Get “Hooked” on Healthy Fish

While Oklahoma may feel far away from any ocean, fish can still be a tasty and nutritious part of your diet! Regularly consuming fish has many health benefits. And it doesn’t have to require tons of time or effort in the kitchen. Whether you choose tilapia, tuna, or trout, there’s a fish for every budget and taste!

“Fintastic” Health Benefits of Fish

 Fish serves as a great source of protein and contributes important healthy fats to our diet. These fats, called “omega-3 fatty acids,” help our brain and heart stay healthy. They can also lower our risk for many diseases. To get these healthy fats, The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating about 8oz of seafood a week (about 2 meals). The best sources are cold-water fatty fish, like salmon, trout, herring, tuna, cod, or sardines.

Eating fish also provides us with a variety of vitamins and minerals! Fish is one of the best dietary sources of Vitamin D. It also contains excellent levels of zinc, iodine, and Vitamin A that our body requires. Since regularly eating the same old chicken or beef dishes can get boring, fish can add variety to our diet while giving us all the high-quality protein we need!

Helpful Tips for Buying and Preparing Fish

At the Store: Although fresh fish often has a reputation for the best taste, canned and frozen varieties of fish offer just as many nutrients and are a smart cost-saving strategy. Look for fish fillets that are uniform in color and don’t have a strong fishy odor—this can be a sign that they aren’t of the freshest quality. If scales/skin are present, they should be bright and shiny, not dull. For canned and frozen products, double-check the date and that the package is properly sealed (vacuum sealed often locks in the best flavor.)

Once You Get Home: Fish likes to be cold! Keep fresh fish in the refrigerator as close to 32 degrees as possible. Cook within 3 days of buying. Thaw frozen fish in the fridge starting the night before or the morning of the day you plan to cook it.

To Prepare: Fish can be cooked in a variety of simple ways, making it a very versatile ingredient! While frying is common, baked fish packs in just as much flavor. Before placing it in the oven, season with your favorite blend of spices. Or you can even make your own breading from crushing up whole-wheat crackers! During nice weather, fish can be delicious cooked over the grill and topped with olive oil and fresh lemon. Also, try adding fish to soups and stews or cook in a skillet for a quick weeknight meal. Whatever method you choose, cook fish skin side down (if present) at first and flip halfway through cooking. You’ll know that it’s done when it flakes easily with a fork!

To help you get started, ONIE features several tasty fish recipes sure to go over swimmingly with adults and children alike.

Crispy Baked Fish Sticks

Lemon Herb Tilapia