Food Resolutions for 2021

Resolve to eat healthier in the New Year

It’s that time of the year when every Tom, Dick or Harry is drawing up a list of resolutions pertaining to lifestyle, work or even food for that matter. 

The pandemic has brought in a radical change in our perception regarding food so ‘immunity’, ‘health’ and ‘nutrition’ are topping the list of New Year Resolutions.

Foodism has curated a list of some food resolutions that’ll not only help you remain healthy but also allow you to enjoy food the year through -

• Increase the orange in your life to help speed up recovery from injury. Include – butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato et al in your daily diet
• Ensure that you consume - spinach, kale, arugula, and leaf lettuce or other dark leafy greens - at least twice or thrice in a week 
• Go red… opt for more of strawberries, tomatoes, pomegranate, and beets as besides looking colourful they also pack in a lot of benefits 
• Eat anti-constipating and anti-cancer foods like - broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage - at least two to three times in a week 
• Go nutty! Instead of fried snacks, opt for almonds, pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, dried avocado, dried figs et al which are replete with beneficial protein, healthy fats, and fibre
• Don’t forget grains! Oatmeal, whole wheat, and other whole grains are not only cardio-protective but also comprise of a huge number of bioactive compounds
• Reach out for fruits and veggies with high water content – you can have them in a variety of formats say soups, salads or even as whole fruits. Not only are they lip-smacking but they offer a slimming effect too!
• Ignore the stinky breath they ring in and reap in the immunity-boosting and cancer-fighting properties of onions, garlic, shallots, and their cousins 
• Maximize the protein and fibre benefit from beans
• Eat more plants and reduce consumption of meat 
• Consume fish and seafood twice a week
• Don’t forget to gift your bones the goodness of calcium! Eat minimum three servings of calcium-rich foods (dairy products) per day 
• Explore new ways to season, cook, and eat vegetables that you’ve been religiously avoiding in the past 
• Maintain a food journal to capture your awareness of what you’re eating and the emotions that lead to your food and beverage choices
• Explore a new cuisine every month – it could be Lebanese, Japanese, Italian or even from a State other than yours!
• Nurture an interest in food by scouting for a recipe source that inspires you – it could be a blog, a website, a magazine or even a friend or relative
• Sugar and spice and all things nice… include herbs and spices – like cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger et al - in your cooking odyssey and make the most of  the flavour, fragrance and powerful anti-inflammatory effects they have on offer
• Include more fibrous food in your daily diet as not only is it good for your gut but also for your weight management endeavours 
• Set yourself free from preconceived notions …the so-called “food jail.” Trust us on this – there are no ‘perfect’ foods or diets. Remember, if your 'don’t-eat' list is longer than your 'do-eat' list, you’re inviting a host of problems in the near future!
• Practice mindful eating…Well isn’t this something we’ve been hearing since decades! Slow down to taste, savour, and notice what you’re eating. Just these small simple steps will ascertain that you enjoy your food more, eat less, and have a grateful digestive system!
• Be more intentional about – how you cook your food and how you source it to ensure that you eat food that is fresh, fragrant, and nutrient-dense
• Opt to eat healthy fats instead of total abstinence from fats.  Healthy fats pack in a plethora of benefits - aid vitamin absorption, lower the risk of heart disease, boost our immune system and even help our weight loss efforts. Suggested options in this segment could be - fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids like salmon (with soba noodles and a ginger-green onion broth); avocados; coconut oil; et al
• Cook one new item every week. Thanks to the various phases of the lockdown we’ve all become expert cooks! Now that things are stabilizing don’t quit honing this new skill you’ve developed! Continue whipping up new and diverse delicacies as variety is the spice of life 
• Strive for more home-cooked meals rather than eating outside - not only is it safer but it is also lighter on your pocket and even your stomach er… waistline!
• Plan your meals to ensure that you can focus on other objectives like cooking more often, controlling portions, eating less meat and making sensible food swaps
• Try to kick-start your day without sugar to avoid the sugar-spike-then-crash-and-burn routine. Replace cereal and coffee with smoothies made from winter produce or healthy oatmeal recipes that incorporate add-ons like chicken skin “bacon” ‘n’ eggs. Trust us the fibre content will help you feel full longer
• Make food more fun by introducing activities like each family member cooking a special dish every week; inviting relatives and friends over for a potluck; celebrating festivals of other communities by cooking their regional specialty; gifting meal kits to your buddies; enrolling for cookery or bakery classes et al
• Remove the labels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ from food and allow yourself to have more control over your choices and focus on how your body feels rather than the negative emotions surrounding the so-called “bad” food
• Abstain from unnecessarily restricting food groups as when you are deprived of something there is the possibility of succumbing to temptation and binge eating which may have catastrophic effects
• Strengthen your metabolic flexibility i.e. your ability to have a diverse range of foods and macronutrients like protein, carbs and fat … albeit in small portions and in moderation
• Instead of focussing on eating to lose weight this year concentrate on nourishment 
• Say NO to food wastage!

In 2021 instead of exploring a new food fad or diet how about evaluating your relationship with food and learning how to enjoy fuelling your body?