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6 Tips To Boost Nutrition in Homemade Meals

There are small changes you can make when cooking and preparing food at home that will boost the nutrition in your food. What will you get out of increasing the nutritional value of your meals?

  • better mood
  • more energy
  • more confidence
  • less brain fog
  • stronger muscles and bones
  • nice skin and hair
  • lower risk of health issues and disease
  • better quality of life

Keep reading to find out our simple tips that will manage calories, increase fibre, boost antioxidants and sneak in some extra veggies.

Swap Pastry for A healthier Crust

Pastry is typically high in saturated fat or processed oils. It’s also made with plain white flour which is low in fibre. Decrease the fat content, increase the fibre content and nutritional value by swapping pastry for wholegrain breadcrumbs, wholegrain wraps, potato topping, or use filo for a lighter pastry. For desserts swap pastry for oats, nuts and seeds.

Check out our crustless potato top fish pie.

Make your own dips

Store-bought dips can contain a lot of extra oils, salt, sugar and additives increasing their calories and decreasing their nutritional value. Instead, make your own dips at home with fresh and wholesome ingredients. Dips are perfect to add into wraps or sandwiches, to dip crackers or veggie sticks in, or to put over a salad or roast veggies.

Check out our delicious DIY dips for inspiration.

Choose Greek Yoghurt over Cream

Decrease the fat content and increase the nutritional value by replacing sour cream, mayonnaise and ice-cream for Greek yoghurt. Greek yoghurt is a great source of protein, calcium and good gut bacteria. Think healthy bones and muscles, better mobility and a happier mood.

Check out our healthy banana split alternative for dessert (or breakfast!).

Add leftover cold pasta and potatoes to a salad

When you let your cooked pasta and potatoes cool, it creates resistant starch. Resistant starch is an incredible type of fibre that acts as a ‘pre-biotic’. A pre-biotic is food for your good gut bacteria. Happy gut bacteria will boost your mood, support digestive health, strengthen your immune system and help to protect your body from disease.

Try our yummy chickpea and potato salad, serve it cold for that resistant starch boost!

Aim for 3 different colours

A variety of fruit and vegetables is essential for good health. Before serving each meal make sure you have at least three different colours on your plate. Keep a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer so you can add them to your bolognese, stir-fry or curry. Keep salad ingredients in your fridge to sneak in some spinach or grated carrot to your meal. Your skin will be glowing!

Try our colourful slaw for a rainbow of veggies to add to a stir-fry or serve fresh on the side of your meal or in a wrap or sandwich!

Add legumes to your mince based meals

Chickpeas, lentils and beans are great sources of fibre, antioxidants and protein. They help boost your mood, maintain weight and strengthen your body. Legumes are nutrient powerhouses! To lower the calories of your mince, improve the nutritional value and reduce your meat consumption stir in a can of legumes. This will also make your mince go further and help you save some extra dollars as canned legumes are super cheap.

Sneak a can of lentils into our tasty lettuce cups.

Need to make some more healthy eating changes?

Download our Love Your Legumes recipe e-book. We make healthy versions of your favourite meals and boost their nutritional value by adding in legumes. Start feeling healthier now!

Love Your Legumes Recipe e-book

Download your very own food diary!

Keep a track of your food, mood and exercise. Start to make healthier changes, then start to see the changes in your mood, energy and body. This is a great place to start if you are wanting to make real change.

Download Here

Need some more inspiration?

Head to our RECIPE VIDEO HUB – we have lots of healthy snack ideas you might want to try!

Download our family healthy eating plan to find a 7-day meal plan full of yummy healthy eating or login to download your personal nutrition plan to help create a healthier eating pattern. This is FREE to all members.

Not a member? Register now for FREE access to outdoor and online fitness classes, live guided meditations, wellness videos, recipes and more!

Live Life Get Active is building a fitter, healthier and happier Australia and we want people to have fun along the way. With the help of Local Government and Corporate Australia we provide FREE health, fitness and nutritional education both online and in the parks, suburbs and cities of Australia.