Advice on eating healthier?

Don't get hung up about eating "like a child" - it doesn't matter too much exactly what foods you eat, as long as you are getting all the nutrients you need. So you should be having some protein from meat, fish, eggs, nuts, or vegetarian/vegan products like Quorn, dairy foods (cheese, milk, yogurt), some starchy carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, pasta, bread) some fruit/veg. You can add a little fat in the form of butter/spread and oil.

Protein fills you up, so you are less likely to overeat. Large amounts of starchy carbohydrates can make people put on weight, so carb portions should be small if you want to lose weight. There is some research showing that gut bacteria is important to stop us putting on weight, and fermented foods such as natural yogurt, cheese and vinegar help with that.

I completely understand what you mean about fruit. I quite like bananas, but they have to be exactly the right ripeness, not green and not going brown. These days fresh fruit & veg seems to go bad quickly, which is a waste. However, tinned fruit in juice (Not syrup) tends to be fairly consistent with texture and is still good for you. If you are concerned about the natural sugars in the juice, you can always drain it before eating. Frozen veg also is more consistent in taste & texture than fresh, with no preparation needed before cooking, and no waste.

You haven't told us if there are any foods you cannot eat, or which textures you prefer. Some people like softer foods, some like crispy fries or toast. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast: Natural yogurt or porridge with fruit

Snack: a handful of nuts (crunchy) or a slice of wholemeal bread with peanut butter (soft)

Lunch: Tuna salad with mayo/vinaigrette dressing (crunchy), scrambled egg on toast (soft and crispy) or soup containing meat or beans with a slice of wholemeal bread (soft)

Snack: a few chunks of cheese with some fruit

Dinner: Any protein food - meat, eggs, fish, Quorn, etc, with a sauce if required and rice, pasta or potatoes. Add veg if you can (some sauces contain tomato, which counts) Quorn has a softer texture than some meats and is easy to cook. If you don't like the texture of veg, mash it to make it soft - I like carrot & potato mash better than ordinary mashed potato.

You will see I included two snacks in this meal plan, as I find eating little and often helps me maintain my weight better. But if you prefer just to have 3 meals, you can cut out the snacks and add nuts or cheese to your lunch, and have yogurt & fruit for dessert after dinner.

(If you like nuts but find them too expensive, peanuts are fine - you can usually find cheap supermarket own brand packs. Only have a handful of nuts/peanuts at a time though)

Don't get hung up about eating "like a child" - it doesn't matter too much exactly what foods you eat, as long as you are getting all the nutrients you need. So you should be having some protein from meat, fish, eggs, nuts, or vegetarian/vegan products like Quorn, dairy foods (cheese, milk, yogurt), some starchy carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, pasta, bread) some fruit/veg. You can add a little fat in the form of butter/spread and oil.

Protein fills you up, so you are less likely to overeat. Large amounts of starchy carbohydrates can make people put on weight, so carb portions should be small if you want to lose weight. There is some research showing that gut bacteria is important to stop us putting on weight, and fermented foods such as natural yogurt, cheese and vinegar help with that.

I completely understand what you mean about fruit. I quite like bananas, but they have to be exactly the right ripeness, not green and not going brown. These days fresh fruit & veg seems to go bad quickly, which is a waste. However, tinned fruit in juice (Not syrup) tends to be fairly consistent with texture and is still good for you. If you are concerned about the natural sugars in the juice, you can always drain it before eating. Frozen veg also is more consistent in taste & texture than fresh, with no preparation needed before cooking, and no waste.

You haven't told us if there are any foods you cannot eat, or which textures you prefer. Some people like softer foods, some like crispy fries or toast. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast: Natural yogurt or porridge with fruit

Snack: a handful of nuts (crunchy) or a slice of wholemeal bread with peanut butter (soft)

Lunch: Tuna salad with mayo/vinaigrette dressing (crunchy), scrambled egg on toast (soft and crispy) or soup containing meat or beans with a slice of wholemeal bread (soft)

Snack: a few chunks of cheese with some fruit

Dinner: Any protein food - meat, eggs, fish, Quorn, etc, with a sauce if required and rice, pasta or potatoes. Add veg if you can (some sauces contain tomato, which counts) Quorn has a softer texture than some meats and is easy to cook. If you don't like the texture of veg, mash it to make it soft - I like carrot & potato mash better than ordinary mashed potato.

You will see I included two snacks in this meal plan, as I find eating little and often helps me maintain my weight better. But if you prefer just to have 3 meals, you can cut out the snacks and add nuts or cheese to your lunch, and have yogurt & fruit for dessert after dinner.

(If you like nuts but find them too expensive, peanuts are fine - you can usually find cheap supermarket own brand packs. Only have a handful of nuts/peanuts at a time though)