Realistic Healthy Eating Tips for 2021

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD

A new year presents the opportunity to have a fresh start and set new goals. If you feel like your eating habits or exercise routines need a jump-start in 2021, now is the perfect time to refocus.

Some people may be drawn to restrictive diets or intense workout programs at the beginning of the year, but these usually end up being unrealistic and unsuccessful. Instead, it’s better to focus on fostering healthy habits and setting attainable goals.

Here are 5 healthy eating tips that you can realistically implement in 2021.

1.      Skip the fad diets.

Low-carb, Whole 30, keto, carnivore, intermittent fasting. These are just a handful of the diet trends this year. Fad diets can have some good guidelines, like eating more non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats, but they’re overwhelmingly focused on restriction. Overall, these kinds of diets are difficult to follow and don’t have any significant advantage over eating a nutritionally balanced meal with a variety of healthful foods (like our meals!).

2.      Add color to your plate.

The most colorful foods tend to be some of the healthiest ones. And no, we’re not talking about bright orange Velveeta or red Kool-Aid! Fruits and vegetables are natural sources of color, and adding more of them to your plate is an easy way to boost the nutrition of your meals. Make it a goal to “eat the rainbow” by choosing one fruit or vegetable from every color group—red and orange, blue and purple, white and tan, yellow, and green—to use in at least one meal per week.

3.      Avoid eating in front of screens.

Having a meal while you watch TV or scroll on social media makes it harder to be present and engage in mindful eating. When you remove distractions and avoid screen time during meals, you’re more likely to eat slower, savor your food, and be more cognizant of when you feel full. In turn, your digestion may improve and your stress levels may go down. Sounds like it’s worth a try, huh?

4.      Try new recipes.

Cooking more meals at home is one of the best ways to eat healthier. But it’s easy to get stuck in a rut of cooking fatigue, especially during the past several months when you’re spending a LOT of your time at home. If you feel bored with your go-to recipes, turn to new recipe blogs, cookbooks, or Pinterest for inspiration. Make it a goal to try at least one completely new recipe a week to bring some excitement back to your healthy eating commitment.

5.      Don’t skip meals.

Establishing routines can be very helpful when it comes to sticking to health goals. Start with getting on a schedule for your meals. Try to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the same times every day so that it eventually becomes a habit. At the very least, avoid skipping meals whenever possible. Missing a meal can lead to overeating and making less healthy food choices at your next meal.

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Start 2021 on a high note by getting started with one of our plans! Each week, you’ll receive freshly prepared, nutritionally balanced meals designed to help you meet your health goals. Check out our menus today.