I know, I know you don’t have time to cook, just order takeout. It will be enough, you are young; you are healthy. Also, the food in the restaurant tastes very good. I’d rather splurge and save elsewhere. But most restaurant food is not that healthy.
Why is that? First of all, there is a shortage of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and fiber (eliminating constipation). That’s why vegetarians brag about their health (a moot point, but the eating veggies part is real).
Second, you don’t know what you’re getting. Are they cooking foods in trans fats, or using old meat or questionable ingredients? The Center for Disease Control, (a government agency), estimates that 1 in 6 people suffer from food poisoning annually. It is because of the bad food or because of the people who handle it.
So what’s a millennial to do, given little time or inclination to cook? You have 2 options, find healthier takeout or learn basic cooking skills. If you’re not looking to become a chef, it’s easier than you think.
To start, you need to understand nutrition. Our bodies require protein (meats, dairy, eggs, nuts, legumes), some starches (grains, tubers, corn, seeds), fruits and vegetables (particularly leafy greens), and good fats (from coconut, olives, avocados, or butter). ). That is all. Eat 1 food from each group for each meal (2 or 3 for fruits and vegetables, they are watery).
Let’s prepare a meal. Breakfast: scrambled eggs, fried or a simple omelette. Or make grilled cheese, yogurt, or a fruit and nut mix. Take them on the go as hard boiled eggs, cheese sandwiches, or trail mix. That’s all you need for proteins and oils.
Then make sure your starches count. Empty calories make you fat or give you diabetes. Eat whole grains, sweet potatoes, beans, etc.
Fruits and vegetables can be eaten raw. Fresh fruit, organic carrots and celery, beat retail out of stock juices anytime.
Lunch is like dinner, except you might take it to work or school. Grocery stores sell whole cooked chickens, or carry eggs, cheese, nuts, or a salad with these ingredients. Add fruit, organic carrots/celery/cut vegetables and eat with hummus or salsa. Just avoid processed meat, which contains nitrite preservatives.
For dinner, if you are at home, use a crock pot. Meat and/or vegetables with broth, gives you stews or soups – and leftovers for days.
Vegetables, frozen peas, broccoli/cauliflower, steamed asparagus, are a no brainer. Cover them with butter, grated cheese, oils, salt and pepper and voila.
Finally the challenge, the salads, (scarce in American diets), which take time to prepare, wash and chop. Spinach, romaine lettuce, and dark green vegetables contain more nutrients than just about anything else. They trigger chemical reactions that digest food, keep the heart beating, muscles working, and bones strong. They provide true health insurance. Yes, it is expensive and complicated to make homemade organic salads. But you after you have done it while it becomes automatic.
So when you think about eating, millennials, choose carefully. There is a time to eat out (special occasions, complex meals), but above all you can do better eating from home. Healthier and cheaper, weigh the benefits of the experience. I’m saving money this way for my trip to Alaska!