I am not a real fan of rules and formulas but I know many of you are so to summarize all of the information into the guidelines for a perfect meal it would be:
- Less than 15g added sugar (3 teaspoons)
- 30g lean protein
- Less than 7g saturated fat
- At least 16g whole grains
- Most of the carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables
- Most of the fats from unsaturated sources
- Costs less than $5 per person
- Takes less than 30min active cooking time
- Tastes good
Does such a thing exist? Yes! My lunch was grilled salmon, a 5 grain pilaf, a salad, ¼ cup premium ice cream for dessert and sparkling water to drink. It fit all of the above. The only bad thing for some people is you have to cook it yourself. Very little restaurant food is good for you. Some other meals would have to be more creative. I will start making a list of links to recipes that meet these criteria. If anyone else has one that works please share. Remember this is the formula for the ideal. Some meals will have more of one thing and less of another. Please don’t get so hung up on details that you forget to enjoy life. Conversely please pay enough attention to details that you are healthy enough to enjoy life.
Next up, what to drink.