In our previous latest news, we informed you of the importance of nutrients in certain foods that reduce the effects of stress and boost mood as well as promoting sleep. In order to make it super easy for you to make changes and incorporate suggested foods into your diet, we have devised some menu ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, daytime snacks and night- time snacks. Simple changes can make a big difference over time. Not only have we considered the nutrients in the foods for these menu ideas but thought about what is readily available, quick to prepare and have minimal washing up afterwards; important factors for busy stressed supply teachers.
Menus for mood boosting.
Breakfast ideas:
- oats soaked in soya or cow’s milk with sliced banana and chopped nut like almonds, walnuts or Brazil nuts. Oats can be soaked the night before and heated in the microwave if you want a hot breakfast on a cold morning. Nuts can be pre-chopped in batches and kept in a jar for speed in the morning. Cheap, available and quick to prepare and covers a lot of bases for mental health nutrition.
- Boiled, poached or scrambled eggs; quick and easy with little washing up and mess, boiled eggs are a super healthy fast food. Full of protein and a small amount of fat, they make you feel fuller for longer. If you do not like boiled eggs, crack an egg in a cup, cover with water and microwave for about 40 seconds (according to power level of microwave). Again, its quick and hardly any mess or washing up; pair with sourdough bread for your gut healthy foodstuff. Alternatively, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon are extremely nutritious.
- Yoghurt (but needs to be live yoghurt) or a probiotic yoghurt drink. A good idea to have a stock in so if you are in a rush, you can grab and eat /drink quickly rather than skipping breakfast, leaving you open to getting over hungry and binging on a something unhealthy.
Lunch ideas:
- Tuna sandwich plus a yoghurt
- Sourdough bread with avocado spread on it, jazz it up with chilli flakes and salt, followed by an apple
- Boiled egg salad plus a banana
Daytime snacks:
- An apple or banana
- Nuts (almonds, Brazil nits or walnuts)
- 2 pieces of dark chocolate
Dinner ideas:
- Turkey fajitas, swop chicken for turkey in fajitas with the added bonus of getting onions and peppers into the meal or just fry a turkey escalope in olive oil, lemon and black pepper, serve with boiled potatoes and leeks/ carrots/parsnips.
- Salmon, tuna steak or trout with baked potato and roasted vegetables. Bake it in the oven and vary it by adding a topping to your fish such as a teaspoon of pesto or sweet chilli sauce. Throw baked potatoes in the oven for your carb portion and roasted vegetables. It’s quick, easy, delicious and very little washing up, especially if you lined your baking tray with foil beforehand.
- Turkey chilli, swop minced beef for turkey mince, adding onions, pepper, kidney beans and tomato passata. Serve with white rice for your carb portion for a sleep- inducing evening meal.
Bedtime snacks:
- 1 oz almonds (melatonin for sleep)
- a warm glass of milk or chamomile tea with melted dark chocolate in it (tryptophan for sleep and reducing cortisol properties)
- a kiwi (serotonin for sleep)
Drinks
- Chamomile tea (calming)
- Milk (diary or soy; sleep-inducing)
- Water (important for enzyme and hormone production to boost all round mental health).