healthy eating advice please!

devinmichelle

I am not, and have never been, one to eat as healthy as I should. I pretty much live off of anything starchy. Now that I am expecting I feel like it is definitely time to make a change and start making healthier choices but I have never been one to eat a lot of veggies and fruit. It's a texture thing I believe. I know I can't all of the sudden change my whole diet but I want to at least start eating healthy snacks throughout the day now that my appetite is back. Any advice or healthy food suggestions are appreciated. TIA!

hwsgigles8

I am in the same situation as you!  I had mashed potatoes, corn, and an english muffin for dinner the other night!  I just love my starch/carbs!  I am finding it really hard to eat fruits/veggies right now b/c they are not in season. 

Some snacks I eat now-cheese sticks, yogurt, pb&j, toast w/ pb, and pretzels.  I always buy apples with the intention of eating them too, but that rarely happens.  GL!

latinachica29

Smoothies for sure! I make mine with

1-2 cups spinach

1 banana

a few frozen strawberries

1 cup almond milk

1 scoop Amazing Grass https://www.amazinggrass.com/chocolategreensuperfood.html

ice

and sometimes I'll add some flax seeds or peanut butter.

I'm craving one now but I'm out of spinach and I've never tried broccoli or celery which is all I have right now. I'm a little scared to try that, LOL.

stellahav

Oh I'm definitely the same way, especially about texture.  I rarely like anything chunky (e.g. chunky tomato sauce, mushrooms in a sauce, etc). My "vegetables" typically consist of potatoes and corn. When I can stomach it, I do a yogurt and fruit smoothie for breakfast. I try to eat more salads with spinach or darker greens for lunch. I make stir fry with lots of different vegetables. And when I do eat bread, I try to go for whole grain.

Also, though it's not exactly a diet food, V8 fusion is a fruit juice with vegetables in it too.  I'll often have a glass of that in the morning so I know I won't go a whole day without a vegetable.

hwsgigles8

stellahav:

Oh I'm definitely the same way, especially about texture.  I rarely like anything chunky (e.g. chunky tomato sauce, mushrooms in a sauce, etc). My "vegetables" typically consist of potatoes and corn. When I can stomach it, I do a yogurt and fruit smoothie for breakfast. I try to eat more salads with spinach or darker greens for lunch. I make stir fry with lots of different vegetables. And when I do eat bread, I try to go for whole grain.

Also, though it's not exactly a diet food, V8 fusion is a fruit juice with vegetables in it too.  I'll often have a glass of that in the morning so I know I won't go a whole day without a vegetable.

I have never tried this, but I drink Fruitables-a fruit juice/veg juice mix.  The only place I have found them though is at BJ's club stores.  They are juice boxes and I just pack them in my lunch for the day. 

desmerelda317

Smoothies are a great way to add fruit to your diet without having to worry about texture.  Also, for veggies I like hiding things in my pasta.  I don't use purees, but adding some chopped carrots, or eggplant or zucchini or olives to your pasta sauce can really jazz it up a bit and help you get in some of those veggies.  Tonight I made whole grain penne with a tomato sauce that had chopped kalamata olives in it (I make my pasta sauces from scratch - it is super easy!) and it was sooo delicious.  And salads are great too if you like salad.  I love buffalo chicken salad - greens, grilled chicken strips, tomatoes, shredded carrots, maybe some shredded red cabbage if you like for color, and some cheddar cheese then drizzle with ranch (or bleu cheese, but I like ranch better!) and some buffalo wings sauce and you've got protein and veggies all rolled into one yummy spicy meal

aggiej15

You can hide a million vegetables in marinara sauce!  I usually am a healthy eater but something about this pregnancy has turned me off of veggies so I am starting to hide them from myself.  Spinach (nice leafy green) is the easiest because it has almost no flavor.  I blanch it and cut it up and add it to sauces or pastas, throw it on a sandwich or in a wrap and add it to salads.  Also you can shred onion and carrots and mince red bellpepper and saute to add to your marinara sauce- along with your spinach, that is a lot of veggies in your yummy pasta!  If there are any chunks in your marinara that you don't like then use and immersion blender or throw it in a normal blender and puree.  Then I cover my pasta in mozzarella and bake until it melts, yum!  It tell myself its for the protein and calcium

devinmichelle

Thanks for all of the great ideas! I didn't even think of fruit smoothies for breakfast and I am totally guilty of buying apples and then not eating them! I tell myself it's the thought that counts