How to Have Balanced Meals Without Grains

In the past, you might have always expected for your plate to have a meat, a starch and 
a vegetable or two. Now that you are going to be avoiding grains, you could be 
wondering how you can enjoy a nice, healthy and balanced meal without them. These 
are a few tips that can help.

Start Off with a Good Source of Protein

The most important part of any good diet is a good source of protein. Therefore, you will 
want to start with that when preparing a grain-free plate. Lean cuts of meat that are 
roasted or grilled are healthy, delicious and protein-packed, so try preparing things like 
marinated grilled chicken. If you don't eat meat or are just looking to switch things up, 
you can always try having eggs, mushrooms or even beans as your main source of 
protein. Just know that many people who follow a grain-free diet only eat beans in 
moderation, so you may not want for this to be a nightly addition to your plate.

Add Fresh Vegetables

Along with getting plenty of protein, it is important to make sure that you are eating 
plenty of fresh vegetables as a part of your diet. For best results, consider going with in-
season vegetables so that you can enjoy them when they are ripe and at their best. 
Salads make great side dishes for your grain-free plate, or you can roast, steam or 
sautee your favorite fresh vegetables. Just make sure that you avoid vegetable 
casseroles that might include breadcrumbs, pasta or rice.

Try Adding Fruit

Even though you might not usually eat fruit with your dinner, doing so can be a good 
way to shake things up, add new nutrients to your diet and add something to replace 
your favorite grains. For example, having a tasty piece of grilled pineapple along with 
your favorite grilled chicken or fish can be a good way to switch things up and fill up 
your plate.

Try a Grain Alternative

If you are craving something with grains but are trying to stick to your diet, you should 
know that there are a ton of great alternatives that you can try to add to your plate. For 
example, if you are used to eating bread or biscuits alongside your evening meals, 
consider making your own homemade bread or biscuits using grain-free ingredients, 
such as almond flour. There are a ton of great recipes out there, so if you try a few of 
them, you should be able to find some delicious grain-free recipes that will prevent you 
from feeling like you are missing anything.

As you can see, it is possible to have tasty and balanced meals without grains. Even 
though it can be a bit of a lifestyle adjustment that can take some getting used to, 
following these tips can help you create tasty meals that are grain-free but that are also 
nutritionally sound and quite delicious.

