Atkins, South Breach, The Zone, Weight Watchers. Nowadays, diets are numerous and confusing, restrictive and torturous, and the last thing we want to stick to when that little voice in our abdomen screams, “Feed me!”

Eating healthy isn’t about cutting carbs, counting points or starving one’s self all together; it’s about eating food that is good for your taste buds and your peace of mind. In a city like Dallas, this is easier said than done. With a Taco Bell around the corner and a McDonald’s down the street, the temptations to stray from good intentions are great.

Deal Dallas diner: Have no fear there are ways to eat well and still be happy without spending outrageous amounts of money.

Meridian Room Wednesdays

This small restaurant/bar, usually packed on Thursday nights for some of the city’s most raucous karaoke, offers some of the best food around. The menu is small but presents such health-conscious and delicious options as the seared tuna salad ($9), an enormous 8 ounce slab of yellow fin tuna on top of a bed of fresh green and the jalapeno hummus ($5), a zesty version of the classic Middle Eastern dip. The best part? The food is half-price on Wednesdays, leaving you with a little extra cash for post-dinner drinks.

Whole Foods Home Brand

All right, so Whole Foods isn’t exactly designed for the thrifty grocery shopper, but when searching for great organic products, this is the place to go. Whole Foods’ own brand, 365 Organic Everyday Value, offers some good basics (whole wheat pasta at under $2 a bag, for example) for considerably less than other brands and with the same amount of taste. Try the flax seed bread as a replacement for plain white in sandwiches, the seeds are said to boost metabolism and are far more filling than basic flour. At $3.29 a large loaf, it’s completely affordable.

Fiesta Produce

There was a time when a head of lettuce cost just a few cents. Now, a good romaine will set you back almost $2. Produce is more and more expensive, and when you’re on a budget, it’s hard to keep buying it, especially with the risk of it going bad so quickly. Frozen vegetables are a great alternative but for those who prefer to buy fresh, Fiesta Mart grocery stores carry some of the crispest, cheapest vegetables and fruits. Fiesta also carries some hard-to-find international foods (like jicama, which is great in salads) and spices, which can make any boring meal interesting. With six Dallas locations, they aren’t hard to find, and they’re worth the trip for some much-needed green food.

Dream Café Tuesdays

Dream Café, hidden in the notoriously hard-to-get to Quadrangle, serves some yummy organic foods that taste anything but. This family restaurant is perfect for summertime with its large patio and selection of salads and sandwiches, you can’t go wrong. The staff is incredibly knowledge and friendly, without being pushy or neglectful, even on Tuesday nights when the restaurant offers all items on its menu for half the price. Try a one for john sandwich ($7.50), a brown rice/mushroom burger with soy cheese, avocado, tomato, and sprouts that taste so good you’ll forget there’s no beef in this burger. The southwestern salad ($9) is also a tasty item. Served with Dallas goat cheese and cilantro-lime dressing, it’s a great variation on the family-restaurant staple.

Suma Veggie Café

It’s a bit of a drive up the now terribly frustrating Central Expressway, but Suma Veggie Café is definitely worth the trek. For a bit under $6, you can test out their best soups and veggie dishes at their weekday lunch buffet. Suma’s ingredients are all ultra-fresh and their soy-based products taste so much like the real thing you almost forget it’s not meat. Suma doesn’t use animal products, dairy, eggs, preservatives or food color, so you’re guaranteed everything is made from the good stuff and only the good stuff. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous with the faux seafood, you can barely tell that it’s not real shrimp in your dish!

The one thing to keep in mind when eating healthy is to eat what you like and what makes you happy. The key is to find flavor in unusual things. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different spices at home, they make a world of difference! Of course, moderation is key but with such great options out there, why hold back? An extra bite of green beans wont add an inch to your love handles.