by Ashleigh Feltham
Accredited Practising Dietitian and Accredited Nutritionist
With winter upon us, it is easy to lose favour towards including fish in your diet. The need for eating 100g of seafood two to three times a week does not decrease with the cooler months. The opposite could be argued especially during the cold and flu season and the need to provide your body with the myriad of nutrition benefits that make up seafood.
Seafood provides B12 which is a key player in your white blood cell creation. These blood cells are an essential part of a functioning immune system that needs support throughout winter.
Also iron, B6, zinc and vitamin A all of which are key players in keeping you healthy and assisting your immune system to continue working optimally.
So how can you still include seafood in a way which is appetising too?
Here are some easy swaps for every meal and snack of the winter day which you can try:
Breakfast
Instead of choosing eggs with bacon why not try Safcol Smoked Salmon Brunch Muffins or Smoked Salmon and Dill Scrambled Eggs? You may be surprised to read bacon is not classified as a lean meat source. Processed meats like bacon are not recommended at all for health as the processing increases your risk of cancers such as colorectal cancer.
Morning Tea
When snack time comes it can be easy to opt for ultra-processed snacks which are high in added sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt. Instead, why not try a simple and easy snack like Cucumber Boats with Safcol Yellowfin Tuna Chunks Tomato & Onion? Or, if you have time to meal prep, the tuna mousse is a big flavour hit. The fibre, protein and healthy fats in these snacks will keep you full of energy until lunchtime.
Lunch
When you are on your lunch break, instead of ordering an easy takeaway meal of burger and chips why not try something not only delicious but nutritious too like Thai sweet chilli tuna rice bowl or Superfood tuna salad wraps? Both lunch options are a perfect combination of whole grains, lean protein, healthy fat, and vegetables to be completely what your body needs.
Afternoon Tea
If you have the munchies at 3:30 pm instead of selecting a muffin or a slice of cake why not make a warming, comforting and nutrition-packed Tuna Tomato Pumpkin Jaffle, Sardine Salsa Flatbreads or Tuna Tomato Red Onion Bruschetta Melt? The whole grains, protein and healthy fats will help fuel your brain to make it through the rest of the day at your best rather than leaving you with a sugar crash thirty minutes after eating the snack.
Dinner
After a hard day, it can be easy to simply order a pizza. These pizzas are often made using the cheapest oils, large amounts of processed meats and minimal vegetables. Why not try making your own Tuna Feta Basil Pizza or Seafood Lover’s Pizza? Your body will thank you for the choice as these pizzas have quality ingredients including healthy fats from the extra virgin olive oil and seafood. Also, you have the control of deciding whether to select reduced-fat cheeses, the type of base, and the tomato paste as well as the number of vegetables to add as a topping.
If you’re in the mood for soup, why not try these warming options:
All three of these soups are more than just vegetables but add quality protein and healthy fat too. This increases how long you will feel full after eating the soup as well as improving the nutrition value of the meal.
Take home message
By following these easy swaps you are more likely to fall more in love with seafood over the winter months. This will help you to keep your health optimal to be able to live your best life. For all the recipe swaps mentioned above please see below to the link to the recipes on the Safcol Seafood website.
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