Ten Things You Can Do To Make Any Meal Healthier

by Erin Rogers

We all know weeknights can be stressful, rushed and hectic. You may have every intention of putting a healthy meal on the table, only to be overcome by 'real life'! Don't despair - all is not lost! When your best efforts go awry, and you order pizza or serve another meal that doesn't exactly fit into a healthy diet, you still have many options for making it healthier:

1. Start your meal with a large glass of water.

2. Blot pizza with a napkin or paper towel. This can remove several grams of fat from each slice.

3. Opt for veggie toppings on pizza if possible.

4. Add a bag of salad (but be careful of high-fat dressings and toppings)

5. Try adding dried herbs or other seasonings to your salads to give them a kick without relying solely on the dressing to do this. Eat salad dressings on the side. Use the technique of dipping your fork in the dressing and then adding your salad.

6. Fill half your plate with vegetables, and leave the other half for protein and complex carbs.

7. Sneak vegetables in wherever you can - in casseroles, pasta sauces, pizzas, sandwiches, soups.

8. Try starting your meal with a glass of vegetable juice or vegetable soup.

9. Cut back on bread where you can. Eat thin pizza crust; avoid garlic or cheese bread; limit servings of bread with Italian meals. If you can, opt for whole grains.

10. Eat fresh fruit for dessert, or for an appetizer.

Just like when you fall off your exercise program and the experts tell you to just pick up where you left off, the same can be said for your wish to eat healthier. Make the best of the choices you have, and don't expect to be the perfect eater every day. It's all about making it work with the rest of your life!

Related Information: Holisticonline.com Healthy Recipes Infocenter for recipes on healthy foods from around the world.

Erin Rogers, a work-at-home mom of two, is the founder of Health-E-Meals.com, providing practical healthy living resources for busy people. She's also the author of the Healthy Express Cookbook: 101 Fresh, Light & Quick Dinners (http://www.health-e-meals.com).  Erin can be reached via email at erin@health-e-meals.com.

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