If you’re a picky eater, finding ways to personalize your nutrition habits might seem easier said than done. It can be even more challenging if you don’t know how to spruce up the hand full of foods you actually like. Before you give up and order take out (again!), make a list of the foods that help you feel your best – better recovery, a happy digestive system, lighter mood and more energy. No matter how short that list may be, the following 7 tips can help you find new ways to prepare those foods to personalize your nutrition. Once you start experimenting to make healthy eating work for you, you’ll be surprised at how much your palate changes, too!
7 personalized food preparation ideas
1. Try different cooking techniques
Some lean proteins become dry or tasteless after they’re cooked. Different cooking techniques can enhance the flavors and keep meats tender, especially for bulk cooking and reheating throughout the week. If you use a George Foreman or other counter-top grill, keep the top open so the meat won’t dry out.
Sometimes shredded chicken is more appealing than backed chicken and a cozy crockpot meal is a nice change from cooking with a conventional oven.
Are your vegetables soggy or bland? Sauté, roast or bake them in a little extra virgin olive oil instead of steaming or microwaving them. You can try a sheet pan veggie roast.
2. Experiment with seasonings
Experiment with herbs and spices, make your own marinades or try low-sodium store bought brands to enhance the flavor of any dish. Have you tried using savory flavors on traditionally sweet dishes? For example, cayenne seasoning and diced pineapple with chopped chicken over veggies. Or, make your quinoa sweet by seasoning it with honey and cinnamon for a protein-packed breakfast.
The right seasonings can make those plant-based dishes that much more appealing to a carnivore.
Herbs and spices – what goes with what foods
- Beef with cayenne, curry, dill, mustard seed, oregano, paprika
- Poultry with allspice, bay leaf, ginger, dill, sage, thyme
- Fish with parsley, tarragon, marjoram, chives, dill, basil
- Fruit topped or mixed with allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mint, pepper
- Rice and grains with cumin, saffron, chives, curry
3. Hide veggies in meat dishes
Even if you like a variety of veggies, mixing them with other foods can enhance the texture and taste. Mix grated zucchini, carrots or broccoli into soups, casseroles, baked goods and burger patties. Try chopped veggies in pasta sauce or zucchini and carrot muffins.
4. Make smoothies or juice blends
Curious about a healthy food but worried you won’t like it? Try blending it in a smoothie. You’ll hardly taste the spinach or avocado when it’s blended with your favorite fruits.
Are you overwhelmed with trying to get in the recommended daily servings of fruits and veggies? Smoothies and juices are convenient and nutrient-dense ways to boost your fiber, vitamin and mineral intake every day. This is also a great tip for cutting back on food waste – don’t throw out those ugly or mushy fruits, blend them!
5. Be a creature of habit
Balanced nutrition is important but that doesn’t mean you have to eat something different for every meal. Remember that list you made earlier? Pick 3 to 4 foods from each nutrient group – protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables – and mix and match them.
6. Let the grocery store do all the hard work
Grocery stores have a variety of pre-packaged healthy foods, like vegetable medleys, that were prepared on site. Some of those mixtures have sweet potatoes or squash, so you can add your own animal protein or enjoy a meatless meal. Some stores go so far as to package entire healthy meals.
Before you spend a bunch of money on foods you might not like (and to save you some time from experimenting with recipes), let the grocery store do all the work.
7. Make healthy additions to the foods you already like
How can you make healthy additions to the foods you already like? Try adding fruit to your cereal, mixing blueberries in your pancakes or shredding veggies over your rice.
Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to experiment with cooking techniques, seasonings and food combinations. You’ll be surprised at just how many healthy foods you actually do like when you make healthy eating work for you.