10+ Best Well-Balanced Meals (2024)

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Published by Izzy

on Oct 25, 2023, Updated Nov 20, 2023

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Fuel your body with healthy nutrients and boost your energy level with these quick and easy Balanced Meals. From well-balanced breakfast to healthy and satisfying salmon pasta, to fish tacos, many of these recipes are ready in 30 minutes. Whether you want to improve overall health or try to achieve certain goals like weight loss, you’ll learn how to create well-balanced meals to maintain overall well-being.

What Is A Balanced Meal?

A well-balanced meal is made of a balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, along with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It helps our body get enough energy with healthy nutrients.

Macro Ratio For Balanced Meals

The macro ratio varies depending on your specific dietary needs, but the goal is to create a meal with balanced macros with enough nutrition. The most common macro ratio for a well-balanced meal is:

Carbohydrates: 45-65% of total calories
Fats: 20-35% of total calories
Proteins: 10-35% of total calories

This ratio is based on the recommendations from Dietary Reference Intake (DRI).

Healthy Food List For Well-Balanced Meals

If you are looking for well-balanced meals to improve your overall health, I highly recommend that you start with the right ingredients.

Examples Of Healthy Carbs

Whole grains: Includes quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta, etc.
Legumes: Such as lentils, chickpeas, and black beans
Starchy root vegetables: Such as sweet potatoes and butternut squash
Fruits: Berries, citrus fruits, and apples

Examples Of Healthy Fats

Avocado
Olive oil
Nuts and seeds: including almonds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
Fatty fish: such as salmon, trout

Examples Of Healthy Proteins

Lean meats: chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of beef
Seafood: scallops, sardines,mackerel, and other fish
Plant-based proteins: tofu and tempeh
Healthy dairy: Greek yogurt and cottage cheese

Balanced Breakfast to Get You Energized

Breakfast Potato Casserole

Macros: Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g

This well-balanced breakfast potato casserole is ideal for weekend brunch. It’s full of nutrients and will keep you full the whole morning!Everyone will love it, including your kids.

Sous Vide Egg Bites + Avocado + Toast

If you are looking for a super healthy and well-balanced breakfast, look no further than sous vide egg bites! This Starbucks copycat breakfast item is healthy, nutritious, and flavorful with a velvety texture. Serve them together with sliced avocado and toast for a perfect breakfast or brunch!

Oatmeal Pancakes + Sausages + Berries

These are not your regular pancakes. They’re made with oats! Light and fluffy, they also have a touch of texture from the oats.Serve these delicious oatmeal pancakes together with sausages and berries for a well-balanced weekend brunch!

Delicioius and Balanced Meals For Lunch And Dinner

Easy Salmon And Rice

Macros: Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g

With this easy recipe, you’ll get the healthy fat and protein from salmon, and carbs from rice. Use brown rice or quinoa for a healthier version! This is a well-balanced meal that’s so satisfying – perfect for a quick weeknight meal!

Baked Ziti With Italian Sausages

Macros: Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g

You’ll love this well-balanced meal with tender pasta (carbs), savory Italian sausage (protein), and three kinds of cheese (fat). This baked ziti meal is hearty, comforting, and oh so delicious!

Chicken And Shrimp Carbonara

Macros: Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 19g

If you are looking for a well-balanced satisfying meal, why not try carbonara? Especially this delicious chicken and shrimp carbonara! It tastes just like the one from Olive Garden! Made with fresh and flavorful ingredients, it’s one of my go-to meals for the family on a busy weeknight.

Pepper Steak And Rice

Macros: Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 6g

In this simple dish, you’ll get meat, veggies, and rice all in one! Plus it takes only 30 minutes to make, and the result is an incredibly delicious, restaurant-quality meal!

Salmon Pasta

Macros: Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 39g

Creamy, healthy, and buttery, this salmon pasta produces all the nutrients you need, while creating the right balance among carbs, fats and proteins. In addition, you’ll love the sauce! It’s so good that you may want to add the sauce to everything!

Healthy and Balanced Meals For Weight Loss

Guacamole Quinoa Salad

Macros: Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g

Refreshing and crisp, this guacamole quinoa salad is a well-balanced dish great for weight loss purposes. Plus, it’s vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Pack it for lunch and your energy level will stay high the whole day.

Halibut Fish Tacos

Macros: Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g

How about having these healthy tacos for next week’s Taco Tuesday? It’s a delicious and well-balanced dish that your family will like. Enjoy them with your favorite toppings and it will soon become your new favorite!

Tips for weight loss: Use a low-carb taco or lettuce to replace flour tortilla to make it extra healthy!

Yellow Squash Soup

Macros: Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g

When summer squash is in season, don’t forget this nutritious yellow squash soup! Made of yellow summer squash, potato, onion, garlic, canned coconut milk, and fresh thyme, this soup is so easy to make and incredibly delicious!

Pepper Steak And Rice Recipe

By: Izzy

This Pepper Steak And Rice is restaurant quality! The steak is perfectly cooked until tender along with bell peppers, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar for sweetness.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

▢ 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
▢ salt and pepper, to taste
▢ 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
▢ 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into strips
▢ 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into strips
▢ 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
▢ 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste. I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce
▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons water
▢ 2 cups steamed white rice, or brown rice if you prefer

Instructions

Prepare the Steak

Slice the beef into thin strips that are 2-inch long and 1/4 inch thick (It’s best to cut against the grain). You can freeze the steak for about 30-45 minutes so that it’s much easier to cut into thin slices.
Lightly season the flank steak with salt and pepper.

Cook Bell Peppers and Steak

Add vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the sliced bell peppers and cook for about 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Remove the peppers from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, Add garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the steak and increase the heat to high. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until lightly browned.
Throw the peppers back into the pan with the steak.

Make the Sauce and Mix Everything Together

Whisk together the soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, and water in a small bowl.
Pour the sauce over the steak and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or just until the sauce has thickened.

Serve with Rice

Serve on a bed of steamed white rice, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.

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