SMALL CHANGES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
When it comes to managing your diet, dietitians recommend consumers take it slow
National Nutrition Month® is officially here and it’s time to start focusing on revamping your diet to include more healthy choices. This year’s theme, Eat Right, Bite by Bite, gives you the flexibility and versatility to make small changes that are right for your personal lifestyle. Remember, “Good nutrition doesn’t have to be restrictive or overwhelming.” Even small changes, when done consistently, can have a cumulative healthful effect. With just a little practice, making healthy choices can be fun, simple and easy to achieve.
If you need some help in getting started just check out these tips from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
- Meal planning – Planning ahead is the easiest way to avoid making poor food choices, impulse purchases and overeating, not to mention that it can be good for your wallet too. Try spending some time each week to plan healthy meals in advance. If a full week’s menu seems too overwhelming just start with a few days or focus only on one meal of the day, like lunch or breakfast. Don’t forget about leftovers either. Cooking once and eating twice or even three times is a great way to stretch a dollar and ensure a healthy meal. A pasta meal is a great place to start meal planning with healthy foods, as you can easily customize and make more than you need so you can cook once and eat throughout the week!
- Cook & prep ahead of time – Know exactly what’s going into your meals by making them yourself. Take control of your diet by cooking at home. Remember that every meal doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, pasta is a healthy and easy meal to prep; you can make something healthy and delicious in just 20 minutes or less no matter what cooking skills you have. For lunch make something as simple as carrot sticks, hummus, some crackers and a hard-boiled egg.
- Vary your diet – It’s never a good idea to eat the same foods over and over again. Make it a point to try something new each week this month. This could mean changing up your vegetables (have you tried Brussel sprouts, beets or radishes), adding an extra salad to your repertoire or going meatless one or two days a week. Try out a vegetable lasagna to incorporate more veggies or those you may not eat as often.
- Visit an RDN – Need more help on how to add more healthy foods in your diet? Talk to a registered dietitian for professional advice tailored to your own specific needs.
While making your healthy National Nutrition Month® choices, remember that pasta is a healthy and easy staple to utilize all month long. Find recipe inspiration from our recipe page for easy and nutritious meal ideas.
For more information about National Nutrition Month® visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. .