National Nutrition Month: Plan Your Meals Each Week

March is National Nutrition Month®, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants to help give everyone the tools to make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits for life. This year’s theme is to Personalize Your Plate, and this week’s message is to: plan your meals each week!

Follow these 5 tips to help you know how to make a plan to eat a balanced diet.

1. Use a grocery list to shop for healthful foods

• Fruits – fresh, frozen, and fruits canned in 100% fruit juice.
• Vegetables – fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables labeled “no sodium added” or “low sodium.”
• Grains – looks for items with “whole wheat” or “whole grain” on the label. Look for items that have “whole wheat” or “whole wheat flour” as the first ingredient in the ingredient list. Compare products, and choose the one with more fiber and less added sugars.
• Protein – choose fresh and frozen unprocessed skinless poultry, fish, seafood, lean pork, and lean beef. Choose canned meats and fish labeled “no sodium added” or “low sodium.”
• Dairy – choose low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese and calcium-fortified soymilk.
• Condiments and oils – while this isn’t part of MyPlate Guidelines, condiments and oils are used in almost every dish. Choose condiments that are low in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Choose plant oils that are liquid at room temperature and are lower in saturated fats.

2. Be menu-savy when dining out

• Look for nutrition information – many restaurants, especially chain restaurants, have calorie information listed next to the food item on the menu. Information on fat, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, added sugar, and protein should be available upon request or online.
• Look for keywords – sometimes, restaurants don’t provide nutrition information. Words like “crunchy,” “crispy,” “battered,” “breaded,” “creamy,” “cheesy,” and “alfredo” all indicate that an item might be higher in calories and saturated fat. Words like “baked,” “grilled,” “roasted,” “steamed,” “al fresco,” and “marinara” indicate that an item might be lower in calories and a more healthful option.
• Portions matter – restaurants often serve food in much larger portions that we need. Ask for a to-go box when you get your food, and immediately put half of it away for later to help prevent you from overeating.

3. Choose healthful recipes to make during the week

• Keep MyPlate Recommendations in mind – choose meals that fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains for at least half your meals, vary your protein routine, and include low-fat and fat free dairy.
• Browse these websites for healthy recipes and meal inspiration:
  • https://www.eatright.org/kids-eat-right-listing
  • https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-kitchen/recipes
  • https://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/programs/recipes/

4. Enjoy healthful eating at school and at work

• Plan the night before – pack a balanced lunch and snacks to help you avoid unplanned eating out for lunch and snacking on candy when you get hungry in the afternoon.
• Be prepared – keep single-serve packages of whole-grain crackers, fruit, peanut butter, soup, or tuna at your desk for a quick lunch.
• Avoid mindless eating – keep snacks off your desk and hidden away to help prevent you from eating when you aren’t hungry.

5. Plan healthful eating while traveling

• Think ahead – research restaurants along the way and at your destination so you can easily choose places with healthful choices.
• Pack healthy choices – bring fruits, vegetables, nut butter, pre-portioned trail mix, whole grain snack bars, and your other favorite, healthy snacks so you don’t feel the need to get chips and a candy bar when you stop for gas.
• Balance your meals – if you plan to indulge for dinner, have a lighter breakfast and lunch.

Check back next week for more National Nutrition Month information! You can also follow us on Facebook and find healthy recipes here.

National Nutrition Month: Eat a variety of nutrition foods every day!

March is National Nutrition Month®️, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants to help give everyone the tools to make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits for life. This year’s theme is to Personalize Your Plate, and this week’s message is to:

Eat a variety of nutritious foods every day!

Follow these tips below to help you know how to eat a balanced diet in a mindful way.

