Dinner is one of the most important meals of the day. It is probably the only meal when all the family members sit together and enjoy it after a day-long hard work.
For this reason, people love to eat more than they should. For obese people, this could be adding up more weight. Skipping meals is also a bad idea.
So here are the 7 easy and healthy dinner ideas for weight loss one can have to enjoy and lose weight at the same time.
Well, we all have heard about breakfast being the most important meal of the day as it is the first one. But we cannot possibly rule out dinner as a less important meal since it is the last one. Dinner is just as important as any other meal in a day.
People who are trying to lose weight tend to skip dinner, believing that this will aid in their weight loss. As a matter of fact, it does cause weight loss but is an extremely unhealthy one. We need food for nutrition and dinner gives us exactly that so skipping it might not be a good idea. An unhealthy weight loss leads to an unhealthy lifestyle with several diseases being associated with it.
Keeping this in mind, people who are trying to lose weight do not necessarily have to skip dinner. Rather, they can try to opt for a healthy and calorie-deficient dinner. By keeping your portion size in control and choosing a healthy set of ingredients to make a dish, you can easily lose those extra pounds on a healthy note without the risk of any detrimental effects of diseases in the long run.
So, here we have the perfect list of healthy dinner ideas that you can choose to lose weight.
Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup
Soups are always a healthy choice for a weight loss attempt. They are usually poor in calories and rich in nutrients. This soup is filled with essential macro and micronutrients.
It has fiber, protein, B vitamins, etc. A good amount of anti-oxidants is also present in it. This set of antioxidants also comes from ginger.
Recipe of ginger chicken noodle soup:
- Make a broth of boneless chicken then shred the chicken into pieces. Separately boil noodles or spaghetti in a bowl and after cooling it down, add it to the chicken. After that add shredded carrots, cabbage, and minced ginger.
- Add 4 tbsp cornflour mixed in water and add 2 egg whites. Now add vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper to it.
Vegetarian Bean Tacos
Being a perfect source of protein, fiber, vitamins and complex carbohydrates, this one is a healthy choice for your dinner.
Recipe:
- Choose a large non-stick skillet covered with cooking spray and heat it for a while over a medium range. Combine jalapeño and onion in it and mix/cook until it is tender.
- Add a tablespoon of garlic paste and other seasonings of choice, stir. Add beans (15 oz) and tomatoes (2 medium chopped).
- Take one whole wheat tortilla and place the mixture on top of it.
Baked Potatoes with Eggs:
One of the most affordable options is ‘baked potatoes with eggs’. Eggs have always been regarded as the perfect source of protein combined with baked potatoes which are filled with vitamin B6 and aid in carbohydrate metabolism leading to a healthy weight loss.
Recipe:
- Take 2 medium-sized potatoes and chop them. Place them in an ovenproof skillet. Cook them until they are golden brown.
- Add spices and sauces of your choice. Place two raw eggs on top and bake it for 11 to 12 minutes. You can also choose to top it with some cheese in which case you will have to cook it for a minute in order to melt the cheese.
Vegetarian Pasta:
Particularly good for vegetarians, this vegetable pasta gives the proper amount of nutrition that you need while being on a weight loss diet. Whole wheat pasta mixed with vegetables is a great choice for a dinner.
Recipe:
- Take 2 cups of whole wheat pasta and cook it. Add a little oil and cumin seeds in it and then add onion, garlic paste (1 tbsp), and tomato puree.
- Add 1 cup of mixed vegetables like tomatoes, capsicum, carrots, cabbage and beans. Add salt and desired sauces to it and serve the pasta after mixing it properly.
Healthy Fish Dinner Ideas for Weight Loss: Grilled fish
This is another option that gives you the proper amount of protein that you need. Apart from protein and other nutrients, fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish is low in cholesterol and saturated fat which makes it a healthy choice for weight loss.
Recipe:
- Take 5 or 7 ounces of fish and marinate it with your favorite spices or sauces.
- After grilling the fish, you can choose to top it with a sauce or lettuce leaves.
Healthy Light Dinner Ideas for Weight Loss: Vegetable soup
Another form of soup that you will love to add to your weight loss journey. This mix of veggies is loaded with nutrition is calorie deficient at the same time.
Recipe:
- Make a vegetable broth by adding water and concentrated juice of carrot, cabbage, onion, and celery. In the broth, mix chopped carrots, cabbage, and corn.
- You can choose to add other vegetables as you desire. Add 4 tbsp of cornflour mixed in water. Add 2 egg whites. Cook this mixture until the vegetables are soft.
Oat’s khichri for Weight Loss:
Packed with fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates oat’s khichri is weight loss friendly. Nutrients like magnesium and zinc are also present. Combining this with carrots and peas gives you extra nutrition.
Recipe:
- Pour oil and cumin seeds into a pressure cooker and cook. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, and tomatoes in it and cook till it is tender.
- Mix all the vegetables in it. Add oats, water, and salt to it and cook it for 8 minutes. Serve it hot and top it with coriander leaves.
Tips for Choosing a Healthy Weight Loss Dinner:
While being on a weight loss diet it is essential to keep in mind that you need to moderate your portion size. Moderation is key, whatever you eat, do not overeat or under-eat your meals. NEVER skip your dinner, it is unhealthy to skip any meal in a day. Keep your choices lean and calorie deficient.
Eat your dinner on time and try to walk or jog a little before you sleep. Do not lie down instantly after eating your dinner as this may cause conditions like heartburn.