Meals on the Go
Dan Goodman
October 28, 2009
My Own Observation
Time to make dinner. But what to make.
In fact, there is breakfast, and lunch too.
In today's world one has less time to do the basic things, like prepare meals. There are alternatives: purchasing frozen foods, canned foods, prepared items (chickens, sandwiches, hamburgers) or eating out. However, are you getting the right nutrients for optimal health? Probably not.
So how can you prepare meals quickly that are right for you?
First, one needs a basic understanding of nutrition. Essentially, one needs to eat foods which have proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Too this, one has to keep an eye on maintaining a balance on certain nutrients, for example sodium and potassium; calcium and magnesium.
Next, one needs to know the basic food groups, and whether they have proteins, fats, or carbohydrates. They are:
a: fruits and vegetables (carbohydrates)
b: milk and dairy (protein, fat)
c: meats and beans, nuts (protein, fat)
d: grains and bread, cereal, rice, pasta (carbohydrates)
e: water (essential for life)
And, one needs to combine the right food items from the appropriate food groups so that one gets proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and keeps their sodium and potassium, calcium and magnesium, intake in balance.
With this in mind let see what one can do.
Breakfast:
Milk (b) (a good source of calcium and protein, fat) and cereal ((d), and; in some cases, (a) too) are good. If you want you can add a banana (a) (a good source of potassium). In addition, an orange (a) or orange juice (a good source of potassium) can be added instead of a banana. Or a peach (a). An apple (a).
A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or two. Peanut butter (c) has protein, fat, magnesium and sodium. Jelly (a); in this case preserves, has potassium and carbohydrates. The bread (d), like rye, would be another source of carbohydrates.
The idea with breakfast is that you end up having a fruit.
Lunch:
My favorite is a soup and sandwich combination. An example, tomato soup (a) and tuna (c) fish sandwich. The tomato is a good source of carbohydrates, the tuna fish a good source of protein and fat (especially with mayonaisee). You can substitute a vegetable juice (like V8) for the soup. If you like you can put some sliced cheese (b) on top of your sandwich (a good source of calcium and sodium)
Another is a hot dog, that is a beef frank (c) with beans (c). An onion (a) chopped or sliced goes good with it. Instead of beans one can used chili beans (c). Mozellola cheese (b) can be added also. Or, if you like you can put the hot dog in a bun (d) and add the onions to it while eating the beans or chili beans separately.
Still another is a instant mashed potatoes (d), with real sour cream (b), bacon bits (c), and a canned vegetable like peas (a). Peas are a good source of magnesium. Note: green vegetables, in general, are a good source of magnesium.
The idea with lunch is that you end up having a vegetable.
Dinner:
For this meal, prepared chicken (c), would be good. A canned vegetable like corn (a). And maybe a salad (a). A salad has ruffage. Also, instant rice (d), white or brown, would be good. Talk about fast. You bring home the chicken, prepare the instant rice, open a can of corn, start eating the chicken and corn, stop to get the instant rice, finish eating what you want from the three, and if you want you can make a salad, or eat something for desert.
Also, microwaveable frozen macaroni (d) and cheese (b). Microwave, then have with or add tuna fish (c) and some canned peas (a). Instead of macroni and cheese, you can use instant pasta (d)
In addition, a nice dinner is canned salmon (c) with instant rice (d) and a canned vegetable, like corn (a).
The idea with dinner is to get a good amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates to replace the protein, fat, and carbohydrates you used during the day.
More:
I generally carry a bottle of water (e) with me. It can be bottled water (e). The idea is when you feel you need something to drink, you have it there with you. I recommend water, since your body requires a good amount of it on a daily basis.
So with these fast and easy meals, one can be certain that they are getting proteins, fats, and carbohydrates while also getting sodium and potassium, calcium and magnesium. Just in case, one may want to include a multi vitamin, multi mineral supplementation.
Time to make dinner. But what to make.
In fact, there is breakfast, and lunch too.
In today's world one has less time to do the basic things, like prepare meals. There are alternatives: purchasing frozen foods, canned foods, prepared items (chickens, sandwiches, hamburgers) or eating out. However, are you getting the right nutrients for optimal health? Probably not.
So how can you prepare meals quickly that are right for you?
First, one needs a basic understanding of nutrition. Essentially, one needs to eat foods which have proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Too this, one has to keep an eye on maintaining a balance on certain nutrients, for example sodium and potassium; calcium and magnesium.
Next, one needs to know the basic food groups, and whether they have proteins, fats, or carbohydrates. They are:
a: fruits and vegetables (carbohydrates)
b: milk and dairy (protein, fat)
c: meats and beans, nuts (protein, fat)
d: grains and bread, cereal, rice, pasta (carbohydrates)
e: water (essential for life)
And, one needs to combine the right food items from the appropriate food groups so that one gets proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and keeps their sodium and potassium, calcium and magnesium, intake in balance.
With this in mind let see what one can do.
Breakfast:
Milk (b) (a good source of calcium and protein, fat) and cereal ((d), and; in some cases, (a) too) are good. If you want you can add a banana (a) (a good source of potassium). In addition, an orange (a) or orange juice (a good source of potassium) can be added instead of a banana. Or a peach (a). An apple (a).
A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or two. Peanut butter (c) has protein, fat, magnesium and sodium. Jelly (a); in this case preserves, has potassium and carbohydrates. The bread (d), like rye, would be another source of carbohydrates.
The idea with breakfast is that you end up having a fruit.
Lunch:
My favorite is a soup and sandwich combination. An example, tomato soup (a) and tuna (c) fish sandwich. The tomato is a good source of carbohydrates, the tuna fish a good source of protein and fat (especially with mayonaisee). You can substitute a vegetable juice (like V8) for the soup. If you like you can put some sliced cheese (b) on top of your sandwich (a good source of calcium and sodium)
Another is a hot dog, that is a beef frank (c) with beans (c). An onion (a) chopped or sliced goes good with it. Instead of beans one can used chili beans (c). Mozellola cheese (b) can be added also. Or, if you like you can put the hot dog in a bun (d) and add the onions to it while eating the beans or chili beans separately.
Still another is a instant mashed potatoes (d), with real sour cream (b), bacon bits (c), and a canned vegetable like peas (a). Peas are a good source of magnesium. Note: green vegetables, in general, are a good source of magnesium.
The idea with lunch is that you end up having a vegetable.
Dinner:
For this meal, prepared chicken (c), would be good. A canned vegetable like corn (a). And maybe a salad (a). A salad has ruffage. Also, instant rice (d), white or brown, would be good. Talk about fast. You bring home the chicken, prepare the instant rice, open a can of corn, start eating the chicken and corn, stop to get the instant rice, finish eating what you want from the three, and if you want you can make a salad, or eat something for desert.
Also, microwaveable frozen macaroni (d) and cheese (b). Microwave, then have with or add tuna fish (c) and some canned peas (a). Instead of macroni and cheese, you can use instant pasta (d)
In addition, a nice dinner is canned salmon (c) with instant rice (d) and a canned vegetable, like corn (a).
The idea with dinner is to get a good amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates to replace the protein, fat, and carbohydrates you used during the day.
More:
I generally carry a bottle of water (e) with me. It can be bottled water (e). The idea is when you feel you need something to drink, you have it there with you. I recommend water, since your body requires a good amount of it on a daily basis.
So with these fast and easy meals, one can be certain that they are getting proteins, fats, and carbohydrates while also getting sodium and potassium, calcium and magnesium. Just in case, one may want to include a multi vitamin, multi mineral supplementation.
©2009 Dan Goodman
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