How to Eat Healthy

Last Updated: November 7, 2019 References Approved

This article was co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS. Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

There are 28 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

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Many people want to start eating healthier and follow a more nutritious diet. When you’re diet contains a lot of overly processed foods, high-fat foods or foods high in sugar, you increase your risk for a variety of chronic health conditions. On the other hand, a nutritious, well-balanced diet can support your immune system, healthy development, and decrease your risk for obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. [1] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization. Go to source Make small changes to your diet over the course of a few weeks as opposed to many drastic changes at once, and you’ll be able to sustain a healthier way of eating and enjoy the health benefits of a healthy diet.

Making good food choices is important for everyone. As a Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian, I believe there are two important things you can do to achieve a healthy food lifestyle—and that is to: 1) make good food choices, and 2) identify habits that you can keep doing over a long period of time, which fit easily into your daily routine, and can become a sustainable part of your life (by this, I mean no fad diets!).

Make Your Calories Count!

If you find dieting, losing weight and making healthy food choices difficult, look at it this way: try to get the most out of the calories you eat. Avoid foods that have a lot of calories but little nutritional value—or “empty” calories. Foods with a lot of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats) and relatively few calories are considered healthy.

Now ask yourself—is there something you are eating or drinking that you can cut out? A great (and easy) first step is to quit sugary drinks, such as soda, bottled lemonade or sweetened tea, or juices with sugar added. Try unsweetened teas and flavored or plain water instead. Cookies, cakes and candies are also filled with empty calories, so think about cutting those out of your diet too.

If you can cut out 500 calories from sugary beverages or snacks every week, you may see an improvement in your weight of as much as 1 to 2 pounds a week. You might miss the sweet taste but it may help you to know that your taste buds take time to change, so give yourself about 2 weeks to get used to it.

How to Tackle the Grocery Store

So how else can you start making good food choices? Let’s start with the grocery store. When you go food shopping, you may be faced with making decisions about what the healthiest items are to purchase. This can be a frustrating and confusing task. Your goal should be to make the healthiest choices possible that fit into your lifestyle and can be sustained over time. Here are some tips that may help you:

• Never shop when you are hungry. You will make much better choices if you shop after you’ve had a good breakfast or lunch, or when you’re not in a rush.
• Try shopping the perimeter of the store and fill up your basket. The most healthy items are usually located on the outside aisles of the store, including fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, greens, meat and dairy.
• See if you can check out and exit the store without buying packaged and processed foods.
• If you are buying packaged or processed foods, be sure you know how to read food labels, so you can be more informed about what you are eating.
• Try to spend the most time in the fresh fruit and vegetable section. Most of us don’t eat enough vegetables, which offer many nutritional benefits and fill you up so you can better resist the temptation of unhealthy foods. Deeply colored fruits and vegetables provide more nutrients, so be sure to eat a variety of different colored produce.
• When you go to the meat section, pick lean proteins, such as fish and skinless chicken or turkey breast.
• Select whole grains instead of white flour, white pasta, and white rice. Quinoa is a great grain to try because it has a lot of protein, which is not the case for many grain products.
• Don’t forget the legumes: chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans or lentils. Eat these for protein and fiber.
• Choose naturally low-fat and high-fiber foods (e.g., low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese, whole grain cereals).
• Know that not all oils are bad for you. Look for nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil and other healthy oils which can provide the fat you need in your diet.
• Write a grocery list ahead of time. Make sure it’s filled with healthy food choices, and stick to it!

Some grocery stores have dietitians on staff to help you make good choices. It often helps to be able to talk about your personal preferences and health needs with a qualified nutrition professional, a registered dietitian. These services may be free at certain grocery stores.

Go Fresh

A good portion of a healthy meal is made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. Sometimes you may not be able to get fresh fruits and vegetables. In that case, try to choose frozen fruits and vegetables, which are usually picked and frozen when they are at their freshest, and keep them in your freezer and use whenever you are in a pinch. Find out if there is a year-round farmer’s market near you. Farmer’s markets can help you cut out processed foods, since they offer fresh fruits and vegetables.

