Naturally, you would need a diet that takes into account your individual
preferences, diet prescription from your doctor, and your schedule and lifestyle.
But here is a generalized one that is not meant as a therapeutic diet to
treat any disease or illness, but simply to provide a healthy balance of
foods as a sample of the treatment available.
1 1/2 cups of cereal (whole grains are best, others are still good)
1 cup milk (low fat, skim or nonfat are best)
1 cup fresh fruit like melon or berries
a fresh peach
4 whole wheat crackers and some light cream cheese or fruit spread (if that's too hard to pack and take with you try 4 breadsticks or a snack bag of pretzels)
water (water is an essential nutrient, you don't have to force it down, but planning it in helps)
A wrap: tortilla with approximately 3 ounces of turkey (size of deck of cards), some cut up raw veggies--try sprouts, peppers or shredded carrot mixed together-or the old stand by lettuce and tomato
A dressing for the wrap--go easy but enjoy it, some light italian dressing, or a creamy french-in moderation
a yogurt or 8 ounces of milk--for protein and calcium you can't beat this as a choice
A fresh fruit--maybe some bing cherries or a ripe pear
This is the hardest meal for so many of us, because we walk in the door hungry with no idea of what to make--just like laying your clothes out the night before, have a plan for dinner before you get home.
Grab a snack before you start cooking if you're hungry like a vegetable juice, a few baked tortilla chips and some salsa, some cool refreshing sorbet, fruited yogurt or a chocolate milk (go easy on the chocolate).
Chunky chicken salad with pineapple (you can make this up ahead and have it ready to go--chunks of cooked chicken (each person needs about the size of a deck of cards, a can of chunked pineapple drained--or fresh if you live where you can get it, 3 T low fat mayo, 2T chopped onion (1 T parsley -fresh or dried), pasta twists. Remember that each individual needs about 1-11/2 cups cooked pasta so if you prepare more than that put it in the fridge for another day.
Serve it on a bed of dark greens-raw or with a crudite platter (that you cut up yourself or bought premade at the salad bar) with broccoli, carrots and cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes.
If you didn't choose milk or yogurt for your snack before dinner, serve it with dinner to meet your daily calcium needs.
