Are you in the “food is life!” club? Or are you mainly about giving your body what it needs to run? Both are legit! But either way, it’s well proven that a balanced diet provides essential nutrients that keep all our organs, muscles, bones, skin, and eyes as healthy as possible. So, there’s almost nothing more important than finding workable good-eating habits. That’s why we asked our go-to nutrition experts for their best tips and tricks for a healthy, happy approach to food.
Good, sustainable nutrition is a lifestyle. “There’s no quick fix. People want nutrition to be slick and sexy, but it’s not. It’s a long-term practice. It’s about creating better habits and understanding how certain foods and nutrients affect the way you feel,” says dietitian Vanessa Rissetto.
This doesn’t have to be overwhelming or all-consuming; start by identifying just one small change you can make today and keep adding more each week.
1. Start your day with protein
“You’ll feel fuller longer and your blood sugar will be more stable, which helps with sustained energy and steady mood,” says dietitian Vandana Sheth.
Have yogurt, eggs, tofu scramble, and a smoothie bowl topped with nuts and seeds: any of these is a great breakfast to fuel you.
2. Freeze leftovers individually, not in bulk
“Divide leftovers into ‘TV dinners.’ It saves you from thawing huge portions and refreezing what you don’t eat, which can degrade food quality,” says dietitian Jessica Jones. Food quality is an important part of making sure your meal is satisfying!
3. Chew (don’t drink) your meals and snacks
A smoothie or a protein shake is a smart pick in a pinch, but whenever possible choose the whole-food versions of fruit, veggies, and protein for a between-meals pick-me-up.
“There’s research to support the idea that actually chewing your food versus drinking it in the form of juices or shakes is more satiety-promoting, and my personal experience as a clinician has fully supported this notion!” says dietitian Jaclyn London, the author of Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked).
4. Seek out umami
Asian staples such as nori, kelp, and wakame are nutritious (filled with essential vitamins and minerals) and bring bold umami flavour that can help you cut back on sodium; a smart move for your heart, kidneys, and bones.
“Look for furikake, kelp or dulse flakes and add them to rice, salads, popcorn, or toast,” suggests nutritionist Sherene Chou.
5. Treat yourself to a fun water bottle
“A water bottle with encouraging messages, time markers for tracking, pretty designs, or a straw can make drinking enough H2O more appealing,” says dietitian Valerie Agyeman.
Staying hydrated helps the body function properly and keeps away dehydration signs like headache, mood swings, and a slump in energy.
6. Go-to flavour builders
The better your food tastes, the more satisfying the bite. Dietitians Jaclyn London and Valerie Agyeman love to keep products like these on hand to create healthy, tasty meals.
- A variety of condiments. Hot sauce, mustard, and toppings like sriracha will tickle your tongue.
- Strongly flavoured cheese. Opt for the full-fat version of soft (like goat, feta) or hard (like Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Gruyère) cheeses to add wonderful flavour and a hint of salt.
- Broths. Stock up on low-salt or salt-free chicken, mushroom, veggie, beef, or fish broth. You can cook grains in it or use it to build and flavour sauces.
- Infused oils. You can steep rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, citrus, or chilli peppers in olive oil, then drizzle the flavoured oil over dishes just before serving. Or, grab an infused bottle online or at a specialty food store.
- Pickled veggies. Tangy pickled or fermented onions, carrots, or cucumbers enhance flavour and add crunchy texture.
- Nut and seed butters. Think almond, peanut, and sunflower seed butter and tahini; they are a good way to get fibre, protein, and healthy fats and can be used to make creamy dressings, dips, or sauces.
- Dried fruit. It adds sweetness and fibre. Buy brands without added sugar, and get creative by thinking beyond oatmeal and yoghurt and adding to salads or veggie dishes.
- Roasted whole garlic cloves. Stick a big batch in the oven until they’re soft and caramelised, then keep in an airtight container to add richness and sweetness to meals.
7. Tap into childhood
“I like using food moulds or cookie cutters to make pancakes, sandwiches, and more into shapes for special occasions,” says dietitian Sue-Ellen Anderson Haynes. You can also find ice cube trays in cool shapes to add pizzazz to your day!
8. The table-plate-chair trick
You hear a lot about mindful eating, and one of the easiest ways to put it into practice is to commit to eating all your meals and snacks from a plate, while seated at a table.
“This helps prevent you from mindlessly overeating, and you enjoy your food more than if you’re watching TV, working at your desk, or nibbling in front of the fridge,” says dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet.
9. Let go of perfection
“There is no such thing as a perfect diet. Pay attention to hunger cues and how what you eat makes you feel. Once you have a healthy mindset around food and being well, your choices will reflect that,” says dietitian Marisa Moore, author of The Plant Love Kitchen.
10. Be freezer-savvy
Frozen food isn’t the healthiest when you reach for ready-to-eat meals or other products that contain additives or excessive amounts of sodium, fat, and sugar. But frozen produce doesn’t have these issues and can make your life a lot simpler.
“Frozen veggies are an underrated freezer staple. When I don’t have the energy to wash and chop, it’s helpful to have these on hand,” says dietitian Laura Iu. Frozen fruit can be great, too.
