Yahoo Lifestyle 12 Best High-Fiber Dinner Recipes
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that helps with digestion and keeps us all, er, regular. While it's found in whole grains, fruits, veggies, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, it can be surprisingly difficult to get enough fiber in our diets. Luckily, high-fiber dinner recipes can help us top off at the end of the day.
As it happens, the timing couldn’t be better: “Given that dinner is traditionally the last meal you eat before you go to sleep, it’s important to have a meal that keeps you full and satisfied through the night,” says Melissa Jaeger, RD, LD, registered dietitian and head of nutrition at MyFitnessPal. Fiber—bless it!—is a fuel source that directly supports satiety: It passes through the body undigested, literally filling us up.
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How Much Daily Fiber Do You Need?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans generally recommends a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day for women and 31 grams of fiber per day for men. Assuming that other meals and snacks provide ample amounts of fiber, too, it’s best to aim for at least 6 grams of fiber at dinnertime, says Jaeger, who uses the food tracking and goal-setting features on MyFitnessPal to keep tabs on her fiber intake.
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Increasing Fiber Intake at Dinner
Sans tracking, there are some practical ways to get more fiber on your plate. Simply adding fresh fruits and vegetables can bulk up your overall intake—and the same goes for ingredients such as chickpeas, green peas, lentils and black beans, which can make stellar sides on their own. A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds, pistachios or even chia seeds can do the trick, too.
When eating packaged goods, “look for whole grains as the first item on the ingredient list on food labels,” Jaeger suggests.
Feeling more adventurous? Add one of the following high-fiber dinner recipes to your repertoire, and see your daily fiber intake soar—especially when you take Jaeger's high-fiber serving suggestions. (Good luck finding room for breakfast!)
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High-Fiber Dinner Recipes
Slow Cooker Lentil Veggie Stew (4-5g fiber)
Jaeger loves lentils—particularly when they are the star of the show in lentil stew. "To amp up your fiber intake even more, consider serving with a whole grain dinner roll or whole wheat crackers for an element of crunch," she suggests. And of course, there's always salad or a side of fruit to turn a bowl into a bona fide high-fiber meal.
Gingery Shrimp With Asparagus and Edamame (3.5g fiber)
Asparagus and edamame are the fiber stars of this recipe, Jaeger notes. To boost the fiber content in this meal even more, spoon the savory stir-fry over quinoa, farro or brown rice.
Warm Kale Salad (3.5g fiber)
Crunchy whole-grain crackers or a whole-wheat dinner roll round out the kale, squash and carrots in this soul-warming salad. Jaeger recommends serving alongside chicken breast, tofu or fish to ensure the dish provides satisfying protein, too.
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Brown Rice Burrito Bowl (8g fiber)
Jaeger's got no notes on this burrito bowl made with black beans, avocado and brown rice. But overachievers can always serve it with whole grain tortilla chips. You can DIY your whole wheat chips by cutting a whole wheat tortilla into triangles, spraying with nonstick cooking spray, and air-frying until crisp, she suggests.
Slow Cooker Veggie Bean Soup (5-8g fiber)
"Navy beans and assorted veggies help to amplify the fiber in this soup recipe," Jaeger notes. As always, a side salad and/or whole grain crackers make great sides, are full of fiber and contribute satisfying crunch.
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Whole Wheat Pappardelle with Roasted Butternut Squash (4-5g fiber)
Naturally fiber-full ingredients like butternut squash and broccoli rabe compliment the whole-wheat pasta and pepitas in this dish. "It would pair perfectly with a side salad for an extra kick of fiber," Jaeger adds.
Taco Casserole (3.9g fiber)
"Refried beans and brown rice create a fiber-forward foundation for this taco casserole," Jaeger says, noting that avocado (with about 3 grams of fiber per 1/4 medium-sized fruit) shouldn't be optional. "Consider adding additional fresh vegetables before serving for extra fiber," she adds. More is more!
Cameron Diaz's Summer Crunch Salad (12-14g fiber)
Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
"With so many fiber-filled fruits and vegetables in this salad"—we're talking snow peas, carrots, cucumbers, mango and more—"what’s not to love?" Jaeger wonders. She's especially in favor of the garnishes like cashews, which pack in even more fiber—woo!
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Summer Squash Chicken Skillet (3-4g fiber)
"Squash is an excellent way to add fiber to any dish," Jaeger says. She'd serve this scrumptious skillet with whole wheat orzo and serving with a side of fresh fruit to bulk up the meal's overall fiber content. Why not?
Turmeric Turkey Shepherd's Pie (4g fiber)
If traditional shepherd's pie is good, consider this version great: Sweet potatoes, kale, peas and tomatoes add color and, yes, fiber. Since no meal is complete without a dinner role, go whole-grain or bust—and consider adding as erving of your favorite fruit for even more extra fiber, Jaeger suggests.
Veggie Chili (7g fiber)
While sweet potatoes don't typically turn up in chili, you'll wonder why after tasting this mixed-veggie version. It's got beans. It's got tomatoes. And it tastes great spooned over a bed of quinoa with sliced avocado as an extra garnish, all of which bring more fiber to the table, Jaeger says.
Cream of Broccoli Soup (4-6g fiber)
Serving broccoli in soup form can make any one love the high-fiber cruciferous vegetable. "Don’t skip the stems," warns Jaeger, who says the trick reduces food waste—and promises no one will know. Again, a whole-grain roll or whole-grain crackers round out this warm choice for an even-more filling, satiating meal.
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