Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

When I was a kid, tuna fish was eaten one way: with lots of mayo on white bread. It was one of the first things that I could make on my own and I enjoyed the autonomy of being able to make my own dinner if I had to. I used to make it with so much mayonnaise that it would be slimy and slick. I haven’t eaten fish that way for years now and I don’t really miss it.

Now, I eat tuna fish in many more dishes and all more healthy than that old tuna fish sandwich:

• Tuna Fish Sandwich: I still like a tuna fish sandwich, but I usually skip the mayo and put the tuna right on the bread without mayonnaise. Sometimes I mix in a little dill relish. Other times, I include a slice of cheese and grill the sandwich with a little Pam.

• Tuna on Triscuit Crackers: I like this for a good snack. When I’m feeling tired in the afternoon, a small serving of tuna fish (100 calories worth) on 7 Triscuit crackers fills me up and gets me going again. The Olive Oil and Rosemary flavor Triscuits are particularly good with this.

• Tuna Helper: I know it’s full of preservatives and is a highly processed food, but as highly processed foods go, Tuna Helper is pretty healthy. You usually can have a serving for about 250 to 300 calories. If you bulk it up with frozen veggies, it’s a huge serving.

• Tuna Salad: Just a small amount of tuna fish can really change the flavor of your boring green salad. I usually add a 100-calorie serving and a little lemon juice. I don’t even need salad dressing.

• Alone in the can: Sometimes I need a protein fix. When I’ve had too much sugar and my hands are shaking as I come down, I can eat a couple of bites of tuna fish for an easy protein boost. Sometimes I have a whole can for a meal when I’m busy and in a hurry. This is really easy if you’re on the run. You can get the tuna in packets, a fork from the deli and you have a quick meal from the grocery within seconds.

For more ideas, here are a list of tuna recipes from FoodFit.com. They have all the nutrition facts, so you know exactly how to plan them into your healthy eating:

• FoodFit.com – Tuna Recipes