The Art of Seasoning: Making Food On The Diet Delicious Without Breaking Rules

One of the biggest fears about starting The 28 Day Diet is eating bland, boring food. Many people think diet food has to taste like cardboard. But this couldn't be further from the truth.

The 28 Day Diet encourages you to make your food taste amazing. You can use lots of different seasonings and cooking methods. The key is knowing which ones are allowed and which ones will slow down your weight loss.

When your food tastes good, you're more likely to stick with your diet. Nobody wants to eat boring meals for 28 days. That's a recipe for giving up.

But when your meals taste delicious, eating healthy becomes a pleasure instead of a chore. You look forward to your meals instead of dreading them.

The 28 Day Diet understands this. That's why it gives you so many ways to add flavour without adding calories or breaking the rules.

Here's the simple rule for The 28 Day Diet: you can use any seasoning that doesn't add calories, unhealthy fats, or sugar to your food.

This means fresh herbs, dried spices, and many condiments are perfectly fine. What you can't use are things like oils, butter, sugar, and thick sauces that are loaded with calories.

Fresh and dried herbs and spices are your best friends on The 28 Day Diet. You can use as much as you want of these flavour boosters:

Fresh Herbs:

• Basil - perfect for tomato dishes

• Cilantro - great with Mexican-style meals

• Parsley - adds freshness to everything

• Mint - wonderful with lamb or fruit

• Chives - excellent with eggs

• Dill - amazing with fish

• Rosemary - perfect for chicken

• Thyme - great for vegetables

Dried Spices:

• Garlic powder - adds depth to any dish

• Onion powder - sweet and savoury

• Paprika - adds colour and mild heat

• Cumin - earthy and warm

• Black pepper - the classic seasoning

• Oregano - essential for Italian flavors

• Cinnamon - sweet warmth without sugar

• Turmeric - adds golden colour and health benefits

The 28 Day Diet allows several special ingredients that pack huge flavour without breaking the rules:

Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves can transform any dish. Chop it, mince it, or roast it whole. Garlic adds amazing flavour and has health benefits too.

Lemon Juice: This is like liquid sunshine for your food. Lemon juice brightens vegetables, makes fish taste fresh, and adds zing to salads.

Balsamic Vinegar: A few drops of good balsamic vinegar can make vegetables taste gourmet. It's sweet and tangy without any added sugar.

Worcestershire Sauce: This complex sauce adds umami - that savoury, satisfying taste that makes food more filling.

Tabasco Sauce: If you like heat, hot sauce is your friend. It adds flavour and may even boost your metabolism slightly.

Instead of using oil or butter, The 28 Day Diet allows cooking sprays like Spray & Cook. These sprays let you cook food without sticking, but they add almost no calories.

You can get cooking sprays in different flavours:

• Butter flavour for that rich taste

• Olive oil flavour for Mediterranean dishes

• Garlic flavour for extra punch

Use these sprays to sauté vegetables, cook eggs, or prevent food from sticking to pans.

Some things might taste good, but they'll slow down your weight loss on The 28 Day Diet:

Oils and Fats: This includes olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, and margarine. Even "healthy" oils are high in calories.

Sugar and Sweeteners: Avoid honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, and white sugar. Even artificial sweeteners should be used sparingly.

Thick Sauces: Creamy dressings, mayo-based sauces, and thick gravies are usually loaded with hidden calories.

Flour and Thickeners: Don't use flour, cornstarch, or other thickeners to make sauces.

Here are some delicious combinations that work perfectly with The 28 Day Diet:

Mediterranean Mix: Oregano, basil, garlic, and lemon juice. Perfect for chicken or fish.

Mexican Style: Cumin, chilli powder, garlic, and lime juice. Great for any protein.

Asian Inspired: Ginger, garlic, and a splash of low-sodium soy sauce (if allowed).

Herb Garden: Fresh parsley, chives, dill, and lemon. Wonderful with vegetables.

Warm and Cozy: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a tiny bit of vanilla extract. Great for fruit dishes.

Chicken: Rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, or oregano all work beautifully.

Fish: Dill, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, or a light sprinkle of paprika.

Vegetables: Almost any herb or spice works. Try different combinations to find your favourites.

Eggs: Chives, pepper, paprika, or fresh herbs make eggs exciting.

Salads: Lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs, and garlic create amazing dressings.

The 28 Day Diet has a special rule about onions. You can add one-quarter of an onion to any meal that includes vegetables. This is a game-changer for flavour.

Onions add sweetness and depth to dishes. Sauté your quarter onion with cooking spray until it's soft and golden. This creates a flavour base for your entire meal.

For dishes that include tomato and onion relish, you can add even more vegetables:

• 3-4 mushrooms for earthy flavour

• Quarter of a green pepper for crunch and sweetness

These extra vegetables don't just add flavour - they add nutrition and help fill you up.

How you cook your food matters just as much as what you season it with:

Grilling: Gives food a smoky, charred flavour that's naturally delicious.

Roasting: Concentrates flavours and creates crispy edges.

Sautéing with Cooking Spray: Creates golden, caramelised surfaces.

Steaming with Herbs: Add herbs to your steaming water for subtle flavour.

Create your own signature seasoning blends to keep meals interesting:

All-Purpose Blend: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and dried herbs.

Spicy Blend: Chilli powder, cumin, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne.

Italian Blend: Oregano, basil, garlic powder, and dried parsley.

Fresh Blend: Mix any fresh herbs you have on hand with lemon juice.

Both fresh and dried seasonings have their place:

Fresh herbs are best added at the end of cooking. They're bright and vibrant.

Dried spices can handle longer cooking times. They're more concentrated in flavour.

Garlic is amazing both ways. Fresh garlic is sharp and pungent. Garlic powder is mellow and sweet.

Taste as you go: Start with a little seasoning and add more if needed.

Layer flavours: Add some seasonings at the beginning of cooking and others at the end.

Don't be afraid: Most herbs and spices are very low in calories. Use enough to make your food taste great.

Keep it simple: You don't need ten different spices in every dish. Sometimes just salt, pepper, and lemon juice are perfect.

Vegetables can be the most boring part of any diet, but not on The 28 Day Diet.

Here's how to make them delicious:

• Roast them with herbs until they're caramelised

• Sauté them with garlic and cooking spray

• Steam them and finish with lemon juice and fresh herbs

• Add them to tomato-based dishes with Italian seasonings

You don't need to buy every spice at once. Start with these basics:

• Salt and black pepper

• Garlic powder

• Paprika

• Oregano

• Cumin

• Fresh lemons

Add more spices as you discover what you like.

The 28 Day Diet doesn't have to mean boring food. With the right seasonings and cooking methods, every meal can be a delicious adventure.

Experiment with different herbs and spices. Try new combinations. Make your diet food so tasty that you forget you're even on a diet.

Remember, the goal isn't just to lose weight - it's to enjoy the process. Great seasoning makes that possible.