11. Have themed dinners
So much of dinner stress is in the planning, but when the cuisine is already chosen, all you have to do is match ingredients and flavours to the menu.
“I love to choose themes for each night of the week: Meat-Free Monday, Taco Tuesday, Stir-Fry Wednesday, Pasta Thursday, Fish Friday, Poultry Saturday, Surprise Sunday. It’s been a game changer!” says dietitian Joy Bauer.
12. Embrace “almost” mocktails
“When you’re in the mood for a drink but not a hangover, pour a hydrating, super-low-proof glass of sparkling bitters. Add six to eight drops of bitters to sparkling water–they’re sold in grocery and liquor stores and online in fun flavours like chocolate, grapefruit, and lavender,” says Blatner.
13. Meal Prep Hacks
“Don’t overthink it–meal prep is what you make it,” says dietitian Marisa Moore.
Try some of her favourite tricks for making it less of a hassle.
- Play music. It’s a mood lifter, and if meal prep feels like a chore, bopping to a good playlist can offer a bit of distraction. Or cue up a podcast or an audiobook instead.
- Don’t make huge batches if you know you’ll get bored. Keep it interesting with your ingredients. For instance, when cooking ground meat, season half for tacos and half for stuffed peppers.
- Meal prep doesn’t have to look like a complete meal. It can be a batch of grains or beans, a big container of roasted veggies, or chopped raw ingredients.
- If you like to mix things up, cook one meal, then eat half fresh and freeze the rest. You’ll end up with a varied stash of ready-to-eat freezer meals.
- Prep snacks or breakfast instead of lunch or dinner. Layer jars with yogurt, fruit, and nuts for brekkie. Or fill containers with hummus (or another dip) and a medley of veggie sticks to have an easy, nutritious snack handy.
14. Try tinned fish
Think beyond a basic tuna sandwich. You can find plain, smoked, and flavoured salmon, tuna, sardines, oysters, clams, crab, and even lobster and octopus.
“Tinned fish is convenient, and many kinds are a good source of omega-3’s–essential for your heart and brain,” Moore says.
15. Skip superfood powders
These trendy drink “enhancers” may look like a hack for fruit and veggie intake, but they’re no substitute for the real deal.
“You get more nutrients when eating an actual piece of fruit,” London explains. Plus, marketing lingo on packaging (like “immune booster!”) aren’t evaluated, so we can’t know for sure that these do what they claim to.
16. Create joyful desserts
“Everything in moderation” might not sound so easy if you have a screaming sweet tooth. These ideas from Bauer are definitely dessert-worthy.
- Spread Greek yogurt on parchment paper; top with berries or dried fruit, dark chocolate chips, and nuts; then freeze.
- Stuff dates with peanut butter and dark chocolate chips.
- Grate frozen fruit, pineapple and watermelon are terrific picks, with a cheese grater to end up with a bowl of refreshing shaved ice.
17. Do a classy fridge clean-out
“Once a week I lay out what I want to use up from the fridge or pantry on a pretty cutting board. It’s a no-cook dinner that gives scraps a new look and new life, and it reduces food waste, saves money, and makes my life easier!” says Blatner.
18. Try flavour prep
Think beyond dried spices when it comes to making food that’s seasoned instead of bland. “The trick is to have a variety of herbs, citrus, and other flavourings readily available, and freezing is a great way to do this and also preserve ingredients you may not have time to use up while fresh,” says Iu.
Mince and freeze garlic or ginger; freeze citrus zest or juice; or fill ice cube trays with chopped herbs and a little water or oil.
19. More plants, please!
Research says that eating plant foods is smart for your heart, brain, gut, and overall health. Try these tricks from dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner.
- No-juicer green juice. In a blender, blend 2 cups spinach + ½ peeled lemon + ¼ cup frozen pineapple + 1 cup cold water. It’s an easy way to get a boost of vitamins and nutrients while preserving the fibre you lose when juicing!
- Weekly beans. Beans are loaded with plant protein and fibre, and the goal is to eat 1½ cups each week (one can’s worth). Keep a clear container of rinsed and drained beans at eye level in the fridge so it’s easy to toss them into salads, wraps, stir-fries, and more.
- Salad sammies. If you get sick of salad, chop it up and stuff it into sprouted or whole- grain bread, wraps, or pitas. You get the nutrition of a salad with the craveability of a sandwich. Try salmon Caesar or chickpea green goddess.
- 50-50 rice. A quick way to eat more veggies is to cook a batch of brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, or another similar whole grain and stir in the same amount of cooked riced veggies.
- Fast frozen yogurt. Blend equal parts frozen fruit and Greek yogurt. It will turn into frozen yogurt you can eat right away, and you can top it with cacao nibs (a.k.a. nature’s chocolate chips) or chopped nuts.
- Nut and seed butter dressing. Create the creamiest dressing for salad or veggies with these combos that pump up the flavour.
Spicy Peanut
2 tbsp peanut butter +3 tbsp rice vinegar + a pinch of cayenne
Almond Aminos
2 tbsp almond butter + 1 tbsp coconut aminos + 1 lime, juice
Tahini Honey
2 tbsp tahini + 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar + 2 tsp honey
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