There are a lot of conversations out there about nutrition. Articles about tracking macros, how to lose body fat, how to eat for muscle growth, and more seem to be everywhere. But what we see less often are conversations about how to make your meals more nutrient dense.
Nutrient dense meals are not necessarily calorically dense and they can do wonders for your body whether you’re in a cut, build, or maintenance phase.
Yes, getting the right balance of macros is important, but so is eating enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
So how do we do that? Let me teach you a little phrase I like to ask myself when cooking:
“How can I make this more nutrient-dense?”
What Does This Mean?
All this question requires of you is to take a look at your plate and consider what’s missing.
Is this meal high in carbs but doesn’t have much protein? How can I add some?
Does this plate have all three macros but is lacking in fiber?
Have I had any fruit yet today? Maybe have a serving of fruit for dessert.
Craving something salty? Add some deli meat to your chips and have a grown-up Lunchable!
Make it More Nutrient Dense – Without Making it Calorically Dense
Whether I’m making a snack or meal I often will take a look at my recipe or plate and consider ways I could make it more nutrient dense?
Now, you might be thinking,
“But this is going to mess up my macros!”
Not necessarily, while some of these considerations would change your macro account, a lot of the foods that are high in nutrients like vitamins and minerals, aren’t actually very calorically dense.
For example:
Salads are, generally, very nutrient-dense without being very calorically dense. They have a lot of foods like dark leafy greens, tomatoes, fruits, berries, and peppers; all of which won’t affect your macros by much, but will greatly affect your daily nutrition.
So let’s explore an example with a favorite meal of mine: pasta.
One of my go-to foods when I’m paying attention to what I eat is pasta with chicken.
Now, It would be super easy to simply boil the pasta, season and grill the chicken, and add tomato sauce.
And let me say it loud and proud there is NOTHING wrong with that.
But if you’re trying to add more micronutrients into your diet this is a place where you absolutely can.
Take a look at your meal and consider how you might make it more nutrient dense. Maybe I’ll toss some spinach into the sauce. I could also add in the leftover broccoli from last night’s dinner. Maybe I’ll even chop up some onions and basil and add more garlic to the sauce.
You could honestly add any vegetable you have at your disposal into this meal and it will taste delicious. Don’t overthink it!
This same effect could be made by preparing a veggie-packed side salad to go with your pasta! It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Now, pasta is easy, but what about other meals?
It’s the same. You simply take a look at your food and consider: what could I add to this to boost my nutritional intake?
Bonus? This usually makes the serving size much larger which, if you’re in a cut, feels incredible. It also might help you eat less of those foods that you don’t have as large a budget for in your macros. (If you’re eating protein with your carbs you’ll likely get full faster.)
Make it More Nutrient Dense – And Add Some Macros
Listen, there are also things you can add to a meal or snack that will change the caloric density. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing depending on your goals.
One of my favorite ways to make a meal more nutrient dense without even noticing is by using bone broth. Bone broth (unlike soup stock) packs a whopping 10 grams of protein per cup on average. So, any time a recipe calls for water, I use bone broth.
Making rice to go with my chicken? I make it with bone broth instead. It’s the easiest way to add a few grams of protein to my rice.
Making a pasta sauce from scratch? I’ll use bone broth instead of water. Suddenly my pasta sauce is packing 5 grams of protein per serving.
Another way I add nutrition to my meals while adding to my macros is by adding fruit. Now, fruit isn’t massively calorically dense, but they do add up.
Let’s say you’re making yourself a turkey sandwich for lunch. What fruit might pair well with this? Well, I love slicing an apple super thin and adding it to my sandwich for an extra crunch and burst of sweetness.
Not only have you made yourself a sandwich packed with nutrients you’ve also made yourself a restaurant-quality meal!
But it doesn’t have to be this fancy. It can be as simple as putting a handful of berries on your plate or even adding a side of applesauce (no sugar added!).
Make Your Snacks
Snacks are controversial, but the reality is we all love them. Little munchies or mini-meals can keep your energy levels neutral and keep your brain and body fueled for long days.
So, how do we take our little Ziplocs of dried fruits, chips, or pretzels and get more out of them? Add nutrients.
Adding some peanut butter to dip your apples will add some fats to those carbs and help you with brain fog so you don’t have to buy that 2 pm coffee.
Adding some jerky and a few slices of cheese to pair with your pretzels will give you a true “mini-meal” of protein, carbs, and fats, for those long rehearsal days.
The world is your oyster!
What’s the Main Goal?
At the end of the day, the goal of making any meal or snack more nutrient dense is to ensure you’re body is getting what it needs consistently throughout the day.
It’s easy to get caught in a cycle of just eating what works and forgetting that fiber, vitamins, and minerals are all just as important to a healthy functioning body as carbs, fats, and proteins.
So, if you’re in a season of feeling like you’re wanting to prioritize dietary fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, and other micronutrients that will keep your mind and body shard throughout the day, try this method.
Want more nutrition and fitness tips? We picked these blogs out just for you: Life After Macros: The Principles of Intuitive Eating, Explained, Body Neutrality, Body Positivity, And Your Fitness Journey, Snacks on Deck: Everything You Need to Know about Eating Before A Workout