Eating the same few foods every day is boring. Such a diet can also lack all the nutrients you need. Be a bolder eater and you might become healthier, too.
When it comes to food choices, there’s a fine line between a comfort zone and a rut. Eating the same few foods, even if healthy ones, means you’re likely missing out on some key nutrients that come with a more varied diet. In fact, research suggests that only by eating a diverse array of whole foods can you get all the nutrients your body needs.
Thankfully, breaking free from a humdrum food rut is not that hard. All it takes is creativity, a little planning, and a more adventurous culinary spirit. The perks? You take the boredom out of eating and put the enjoyment back in. And you’re more likely to get the complete, balanced nutrition you need. So, if you’re ready to liven up your diet, give these 6 meal planning tips a try!
1. Explore more of the foods you typically avoid
- Do you eat fresh fruit but often skip your veggies, or vice versa? Or do you tend to skip both? If so, adapt your weekly meal plan to include more of the fresh produce you tend to avoid. If you don’t like the taste of many fresh, whole fruits and veggies on their own—seek out some new healthy meal and snack ideas to help enhance their flavor.
- Do you mostly eat foods made with refined grains (white rice, pasta, and bread) but avoid their more nutrient-rich whole grain cousins? If so, choose more foods with whole grains on the label. And plan more meals that include wild or brown rice, quinoa, bulgar, or other whole grains you’ve never tried before.
- Does your protein tend to come from only a few sources, such as red meat and dairy? If so, think about adding more fish, beans, lentils, eggs, tofu, and nuts and seeds to your meals.
- Your body needs some fat. But think about the source you’re getting it from. Is it mainly from fried foods or creamy dairy products such as butter, sour crème, and rich, creamy cheeses? If so, mix in more plant-based oils (olive, safflower, sunflower, etc.), nuts, seeds, avocados, and cold-water fish, like salmon and trout. This will balance out your saturated fat intake with better-for-your-health unsaturated fats.
- Is the saltshaker about the only jar in your spice rack? If so, expand your repertoire of herbs and spices. Look for recipes that call for seasonings you haven’t used in a while or have never tried before. They not only add more novelty and flavor to a bland and boring diet, they can also offer ample health benefits.
- Do you forget to drink enough water and other fluids each day? If so, set reminders to drink water throughout the day. Adding plenty of soups, teas, and water-filled fruits and veggies in your food plan can help you stay hydrated, too.
2. Add a rainbow of vegetables and fruits to your plate
Eating a range of fruits and veggies in a wide array of colors offers new tastes and textures. Colorful meals also tend to be more tantalizing. Even better, they offer more of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs. Translation? Colorful foods not only add more zest to your meals, they’re also better for your health.
Search for new recipes, snacks, and meals with a range of colored produce in them. Or, come up with some of your own. Then make a list before you shop. When you hit the produce aisle at the store, let your eyes take in all the many colors. Then choose fruits and/or veggies from each: orange, yellow, green, red, purple, blue, white, and tan. 
3. Make meals a social affair with a “cook club”
Inspire yourself by cooking with a friend (or friends) once a week and swapping healthy recipes. Instead of a book club, turn this weekly gathering into a “cook club”.
Decide as a group that the goal is to try new meals, with new ingredients, each week. You can always revisit favorite recipes now and then—but the cook club should aim to expand everyone’s culinary horizons.
Also, decide to limit unhealthy cooking methods (frying, etc.) and foods, such as ultra-processed foods. Cooking and dining with friends can add so much more joy, zest, and nutrients to your diet!
4. Try cuisines from around the world
Choose one night each month to explore culturally inspired cuisines. Search online for healthy Greek, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean, and Latin or Native American recipes to cook at home. Or try some local ethnic restaurants you haven’t tried before that serve healthy foods. Just make sure to balance out any dishes that are extra rich in fat, sugar, or red meat with ones on the lighter, healthier, and slightly more plant-based side.
5. Take a cooking class or watch a cooking show
Check online or at your local community college or even restaurants for cooking classes. Or tune in to one of the many online or televised cooking shows. You’ll not only have a blast trying new recipes, you’ll also sharpen your skills in the kitchen. And that can help you push past your comfort zone to add more variety and zest to your diet.
6. Sign up for a meal-kit or produce delivery service
You can save yourself the shopping time, recipe finding, and menu planning by signing up for one or both of these delivery services. And it’s a great way to weave novel kinds of meals and produce into your weekly food plan.
- Produce delivery. You can sign up to get boxes of produce to be delivered to your home from local farmers. Most boxes have a mix of seasonal—often organic—fruits and vegetables. Some services even let you select your produce to create a custom box.
- Meal delivery. You can select a variety of meals you want online from the company’s website. You can also pick the delivery date. You’ll get a box that has premeasured ingredients and a recipe card. All you have to do is prepare the meal. Or you can opt for fully prepped meals that you just cook or heat up.
Choose a service that lists all its nutrition information online. To make healthy choices, look for entrées that have plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins. Try to avoid choices that have a lot of fat or added sugar.
Putting together your bold, new food plan
While you are being creative and trying new foods, you may want a guideline for crafting your meals. Try the Healthy Eating Plate from Harvard. This downloadable pdf features a graphic of how much of each food group to serve yourself when you fill your plate.
Also, be sure to talk with your doctor if you have any health issues or questions about the type or amount of food you should eat each day. You may want to get personalized guidance when you work on your food plan by working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Keep in mind that all of the nutrients needed for the body’s functions aren’t found in one food or even in one food group. The key is to eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods to meet your needs. But keep in mind that a variety of unhealthy foods (think junk food) won’t do you much good.
Use the food groups mentioned in this blog, as well as the tips for adding more variety to your diet. You can have fun trying new foods and new meals. And that kind of open and adventurous mindset can help you transition from a boring diet to diverse, healthy, and enjoyable eating.
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This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program. Images used for this article do not depict any members of the Silver&Fit program.
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This article was written by Gail Olson, edited by Stephanie Ruiz, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on November 15, 2024.
