Healthy balance
Healthy snacking & healthy habits
Many experts now believe that eating little and often (three main meals with small, healthy snacks in between) is a healthy way of eating. Eating regularly (every 3–4 hours) can reduce over-eating at meal times and help with weight control. So choose your snacks carefully.
- Plan ahead and make sure your fridge and cupboards are stocked with plenty of healthy snacks.
- Don’t use snacks as a substitute for proper meals. Plan regular snacks at set times rather than constantly grazing throughout the day.
- Variety is one of the key ingredients in a healthy well balanced diet – try to vary the snacks you choose.
- Plan snacks throughout the day. If you get over-hungry, you’re more likely to reach for an unhealthy snack or over-eat at your next meal.
- Snacks should provide you with fibre, vitamins and minerals – not just calories.
Healthier snacks include:
- Fresh or dried fruit
- Vegetables
- Oatcakes or rice cakes
- Toast or breadsticks
- Cereal bars
- Wholegrain breakfast cereals
- Plain biscuits
- Low-fat yogurts
- A tea cake or slice of malt loaf.
Healthy habits
These tips will get you in the habit of making healthier choices
- Plan ahead. Try making time over the weekend to think about what you are going to eat during the next week. It'll pay off later in the week when your energy and good intentions may be flagging.
- Variety is the spice of life… and the key to a balanced diet. When planning your meals for the week, make sure you include a variety of foods. If you have pasta one night, go for rice, couscous or potatoes another night.
- Make time for breakfast. It gives you the opportunity to boost your intake of several important vitamins and minerals. People who eat breakfast in the morning are less likely to be overweight.
- Drink more water. Drink at least 1.8 litres (eight glasses) of water a day – more in warm weather.
- Watch your alcohol intake. If you decide to drink alcohol make sure you stay within the recommended safe guidelines. Look out for the ‘Know your limits’ labels on Sainsbury’s alcohol.
- Bulk out meat dishes like chilli con carne or spaghetti bolognese and increase the vitamin content at the same time by adding vegetables such as sweet corn, diced carrots or frozen peas. This is also a good way to get vegetables in to the diet of children who may not be too keen to eat them.
- Invest in some healthy cooking equipment: steamers are a great way to cook vegetables and they help retains important vitamins and minerals. Non-stick frying pans and woks require no oils so a good way to cut down the fat and using oil sprays help reduced the amount of oil needed.
Add flavour – healthily
You don’t need to add flavour with fat or salt if you use plenty of fresh herbs and spices. Rather than butter, add fresh mint to peas, caraway seeds or finely chopped ginger to carrots, or finely chopped chives to new potatoes. Add lemon zest or juice to grilled meat or fish or dishes like risotto, to lift the flavour.
