We’ve all been there! Struggling with the desire to eat healthy, trying to lose some weight or gain some energy… Yet that healthy food tastes so bland! I bet you tried to make healthy food taste good (or just better) at least once in your life.
“Why do you taste like grass, you mega-healthy oatmeal papaya chia spinach smoothie?? What is wrong with you??”
I’ve started to focus on healthier meals a couple of years back when I felt that my health was failing me. It took some time but I feel amazing now! Eating plenty of vegetables, berries, legumes, and fruits has helped me to deal with nutrient deficiencies that I never even knew I had. But at first, it was very difficult for me to switch from the mesmerizing taste of comfort foods to that of an all-natural meal plan.
The first thing I did was taking on my diet gradually. I made small changes every day until I quit my bad eating habits.
Besides this, I have discovered a few healthy food tips to boost the taste and flavor of my new, healthy meals and snacks. So if you struggle to eat healthier because you hate the taste of healthy food, this article is for you!
Up next, I’m sharing a few tips that can help you to make healthy food taste good, with just a bit of effort. And yes, I know that eating healthy requires a ton of effort already… But what else is so important to work for, if not your health? Let’s see how you can improve your plate starting today.
P.S. Grab a free printable healthy meal planner, with a flavor cheat sheet, at the bottom of this article too!
6 Genius Ways To Make Healthy Food Taste Good
1. Roast your vegetables
People around the web are advocating that the best way to eat your vegetables is by steaming them or just eating them straight raw. But I feel like roasting vegetables is a better way to eat your veggies and enjoy some taste at the same time! Roasted food somehow tastes a lot better, and it offers a similar nutrient intake. So if you want to make healthy food taste good, invest in a table-top grill, and roast away!
Maxi-Matic Elite Indoor Electric Grill
2. Look for the freshest options possible
If you never tried home-grown vegetables, trust me – you’re missing out on a lot of taste! Store-bought veggies and fruits usually lose tons of flavor due to the way they’re grown, transported, and stored.
If you can, buy your veggies from local farmer markets. You’ll be pleasantly surprised! Even eggs from home-grown chickens taste a lot better than those you get in the grocery store.
For meat, look for fresh lean cuts, and when they’re not available – naturally dried meats that are both healthy and tasty by themselves. One of the best examples is biltong, which is dried, lean beef cuts, full of flavor and vitamin B12! You can even learn how to make biltong at home and enjoy this protein-packed snack as often as you wish.
3. Don’t be afraid to add a little bit of goodness
When I just started to eat healthier, I felt so miserable. I missed my cheese, my butter, heavy cream, and other goodies that make you feel so comfy when you eat them… I was really used to eating comfort foods!
So I wanted to make healthy food taste good, yet stay away from the unnecessary calories – and this is where I’ve learned about moderation.
Yes, you can find a balance in your diet by making healthy food the core of your meals, and adding just a little bit of heavier, tasty foods on top. This way, you’re eating both tasty AND healthy at the same time.
Here’s an example!
You probably know that starchy white rice is not as healthy for us, and it has plenty of calories. A healthier choice is cauliflower rice and it’s the healthiest rice substitute you can think of. Now, you might not be a fan of cauliflower itself… But it has an interesting flavor that you can fall in love with by adding just a pinch of salt and just a little bit of cream to soften the texture.
Just try it out! And don’t be afraid to add that cream – as long as you use a reasonable amount (2 tablespoons per plate is more than enough for taste), you’re fine.
4. Add plenty of spices and herbs
Another easy and fast way to make healthy food taste good is to use plenty of spices and herbs. You can find a lot of different spice mixes at any grocery store, but I really recommend finding a specialized spice & herb store and choose the spices that are as natural as possible. Experiment with different tastes until you find 5-6 different spices that you love and mix-and-match them to make healthy food taste good, effortlessly.
5. Try toasted sesame seed oil
If you love salads, you should know that store-bought dressings or sauces are loaded with calories, preservatives, and unnecessary sugars. And let’s admit it – homemade olive oil and lemon juice mixes are not that tasty as well… This is why I swear by toasted sesame oil! This oil has a ton of taste (it’s very popular in Asian cuisine) and is loaded with healthy nutrients. Honestly, it’s probably the only oil that can make healthy food taste good in seconds – no matter WHAT it is! (Except fruits, eh, use honey for those).
La Tourangelle Toasted Sesame Oil
6. Make your plate look good
Do you remember the saying ‘we eat with our eyes’? Well, I think it is incredibly accurate. I feel that you can make healthy food taste good if it’s simply presented on a gorgeous plate. This is just a placebo, of course, but hey – whatever works, right?
Royal Doulton Pacific Tapas Plates
Free Meal Planner Printable
To help you stick with your healthy eating efforts, I’m also sharing a free 8-page healthy meal planner. It includes a weekly meal planner, a balanced plate guide, a flavor cheat sheet with herb and spice pairings, a grocery list, recipe cards and a weekly check-in. It looks like this:
To grab yours, choose the size that fits your paper, recipe binder or planner:
Free Meal Planner Printable by ShineSheets – US LETTER
Free Meal Planner Printable ShineSheets – A4
*Personal use only.
It’s WORTH Trying To Make Healthy Food Taste Good!
These are my top tips to make healthy food taste good or at least better. And yes, I know it’s not a miracle, but let’s agree that it’s not that easy to tell your brain that tomatoes and apples taste better than chips, fries, and ice-cream. But when you’re finding yourself in a long deliberation on whether you should eat an apple or a popsicle for dessert… Remind yourself why you wanted to eat healthy in the first place. If your reason is important enough, you’ll pick that apple without hesitation.
