Angela D
I am 5'4" and weigh 130 lbs -good weight, but I know that I am not healthy. My husband is 6'4" and weighs 280 lbs (he has a large frame but I know he is at an unhealthy weight.) Since I cook our meals and do our grocery shopping, I would like to start getting healthier stuff for us.
What can I get that is healthy, easy (I am not that great of a cook), and inexpensive as we are on a budget? I am not expecting a full menu plan from anyone, just some ideas.
Answer
The first two things to consider are reducing sodium and fat. The next few things are to add fiber, produce, calcium and protein.
Sodium:
Look out for it in soft drinks, microwave dinners, canned soups, preserved meats.
The closer you get to making something from scratch, the better it is going to be for you, but if you need something partially preprocessed, look for low fat or reduced sodium options.
Fat: Butter, margerine, unhealthy cooking oils, deep fried foods. Try to cut these out.
Butter is very fattening and mighty artery clogging, but the typical margerine alternative might be unhealthy for you in lots of other ways. Try a dairy based spread like "Smart Balance" or "Brummel and brown." I use smart sense and I can't tell the difference at all.
Oils are good and bad. Saturated and Trans are the BAD kinds. Unsaturated is the good kind. You actually need some fat to be healthy.. so don't completely cut it out.
Saturated (BAD): Hard fats like butter, and cheese. Whole milk, ice cream, fatty portions of meat.
Trans (BAD): margerine, vegetable shortening, most fast food, most premade baked goods.
Unsaturated (GOOD): corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, etc. Of these oils, peanut, sesamee and olive oils are the best for you.
If you try to cook how you normally cook, just watching the sodium and type of oils you use, that will greatly improve both of your health... and his waistline.
Fiber:
Use 100% whole wheat bread and pasta. Bread is not your enemy. Just look at how it is processed. White - refined, packed with chemicals. Wheat - hearty, filling, good. Need rice with a dish? Use brown rice instead of white.
It might be difficult at first to adjust at first, but it isn't as much of the taste as it the mental aspect of knowing it's different.
This might sound gross, but your tummies will certainly thank you for getting more fiber.
Fiber also comes from a large number of vegetables. Dark leafy greens are packed with them. Spinach and broccoli are great. A can of peas, carrots, or beans is even easier and still full of fiber (Just make sure you check to see if it's packed in something high in sodium).
Fruits that are high in fiber include apples, bananas, oranges, and berries. Don't even bother with the prunes unless you know you like them.
Raw fruits and veggies are the cheapest, and best for you, but as a woman with a full time job, throwing a can of peas or carrots in the microwave is fast and easy and better for you than most of the alternatives.
Calcium is going to be more important for you than him, but you oth need it. Just make sure that you choose skim or 2% milk rather than whole. Cheese is still good for you... even the processed "American" kind... but try to get the "low fat" or "fat free" kind.
Protein: Best rule of thumb is red meat 3 times or less a week. Chicken and seafood the rest of the time. Don't fry! Instead bake, grill or broil.
This might sound like a LOT, but most of the time you spend will be figuring out what to buy. Once you can pick the healthier ingredients, your cooking time should be about the same as it has been.
Some fast, healthy meal ideas:
Boil some pasta and drain, add veggies like grape tomatoes, olives, onions, etc. Toss some olive oil and deli chicken or deli ham in, and sprinkle with parmesian.
Aluminum foil meals are fast and easy. I throw a couple frozen chicken breasts in the fridge the day before. Just put each piece of thawed chicken on its own sheet of aluminum. Add all sorts of raw veggies or pastas and some tomato sauce or cream of whatever soup. Wrap the foil around it like a pouch and cook about 20 minutes at 350. You can find all sorts of recipes for these by searching "foil recipe" or "hobo mean recipe" on google.
Soup and Sandwich - this might be cheating, but I'll often throw a slice of lean deli ham and a couple slices of fat free cheese on some whole wheat bread then just toss it on the George Foreman grill for 3 minutes. This is a no-fuss, butter free grilled cheese and ham sandwhich. I'll make one for each of us, then microwave a can of Progresso light soup. If that's not enough for your hubby, you could add some raw veggies on the side and some low fat salad dressing to dip them in... or even Baked Lays.
I have learned most of this from nutritionists, a health class, some cooking shows and a brief stint in Weight Watchers. I work full time and cook everything in our home. I also have to budget what I get at the grocery store. I know how tiring it can be. You just need to get some simple cooking staples to fall back on. Once you learn the healthier alternatives, it will be fast and simple. When you get used to it, it will actually be a LOT cheaper cooking from scratch than buying frozen or box dinners.
Hope this helps.
The first two things to consider are reducing sodium and fat. The next few things are to add fiber, produce, calcium and protein.
Sodium:
Look out for it in soft drinks, microwave dinners, canned soups, preserved meats.
The closer you get to making something from scratch, the better it is going to be for you, but if you need something partially preprocessed, look for low fat or reduced sodium options.
