Easy Healthy Recipes For Two

Portrait of happy couple with forks tasting salad

Ah, the golden years. The kids have grown and moved out, and now it's just you and your spouse. With fewer mouths to feed, many empty-nesters find cooking full meals overkill and consequently resort to fattening fast food or take-out. As heart disease and obesity have increased among senior citizens, making healthy food choices at this stage in life is imperative, but cooking healthful meals for two need not turn into a big to-do. Let this guide help you and the one you love eat healthfully and simply without breaking the bank.

Formulate a weekly plan

Take the time to sit down with a calendar and mark the days on which you have the most time to cook as well as the days you are pressed for time. If you are feeling thrifty, you can also mark the days on which your local farmer's market is open or when your favorite foods go on sale at the grocery store. By setting up a cooking and shopping game plan for the week, you can anticipate those times when you are tempted to grab fast food and prepare yourself with a healthier option.

Plan and make your meals

Once you have mapped out your week's activities, you can begin planning your meals. A good formula for most meals is "one plus one plus one": one protein, one grain, and one vegetable (or fruit for breakfasts). As it is more economical to buy in bulk, choose foods which you can cook in advance and reheat. For instance, if you have marked Tuesday as your cooking day and you know Friday is a busy day, consider preparing four or six chicken breasts on Tuesday. Then you can enjoy two that day and freeze the rest for Friday. To fulfill the grain requirement, consider making a large batch of brown rice to store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or invest in a bag of individual Pillsbury rolls to pop into the oven on short notice. A bag of frozen mixed veggies comes in handy for steaming, sauteing, or baking.

These mealtimes strategies work just as well for young couples. Cooking with your loved one is a fun bonding experience and builds healthy eating habits for a lifetime.

With healthful cooking strategies in place, you have taken your diet and overall health into your own hands and can look forward to delicious, easy healthy meals with the one you love.

You have taken your diet and overall health into your own hands