5 Ways To Make Healthy Foods Taste Good

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be a chore! Get out of your veggie rut and make healthy foods taste good by following these tricks and tips!

There’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing someone try a “healthy” food and be surprised that they enjoy it.

OK, maybe seeing my brothers try a for-the-blog delicious, nutritious creation and be surprised that it is actually deee-lishhh.

Like this chocolate banana pudding pie. #winning.
Or these black bean burgers. Get it gurrlll.

So when I saw a report exclaiming “Only 1 in 10 Americans Eats Enough Fruits and Veggies” I was not surprised. 

Getting America to eat healthier takes a village.

Lonely ol’ me can’t get a country of 300+ million people to start poppin’ peas like they’re skittles, but I sure can try! As I’m training to become a Registered Dietitian I often think about where I want my career to go…What niche do I want to specialize in? What’s the ideal population I’d like to work with? How can I truly make an impact? 

One of the reasons I started blogging was to reach a wider audience. I provide healthy recipes on a regular basis to make healthy eating fun and delicious, but I also share my knowledge so you know why I recommend certain foods to take a central role in your overall diet.

I still do not know where my career will take me (or where I will lead it to go) — and hopefully my dietetic internship starting this fall will help! — but for now, I will continue to spread my veggie-rific attitude! 

If you don’t routinely follow a well-balanced, nutritious diet, you may cringe at the word vegan or get nauseated by seeing Brussels sprouts on a menu, but maybe it’s just because you haven’t had these foods prepared properly. 

In my crusade to get everyone eating just a teensy bit healthier, here are 5 simple steps you can take to make healthy foods taste good…

1. Spice up your life!...ya know, as the Spice Girls would say — people of the world, spice up your life! Errr, more specifically your food!

Adding some spice, citrus zest, and/or fresh herbs is a great way to pack a punch of flavor.

Here are a few recipes that wouldn’t be the same without their spices and fresh herbs:

• Salmon avocado crostini — it’s wayyyy better with the dill!
• Vegan Chili — soo many dried spices you probably already have in hand in here!
• Mung bean, Lentil, and Quinoa Salad — not the same without the cilantro!
• and of course these Herb Roasted Carrots — try grilling them! 

2. Take advantage of all cooking methods. So what if you don’t like steamed Brussels sprouts. Guess what…Neither do I! But if I roast Brussels until they’re cooked through and crispy, then add some delish sriracha, I can pop ‘em by the dozen!

Saute snow peas with some soy sauce and garlic…rice cauliflower and serve with a delicious stir fry or in a sushi salad…spiralize zucchini to make it fun to eat…make eggplant balls instead of boring roasted eggplant…the opportunities are endless!

3. Choose in-season. And local, if you can. Eating closer to home often means you’re eating what’s in season…and eating what’s in season usually tastes better too! Plus, fruits and veggies actually contain more nutrients when in season and picked closer to home. #winning.

4. Use healthier options in novel ways. Why do you think cauliflower pizza became so much more than a Pinterest sensation? Although I hate strongly dislike the phrase “guilt free,” cauliflower pizza crust allowed people to enjoy a seemingly “bad” food “guilt-free.” {{Read more about labeling your diet here!}} 

Don’t be fooled…simple swaps can make a not-so-healthy meal totally nutritious. A slice of homemade pizza made with 100% whole grain pizza crust topped with marinara sauce (with no added sugar!), grass-fed dairy cheese, and veggies with a side salad is a nutritious meal!

5. Add some fat. Americans are accustomed to fear fat from the low fat/Atkins-crazed days, but eliminating fat isn’t only poor for your overall health, but it doesn’t help the taste of your food either! Utilizing dry cooking methods, in which heat is transferred via fat (read: oil) instead of water, feeds flavor into your food.

Case in point: Sauteed onions with a hint of olive oil have a certain sweetness that microwaving or steaming an onion just won’t get. Roasting mushrooms versus steaming them also perfectly portrays the superior flavor palate achieved from using fat while cooking food.

And don’t forget about grilling lettuce…SERIOUS game changer!

See?! 

It only takes a few tweaks here and there to make healthy foods taste good!

Oh, and here’s one more…pair new foods with foods you already know and love (this is also a great tip for picky kids!)…pasta salad anyone?!

Let’s chat…what’s your go-to trick to make healthy foods taste good?!

XO

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