Having a healthy dinner is extremely important. You’ll end the day healthy by putting a healthy meal on the table. A well balanced dinner is more digestible, which makes you feel better. The body also stays fit and in shape by eating healthy. And let’s be honest, what could be better than enjoying a delicious dinner with healthy food with the family?
The saying ‘eat like a champ’ doesn’t necessarily mean you have to eat a lot, but it does mean you have to eat the right food to fuel your body. You should have a big breakfast to start the day full of energy, a regular lunch, and a light dinner. In general we need less and less energy during the day. Unless, of course, you’re very active during the night.
When you eat a light dinner or even have your dinner earlier at night, you will find that you are more hungry the next morning and therefore eat a bigger breakfast. At night time you will have eaten as much as you would if your dinner was your largest meal of the day. The only difference is that when you have a big breakfast and a light dinner, all the food you consume is turned into energy. Your body will use this energy during your various activities during the day. This way your weight will remain balanced.
What time do we eat?
According to Chinese medicine, the liver and gallbladder regenerate themselves between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. These two organs are an essential part of your digestion. They can improve or worsen the way our bodies digest food.
So to ensure that we do not disrupt our body’s natural regeneration process and that our digestive system continues to function optimally, we should never eat our dinner later than 8 p.m.
How much should we eat for dinner?
This differs per person and often depends on your lifestyle. The most important thing is to make sure that you are no longer hungry. Because then you won’t feel the need to have a snack later at night. Try to train yourself to eat until you are full and then stop. Many people continue to eat because their plate is not yet empty. Teaching yourself not to eat when you’re full will help you maintain your weight, improve digestion and keep your stomach flat – eating too much can cause bloating.
Choose satiating foods
The easiest way to avoid overeating and not feel like you’re starving yourself is to eat foods that are high in fiber and water. You get full quickly and this type of food is easily digestible. Large amounts of fiber and water are mainly found in vegetables, but you can also find them in algae.
Examples of satiating meals you can prepare
- Baked vegetables (broccoli, carrot, mushrooms)
- Vegetable soup made with kombu seaweed and oats
- Salad with Brussels sprouts, apples and avocado
- Gazpacho
- Hummus or guacamole with slices of carrot and cucumber
- Vegetable soup and quinoa
- Spinach with raisins and pine nuts
- Cream of zucchini, wakame seaweed and curry
- Cold salad with peas and chicken
What if you are really hungry?
Some people would like to eat a small dinner or dine earlier in the evening, but can’t, because they have to work late or another reason. When they come home late at night, they just want to have their dinner in peace. We advise these people to have a small snack about three hours before dinner. That way you can enjoy the dinner without eating too much.
Of course, the snack you eat prior to your dinner, needs to be a healthy one. Here are some examples:
- Fruit or natural juices
- Nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds etc.
- Dried fruits: dates, plums, apricots etc.
- Whole-wheat bread with toppings like cheese, avocado, egg salad, etc.
Tasty & healthy Fit at Home dinner dish:
What’s more satisfying than putting a dish on the table that the whole family can enjoy! That’s why we’ll share a healthy, but oh so tasty family recipe with you. Lasagna! A favorite of many people. And there are a lot of varieties! You can make it extra healthy with more fresh vegetables and a side salad. The recipe is for 6 people and also very easy to make a day in advance.
You’ll need:
- 16oz of turkey, chickenor lean ground beef
- 14oz marinara sauce
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 paprika, cut into cubes
- 9oz mushrooms, sliced
- 9oz of cottage cheese
- 2oz Parmesan cheese
- 1tbsp of Italian herbs
- lasagna sheets
- 3.5oz grated mozzarella
- Optional: freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions:
Fry the onion in a frying pan for two minutes in some olive oil. Add the minced. After about 5 minutes add the paprika and mushrooms and bake for another 5 minutes. Then mix in the marinara sauce. Then set the pan aside. Meanwhile, mix the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. For the lasagna, use an oven dish of about 8 by 8 inches. Make sure it is greased with a non-stick spray. Then put 1/3 of the minced meat/sauce mixture in the oven dish and cover with lasagna sheets. Repeat this process again and put the cottage cheese mixture on top. Put the last layer of the meat/sauce mixture on top and top with mozzarella. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake the lasagna for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees. Remove the foil and leave the lasagna in the oven for another 10 minutes at 180 degrees. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Top it off with the fresh parsley and cut the lasagna into 6 pieces.
What does personal trainer Samantha eat for dinner?
“For dinner I love to switch it up so could be something different every day of the week. Healthy twists on Mexican and Asian cuisine is quite common for my personal menu.”