Fat: Butter, margerine, unhealthy cooking oils, deep fried foods. Try to cut these out.
Butter is very fattening and mighty artery clogging, but the typical margerine alternative might be unhealthy for you in lots of other ways. Try a dairy based spread like "Smart Balance" or "Brummel and brown." I use smart sense and I can't tell the difference at all.
Oils are good and bad. Saturated and Trans are the BAD kinds. Unsaturated is the good kind. You actually need some fat to be healthy.. so don't completely cut it out.
Saturated (BAD): Hard fats like butter, and cheese. Whole milk, ice cream, fatty portions of meat.
Trans (BAD): margerine, vegetable shortening, most fast food, most premade baked goods.
Unsaturated (GOOD): corn oil, safflower oil, canola oil, olive oil, etc. Of these oils, peanut, sesamee and olive oils are the best for you.
If you try to cook how you normally cook, just watching the sodium and type of oils you use, that will greatly improve both of your health... and his waistline.
Fiber:
Use 100% whole wheat bread and pasta. Bread is not your enemy. Just look at how it is processed. White - refined, packed with chemicals. Wheat - hearty, filling, good. Need rice with a dish? Use brown rice instead of white.
It might be difficult at first to adjust at first, but it isn't as much of the taste as it the mental aspect of knowing it's different.
This might sound gross, but your tummies will certainly thank you for getting more fiber.
Fiber also comes from a large number of vegetables. Dark leafy greens are packed with them. Spinach and broccoli are great. A can of peas, carrots, or beans is even easier and still full of fiber (Just make sure you check to see if it's packed in something high in sodium).
Fruits that are high in fiber include apples, bananas, oranges, and berries. Don't even bother with the prunes unless you know you like them.
Raw fruits and veggies are the cheapest, and best for you, but as a woman with a full time job, throwing a can of peas or carrots in the microwave is fast and easy and better for you than most of the alternatives.
Calcium is going to be more important for you than him, but you oth need it. Just make sure that you choose skim or 2% milk rather than whole. Cheese is still good for you... even the processed "American" kind... but try to get the "low fat" or "fat free" kind.
Protein: Best rule of thumb is red meat 3 times or less a week. Chicken and seafood the rest of the time. Don't fry! Instead bake, grill or broil.
This might sound like a LOT, but most of the time you spend will be figuring out what to buy. Once you can pick the healthier ingredients, your cooking time should be about the same as it has been.
Some fast, healthy meal ideas:
Boil some pasta and drain, add veggies like grape tomatoes, olives, onions, etc. Toss some olive oil and deli chicken or deli ham in, and sprinkle with parmesian.
Aluminum foil meals are fast and easy. I throw a couple frozen chicken breasts in the fridge the day before. Just put each piece of thawed chicken on its own sheet of aluminum. Add all sorts of raw veggies or pastas and some tomato sauce or cream of whatever soup. Wrap the foil around it like a pouch and cook about 20 minutes at 350. You can find all sorts of recipes for these by searching "foil recipe" or "hobo mean recipe" on google.
Soup and Sandwich - this might be cheating, but I'll often throw a slice of lean deli ham and a couple slices of fat free cheese on some whole wheat bread then just toss it on the George Foreman grill for 3 minutes. This is a no-fuss, butter free grilled cheese and ham sandwhich. I'll make one for each of us, then microwave a can of Progresso light soup. If that's not enough for your hubby, you could add some raw veggies on the side and some low fat salad dressing to dip them in... or even Baked Lays.
I have learned most of this from nutritionists, a health class, some cooking shows and a brief stint in Weight Watchers. I work full time and cook everything in our home. I also have to budget what I get at the grocery store. I know how tiring it can be. You just need to get some simple cooking staples to fall back on. Once you learn the healthier alternatives, it will be fast and simple. When you get used to it, it will actually be a LOT cheaper cooking from scratch than buying frozen or box dinners.
Hope this helps.
Healthy sandwich bread recipe?
Alyssa D
I need a HEALTHY quick bread recipe that i could use for sandwiches. This means i don't need too much flavor since the things i put on it to make the sandwich will add flavor. By healthy i mean no butter (or butter substitute), no sugar (or splenda), and no oil (besides a minimal amount of light tasting extra virgin olive oil). i want it to use baking soda or powder instead of yeast and i only want it to make one loaf. I currently have -
all purpose flour
whole wheat flour
extra virgin olive oil
1% milk
vanilla yogurt
eggs
honey
rolled oats
and many spices
Answer
Why do you think butter, splenda, butter substitutes, yeast, and oil are unhealthy? Do you research or just follow a silly crowd.
If you use the ingredients you want you will get a horrible product.
You might as well put your organic tuna on cardboard and eat it.
My advise to you is to make a nice bread and enjoy life.
Why do you think butter, splenda, butter substitutes, yeast, and oil are unhealthy? Do you research or just follow a silly crowd.
If you use the ingredients you want you will get a horrible product.
You might as well put your organic tuna on cardboard and eat it.
My advise to you is to make a nice bread and enjoy life.
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