The key to a varied and balanced diet is to eat the right combination of healthy homely foods that complement each other in every meal of the day. Luckily, Indian cuisine is full of an abundance of healthy options to choose from. Therefore, eating a balanced diet is not much of an issue, however, due to an array of options and with so much information available on the web about diets, it can be confusing to know what we should eat or avoid. Often the fear of missing out on important nutrients may result in overeating or indulging in unhealthy food which has no health benefits to offer.
All the mothers out there, we know how it feels everyday when you wake up and then spend time thinking about the menu for breakfast and the lunch box. And, to repeat this cycle on a daily basis is undoubtedly a tedious task. That’s why we are here to help you out!
To make your everyday task easier and to ensure you get to eat nutritious and yummy food everyday without missing crucial vitamins; we have outlined below a list of certain foods that you should be eating everyday because they are incredibly healthy and makes a perfect option for breakfast, lunch, evening snacking, and dinner respectively.
Why Eating a Balanced Diet is Important?
Eating a balanced diet is essential for a variety of reasons to maintain our overall well-being. It helps to provide our body with important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients required for the proper functioning of the bodily system. Eating a balanced diet in the right portion as you begin the day sets the tone for the day ahead.
You are likely to be more energetic, focused, and productive at work. You can also manage your weight easily and reduce the chances of contamination from several diseases and viruses. A balanced diet ensures you are eating fresh seasonal foods and taking maximum health benefits.
Now let’s take your nutrition game to next level with this list of superfoods suitable for every day.
Food to eat in Breakfast:
Beginning your day by indulging in a breakfast consisting of healthy food is the right approach to stay energetic, focused, and productive at work. You also tend to eat less in lunch if you consume a fulfilling breakfast thus managing overall weight.
Given below are some breakfast superfoods you can eat to have the best of health and certainly a great start to the day:
Poha:
Light, nutritious, and excellent filling breakfast, Poha has been the ultimate breakfast food, and for good reason. It is easy to digest and makes for a good source of instant energy and protein. It is super easy to make, refreshing, and so filling. By garnishing this one-pot meal with fresh coriander leaves, grated coconut, peanuts, and cashews you can really change the game.
Upma:
Low in calories and cholesterol, flavourful, Tasty, and savoury Upma is the go-to breakfast because it keeps you full for longer and helps you to effectively manage weight because it is enriched with fibre, vitamins, and minerals. This also means you tend to stay active throughout the day.
Rice Idli:
The staple food in breakfast for so many years, Rice Idli makes a perfect heart-healthy food because has no saturated fat and cholesterol. It is moreover beneficial for the gut health and digestive system too. It also curbs hunger and feels super filling. Pair it with homemade coconut chutney or sambhar, if you have got enough time in the morning.
Oatmeal:
Thanks to the presence of healthy soluble fibre, Oatmeal helps to keep cholesterol levels in check, helps fight against heart disease, gives a fuller feeling of stomach, boosts immunity, and is good for our digestive system. This whole-grain food is truly one of the easiest healthy meals you can make to start your day ahead.
Sprouts Chaat:
If you’re bored of eating the usual fruit chaat in the morning, a bowl of nutritious Sprouts Chaat would be the perfect pick. It is good for digestion, immunity, weight loss, and gives healthy skin, hair, and eyesight too. It is surely a treat to your taste buds.
Food to Eat in Lunch:
Now that we know how to start off our day right with a nutritious breakfast, let’s explore lunch. Keep the lunch nutritionally balanced and include food groups like whole grains, proteins, and dark leafy greens. Keep a check on portion control so that you end up overeating which eventually leads to weight gain.
Following are some power-packed mouth-watering meal options that can be highly enjoyed as a part of Lunch:
Dal:
Dal is a rich source of protein, fibre, and iron. Any traditional Indian meal is incomplete without the comforting Dal which elevates the experience of the whole meal and makes a great option to eat everyday to stay healthy. Just ensure cooking them in a healthy way like avoiding using too much oil, spices, and salt to be on a healthier side. Also, incorporate a variety of dals like Urad, Masoor, Toor, Lobia, etc. to get the maximum health benefits.
Paneer:
Serve it as the main dish, side dish, or snack, Paneer is so versatile and delicious that it almost goes well with almost everything. The best part is- it has multiple nutritional benefits like building better bones, teeth, aids in weight loss, good for the digestive system, diabetic patients, and the list goes on. There are numerous lip-smacking paneer recipes that can be made easily so that you can eat paneer without getting bored.
