A well-known proverb says about dinner that “we should share it with the enemy”. Are you sure? Dinner is not only the last meal of the day, but also a great opportunity to spend time with your loved ones at the table. When preparing this meal, it is worth following a few rules, which are described in detail below in the article.
The most important rules for composing a healthy dinner
What can you eat for dinner to feel light and thus sleep peacefully? Here are some key principles to implement:
1. Eat your last meal 2-3 hours before bedDinner is best eaten at least 2 hours before going to bed. Such an interval will allow the body to calmly digest the meal and absorb nutrients.
2. Avoid hard-to-digest foodsFatty and hard-to-digest foods can cause trouble falling asleep and digestive problems at night. Avoid high-calorie, fried dishes, and instead choose easily digestible products, such as salads, sandwiches with lean dairy products and vegetables, or light soups.
3. Pay attention to the thermal treatment of dishesWhen preparing dinner, it is worth choosing meals in raw form (e.g. salad), steamed, boiled in water or baked. Fried and grilled foods should be avoided, as they stay in the stomach for a long time, thus disturbing proper sleep.
4. Choose complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index
In evening meals, you should avoid foods with a high glycemic index, which are a source of simple sugars. To take care not only of sleep, but also of a healthy body weight, it is worth choosing products such as: wholegrain pasta, coarse-grained groats, brown rice, wholemeal rye bread, as well as all kinds of vegetables and fruits with a low glycemic index.
5. Pay attention to drinks before bedBefore bedtime, we want to calm the body, so we should avoid caffeinated drinks (coffee, strong black tea, energy drinks and drinks such as coca-cola). Instead, it is worth reaching for still water, herbal infusions and fruit tea (without added sugar).
What to eat for dinner?
A healthy dinner, according to dietary recommendations, should constitute 20-25% of the energy content of the daily diet. Make sure that the meal includes protein, carbohydrates and fats. The best sources of protein for dinner will be: lean dairy products, eggs, lean meat and fish. When it comes to carbohydrates as mentioned earlier, the best choice will be whole grains with a low glycemic index, which will keep you full for longer and will not raise blood sugar levels. Do not forget about healthy fats in the form of vegetable oils (e.g. olive oil), oily sea fish (e.g. salmon), nuts and seeds.
Below is a list of products that are worth choosing for dinner, and which are better avoided or eaten occasionally.
Common Dinner Myths
There are plenty of myths in the dietary world, including those about dinner. Here are the most popular ones:
1. Dinner can be eaten at 6 p.m. at the latestThis is one of the most popular myths related to this meal. Dietary recommendations say that the last meal should be eaten no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime. By applying this principle, the body will have time to digest the food it has taken before bedtime.
2. Skip dinner and you will lose weightThis is also one of the most frequently repeated statements. Skipping the last meal is not a guarantee of a slim figure. Going to bed both too full and hungry is not good. A healthy and balanced dinner should be in everyone’s diet, including those on a reduction diet.
3. You can’t eat any carbohydrates in the eveningIn this case, too, we are dealing with a frequently repeated myth. In dinner, as in any other meal, there should be: protein, fats and carbohydrates. It is worth choosing whole grain products that will ensure satiety and will not raise blood sugar rapidly. Fruits with a high glycemic index, eaten in the evening, should be watched out for by people who have problems maintaining normal glycemia.
Why is it worth eating a healthy and light dinner?
– a light meal before bedtime ensures better regeneration of the body at night and more energy in the morning,
– a wholesome meal has a positive effect on concentration and better memory, which is especially important for people who work late and are physically active,
– eating dinner at a fixed time allows you to avoid glycemic fluctuations and reduces the desire for evening snacking,
– A properly balanced dinner can support the weight loss process – a valuable meal provides valuable nutrients and gives a feeling of satiety, which effectively eliminates the habit of eating unhealthy snacks in the evening.
Healthy dinner – recipes
If you often wonder what to eat for dinner, and your only association with this meal is sandwiches, Body Chief dietitians have prepared several suggestions for tasty and healthy dinners for you.
Greek salad with croutons – 1 serving
1 slice of wholemeal rye bread
5-6 cherry tomatoes
1/2 greenhouse cucumber
1/4 pepper (any color)
1/4 small red onion
5 black olives
40 g feta cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil
Spices: salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil
Preparation: Cut the bread into cubes, then bake in a pan without fat. Cut the bread into smaller pieces. Cut the cucumber and pepper into thick cubes, and the onion into feathers. Mix the chopped vegetables with the tomatoes and olives. Season everything, pour olive oil over it. Serve the salad with croutons.
Diet bruschetta – 1 serving
2 slices wholemeal rye bread
1/2 tomato
40 g light mozzarella
A few letters of fresh basil
1 teaspoon olive oil
Spices: salt, pepper, granulated garlic
Preparation: Scald the tomato with boiling water and peel it. Dice the tomato and slice the mozzarella. Chop the basil. Mix the tomato with the basil, season to taste. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Spread olive oil on the bread, put mozzarella and tomato on top. Bake the croutons prepared in this way for 5-10 minutes, until the mozzarella melts.
Savoury omelette
2 eggs
1/2 pepper (any color)
A handful of spinach
1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
Spices: salt, pepper, dried oregano
Preparation: Cut the pepper into cubes, fry in oil. Mix the eggs with a fork with the spices. Pour the prepared mass over the vegetables in the pan. Fry for about 5 minutes. Then turn the omelette, add the spinach on top and fry for another 5 minutes. Can be served with whole wheat bread.
Pasta salad
50 g wholemeal pasta swirls
5 cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons basil pesto
40 g light mozzarella
2 handfuls of mixed lettuce
1 tsp pumpkin/sunflower seeds
Preparation: Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Cut the tomatoes in half and the mozzarella into cubes. Toast the pumpkin/sunflower seeds in a dry pan. Mix all ingredients.