Five New Year Healthy Eating Goals for 2024

Happy New Year everyone!

New Years is usually the time we are feeling most motivated to make some healthy changes to our lives.

For these changes to be long term, they need to be realistic. This generally means they need to be small, so they can easily fit into your lifestyle.

Healthy eating can be simple, but it does require a little more preparation and organisation if you are used to relying on packaged and takeaway foods. A little extra time prioritised for healthy eating is worth it for a longer, better quality and happier life for the whole family.

Make these 5 changes, your main healthy eating goals for 2024!

1. Eat more veggies

If there is one goal you should stick to this year – this is definitely it! Start by aiming to add 1 extra cup of veggies into your day.

• Have a cup of salad on the side of a meal
• Add some extra vegetables to your stir-fry
• Sneak frozen veggies into a bolognaise or casserole

2. Eat more vegetarian based meals

Not only will this help to increase your veggie intake, it will also help save the planet! Start by replacing meat with chickpeas, legumes and beans.

• Experiment with vegetarian patties (see this weeks recipe)
• Use lentils and beans instead of mince
• Add black beans and kidney beans to Mexican meals like burritos and nachos

3. Eat less takeaway meals and packaged foods

There are so many hidden sugars, salt, fat and preservatives in these foods – try to put more time aside to prepare meals and snacks with fresh and whole foods.

• Make your favourite takeaways at home (see our recipes)
• Double your dinner recipes so you have lunch the next day
• Use fresh fruit, wholegrain crackers, yoghurt, nuts and seeds instead of pre-packaged chips and biscuits for snacks.

4. Drink less soft drink and energy drinks

One can of coke has 10 teaspoons of sugar in it – this amount of sugar in one hit is no good for your health, energy levels or mood.

• If soft drink is a regular go to for you, try by starting to reduce your intake to 1 can per week.
• Replace with sparkling water flavoured with fruit
• Keep hydrated with water as being dehydrated will only make you crave soft drink.

 

5. Drink more water

You may not even realise you are dehydrated! Dehydration can cause cravings, lethargy, tiredness and weakness.

• Take small regular sips throughout the day
• Aim for 2 litres per day
• Carry around a drink bottle everywhere with you

Check out this week’s healthy recipe to kick start your veggie intake and help your body recover from the festive season!

Veggie Nourish Bowls with Chickpea patties

Serves: 4 Time: 40 mins Cost: $10.45 approx. ($2.60/serve)

Ingredients:

Chickpea patties

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 2 cups of defrosted frozen peas and corn
• 1 small onion
• ½ bunch parsley (including stalks)
• 3 TBSP wholemeal flour
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander

Veggie bowl

• 1 head of broccoli
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 carrot, grated
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing

• ½ cup Greek yoghurt
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 TBSP olive oil

Cooking essentials

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Make sure the frozen peas and corn have been defrosted – they need to be left out for approx 15mins.
2. Pre-heat oven to 180^oC fan-forced and line a baking tray with baking paper.
3. Roughly chop onion and parsley.
4. Drain chickpeas and pat dry with a paper towel.
5. Add chickpeas, peas and corn, onion, parsley, garlic, flour, cumin, coriander and ½ tsp each of salt and pepper to a food processor then blend just until mixture starts to turn into a paste.
6. Spoon the mixture into 12 blobs on the baking tray, use your hands to gently pat and mould into a pattie shape.
7. Drizzle lightly with olive oil then bake for 25mins.
8. Boil a pot of water, chop broccoli into small florets and steam for 4mins.
9. Dressing: mix together Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, olive oil and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper.
10. Once cooked, let veggie patties cool for 5 minutes to help let them set so they don’t fall apart.
11. Serve patties on a bed of spinach, with broccoli, grated carrot, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of dressing!

For something more serve in a wholemeal pita or wrap.

We hope 2024 is your healthiest and happiest year yet!