Eating balanced, healthy meals can be good for both mental and physical well-being. Consuming nutritious foods is essential for growing and staying strong, and it can also help prevent or manage long-term and chronic illnesses like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
Having a healthy, balanced diet can positively impact your physical health and improve your mental well-being. Whether you’re cooking for a family of five or creating healthy meals for one, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has three simple steps you can take to fuel your body with nutritious food.
1. Make a plan.
Before heading to the grocery store, take time to create a meal plan for your week. Simple meals can be healthy, too, so don’t feel like you have to cook elaborate dishes. Once you’ve planned your meals, you can use that to create a shopping list. Check weekly sales ads at the stores where you plan to shop and remember to use coupons when you can.
2. Shop smart.
Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh produce and often cost less, so substitute them as needed. Produce that’s in season may cost less, too. It may also be helpful to buy low-cost proteins like beans or purchase family-sized packages of fresh meat and freeze the portion you don’t use.
3. Prepare healthy meals.
When you’re ready to cook, organize your kitchen and clear the clutter to save time. Consider doubling your recipe or chopping extra fruits or vegetables so you have extra portions for other recipes or leftover food for later in the week. If your family wants to help, give them different jobs and let them. You can also refresh recipes by adding different ingredients to them.
Making sure you and your family stay nourished with nutritious and balanced meals can be a breeze if you know how to plan, and you can also save yourself time and money with a thorough meal plan. The USDA has more information to help you create nutritious, budget-friendly meals at myplate.gov/eat-healthy/healthy-eating-budget.
