How many of the decisions you make around food are embedded in routine? If you’re like most people, quite a few. Friday night? It’s takeout pizza. Tuesday night? Tacos. Sunday night? Pot roast. Saturday after errands? Drive-thru burgers. Week in, week out. Predictable to the point of being boring? Yes. Typical? Also, yes.
It’s no wonder you often go on autopilot when it comes to mealtimes. Most of us are tired after a busy day and lack the time needed to plan and shop for food, much less explore new foods and recipes that taste good, are healthy, and include all the food groups you’re trying to hit. This humdrum routine, although typical, could be sending your health into a dangerous rut.
Variety is Key
“Lack of variety is the No. 1 problem in the typical US diet,” says Susan Greeley, MS, RDN, Senior Vice President/National Director of Wellness Services for Castle Connolly Private Health Partners. “It’s a problem because when you eat the same few foods daily and weekly, you are not likely to meet your micronutrient needs or get adequate fiber. Most of us know that no one food can provide all the nutrients we need to keep ourselves nourished and in optimal health, yet many people eat the same thing daily, such as yogurt for breakfast and cold cuts for lunch and then meat and a vegetable at dinner. A limited diet is lacking in many ways.”
We can move toward better wellness, she added, by eating a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods across these food groups:
Many other health experts and national health guidelines concur with Susan’s approach for pursuing a diverse, nutritious, and healthful diet. Ancient Nutrition, for example, indicated that “eating a broad range of foods benefits people’s health in myriad ways.” In her book, How To Eat More Plants and Love Your Gut, dietitian and nutritionist Dr. Megan Rossi recommended that we eat 30 different types of plants a week for ultimate health.
Trying to diversify our diet can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, it isn’t as difficult as it sounds.
How to Do It
Switch it up. If you usually grab a head of iceberg lettuce at the store, switch it up by making a salad with other greens, such as kale, spinach, radicchio, or arugula — or a mixture of them all. If you usually go for apples, oranges, and bananas, try adding berries, melon, pineapple, and mango to your cart. Try some meatless protein sources such as beans, eggs, tofu, and nuts. If you like crackers, choose those that have several types of seeds in them. Dairy choices can include milk (cow or alternate sources), cheese, yogurt, and kefir.
Seek out fresh/seasonal local options. Buy whole, fresh, seasonal foods from local farmers markets or farm stands. Produce purchased locally will likely taste better than what you get from a grocery store because commercial produce is picked weeks before it ripens, spends time in storage, and is shipped long distances. In addition, in-season fruits and vegetables may be healthier than their commercial counterparts. For example, Montclair State University researchers found that the level of vitamin C in imported, out-of-season broccoli had half the vitamin C of in-season broccoli.
The disadvantages of buying local can include limited product options (only what’s in season), higher costs, and requiring an extra trip and, therefore, more time.
Plan and prep. No doubt, eating healthfully and diversely takes more time and effort. But with a little preplanning, it’s manageable. Eatright.org suggests tips such as:
Change cooking methods. Don’t forget that diversity also includes how you cook your food. For example, instead of boiling or frying potatoes, try roasting them in the oven or venture into the world of air frying. Do also use a variety of herbs and spices to change and enhance the flavor of your dishes and try various marinades and rubs for your proteins. Modify some of your family-favorite recipes to include healthier swaps, like using Greek yogurt for sour cream, or ground-up dates as a sweetener in a baked treat.
Eat out with care. Restaurants labeled farm-to-table can be a great choice because they use locally grown ingredients in preparing their dishes. However, keep in mind that local sourcing doesn’t mean that the final product you’re served remains healthy. No matter where you go, read the menu with an eye out for words that describe how the food is prepared. Foods that are steamed, grilled, roasted, or poached tend to have less fat and fewer calories than foods that are pan-fried, fried, crispy, crunchy, or sautéed, and tomato-based sauces are likely lower-calorie than are creamy or cheesy sauces.
Don’t Just Eat Diverse, Eat Nutritiously Diverse
An article in the August 2018 issue of the journal Circulation revealed that people who ate more diverse diets tended to consume higher levels of less-healthy foods (refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed foods) and lower levels of healthy foods (vegetables, fruits), which caused weight gain. The researchers concluded that instead of just focusing on diversity, people should focus on consuming a nutritious diet, one that includes foods from each of the groups in the list above that Susan shared.
Embrace a New Routine
Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself of your favorite foods. It does mean having the courage to broaden your perspective and your palate and being committed to planning and prepping. The abundance of choices in each food group will enable you to build variety, flavor, and satisfaction into your meals and help you stick to your health goals.
If you need more ideas to kickstart a new routine of eating a diverse and nutritious diet, check in with your SENS Solution Wellness coach or your doctor — they’re your best sources of information about how to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. And, since March is National Nutrition Month, you can find a plethora of information on making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits at the National Nutrition Month® 2024 website. This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table.”
Ancient Nutrition, Food Diversity: Why It Matters for Both Your and the Planet’s Health, https://ancientnutrition.com/blogs/all/food-diversity
Fortune Well, Experts say the ‘diversity diet’ of eating 30 plants a week could boost your gut health. Here’s how to get started, https://fortune.com/well/2023/03/20/improve-gut-health-diversity-diet-eat-30-plants-a-week/
Food Revolution Network, Why Buy Local Food? It’s Healthier for You and Better for the Environment, https://foodrevolution.org/blog/why-buy-local-food/
eatright.org, Delicious Family Dinners for Weeknights, https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/meals-and-snacks/delicious-family-dinners-for-weeknights
American Heart Association, Fresh, Frozen or Canned Fruit and Vegetables: All Can Be Healthy Choices, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/add-color/fresh-frozen-or-canned-fruits-and-vegetables-all-can-be-healthy-choices
Environmental Conscience, Pros and Cons of Buying Local Products, https://environmental-conscience.com/buying-local-pros-cons/
Healthline, 20 Clever Tips to Eat Healthy When Eating Out, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-healthy-tips-for-eating-out#TOC_TITLE_HDR_21
Circulation, Dietary Diversity: Implications for Obesity Prevention in Adult Populations: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association, https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000595
PubMed, Dietary Diversity Indicators and Their Associations with Dietary Adequacy and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Scoping Review, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8483968/
eatright.org, National Nutrition Month, https://www.eatright.org/national-nutrition-month