My Top 4 Tips:
I know where your mind went with that title, lol…but hang on to that thought. It was actually my brother who called me the other day and wanted me to put together a meal plan for my nephews. They are 15, 14 and soon to be 10. They all play sports and he wants to help them up their game by improving their nutrition– which makes me oh, so HAPPY! I recently recommended he watch the health documentary The Game Changers on Netfilx– and I think it got him curious…“Can eating a more plant-based diet improve your health and athletic performance?” And the answer is a big YES– and FYI, it’s not only a YES for athletic performance, it’s a YES for sexual performance too…watch that documentary and you’ll see why!!
As my mind raced with excitement, I thought…”meal plan, meal plan…I don’t think that’s the answer…what can they do that would be realistic??” Kids (and parents included) need something EASY. Something realistic, something tangible, uncomplicated that they can incorporate into their daily lives that involves adding IN vs. taking away.
Easy ways to eat more plants:
1. Have a smoothie everyday of the week. It’s the simplest way to incorporate more plants into your diet. It’s quick & easy to throw extra greens (1 cup spinach or kale) + seeds (1 TSP. hemp + chia + flax) in it. This can be a simple healthy breakfast, a meal replacement, pre-game supplement or a mid-day sweet tooth snack. (If you have some Shakeology, use it! It is loaded with all kinds of other ingredients that are really good for you & the boys can drink it too! ps…DON’T just buy any protein powder from Walmart, they are not all created equal. You want a good quality one. See why quality matters HERE)
2. Eat a BIG salad 🥗 everyday (romaine lettuce + the more veggies the better! Think tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, carrots, jicama, mushrooms, sprouts, avocado 🥑 & you can replace chicken for chickpeas!)
3. DIY protein bars/balls AND/OR overnight oats. You can batch make these for an easy grab and go healthy snack.
4. Always have chickpeas & black beans in the pantry (or really, any type of bean is healthy!) AND frozen edamame in the freezer (quick, easy and yummy! You just pop them in the microwave). All are great plant-based proteins!
What to buy:
–Chickpeas (we like Goya brand, in the Hispanic section)
–Black Beans (Goya brand)
–Spinach or kale (get a BIG bag-this is for smoothies-you can freeze it and it won’t go bad!)
–Rolled Oats (you’ll use these for overnight oats and/or protein bars or balls)
–Chia seeds + ground flax seeds + hemp seeds (the grocery store may not have all 3, but Amazon will)
–Almond Butter (this will be pricey but still less that a pack of chicken or roast; the grocery store will have it, but you can get it on Amazon too)
What to do:
–Plan 1 plant 🌱 based for the week
–Protein bars or balls (4 scoops shakeology + 1/2 cup almond or peanut butter +1/2 cup raw honey 🍯)
–Overnight oats (You can get my recipe HERE: Supercharged (and super easy) Overnight Oats: | briannebell.com )
Things to remember:
–This is NOT and “all or nothing approach”. It will take time to learn new ways to incorporate more plant-based healthier foods. The key is to start small.
–Think: Eat more real food that grows in the dirt & less food with a wrapper. Spend MORE time shopping the produce section than any where else.
–Think: You’re adding IN new, healthier foods vs. taking away
–Make sure you’re not over eating on your portions. Even though the foods are healthier, you can still over eat on them…and the extra fiber will have your tummy rumbly. 6 oz. or 3/4 is a good size serving.
