The basics don’t change very much. Eating well means you are getting your essential nutrients every day in the form of protein, fat and carbohydrates. But it’s nice to switch the source of those macronutrients up so eating doesn’t become boring. After all, despite all the angst the diet industry creates, food is meant to be enjoyed.
Protein
We often think of protein as meat, fish and dairy, but it extends to lentils, humus, tofu, nuts and seeds along with small amounts in vegetables.
Quality sources of protein in meats include small portions of beef, lamb, chicken or pork that contains no added hormones or antibiotics. Look at the labels when you buy to be sure you are staying in this You will benefit your own health and animals will be treated more humanely.
To avoid boredom with these protein sources, prepare them in different ways. The summer season may lead you to the outdoor grill, while winter may call for a slow cooker or long roast.
You can make use of nuts and seeds as garnishes on yogurt or in a salad. Adding fresh herbs to your roasting meats give a nice aroma to the kitchen and enhance the flavor of the meat.
There is a big push toward plant based meals to lower the environmental impact of raising livestock and being regarded as a less healthy choice than plant based meals. While I agree with this, not all people can feel satisfied on a meatless diet. There is a tendency to snack when you are avoiding a nutritional need which can be more harmful. Each person should carefully observe what is most satisfying to their dietary needs and act accordingly.
Fats
Fat is an essential nutrient that helps your body absorb vitamins A, D and E. Brain tissue also has fat. There are four kinds of fat - polyunsaturated, (sunflower, flaxseed, walnuts, fish and canola oil) monounsaturated (olive, canola and peanut oil, nuts, avocado and seeds) saturated (butter, meat, cookies and pastries omega-3 (oily fish, flaxseeds walnuts(, trans fats (the most damaging, partially hydrogenated oils are in margarine, shortening, store bought cookies, etc.)
Fat should be the smallest part of your plate and should be selected most often from poly- mono- and omega 3 sources.
Carbohydrates
The right kinds of carbohydrates should fill most of your plates. They are fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Because they take up most of your plate, it’s helpful to vary them by color, texture and season. There are more than 100 vegetables available to us, and moving through all the colors will give you many choices, Vegetables can be steamed, roasted, cooked on the grill, stewed or eaten raw.
So the top foods don’t change very much in 2024 because there are so many to choose from. Use a search engine and enter the word vegetables and see how many appear.. Check off the ones you like and plan to try them all over the next few months.
I use search engines for recipes always. There are many on my blog as well that are easy to make in 20 minutes or less. Cooking needs to be practical and must fit into busy lives while also supplying essential nutrients to support you in your busy life. .