Ending the day well is as important as starting it. And healthy dinners play a huge role in that. Although the fatigue accumulated during the day increases the risk of falling into the temptation of fast food and other foods rich in calories, it is necessary not to ruin everything at the last meal of the day.
But how many calories should a healthy dinner have? What foods work best with children? And with adults? Here we answer these and other key questions to make your dinners healthy, nutritious and delicious:
What a healthy dinner looks like
Approaching dinner as the main meal of the day is a mistake which can lead to being overweight, insomnia and other health problems and disorders. Unlike breakfast, the time of day when the body needs to fill its energy stores, dinner precedes sleep. For this reason, the most logical thing is that it be a light meal.
In this way, it is necessary to separate processed foods, sugars and fats. In addition to everything that, in your case, usually causes you heaviness. Instead, gives all the prominence to fresh food, healthy and not fattening. Healthy food should be the raw material, but always looking for a tasty result.
Another rule of thumb for a healthy dinner is that it is well proportioned. It should not be high in calories, but not too lean either. The amount that is considered adequate at dinner is 500-650 calories for adults and 400 for children, although in the latter case it depends on age and activity level. It is important to have a light dinner, but it is also important to go to sleep satisfied, which is why you have to find a balance between both.
Self-imposed cooking elaborate dinners every night can lead to throwing in the towel and returning to less healthy habits. So the most advisable is that are quick to do so that they become a lasting habit over time.
For children
The most advisable meats for children's dinner are white meats (chicken, turkey, rabbit). They are low in fat and tend to digest very well, an important quality when it comes to children and dinners. Cook them on the grill, in the oven or boiled. The option that children like the most is breaded meat. Although it is a good resource, it is necessary not to abuse it due to its higher caloric content. Limiting it to 1-2 times a week is the healthiest.
Alternate white meat with white fish (hake, sole, monkfish ...). They hardly add fat, they are easy to digest and, like white meats, they can be grilled, baked, boiled or breaded. Accompany both meats and white fish with a small amount of legumes or vegetables or both.
Vegetable creams are an excellent first course at healthy dinners. But they also have enough nutritional power to be a dinner unto themselves. They are soft, easy to digest and in the case of creams such as pumpkin or peas, they present shades of orange and green that are very attractive to children. In the case of other less showy or tasty vegetable creams, you can add croutons to add a crunchy touch and thus make them more fun.
When it comes to dinner desserts, avoid sugary ones. In addition to adding calories, they can cause sleeping difficulties due to spike in blood sugar. The healthiest options for dessert are fruit and plain yogurts.
Use your creativity
Using your creativity when preparing dinner for your children is very important, especially when it comes to healthy foods that cannot compete in taste with a pizza or a hamburger. Prepare original and eye-catching dishes that capture your visual interest. Meat and vegetable skewers or vegetable fajitas are good examples.
For adults
To prepare healthy dinners for adults too white meat and white fish are recommended. Vegetarians and vegans can access protein through tofu, mushrooms, and legumes like beans or lentils.
Salads are simple to prepare and leave you very satisfied, which is why they are among the preferred healthy options for dinner. You can choose from a wide variety of green leafy vegetables. And an even greater variety of fresh products to mix them with (fresh cheese, tomato, avocado, hard-boiled egg ...). The combination possibilities in salads are endless. If you want, you can also add marinated chicken.
Green beans are nutritious and low in calories, which is why they are ideal for healthy dinners. Like asparagus and peas, they are a excellent accompaniment to meat and fish. You can cook boiled green beans with potatoes, sautéed accompanied by some other food or in the form of an omelette.
Broccoli and leek are also foods to consider for dinner. Broccoli protects the heart and has anti-cancer properties. The best way to consume it is raw in salads or steamed. As for the leek, it can be consumed stuffed, grilled or in the form of the classic vichyssoise.
Notes
Limiting the use of salt is very important. Use spices instead of salt whenever possible. There are many sodium-free alternatives that will help enhance the flavor of your dishes, such as oregano, thyme, pepper, etc.
Avoid dining out more than once a weekSince in restaurant meals, aspects as important as the amounts of salt, fat and sugar are beyond your control. The best healthy dinners are made at home.