“Five Foods the Whole Family Will Enjoy”

Welcome to diet and fitness podcast, a free audio podcast sponsored by Diet.com. This is your fit fun and fabulous host, lady diet ready to give you the skinny on the latest diet, fitness health tips and news.

Hi everyone! With a new Weight Loss Challenge starting on Diet.com, you might be busy setting your goals and deciding what steps you’re going to take to achieve them, including a new diet! I know I am! But is your family a little nervous thinking that all the household meals are going to be little plates of steamed veggies from now on? Calm their fearful tastebuds! Here are five great tasting, healthy foods the whole family can enjoy while you Spring Ahead to a healthier lifestyle!

1) The hamburger is one of the first meals your family might cling to when they think you’re going to go “health nut” on them with your new diet. Good news. The burger can stay. To make your burger better for your family’s health, start with using extra-lean meat and switching to whole grain buns. Try grilling your burger rather than pan-frying to eliminate extra fatty oil and grease. Finally, slip in some veggies for some extra nutrients. Tomato and lettuce are great standards, but you can even add something unexpected, like one of my favorites, pineapple slices! Your family might be pleasantly surprised.

2) Macaroni and Cheese is a staple meal on the menus of families everywhere. This popular food doesn’t have to be just high in fat anymore! If you’re making your own Mac ‘n Cheese, there are plenty of great-tasting non-fat or low-fat cheeses to choose from, like Cabot 75% Less Fat Light. Also, make sure to buy whole wheat pasta. Try a new shape of pasta for a fun change, or even multi-colored pasta! Mix in some frozen peas to the dish and the family will agree, it still tastes great!

3) Pizza is always popular, especially with kids. Have fun with your family making your own healthy pizza, so you control the size and toppings to include! Use a whole wheat crust and load the pizza with inventive toppings. Try lean meats like grilled chicken bites on your pizza instead of sausage. Top with a colorful assortment of vegetables for a delicious, satisfying and healthy meal. If you don’t have time to make your own, most pizza companies are offering whole wheat crusts, so you should have no trouble spotting them at the supermarket.

4) Do morning meals at your home drag you down with loads of calories and fat? Prepare some delicious breakfast burritos your whole family will love. Scramble an egg and add some low-fat cheddar cheese, some diced tomatoes, fresh spinach, and a little cilantro. How about black beans for some more protein! Top with a little salsa and put everything inside a whole wheat tortilla for a flavor-filled, easy meal.

5) Brandish those spoons after dinner for a little sweet-tooth satisfying dessert! Instead of ice cream which is absolutely loaded with fat, try something a little healthier like sherbet! There are plenty to choose from, like Dreyer’s Key Lime Sherbet with less than 2 grams of fat, and extra vitamin C. Sherbet’s a refreshing, light alternative to ice cream, and with all the fun flavors out there, it’s just as yummy!

These are all delicious ways to make the foods your family loves even better and a lot healthier. When you start the Spring Ahead! Weight Loss Challenge next week, neither you nor your family has to suffer with boring, flavorless foods. Not to sound too cliché, but your healthy diet really can be “delicious and nutritious!”

Make sure to check out the Recipe section on Diet.com for over 1,000 different recipes. Also, the Spring Ahead! Weight Loss challenge starts on April 9. Are you ready? Check out the Weight Loss Challenge page on Diet.com for more details.

If you have any comments or suggestions about today’s podcast or any fun health diet for fitness tips please feel free to email me at LadyDietPodcast at dietdotcom

This is lady diet signing off…