Bread:
When it comes to bread, hot piping Chapati is something that is consumed by all. But to enhance the nutritional content, infuse it with other healthy ingredients. For e.g. Palak Roti. The addition of Palak aka Spinach in the traditional roti makes it tastier and healthier. Being high in iron, spinach helps to prevent conditions like fatigue and also gives a natural boost to immunity. Some other options like Laccha Parantha, Missi Roti, and Bajra Roti taste so good and uphold a variety of nutritional benefits.
Buttermilk:
During the hot days of the year, Chaas or Buttermilk is truly bliss. It is a good probiotic and source of protein that keeps you full thus reducing the chances of overeating. It is an ideal drink to cool the stomach and relieve the symptoms of acidity. It prevents dehydration and can be consumed without any adverse effects.
For Evening Snacking:
It is imperative to choose healthy snacks so that you get the required energy to get through the rest of the day and also curb sudden hunger. Often people tend to indulge in unhealthy food by being impulsive when hunger strikes in the evening hours. If you are at work, things get more messed up because now you need to be more careful about the snacks you choose so that you don’t compromise your health.
Here are some healthy snacking options that you can always have:
Dry Fruits and Nuts:
Keeping a handful of dry fruits or nuts handy is an ideal approach for healthy snacking. Nuts are rich in healthy fats, protein, and fibre basically they consist of everything you need to curb hunger and get a boost of energy to keep going throughout the day. Some other good options include almonds, cashews, and walnuts.
Chemical-free Juices:
While fruit salad is a great snacking option, sipping on chemical-free juices made of fresh and seasonal fruits is again a healthy pick to get the best of what the season has to offer while staying hydrated and intaking the goodness of fruits and vegetables in the purest form possible. This is also a great substitute when you are bored with the plain taste of water.
Greek Yogurt:
Greek yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium, it tastes so good when paired with fresh fruits or granola for added flavor and texture. Just avoid buying flavoured Greek Yoghurt from the store instead use homemade curd and add a topping of your choice so that you have full control over what’s going inside the bowl of goodness.
Carrot Sticks with Hummus
Carrots are a low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetable, while hummus is a good source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The crunchy carrots and creamy hummus taste so good together that you will keep asking for more. If carrots are not in season, cucumber, celery, sweet potato and zucchini also pair well and make a great fingerlicious and nutritious breakfast
Food to Eat in Dinner:
Always keep the Dinner light but nutrient enriched to ensure you get the maximum health benefits without weight gain. And by healthy, it doesn’t have to be bland and boring. You don’t need to compromise on taste and flavours just because you are going healthy for dinner. With these options given below, you can be healthy as well as light on your stomach.
Soup
Regardless of the weather, soups are always a great idea to pack for lunch. The good part about soups is that they can be made with everything and anything, they always result in a delicious taste and are perfect to satiate hunger. Tomato Soup, Pumpkin Soup, Spinach Soup or Lettuce and Cauliflower Soup are some of the light and tasty soups that are tasty, tangy, and enriched with nutrients.
Salad
Eating Salads is the best way to increase the intake of veggies that you miss otherwise. Combine a bowl of salad everyday as a part of your meal to balance out the vegetables that you struggle to eat otherwise. There are many exciting recipes that you can eat brimming with all kinds of essential nutrients and minerals. Just pick what’s best in season and make flavourful salads to complete the lunch meal.
Vegetable Khichdi
Khichdi is the ultimate comfort food in every Indian household. It brings a sense of warmth and comfort plus the benefits of eating hot khichdi are enormous as it is loaded up with a variety of vegetables. Pair it with homemade curd or drizzle some lime juice on top of it to amp up the overall taste.
Paneer Tikka
A quick, easy, and healthy dish which is wholesome and a bit hit among the kids, Paneer Tikka tastes so good and is a perfect addition to everyday Dinner. Add along your favourite veggies and you’re good to go. Just make sure you use the right oil in the right amount.
Final Thoughts
Combine the list of superfoods that we have shared above with various delicious side dishes to elevate the experience of the whole meal to the next level. For e.g.- You can pair Poha with a glass of refreshing juice. It will not only bring a new taste but also double up the health advantages. Similarly, a bowl of super healthy Raita for lunch can make the meal more delicious and nutritious at the same time.
You just need to be mindful and creative to incorporate certain food groups in your diet in different ways so that you don’t fall into the trap of food boredom while intake maximum health benefits.
With a variety of more than 200 recipes on our menu, OMKITCHEN provides an array of healthy meals to eat everyday. You can pick any kind of meal as per your requirements and we will make sure to serve you the best experience across Delhi/NCR. In the end, you will enjoy meals prepared with organic ingredients.
Disclaimer: The above-listed meals for different times of the day are standard and based on my research. If you suffer from any illness or nutritional deficiency, please take medical help from dietary professionals to fulfill your nutritional requirement.
