How to eat healthy in 2026Hi, I’m Margaux Laskey, an editor at New York Times Cooking. Jancee Dunn, your regular host, will be back on Thursday. I work closely with writers, testers and photographers to create great recipes for people who want to eat well. And yes, I get to try a lot of the food — not long ago, I was at a photo shoot with a Dubai chocolate cake up for grabs. It’s a pretty good gig! These days, my work focuses on something important: finding ways to help readers who want to cook healthier meals. For years, we shied away from labeling Cooking recipes as healthy because it felt impossible to define the term. It can mean so many different things to different people. But over the last few months, we’ve changed course. I’ve been collaborating with recipe developers and nutritionists to create dishes we feel confident should carry the label, like pesto-roasted salmon with tomatoes and white beans (above). I’ve also worked with them to identify nutritious recipes that already existed in the Cooking catalog. We leaned on guidance from the federal government, the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. Here’s the gist:
That’s it. No gimmicks, no calorie counting. Of course, nutrition guidelines are always changing, but for now, we feel good about these broad strokes. (If you have specific dietary needs, please consult an independent nutritionist to help you make the right choices for you.) Doing all of this work isn’t just a job for me. It’s personal. I’m making changes to my own eating patterns to manage age and family risk factors. I also have two daughters, and I’m trying to help them develop an intuitive and joyful relationship with food. It’s a tricky balance, but it has made me incredibly mindful about how Cooking approaches nutrition — as a fun, flavorful and reasonable path to overall health, not as a means to weight loss, perfection or anything that resembles a sad diet plate. Here are a few of the things that I’m most excited about: Fast breakfasts to start the day with something nourishing
Part of my job is to pluck out wholesome recipes that many of our readers already know and love, like whole grain banana yogurt muffins and our green smoothie. I’ve also been working with our brilliant recipe developers to create new dishes like make-ahead egg wraps and strawberry basil cottage cheese bowls. Start here: 16 Easy Healthy Breakfasts to Make on Repeat Easy dinner ideas for busy weeknights
We’ve turned those nutritionist-approved recipes into lists, which include tips on how to adapt those dishes for special diets and for anyone who wants to eat more veggies — like 17 healthy salmon recipes for people who want to eat more fish. (We have many more recipe collections, including ideas for breakfast, quick weeknight dinners or not-sad desk lunch ideas. I promise there’s something there for you.) Start here: 21 Easy, Healthy Recipes for Busy, Tired People An easier way to search
We’ve even made changes to the app and website: You can now filter your search results to bring up only recipes labeled healthy. So join us! Subscribe, download our app and save some recipes to your recipe box. Oh, and sign up for our Cooking newsletter to get the latest recipes, videos and articles. If you have any ideas for recipes or articles, or if you just want to say hi, you can reach me at margaux@nytimes.com. Like this email? Plan the year ahead with these expert-recommended productivity books.Productivity books can encourage us to prioritize what really matters. These four books were recommended by psychologists, business professors and professional coaches. Read the article: Want to Accomplish More This Year? These Books Can Help. Is it OK if walking is your only exercise?A brisk walk can bring significant health benefits, such as improved blood pressure and lower risks of dementia. But whether or not walking is enough exercise for you personally depends on a few factors, say experts. Read the article: Can Walking Be My Whole Workout? The Week in WellHere are some stories you don’t want to miss:
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