There are lots of staple, go-to foods in most bodybuilder and athletes’ nutrition programs. If you talk to enough people, you’ll hear many common themes and recipes. One thing I’ve found is that in order to stay on a healthy eating plan it can’t be overwhelming or too much work – otherwise people slip back into poor eating habits. So with this in mind I’m a big believer that canned foods can play a key role in helping people stick to their regimen. Note that I said canned, not processed or refined.
One such canned food that provides a great source of protein, is low in fat and can be really cheap when bought in bulk is tuna fish. It’s true that regular cans of the fish have high salt contents (about 750mg per can), and there is a variety drowned in oil that adds a lot of fat calories. But nowadays you can find water packed, low or no salt varieties on most supermarket shelves.
Each can of tuna is roughly 175 calories, with about 30 grams of protein, very little fat and no carbohydrates. I combine it with about ½ cup cooked brown rice and, and ½ cup of any variety of beans. The rice and beans adds another 12 grams of protein and 50 grams of complex, slow releasing carbohydrates with almost no sugar and a negligible amount of fat.
I combine these ingredients in a bowl, or Tupperware to take with me and stir in a just a dab of my favorite salad dressing for flavor. Right now I’m on a Kens Lite Peppercorn Ranch kick, but I’ve also used tomato sauce as an alternative. Anything you like in moderation is fine. And another trick I use is to water down all my salad dressings. After all, I’m after the flavor not the thick goop-like consistency most of them come in.
This meal is really cheap, maybe $2 at most, a joke to make with almost no prep – yet it provides terrific nutrition and quality nutrients. It clocks in at around 450 -500 calories. If that’s too much for you don’t worry, just cut the brown rice and beans serving sizes in half, or use half a can of tuna, and you’ll cut over 100 calories from the total.
Additionally you can swap out the tuna for canned chicken, turkey or salmon. And if you want to add vegetables, I’ve thrown in French style green beans or multi color peppers before and it tasted great. Either way, this simple meal is Muscle Food at it’s finest – cheap, convenient, quick and healthy. I’ve eaten this meal for almost 15 years and it’s always worked for me. Give it a try.
