How to make Healthy Food Choices?

All of us know the importance of healthy food choices for the entire family. But the main question is how to incorporate the best choices into a busy and hectic work life? But do you know that a hectic life schedule does not necessarily imply that every meal should be a like a fast food meal. It is actually very difficult to bring in some changes in lifestyle but with a little planning and effort; one can succeed in mastering the secret to good health- “Healthy food choices”. Here are a few tips to make some healthy food choices and usher a healthy lifestyle at home.

Home meal is the best meal

The hectic work schedules have left every person tired and exhausted by the end of the day. When at the end of the day, a person realises that it’s time to cook for and feed the family, the easiest option appears to be “Go out for dinner”. When a person enters the restaurant, he tends eating up foods not good for health. This practise does save time but not our health in the long run.

• There are plenty of fast and easy to cook recipes even at home. They would not only provide more nutrition but also give satisfaction of having fed a healthy meal to the family.
• Keep the list of quick recipes handy in the kitchen. Ensure that one does not have to browse the computer to get hold of those recipes every time. The will power at times is weak and some delay might persuade your mind to go out for eating.

Avoid temptations of buying unhealthy foods

Nutritionists claim that it is the general mind-set of a person to walk into a department store with an intention to buy only healthy foods but ends up purchasing unhealthy food items. The stores are filled with such unhealthy choice of food items that one cannot avoid the temptation of getting a few of them. It is only a few of them every weak which makes a difference to our health.

• One should never go shopping empty stomach. Our great grandfathers used to stress on the point that one should not leave a home empty stomach. This saying proves relevance in today’s time more to avoid the unhealthy food choices. If a hungry person goes out, the first unhealthy food that he sees would be his first bite.
• Completely get rid of unhealthy food items at home. Say a strict “No” to all junk foods and fast foods. A reduction in quantity will never help. Totally abolishing them from the household helps in health management.
• Find healthier alternatives to the favourite junk foods of children. High calorie fried chips can give way to home-made baked chips or rice cakes. High fat ice creams can be replaced by low fat and calorie puddings or frozen natural yoghurts.

Prepare food ahead of time

Plan the next meal in advance. My mom used to prepare the base for night meals and store them in refrigerator. At night, the only task was to mix up the basic things and pop, the dish would be ready within few minutes. So, next time, you feel that you might not have the time or energy to cook meals for a particular time of the day, act when you do have time. Else, one could just cook huge quantity and store them for the next part of the day. Main motto should be to ‘eat at home’ and also a way to enjoy fast food at home.

Eat slower

The human brain takes 20 minutes to know that the stomach is full. If a person eats too fast, it is likely that he might end up consuming more food than was intended or required by the body. Set up a calm atmosphere at home before and while eating. Do not eat while engaging in activities like watching television, getting children do some activity and so on. Here are some tips to slow the pace of eating and thus, avoid unhealthy eating:

• Chew the food at least 20 times before swallowing;
• Eat with the family or sit with someone to talk to casually during the meals time at home. Eating does slow down the rate of eating and helps a person realise that the stomach is full;
• Start the meals with an appetiser or a salad. This will help avoid unhealthy eating as the stomach would take its initial healthy fill from these starters.
• Wait for a few minutes before going in for the next serving of food.
• Smell and enjoy the aroma of the food. This will help a person relish the food and also slows the eating pace.

Make the meal time as a social get together experience

This kind of attitude will definitely bring more fun in the meal time. When a person starts looking at meal time as a social experience, he is more likely to make the healthy and right food choices. Suddenly, the feeling of rush and tiredness disappears. Take time to eat as a family and enjoy the healthy food together while engaging into a pleasant conversation.

The above techniques will help bring in all types of healthy benefits into the family and also teach the children the way to lead a healthy lifestyle. Healthy food choices are definitely possible in a hectic life if you take time to plan ahead and make dinner time a priority at home.