Fueling your body properly is critical in allowing ourselves the full capacity to train and perform at our best. Think of food as gasoline in a car, if the wrong or poor quality gas is put into a car it doesn’t run properly and eventually leads to failure of the engine. This is exactly how our bodies work, if we fuel them with the wrong kinds of foods such as sugar, fast food, and frozen dinner meals the body will not be able to perform efficiently. Cooking meals at home is not only cheaper than eating out, it is also healthier since you can limit the amount of salts, fats, and oils put into the food. Cooking can be challenging for those who have never done it before or are new to the kitchen, but it is easier than people expect and can be fun! The MyPlate and Athlete Plate diagrams are great to visually see if you are eating the correct amount of each food category and give ideas on what to eat in each category.
Below I have listed my top 5 favorite meals to make for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as snacking options that are good to buy and make.
Breakfast:
- Omelets
- add in meats for extra protein (ham, steak)
- add in vegetables (spinach, onions, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes)
- cheese
- Smoothies
- add in any fruits (bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc) and vegetables (kale, spinach, etc) of your choice
- greek yogurt
- honey
- chia seeds
- hemp seeds
- peanut butter
- almonds
- no right way to make a smoothies add in any items of your choosing!
- Oatmeal
- add peanut butter and honey for extra protein and sweetness
- top with fruit such as strawberries, bananas, apples, etc
- chopped nuts on top is also a great way to add in healthy fats and more protein (walnuts, almonds, cashews)
- Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
- Bagels
- spread options: cream cheese, avocado, peanut butter
- serve with fruit on the side
Lunch:
- Veggie and hummus sandwich
- choose your whole wheat bread (my favorite is grain bread such as Dave’s Killer Bread)
- spread hummus on both sides of bread
- add on veggies of your choice (spinach, carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers)
- Recipe
- Salads
- bed of lettuce (dark leafy greens are better! kale, spring mix, spinach)
- veggies of your choosing (carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli)
- homemade dressing (9 Dressing Recipes)
- can top with leftover meat such as chicken to add protein, hardboiled eggs are also a good option
- Tuna Salad
- Recipe
- great on sandwiches and salads
- also a good snack with crackers or pretzels
- Wraps
- can add any meat and fillings
- My favorite to make is turkey, cheese, lettuce, a pickle, with dijon mustard
- Peanut Butter Honey sandwich
- great quick and easy option
- peanut butter on your choice of bread, drizzled honey, topped with apples and granola
Dinner:
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Turkey Gyros
- Pasta
- classic & basic but great for carbo loading & an easy dinner
- can add choice of meat such as ground beef to the sauce or topped with chicken
- spinach, green bell peppers, and other veggies can be added as well
- Ground Beef Tacos
Snack Ideas:
- peanut butter with apples and celery
- veggies and hummus
- greek yogurt and granola
- trail mix
- Perfect bar granola bars (refrigerated, no chemicals or preservatives)
- Pretzels
- cottage cheese with vegetables or pretzels
- homemade popcorn (not microwavable – full of chemicals, salt, and fat)
- fruit!
- Hippeas (chickpea puffs)