Prepping healthy meals ahead of time will lower the risk of missing meals or turning to unhealthy alternatives, like pizza in cafeterias. Simply having the ingredients on hand for something like turkey tacos could save time when hunger hits – don’t let pizza stop you from creating these tasty delights.

No matter if your goal is to lose weight or simply save time and money with meal planning, these tips can be of great assistance.

Meat

Meat provides essential proteins, and leaner cuts of meat are more suitable for healthy eating than their more-processed counterparts. Fatty meats should still be consumed occasionally as they provide essential proteins and iron. Just try not to overindulge in them.

Meat consumption can provide numerous health advantages, while also contributing to diseases like cancer and heart disease. Furthermore, excessive meat consumption may cause gastric issues like bloating. Therefore it is advisable only to consume meat after consulting your physician; otherwise it could lead to serious health complications.

Vegetables

Vegetables provide essential nutrition. Low in calories and rich in fiber, vegetables provide the means to stay full.

Make vegetables the center of your meals and snacks. Instead of reaching for chips, opt for cut-up carrots with low-cal dip.

Eat a variety of veggies to ensure you’re consuming essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (plant chemicals). Choose fresh or plain frozen vegetables over fruit canned in sugary syrup; additionally look out for produce sales to save money and find a wide range of choices.

Fruit

Fruit is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including fiber. While superfruits like guava, mangosteen, and acai may boast impressive nutrient profiles, studies demonstrate that even everyday apples, grapes and bananas provide healthful benefits.

People who include more fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy eating pattern are at reduced risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure, plus fruits can help them lower calorie consumption for weight management.

Begin incorporating into your day the practice of keeping pre-washed whole fruits and chopped, ready-to-eat veggies on hand to meet any hunger demands throughout the day.

Whole Grains

Whole grains contain fiber, B vitamins, iron and magnesium as well as protein. As such, whole grain foods should make up most of your carb intake rather than refined ones – the 2015-20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest three excellent or six good servings daily of whole grain foods as recommended in this area.

When searching for grain products, look for those labeled as whole grain or “whole.” Products made with refined wheat that claim to be whole grain should be avoided as these have lost many of their nutritional values.

A dose-response analysis of cohort studies demonstrated that greater consumption of whole grains is linked to decreased risk for colorectal cancer and all-cause mortality.

Nuts

Nuts are packed with protein, healthy fats and essential vitamins and nutrients. Studies suggest they may lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels while also helping prevent blood clots and inflammation; incorporating nuts into a healthy diet could result in up to 17% lower heart disease risk (5).

Pick unsalted and plain nuts (pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts) or nut butters (30g per serving is the ideal amount). Avoid salted or flavored varieties which add extra salt, fat or sugar; snack on nuts between meals rather than as main meals to manage portion sizes as nuts can add many calories quickly!

Dairy

Many people avoid dairy due to misconceptions that it is unhealthy, yet experts disagree. According to USDA Choose My Plate recommendations, three daily servings of dairy should be included as part of a nutritious meal.

The dairy group includes products such as milk, yogurt, cheese and lactose-free milk; it does not include products with limited calcium but high fat contents, such as cream cheese, sour cream or butter.

Dairy products provide many essential nutrients, like calcium, potassium and vitamin D that Americans often lack. But these dairy foods also contain saturated fats which health experts advise restricting. Therefore, opt for lower-fat options most of the time; full-fat cream or high-fat cheese should only be included as garnish or minor part of meals.