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Try one a day!

1. Make a plan for the week! Planning ahead can help you save money and eat healthier.
2. Add dark, leafy greens to your sandwiches or omelets.
3. Eat a piece of fruit with breakfast today.
4. If you use sugar in your coffee, try using half as much.
5. Make your own pizza (or mini English muffin pizzas!) using your own red sauce. For a quick, no cook sauce, mix together a can of tomato sauce with tomato paste and season with oregano, garlic, and basil. Shred a carrot and mix for natural sweetness and bonus fiber! You won’t miss the sugar or salt you’d find in most store bought sauces.
6. A little goes a long way! Try using a spray bottle to get the most out of a little bit of oil.
7. Need a crunchy snack? Try carrots, apple slices, and celery with some hummus.
8. Using canned beans or veggies for what you’re cooking tonight? Make sure to rinse well to reduce the sodium.
9. When cooking with canned foods, use less salt than you might otherwise.
10. Use evaporated skim milk in place of cream in your coffee, mac & cheese, soups, and casseroles.
11. Taste first before even thinking about adding salt. When cooking for yourself, some salt you add to your food is just out of habit. Try to cut back on your salt intake by trying different ways to add flavor like lemon juice, spices, and herbs.
12. Don’t leave a salt shaker on the dinner table.
13. Extend the shelf life of your produce by giving it a vinegar bath. Fill a sterile sink (or large container) with cold water and add 1/2-1 cup vinegar. Soak the items for about 10 minutes and store.
14. Meal prepped (chopped or sliced) carrots and celery can be stored in water in the fridge to stay nice and fresh for all your snacking and cooking needs this week.
15. Only need ½ an onion for your recipe? Chop up the rest and save it in your freezer for a quick addition to omelets or a great start for your next soup.
16. Try subbing mashed banana or applesauce for oil in your next muffin recipe.
17. Skip fast food and make your own oven fries.
18. Make half your grains whole. Replace half of your recipe with brown rice or whole wheat flour in place of white rice or all-purpose flour.
19. Whether canned, fresh, or frozen, aim to fill half your plate with veggies every meal.
20. If purchasing processed fruit, look for fruit packaged in natural juices instead of added syrup.
21. If purchasing canned foods, search for low sodium options.
22. When it comes to apples, pears, and potatoes, leave the peel on to capture more fiber and nutrients.
23. Reduce soda intake by trying out iced tea, sparkling water, or fruit infused water. To make fruit infused water, simply add a few slices of berries or other fruit to a pitcher of water. Other great infusions include mint and cucumber.
24.  Trying steaming vegetables like carrots and broccoli to bring out the naturally delicious flavors of your produce without adding fat.
25.  Replace one meat-based meal with a plant based alternative (for example, trade out beef tacos for bean tacos) or replace ½ of the meat with beans.
26. Replace sour cream with low-fat Greek yogurt to get more protein into your diet while cutting down on fat.
27. Freezer meals tend to be pretty high in sodium (around 50% of daily recommended intake just for one meal). Try out a recipe to replicate your frozen favorites.
28. Instead of buying sausage, make your own with ground turkey and your choice of seasonings. You can cook it in patties for breakfast sandwiches (freeze for later!), or brown and crumble for spaghetti.
29. Try out shredded zucchini or spaghetti squash to replace or supplement your traditional pasta.

For recipe ideas, please check out our recipe page HERE.

by Carolyn Alecia Negley, RD

Nutrition Education Manager