my struggle meals and struggling to make meals

I realized I needed to eat healthier whenever my body felt sluggish going up the stairs or when I noticed that I put on a few pounds. However, I've come to learn that loving your body and being concerned about your health starts with eating right, which can be hard when there's so many good snacks full of sugar and carbs. I am far from experienced in cooking, so I found a few easy ways to get the nutrients I needed in the most affordable and simple ways. I also found out how to find delicious yet healthy food at restaurants (these two words are not mutually exclusive)!

Making food at home can be hard, but the most important thing is to aim for those good nutrients without having to sacrifice the flavor. I usually go for plain grains such as rice or noodles with a lot of vegetables boiled and healthy proteins such as beans, chicken, or eggs.

Here is an example of a meal I cooked. It's very simple and nutritious. I used the Tasty app by Buzzfeed to have a step-by-step tutorial video and instructions to help me cook chicken for the first time and season it right. You can also find videos on YouTube (it teaches you everything). I chose quinoa instead of rice because it is complete in protein, has high fiber, antioxidants, iron, B-2, and other vitamins and minerals. To cook quinoa, all you need is a stove, water, quinoa (of course), and a pot. I usually add asparagus because of the higher content in fiber and multitude of vitamins.

When I get bored of this simple combination, I usually turn to my other simple recipe for noodles. I use rice noodles over the traditional U.S. egg noodles because it's lower in fats and carbohydrates and has minerals such as phosphorus, and gluten-free. I boil the noodles in chicken broth to give it more flavor. I then add cabbage, bok choi, carrots, and mushrooms. I also throw in poached eggs because eggs are delicious and a source of protein.

Meal prepping is also a great way to save money and customize your lunch box. It doesn't have to be a chore. Whenever I meal prep, I try to make my favorite dishes For the chicken, I went with a simple teriyaki chicken (without sesame seeds), I cooked some brussels sprouts, asparagus, potatoes and added rice with seaweed. This was so fun to make and lasted me 4 days. It was healthy in fiber since all my vegetables were steamed. And although it was healthy, it was still very tasty. It's economical, fun, and you get to learn something new as you go. Even if the food doesn't taste good, you have the satisfaction of eating something you made!

I am not a chef nor do I have culinary skills, but looking up simple recipes and nutrition facts has helped me become more aware about what I eat. Eating healthy now could mean living better and longer later. Also, don't forget cheat days! Just don't splurge too much where you set yourself back. Just find healthy and delicious snacks such as your favorite fruit (mine are pineapples), and vegetable (mine is corn), and learn how to personalize your meals to make it feel more special and fun.