Six out of ten Spaniards eat out every day, according to data from a study by the Federation of Independent Consumer Users (FUCI), a reality that we often associate with something boring, laborious and, what is worse, unhealthy. However, it is good to know that we can change these beliefs and eat not only a varied and fun diet, which is also more economical, but also healthy.
Although it may seem like a challenge when we have to take the container with us every day and we don’t have much time to cook, this doesn’t have to be that way.
Container meals are a great alternative to going to a restaurant and, even better, easier to organize than it seems. And this does not mean that we have to carry only pasta or rice every day. What should we prioritize when eating from a container and continue eating a good diet?
What a healthy container should have
The key to filling our container with healthy and varied options will always be good organization, which will begin by planning the menus and purchasing the foods we need, no more and no less. We must make this list based on the foods that we have to prioritize, such as:
They are the axis of every healthy container because they are rich in fiber and contain almost all the vitamins and minerals that our body needs, as well as being light and low in calories. One way to choose the best option is to opt for seasonal vegetables that, in addition to helping us save and vary throughout the year, we will also find them at their optimal point.
The body needs fats to function properly. However, not all of them are the same. For a balanced diet, it is advisable to limit saturated fatty acids of animal origin, such as butter or sausages, and opt for unsaturated fatty acids (for example, omega 3 and omega 6) of plant origin, which help us preserve the health of the body. cardiovascular system. They are present mainly in olive oil, so it is interesting to take it into account when dressing our salads. Or nuts and foods like avocado.
These healthy fats combine well with protein and fiber to help us feel fuller for longer. They also help us to have greater control of cholesterol and the body to absorb important nutrients such as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Meat, fish, eggs, legumes and other non-dairy protein sources, at least one serving. We can opt for low-fat proteins, such as chicken, turkey, fish, lentils, chickpeas, hummus or soy products such as tofu. These foods provide us with proteins, zinc and iron, the latter being especially important because our body cannot produce it, so we depend on it from the foods we eat.
We will have to adapt this part to our level of physical activity. In this section we talk about bread, cereals and other starchy foods such as pasta, rice, potatoes, always prioritizing their whole grain version. These foods provide us with energy, fuel for vital tissues and organs such as the brain, as well as fiber, B vitamins and other minerals.
Fruit provides us with fluids and fiber and helps us feel full. We can opt for whole fresh fruit, such as an apple or a banana; chopped fruit, such as melon or pineapple; a handful of grapes; We can even opt for a fresh fruit salad or a fruit skewer. If we choose a variety of colors, it will not only be more appetizing but will also provide us with different vitamins and minerals.
Cheese, yogurt, rice pudding are some of the foods that we should also include because they provide us with calcium, iodine, vitamin B12, vitamin A and protein. If we use a dairy-free alternative, such as soy drinks, we must ensure that it is fortified with calcium and other vitamins and minerals.
- Oils, seasonings and aromatic herbs
They allow us to season dishes differently and vary flavors easily without having to use too much salt. We can use olive oil, spices such as cumin, turmeric, curry, pepper, paprika, nutmeg or saffron and aromatic herbs such as parsley, basil, chives, coriander, rosemary, garlic or onion. We can add aromatic herbs fresh or dehydrated. In any case, and this also applies to oil and spices, it is best to add it just before consuming.
- And, to drink, a bottle of water
Hydration is key to our digestive health, and water should always be the drink of choice, instead of soda or any other sugary or alcoholic beverage.
It is essential to balance all the ingredients in meals so that they provide us with the necessary mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, in addition to foods rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. To know how much we should add to the container, the Harvard plate method can help us, which consists of dividing the contents of the container into four parts: two for vegetables or fruits, a quarter for proteins and the other quarter for carbohydrates.
What preparations we can make and which ones are better to avoid
If we start from the idea that vegetables should be the basis of our culinary preparations, we can start with any type of salad. And here each person’s imagination is their great ally. The options are numerous, such as endive salad with fruits such as pomegranate; asparagus with chickpeas; even vegetable stew with pieces of tuna and cooked pumpkin.
We can also opt for a brown rice salad with asparagus, mushrooms, peppers and nuts; or lentils also with rice – a very good combination – with a little cabbage. Another way of cooking that will hold up very well to a container meal is mashed vegetables with an accompaniment such as a hard-boiled egg.
The key, when it comes to putting the food in the container, is to follow a specific order so that it lasts longer in good condition: first, at the bottom, we will put the most humid ones, such as lettuce, and on top the least humid ones and the vegetables. hard like cucumber or carrots since these foods do not usually absorb the liquid from the foods at the base. On top we can put chicken or fish and, lastly, cereals such as rice or pasta.
But what we should avoid are preparations with many sauces, fried or battered foods that, in addition to not being recommended from a nutritional point of view, also do not hold up very well to preparation in advance. Grilled dishes are also not advisable since, although they are easy to prepare, they dry out when we reheat them in the microwave.
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