• Include healthful foods from all food groups – eating a balanced diet that includes all food groups is an easy way to help your body get the nutrients it needs.
• Fruits – make half your plate fruits and vegetables! Choose fruit that is fresh, frozen,        dried, or canned in 100% fruit juice.
• Vegetables – make half your plate fruits and vegetables! Choose vegetables that are fresh, frozen, or canned without added salt.
• Grains – make half your grains whole grains, like oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, brown rice, and whole grain flours.
• Protein – try different protein foods, like seafood, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy, eggs, and lean meats and poultry.
• Dairy – choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, calcium-fortified soymilk, and cheese.
• Hydrate healthfully – staying hydrated helps keep you healthy and helps your body function like it’s supposed to.
• Keep water with you throughout the day, and drink it when you’re thirsty.
• Instead of sugar-sweetened drinks, try drinking water or sparkling water with fruit, vegetables, and/or herbs added. Be creative! Add lemons or limes, strawberries, cucumbers, mint, or basil.
• Fruits, like cantaloupe, strawberries, and watermelon, and vegetables, like lettuce, celery, and spinach, are full of water and can help you stay hydrated.
• Learn how to read Nutrition Facts Panels
• First, look at the servings per container and the serving size. All information on the food label is based on the serving size, so if you eat more than the serving size, you’re getting more of the nutrients listed.
• For one serving of food, try to limit saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars to less than 5% of the daily value.
• For one serving of food, try to aim for at least 20% of the daily value for vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• Check the ingredient list for whole grains and hidden sources of trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils) and sugar (ingredients that end in -ose, honey, and corn sweeteners).
• Avoid distractions while eating – eating while driving, watching TV, or otherwise multitasking prevents you from focusing on what you’re eating and can easily lead to overeating.
• Try turning your phone, computer, and TV off while you eat.
• Try not to snack while you’re working on something else – take a moment to notice why you want to snack. Are you actually hungry or are you feeling bored, stressed, or just wanting something to do with your hands?

• Take time to enjoy your food
• Before you eat, pay attention to how you feel and how your food smells. Are you hungry, stressed, distracted?
• As you eat, pay attention to what your food tastes like and feels like in your mouth.
• After you finish eating, notice how your body feels. Are you still hungry, do you feel overly full, or do you feel satisfied?

Check back next week for more National Nutrition Month information! You can also follow us on Facebook and find healthy recipes here.

4 Tips for a Healthy Heart

Your heart plays a huge role in many functions of your body and is worth protecting. Making healthy choices can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Eating a variety of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein can help prevent and manage chronic disease. It is also important to limit the consumption of foods high in unhealthy fats, sodium and added sugar. The 4 tips for a healthy heart below will help you take steps toward a healthy diet.

Fill up on fiber

Fiber is found in plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. It is the part of the plant that the body can’t digest or absorb. Fiber helps us stay full longer, lowers cholesterol levels, helps control blood sugar and aids in digestion.

To add more fiber to your day:

• Try switching to whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
• Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Be sure to eat the peel of vegetables and choose whole fruit over juice.
• Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add them to soups, salads or casseroles.

Choose healthy fats more often

Fat is essential for body function, but it is important to make healthy choices when it comes to the type of fat.

Healthy Fats – Choose these foods more often

• Unsaturated – These fats are generally liquid at room temperature and come mainly from plant products such as nuts, oil and avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fat found in fatty fish like salmon, trout, tuna and sardines. Unsaturated fats help to lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Unhealthy Fats – Choose these foods less often

• Saturated – These fats are generally solid at room temperature and are found in fatty meats such as bacon, sausage and pork as well as animal products like cheese and butter. Saturated fats can raise your bad cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Trans – These fats are found mainly in processed foods like fried foods and baked goods. Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol, increasing your risk of heart disease.

Be mindful of what you drink

Drinking water or non-sugar-sweetened beverages like black coffee or unsweet tea can help lower your risk of heart disease by eliminating excess calories from added sugar that could cause weight gain.

Try flavoring your water by adding sliced lemons, cucumbers and fresh mint or combine 100% fruit juice and carbonated water for a healthier version of soda.

Stay active

Healthy choices for your heart do not only involve the foods you eat. Exercise is a great way to strengthen and protect your heart from disease. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can also reduce stress.

Try to reach 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Be sure to include activities around the house like cleaning and yard work. Start small and make physical activity fun!

 

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