Healthy Eating Tips

Here are some tips for healthy eating at home work, and elsewhere to help you get started. Try some of these ideas.

• Start your day off right: Eat breakfast! It is the most important meal of the day.
• Drink 100 percent fruit juice with breakfast, or take a can to drink at work or school.
• Spruce up your breakfast – a banana or handful of berries will liven up your cereal, yogurt,
waffles or pancakes.
• Take a piece of fruit to munch on during your commute.
• Use “lite” or low-fat dairy products. Drink 1 percent or skim milk.
• Remember a little bit of salad dressing and mayonnaise go a long way. Measure 1 tablespoon
of dressing and toss well with your salad. For even more flavor, sprinkle the salad with lemon pepper before adding dressing. Even better, use light or fat-free salad dressing.
• If you like to eat meat, you can help reduce fat by choosing the leanest cuts such as beef round, loin, sirloin, turkey, chicken and roasts.
• Use oils sparingly (try olive and canola oils). Bake chicken without the skin.
• Substitute a potato for French fries.
• Make your own snacks by packing healthy, quick and easy-to-grab foods such as little bags or containers of ready-to-eat vegetables. Or make healthier choices on snacks that are store bought, such as pretzels. Keep them with you in your backpack, briefcase, office, car and home.

Think About It

Fast food combines two of our favorite desires: things in a hurry and food. Unfortunately, it also tends to combine a lot of fat and calories. But it doesn’t have to if you are careful. You still can get food in a hurry, but try these suggestions:

• Order a lean roast beef sandwich.
• Order grilled chicken sandwiches and do the fixings “your way."
• Keep the portions to regular and small. No “double” anything or “going large.”
• Order items without the cheese.

(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)