Top 3 Nutrient-Dense & Healthy Meal Options
Looking for “healthy meals near me”? Finding truly nutritious options in healthy foods can be challenging. Some foods stake claims that they are healthy when, in fact, they are not. Even those that are truly healthy are severely lacking in flavor.
At Nevera Juice Bar, we have some fantastic solutions. Read on to find three healthy meals we think you’re going to love: sandwiches, wraps, and salads.
What Does “Nutrient-Dense” Mean?
You’ve probably heard the term “nutrient-dense”, but do you really know what it means? Healthy meals that earn the honor of being in the “nutrient dense” category are low in calories but high in nutrients. The idea of being nutrient-dense in to condense good foods into a compact healthy meal that is typically filled with fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, and lean proteins.
Wholesome Sandwiches and Wraps
Americans eat more than 300 million sandwiches every day. That’s a lot of sandwiches! It’s also a lot of calories. Sandwiches are typically full of carbs and lunch meats that are fatty and tainted with tons of preservatives too.
Wholesome sandwiches offer a healthy alternative to traditional sandwiches. A wholewheat sandwich is made with whole wheat bread that contains all the grain’s components like the endosperm, germ, and bran whereas white bread consists of heavily processed ingredients. A whole wheat sandwich has more nutrients, more fiber, and fewer calories.
Sandwich wraps use flat breads (like flatbread or tortillas) or bread replacements to roll around a sandwich filling. Flatbreads are the oldest member of the bread family – dating back to the Neolithic period. Flatbread was replaced in the Bronze Age by bread with leavened bread with more volume. In recent years, however, many are gravitating back to using flat breads – for the taste, texture, calorie count, and nutrient content.
Wholesome wraps are created by using high-quality, nutritious ingredients. Often the wrap itself is loaded with vitamins and minerals – like a spinach wrap. Wraps typically have far less calories than bread.
Sandwich croissants are puffy, flaky versions of bread-based sandwiches. While they are lighter, they can still have a high amount of nutrients and low calorie count.
The filling of sandwiches and wraps play a huge part in determining if they are nutrient-dense healthy meals…or not. High-quality meats and cheese, avocados, tomatoes, and lettuce ensure a wrap is of high nutritional value while being low in calories.
A condiment, like mustard or mayonnaise, is usually used for moisture and flavor. Specialty sauces, like our House Chipotle, is an especially tasty addition to a wholesome sandwich, wrap, or croissant.
Premium Salads
Premium salads are king when it comes to healthy meals. People have been enjoying salads for centuries as is illustrated in a painting on an Egyptian tomb from 4500 BC.
Vegetable salads typically consist of bite-size pieces of leafy greens and herbs. Iceberg or romaine lettuce are the most common salad bases, but there are plenty of other main ingredients that can be used instead or in addition– like kale or a spring mix. Nuts, fruit, and meat can be added. Dressing adds flavor and moisture to the meal.
Salads are arranged in different categories depending on their ingredients. Green salads consist of mix of lettuce, green vegetables, and herbs. Ceasar salads combine romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. Taco salads have a taco shell that’s filled with chicken or ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and optional ingredients such as olives or avocado. Taco salads often have a salsa or hot sauce mixed in too. Fruit salads are another type of salad. They are made with sliced or chopped fresh fruit that may or may not have a dressing or additional ingredient added in.
Premium salads that are made with high quality ingredients are an excellent source of A, C, E, and B vitamins. They are overflowing with antioxidants and fiber too. They are also high in protein when cheese, meat, fish, chicken, tofu, or nuts are added. Salads are also fantastic to eat for a healthy meal when watching your weight. They are also ideal for enjoying before or after a workout.
Nevera Juice Bars for Healthy Meals
If you’re looking for healthy meal options that are nutrient dense, all you have to do is search for a Nevera Juice Bar near you to find the freshest, most delicious and nutritious selections of wholesome sandwiches, wholesome wraps, and premium salads.
