Main meal

The main meal is the occasion when we get most of our allowance of nutrients for the day.

Early afternoon or early evening, call it lunch or dinner, it does not matter when, most of us like to seat down and enjoy a proper meal at least once a day. It is a wonderful opportunity to share quality time with friends and family.

Ideally, the largest meal of the day should be eaten at lunch time or early afternoon. The body has then time to digest it properly. There is another benefit to do so because, around that time, the brain enters in one of its slumber periods. It makes sense to stop, eat properly, rest, and get the necessary energy to enjoy your afternoon and evening, even if you have to work at full throttle. Unhappily, this is just not practical for many of us, especially during working days.

Most places have a microwave, some have a kitchen or other eating facilities; you can then cook in the evening and take a healthy full meal with you to reheat and eat. Perhaps you can cook at the weekend, when you have more time, and freeze the meals to take for lunch during the week. There are flasks that keep food hot or cold, when there is no possiblity to reheat or a fridge to keep your food until lunch hour. A bean soup or a stew is an ideal option; both get better when reheated. Try to eat enough protein. Protein will keep you alert and active.

If you have to wait until the evening for your main meal, try to have it as early as possible, to have enough time to digest it. You will not feel very well come the morning if you go to bed on a full stomach. Base your evening main meal on carbohydrates. They have a calming effect and help to induce sleep. Pile on the vegetables and side salads. It is unlikely that you had many green leafy vegetables during the day. It is your opportunity to catch up. Fish, eggs, or cheese, are a better protein source this late; meat takes longer to digest and some people have also problems with beans and pulses in the evening. You should have some protein, of course, but just a small amount especially, if it is meat.

Try to add variety. You can go for an Asian stir-fry, Middle East bulgur wheat and lamb kebabs, a Mediterranean fish and vegetables or pasta and toppings, Tex-Mex with enchiladas, or the traditional “meat and two veg” adding extra vegetables. Cook extra and freeze whenever you have the time. It is very unlikely that you will cook seven evenings a week, and those frozen meals will become healthy convenience food.

A proper main meal would havean appetizer, main course, a side dish or a salad, and dessert.