Top 5 Delicious Foods for Healthy Eating

Since I’ve had a lot of time on my hands during quarantine, I decided to spend these past few months trying to eat healthy. I love food, and I always thought that eating healthy meant having to sacrifice the foods that I love, but this is not true at all! To help you feel your best just like I am now, I have listed the foods that have helped me survive my healthy eating journey, including some of my personal favorite recipes.

1. Chick-Fil-A Grilled Chicken

Where would I be right now without Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken? It’s super filling since it’s high in protein and extremely convenient whenever I go out. This is the best fast-food option if you can’t avoid fast food, especially paired with a fruit cup (but honestly, I still get waffle fries sometimes).

2. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is an acquired taste to some people, but it really can be just the right amount of sweet to keep you going if you’re craving sugar. I start craving sugar typically in the afternoons, so I’ve started to keep mini dark chocolates in my freezer to tide me over. Even though chocolate isn’t the healthiest thing in the world, it is important to remember that you don’t need to completely deprive yourself of the things you want for the sake of eating healthy- that would just make you miserable. The best thing you can do is swap in healthier alternatives, which makes dark chocolate a great choice.

3. Iced Coffee with Protein Shake

I know this isn’t a typical meal, but I’ve probably relied on this more than anything so I had to include it. Admittedly, I saw this on TikTok months ago- thank you TikTok for keeping me sane during quarantine. Iced coffee sweetened with a flavored protein drink rather than milk and sugar is something I don’t know how I never thought of, but I’m so glad I know about it now. I bought a large bottle of Starbucks pre-made iced coffee to help save money and for convenience. My personal favorite flavor of protein shake is caramel, but these are available in so many other delicious flavors! Both coffee and protein shakes are appetite suppressants, so typically I have this on mornings when I’m in a hurry; it keeps me satisfied until I’m able to slow down to eat.

4. Spaghetti al Pomodoro

This recipe comes from Audrey Hepburn, my favorite actress. I’m seriously obsessed with everything she did, especially this pasta. This spaghetti is made exclusively from vegetables rather than meat, and it’s super filling and delicious. Every time I make this I quadruple the recipe for my family, and it’s all gone by the end of the night. If you want to be even healthier, replace the pasta noodles with zucchini noodles; but sticking with pasta is completely fine, pasta is incredible. I’ve linked the recipe I typically use here.

5. Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

I meant it when I said pasta is incredible. No matter how healthy I eat, I’ll always make an exception for mac and cheese. I’m a total sucker for mac and cheese, which makes this recipe so great. It doesn’t take away from any of the qualities that make mac and cheese great, but adds nutritious ingredients such as onions, apples, and butternut squash. This is easily my all-time favorite recipe, and it’s a great comfort food as well. I recommend this recipe to everyone I know, and I get nothing but positive responses. The recipe can be found here.

I hope you benefit from these foods just as much as I have and use them to complement your healthy eating. It’s so important to feel healthy and confident every single day, and these tips have proven very beneficial in that pursuit!