Healthy Diet Plan January 2017: Healthy snacks & sweet treats
Delicious and nutritious recipes for satisfying snacks and wholesome sweet treats to complement our January 2017 Healthy Diet Plan.
We will be removing all previous Healthy Diet Plans in the coming weeks. You will still be able to access all of the recipes online but please do save any related pages, shopping lists or emails if you'd like to keep them for your reference.
What are the benefits of the Healthy Diet Plan?
Our nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners deliver an optimum balance of nutrients and, by using the plan, you can see at a glance what to eat every day. Each day provides more than five of your five-a-day and keeps within the recommended Reference Intakes (RI) for fats, protein, sugar, salt and kcals while following the latest guidance on your intake of ‘free’ sugars. However, if you want to swap or repeat days, you’ll still reap all the benefits of eating whole, unprocessed, nourishing foods.
We’ve based our daily menu plans on no more than 1500 calories. For the average female, who is moderately active, this should generate a shortfall allowing for steady and controlled weight-loss. For those who find they need more energy and are happy with their weight, you can supplement our daily menu plans with our suggested healthy snacks - find the recipes below.
Getting started
If this is a new way of eating for you, our nutritional therapist, Kerry Torrens, suggests you begin by introducing some of the recipes a day or two before starting the full seven days. This will allow your digestive system time to adapt to the more fibre-rich foods we’ve included. It's worth also starting to reduce your caffeine and sugar intake in the week leading up to the diet plan, as well as refined foods such as white bread, pasta and rice. Doing so will reduce your risk of experiencing side effects, such as headaches and fatigue, in the early stages of the plan.
What to drink
Herbal teas and filtered water are your best options. If you can’t kick the caffeine, one daily cup of coffee, black or green tea isn’t the end of the world. Avoid decaffeinated versions, as most are processed with chemicals. We suggest you steer clear of alcohol for seven days too.
Suggested snacks...
Try eating leftover fruit and veg to minimise waste and save money. Nuts and seeds are also good choices, while homemade kale crisps, nut butters and veg dips will satisfy cravings. Get a sweet fix with Greek yogurt topped with unprocessed honey, dried fruit and desiccated coconut, or try raw cacao if you can’t manage without chocolate.
Savoury snacks
Spicy roast chickpeas
Avocado with tamari & ginger dressing
Toasted cumin flatbreads
Chinese spiced seed mix
Spiced chilli popcorn
Beetroot patties
Dukkah-crusted squash wedges
Quick gazpacho
Baked eggs with spinach and tomato
Curried turkey lettuce wraps
Sweet treats
Cinnamon cashew spread with apple slices
Instant berry banana slush
Spiced apple crisps
Dried fruit nuggets
Raw coconut truffles
Better-for-you bakes
Oaty hazelnut cookies
Baked almond, banana & blueberry cheesecake
Please email any questions about the recipes to goodfoodwebsite@bbc.com and we'll do our best to help.
All health content from BBC Good Food is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Any healthy diet plan featured by BBC Good Food is provided as a suggestion of a general balanced diet and should not be relied upon to meet specific dietary requirements. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider.
