meals are healthy and diet-friendly is to use healthy substitutes for unhealthy ingredients. For example, you can swap out regular pasta for spiralized vegetables or zucchini noodles. You can also use mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes, and swap white rice for quinoa or black rice. There are even substitutes for desserts! Have you ever heard of using avocado in place of chocolate pudding base? It may sound strange, but trust us, it’s surprisingly delicious. And if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to ice cream, try frozen bananas blended with almond milk. You can also add flavoring like vanilla extract or cocoa powder to create different flavors. Who knows, maybe your kids will like these substitutes even better than the real thing!
Be Mindful of Portion Sizes
When you’re trying to stick to a diet, it’s important to be mindful of portion sizes. This is especially true if you’re cooking for your family. Just because they’re eating the same meal as you doesn’t mean they should have the same portion size. By shrinking your portion size and enlarging theirs, you can make sure everyone is getting the right amount of food without going over your daily calorie allotment. This way you could still enjoy the same meal as your family, but you’d be less likely to overeat. And if you have leftovers, save them for yourself instead of giving them to your family. That way, you won’t be tempted to eat more than you should.
Plan Ahead
Are you one of those people who always say they’ll start their diet tomorrow? Or maybe you start strong but then fall off the wagon a few days (or weeks) later? If so, then it’s time to start planning. Meal prepping is a great way to make sure you have healthy food on hand at all times. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Just spend an hour or two on the weekend cooking some meals and snacks that you can eat during the week. For example, you could cook a big batch of quinoa or brown rice, roast some vegetables, and grill chicken breasts. Then you could portion out these ingredients into individual containers so you can grab them and go during the week. Planning like this will help you stay on track when you’re busy and don’t have time to cook a healthy meal from scratch.
As you can see, sticking to your diet doesn’t have to be difficult or boring. With a little planning and creativity, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals that will satisfy your whole family. So what are you waiting for? Put these tips into action and start enjoying healthy eating today!
Do you have any other tips for sticking to your diet? Share them in the comments below!
