There are a lot of diets and healthy eating lifestyles to choose from to make your own and incorporate into your life. From pescatarian to plant-based to keto, there are so many options. And we’re about to tell you of another one: whole food meals. This one is simple! You only eat whole foods. That’s it!
What Are Whole Food Meals?
Whole food meals contain foods that have not been processed, refined, or contain added ingredients. Common whole foods are fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, meat, fish, and eggs. When you eat a whole food meal, you’re eating foods that are not processed or processed very minimally. Most foods nowadays are processed to some degree, which is why it’s crucial to limit how much we consume processed foods. But it’s important to note that cooked, canned, frozen, packaged, or nutritionally altered foods are considered “processed." But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them. Those foods can be convenient while still providing nutrients.
Whole food meals are not plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan, but there is an emphasis on eating more plants than the usual diet. Instead of focusing on animal products being the main entree, they should be a supporting role in your meal.
FitTrax knows a lot about whole food meals. Every meal is made from scratch as if you just made it at home. Our chefs prepare all our meals with organic ingredients, grass-fed meat, and wild-caught fish. Plus, our packaging is good for the environment as it’s FDA-certified food safe and 100% recyclable.
Benefits of Whole Food Meals
More Nutritious
When you’re eating more whole foods, you’re eating more nutritious food. And eating nutritiously means you’re consuming all the nutrients and vitamins you need through a natural source. Whole foods create the basis of a healthy diet and lifestyle since the meals are inspired by what is already found in nature. When consuming a whole food diet, you’ll naturally consume vitamins, minerals, fiber, unsaturated fats, protein, and antioxidants. Consuming all of this helps your body perform at its peak.
Disease Prevention
If you’re focused on eating whole foods, it means your diet is replacing processed foods with fresh ones. This means less sodium and unhealthy fats in your diet, such as trans fats and saturated fats. And when you consume antioxidant-rich foods such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, potatoes, etc., you lower your risk of cancer and disease. This also helps your overall health by reducing your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Even if you have a disease like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune disease, eating a whole food diet can help. Following this diet limits fat and calorie intake which helps manage or treat those conditions.
Weight Loss
Speaking of limiting calorie intake, a diet of whole foods filled with nutrients and vitamins will help with weight loss. And fewer calories means not gaining weight and not gaining weight means your lifespan can be extended. One study had participants following a whole food plant-based diet for six months. The results: about 10 pounds of weight loss.
How Do I Make Whole Food Meals?
Making whole foods meals is easy when you prepare in advance. Here are some tips to help you get started on shifting your diet to be more whole food based.
Stock Up on Frozen and Dried Foods
Whole foods don’t have to always be fresh. We know how hard it is to consume fresh foods in a timely manner before they go bad. But it’s why frozen whole foods are a good alternative. And it doesn’t change the nutritional value compared to fresh foods. Surprisingly, frozen fruits and vegetables can retain more nutrients than fresh foods because they are picked when they're at their peak ripeness.
Plan Ahead
Planning ahead helps us prepare for the days when we have little time and are starving. Instead of opting for a frozen microwave dinner, you can plan ahead by meal prepping dinner the night before.
Try our subscription option for a healthy meal to pop in the microwave after a long day at work! We have 8 options to choose from to fit your lifestyle and budget. The best options to choose to follow a whole food diet are balanced and vegetarian/vegan.
Start Small
To make any lifestyle change, you have to start small. If you start small by making one meal a day with whole foods, you’re more likely to stick to the change versus overwhelming yourself at the beginning by trying to make every meal a whole food meal. Plus, it can be daunting where to start, so set small goals to begin with.
Check out our menu if you need help incorporating whole food meals! Or opt for our Á la Carte! You can create custom meals all on your own with our bulk items. It’ll save you time and money since all you need to do is select the portion you need.