The Four Elements of a Nourishing Meal
For a lot of us it can be difficult to imagine what constitutes a “healthy” plate. There is so much nutrition misinformation about eliminating entire food groups, on top of information about how to disrupt your body's natural digestive/metabolic system, etc. If you’ve followed us for some time, you know we’re big proponents of Intuitive Eating. But what can some of those meals look like when you’re just fresh out of ideas or want to make your meals more satisfying?
I give all my clients the same spiel: to eat 4 nutrient groups at each meal time to assist with metabolism, digestion, blood glucose regulation, and satisfaction! Those 4 nutrient groups include: carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber. Outside of that, there are no limitations of what specific foods those nutrient groups come from! Carbohydrate sources could be an apple, pasta, whole wheat bread, quinoa, cinnamon roll, etc. - the choice is up to you! Fat sources could be avocado, butter, peanut butter, olive oil, etc. - the choice is up to you! See where we’re going here? You are free to choose the type of food you want to fill these nutrient categories. I tell my clients to go with what is satisfying, gives enjoyment, and gives them energy! Not a fan of brown rice? No problem! Switch it to white rice. Nourishing our bodies is all about balance.
We want to make the thought of meal preparation as simple as possible for you, and sometimes we don’t realize the foods we need to build a nourishing meal can be right in our pantries. Here are some quick prep breakfasts I love recommending to clients:
Toast, bagel, or English muffin (carbohydrates) with peanut butter or alternate nut butter (fat and protein) topped with sliced banana (fiber)
Yogurt (protein) topped with granola (carbohydrates), berries or any fruit (fiber), and a handful of nuts (fat)
Breakfast burrito made with eggs (protein), cheese (fat), bell pepper or onions (fiber) rolled in a tortilla (carbohydrates)
Toast (carbohydrates) topped with mashed avocado (fat and fiber) and egg (protein)
Bagel (carbohydrates) topped with cream cheese (fat), smoked salmon (protein), and side of fruit (fiber)
You can be as versatile as you’d like with these nutrient categories - it’s all about your preference and what feels satisfying and fueling to you. It’s also important to note that you don’t have to try to prepare the “perfect” meal for it to be nourishing and satisfying. Maybe a boxed mac and cheese and a fruit pouch is what’s available for the meal or sounds satisfying, and that is okay - remember it’s all about balance. For those interested in more recipe-based meals, food blogs such as Budget Bytes has many options of meals that include all the 4 nutrient groups.
Schedule an appointment with one of our dietitians for further assistance on building a meal list that feels right for you, and supports your energy and nourishment!