A Healthy Day's Worth of Food

Ever struggle with what to eat during the day when trying to make healthier choices? Me too! That's why we've put together a sample day's worth of food to make at least one day of your life a bit easier. The following menu plan is designed for someone who needs are approximately 2,000 calories per day and is based on the OmniHeart Study, which found a diet higher in unsaturated fat and higher in protein cut heart disease risk the most when compared to any other diets out there. The menu plan is low in saturated fat, added sugars and salt, but is high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

Breakfast

1 serving (look at the box-serving sizes vary depending on the type of cereal) Whole-grain cereal - look for cereals with sugar not in the 1st 5 ingredients and that says the words "whole grain" on the ingredient label

1/2 medium banana

1/2 oz unsalted nuts such as slivered almonds or crushed walnuts

1/2 cup skim milk or milk alternative (soy, rice, hemp, almond, etc.)

Unsweetened coffee or tea (may add skim milk if you prefer)

Mid-Am Snack

1/2 cup grapes
1 oz cheese (cheese stick is 1 oz)









Lunch

Grilled Chicken Salad - Includes 3 oz cooked chicken, a generous serving of mixed greens, tomato, 1/4 avocado, onion and dressed with 2 tbsp olive oil and vinegar-based dressing
Whole grain roll






Mid-Afternoon Snack

1 - 6 oz Low or Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (can be fruit flavored variety)

1 Stalk Celery with 1 tbsp All-Natural Peanut Butter

Dinner

3 oz Grilled Salmon
1/2 cup Sauteed Vegetables seasoned with low-sodium Teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup Cooked Brown/Wild Rice or Quinoa








Evening Snack (If prior to 2 hrs before bedtime)

1/2 cup Mixed Berries
1/2 cup Plain Non-Fat Yogurt
1/2 oz Toasted Sliced Almonds







Alissa's Nutrition Tips:

• Strive to eat within the hour of waking and every 3 hours our so throughout the day. This will help you to stay full and satisfied, will prevent cravings and hunger pangs, and will enable you to control your portions. Eating small, frequent meals during the day will also help to boost your metabolism and energy levels!

• Include a lean protein source with each meal and snack. Protein breaks down more slowly in your body helping you to stay more full and satisfied for a longer period of time. Notice in the example above that a food with protein is included in each meal and snack.

• Include 2-4 servings of healthy fats daily. Most of the fat in your diet should come from healthy fats such as mono- and poly-unsaturated fats. Foods that contain these types of fats include: nuts and seeds, all-natural nut butters such as peanut butter and almond butter, avocado, fatty fish, olive oil, canola oil, etc.

• Stay hydrated. It is recommended to drink water throughout the course of the day to keep your body functioning optimally. Strive to include water with each of your meals and snack to help with absorption of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, as well as to aid in digestion. Water helps to lubricate your joints, keep you energized, and actually helps to prevent hunger as well. Urine color is the best indication of your hydration. Strive for straw-colored urine for optimal hydration. Clear urine indicates you are drinking too many fluids and a darker yellow urine means you need to be drinking more during the day. While all beverages, excluding alcohol, will keep you hydrated, strive to reach for water most often as many beverages either contain too much sugar (which will add "empty" calories to your dietary intake), artificial sweeteners (which have been found to cause side effects for many individuals and can alter your taste buds) or caffeine (which is a diuretic and causes you to urinate more frequently, which means you'll need to drink more fluids to stay hydrated).

Still have questions? Feel free to contact us and we'd be more than happy to provide you with more information and/or resources.

Healthy wishes,

Maura, Marilyn, Jessica and Alissa
Your Vermont State Employees' Wellness Program Team