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Adding a little magic to your meals first thing in the day is a great way to feel better, possibly have a more positive mood, and inspire healthy changes throughout the rest of your day. We often cut ourselves short in the morning, putting other responsibilities before our own health, which doesn’t always serve us well. If you need to get up earlier or make some adjustments in your schedule, try to prepare yourself a healthy breakfast however possible. We have some great ideas for simple and fast superfood breakfast combo ideas that anyone can make on the fly or with just a few minutes of prep time. Breakfast will benefit you all day long, but you shouldn’t neglect the rest of your meals throughout the day either.
How to Pack Your Whole Day Out With Affordable Superfoods
Some simple superfoods that contain high amounts of nutrients can be added here and there throughout the day to promote a healthy mind and a healthy body (both of which are important for overall wellness). Try out these superfood-packed dishes that can be made for any meal you choose, and even on a budget. Because not all of nature’s superfoods have to cost a fortune or require years of cooking experience to prepare.
1. A Massive Power Bowl
Have you heard of power bowls? They’re a free meal with no limitations to put whatever you want into them, whatever your taste buds and heart desires. Many people enjoy these for breakfast, but they can also be made for other meals too. You can include grains (either soaked overnight beforehand to prep your bowl, or freshly cooked and cooled), nuts and seeds, vegetables and fruits, seasonings of choice, and condiments of choosing. Some tasty ideas packed with highly nutritious foods are: Jumbowl Salad, The Perfect Whole Grain Protein Bowl, Protein-Packed Breakfast Quinoa Bowl, The Easiest and Healthiest Breakfast Bowl, or Soba Noodle and Vegetable Soul Bowl.
Or, don’t stick to a recipe at all, and just add in some grains (or beans or legumes), some veggies, leafy greens (if you’re having lunch or dinner), some roasted root veggies (squash and carrot or sweet potato are great), along with some nuts, seeds, and spices of choosing. The sky’s the limit, so pack your bowl out with nutrition!
2. A Chocolate Berry Almond Smoothie Bowl
Smoothies are not just for breakfast, they can be eaten at any meal of the day, and don’t always have to come through a straw. To make your smoothie extra thick, so much like porridge you can eat it with a spoon, all you have to do is blend as normal, then fill your blender back up with either ice or almond milk ice cubes and some chia seeds, and then blend again into a thick smoothie consistency you literally have to spoon it out into a bowl. This makes for the perfect meal, which you can top with almonds, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, coconut shreds, or even some fresh or frozen fruit if you like.
A great superfood smoothie bowl combo to try is chocolate, berries, and almonds (and if you’re a green smoothie nut like we are, then feel free to sneak in some spinach or spirulina too)! Cacao is filled with more antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables, along with magnesium, iron, B vitamins, and even fiber. Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, and blackberries are all some of the most nutritious fruits and the best for your blood sugar. Finally, raw organic almonds are a great source of unprocessed protein (7 grams per 1/4 cup), antioxidants, and magnesium plus calcium.
To make your smoothie bowl, add some unsweetened almond milk, a couple of tablespoons of raw cacao powder or nibs, one cup frozen berries of choice, 1/4 cup raw organic almonds, or 2 tbsp. raw almond butter, lots of ice, stevia if needed, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Blend, add a tablespoon of chia seeds and 1-2 cups ice or almond milk ice cubes and re-blend. Feel free to also add more filling ingredients like chia seeds or hemp protein powder if you choose. Scoop into a bowl and eat with a spoon!
3. Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale, and Wild Rice
This meal may sound simple (and even boring) to some, but just these three ingredients pack more antioxidants than almost any other ordinary three-ingredient meal you could think of. Sweet potatoes have more potassium than bananas and more Vitamin C than an orange, plus beta-carotene (Vitamin A), fiber, magnesium, and B vitamins. They help control high blood pressure, lower blood sugar and are easy to digest compared to some grains. Kale is packed with fiber, Vitamins A and C, and magnesium, and contains more protein per ounce than beef, chicken, or eggs. It’s also packed with potassium, iron, and B vitamins. Wild rice is an easy-to-digest grass, not a grain at all, and has been linked to improving gut function, reducing stress, and contains more antioxidants than many fruits and vegetables. These three ingredients all taste wonderful together and are low on the glycemic index, plus incredibly filling. Or, try Steamed Sweet Potatoes with Wild Rice, Basil, and Chili Tomato Sauce.
4. Raw Power Bars/Bites
While not a complete meal, these favorites among many can easily serve as a quick breakfast, pre or post-workout snack, and of course, a healthy nighttime dessert if applicable (or just desperately needed!). Raw power bars and bites are as unprocessed as it gets in the kitchen, and guess what? You don’t even have to turn on the oven or stove! All the work is done for you in either a high-speed blender or a food processor.
Raw bars and bites contain some of the following: raw nuts and seeds, raw grains (like oats or soaked buckwheat), puffed quinoa cereal, protein powder, raw or roasted nut butter, spices, seasonings, and some include dried fruit or a liquid sweetener like stevia, stevia glycerite for a no sugar version. Or, you can go super cheap and use highly nutritious raisins (a great source of iron, B vitamins, and potassium), a banana or pumpkin puree (great sources of potassium and fiber, cocoa powder (a powerhouse of antioxidants), raw oats( full of fiber and B vitamins along with iron), and some spices like cinnamon or even a little peanut butter ( a good source of protein).
Whatever words for you can be created into healthy granola bars, bites, or just some seriously sneaky healthy desserts. Try Raw Goji Snack Chunks, Almond Gingerbread Bites, Pecan Pie Bliss Balls, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites, Autumn Spice Granola Bars, Raw Banana Oatmeal Cookies, Almond Power Bars with Chocolate Topping, or see our favorite 10 Big, Bad Vegan Energy Bites for more ideas.
5. Greens, Grains, and Veggies
When all else fails and the budget is skim, go for the following: any mix of leafy greens (spinach and kale are cheap even in frozen form), grains (rice and oats are incredibly cheap if the uber quinoa doesn’t fit the budget), and veggies of choosing (broccoli, pumpkin, squash, carrots, cauliflower, and celery are all inexpensive and healthy). This mix will provide you with a very grounding, balancing spirit, which the body needs to maintain a healthy equilibrium in our high-stress lifestyles. Greens, grains, and even many vegetables provide magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These minerals are all essential for managing your blood pressure, and blood sugar, providing nutrients for strong bones, boosting mental focus, and relieving fatigue and low energy. Any combination works!
Try some of our favorites such as Bulgur with Curcuma, Veggies, Nuts, and Cranberries, Superfood Salad, Raw Moroccan Vegetable and Chickpea Stew with Spicy Orange Cauliflower Couscous, The Glow Bowl, or Winter Kale Vegetable Stew with Rutabaga Noodles.
Do you have a favorite inexpensive superfood dish idea to share? Let’s hear it! Also, see our Superfood Lovin’ section for more superfood-packed ideas and 12 Common Superfoods to Keep in Your Fridge and Pantry.
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based we highly recommend grabbing our favorite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! While you are at it, we encourage you to learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
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