My Biggest Pet Peeve as a Nutritionist

Wanna know my biggest pet peeve when it comes to other people’s perceptions of healthy eating? As a nutritionist, I hear it pretty often. People are quick to share their thoughts with me… and I’m quick to be like, sit down and let me prove you wrong. Because this is something I’m pretty passionate about, especially since people tend to jump to the same conclusion without having all the facts and really giving it a try.

Okay, so here is my pet peeve:

People saying healthy food doesn’t taste good, it’s bland, it’s boring. And I don’t blame them; I mean, they’re led to believe it’s true. Most of us are taught that the low-fat, low-salt (read: low-flavour) way of eating is the most nutritious for us, and on the whole, this is just not true.

Here’s an FYI for you: Healthy food should taste frickin’ fantastic. And if it doesn’t, you’ve got to figure out why and what you can do to make it taste better. Case in point: Fats are good for our body, as is sea salt – and both make food taste delish (while actually making the food healthier! What what!). And, there are so many herbs and spices that help to kick things up a notch or ten. A quick google search will give you tons of ideas on how to add some more flava to your dish.

Below are some things I love to do that up the ante when it comes not just to flavour, but nutrition too.

Increase the Deliciousness

Celery sticks? Plain?

No wonder you’re on the “healthy eating is boring” train. Girl, sass that up with some peanut or almond butter and a healthy sprinkle of raisins on top. And the same goes for all chopped vegetables, really. I love dipping mine in something delicious, like hummus or bean dip. So much more satisfying.

Don’t just have the apple; dip it into a mixture of almond butter and coconut oil.

The fat and protein help steady our blood sugar and provide longer-lasting energy.

Don’t be afraid to pour the dressing on that salad.

The fat can actually help the minerals from the vegetables absorb better into your bloodstream. Just make sure you’re making your own dressing using a healthy oil such as olive or flax… avoid the store-bought ones that usually use canola or soybean oil (or other vegetable oil) as their base.

Tea tasting bland?

Add a few drops of stevia to sweeten it up. Or, get really crazy by making a delicious green tea latte (or the iced version).

Never again do you have to have plain sautéed veggies as your side dish.

Now, that IS boring! *yawn* Instead, add butter or olive oil plus sea salt and pepper, and BAM… instant vegetable dish that you will actually want. And will probably have seconds of, too. I love adding some parmesan cheese as well, and I do it often. And, garlic and onion powder are my best friends in the kitchen.

And please, don’t think you have to skip out on dessert every night.

You can make your own version using better ingredients that taste fantastic. For example, whip your own cream using full-fat whipping cream and maple syrup, and enjoy it with some berries (or just on its own, as I sometimes like to do. Don’t judge.). Or, make muffins using spelt flour (other great choices are almond flour and coconut flour) and sucanat (a slightly less refined sugar) or coconut sugar. These peanut butter banana chocolate chip muffins are yummm. And, here is one of my FAV desserts, which can also be a snack or a fun addition to a meal: salted almond butter cups. You’re welcome, my friend.

So, the next time the subject of healthy eating comes up and your friends are like “ew”, I hope you’ll cut them off by shouting “WRONG!” at the top of your lungs.

Okay maybe not that forceful, but I really do hope you’ll take this to heart, try out the suggestions, and realize for yourself that yeah, the stuff that’s good for you actually tastes really good, too.

And when you start to think in this way, you’ll naturally start to eat great-for-you foods more often, making you feel better all around. And who doesn’t want that?

Be honest: Have you ever thought that healthy eating tastes bland and boring? Type yes or no in the comments.