I advise against eating canned items because canned vegetables are usually filled with salt. Canned or packaged fruits can also contain added sugar. If you do choose canned vegetables, look for no or low salt vegetables, and fruits preserved in their natural juices rather than syrup.

Cooking Quick and Healthy

After the grocery store, it’s a great idea to carve out some time to wash and cut some of your fruits and vegetables. This will make the fresh, delicious items ready to eat when you are hungry and want a snack or need to cook a quick meal. Otherwise the fresh produce may end up unused and thrown away. The goal is to make it easy to snack on something healthy (think of baby carrots or berries), especially when you feel like reaching for cookies or potato chips.

Be sure to experiment with different spices: find a few spices you like, so that you can use them in tasty, fresh meals—I personally like cayenne pepper. With most of the preparation done ahead of time, you can take your cut up vegetables and your go-to spices, and sauté them together in a pan with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add your lean protein to the pan: shrimp is a nice option because it cooks up in no time at all.

Make sense? OK, now go ahead and work on making food choices that are easy, healthy and tasty!

Alpa Shah, MS, RD is a Director, US Medical Affairs, Wellness Lead, Global Clinical Development & Medical Affairs at Pfizer Inc.

Even when you know what healthy foods to choose, being able to pay for them can be hard, especially if you are on a fixed income. Start by deciding how much you can afford to spend on food.

There are websites that can help you plan a food budget. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture supports Iowa State University’s Spend Smart-Eat Smart. This website also has inexpensive recipes based on the Dietary Guidelines.

Once you have a budget, find store ads in the newspaper or grocery store websites to see what is on sale. Try to plan some meals around featured items and pick up some extra canned goods or staples that are on sale. And check the expiration or use-by date. A product might be on sale because it is almost out of date. Choose items with dates farthest in the future.

While shopping, make use of these budget-wise 10 tips.

Read and share this infographic to learn more about lifestyle changes you can make today for healthier aging.

1. Ask about discounts. Ask your local grocery stores if they have a senior discount or a loyalty or discount card. Besides getting items at a lower price, you may also get store coupons.
2. Use coupons when you can. Remember, coupons only help if they are for things you would buy anyway. Sometimes, another brand costs less even after you use the coupon.
3. Consider store brands—they usually cost less. These products are made under a special label, sometimes with the store name. You might have to look on shelves that are higher or lower than eye level to find them.
4. Be aware that convenience costs more. You can often save money if you are willing to do a little work. For example, buy whole chickens and cut them into parts, shred or grate your own cheese, and avoid instant rice or instant oatmeal. Bagged salad mixes cost more and might not stay fresh as long as a head of lettuce.
5. Look at unit prices. Those small stickers on the shelves tell you the price but also the unit price—how much the item costs per ounce or per pound. Compare unit prices to see which brand is the best value.
6. Read and share this infographic to learn about making smart food choices for healthy aging. Try to buy in bulk, but only buy a size you can use before it goes bad. If you buy meat in bulk, decide what you need to use that day and freeze the rest in portion-sized packages right away.
7. Focus on economical fruits and vegetables like bananas, apples, oranges, cabbage, sweet potatoes, dark-green leafy vegetables, green peppers, and regular carrots.
8. Think about the foods you throw away. For less waste, buy or cook only what you need.
9. Resist temptations at the check-out. Those snack foods and candy are put there for impulse buying. Save money and avoid empty calories!
10. Sign up for meal delivery. While some older people have trouble finding enough money to buy food, others need help preparing meals. There are a variety of groups around the country that deliver meals to people who have trouble getting out of their homes. These groups usually offer one hot meal a day. One of the largest is Meals on Wheels America.

National Resources for Locating Help with Food Costs

There are several ways to learn more about programs that offer help with meals or food costs. Use one of these services:

• Eldercare Locator or call 1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)
• Federal and state benefit information or call 1-800-333-4636 (toll-free)
• National Council on Aging or call 1-571-527-3900

No matter how careful you are, the cost of food can still eat up a big part of your budget. There may be additional help. For more resources to help with shopping and food costs, visit NIA’s healthy eating resources.

Looking to eat healthier? Let our 10 principles of healthy cooking help get you started.

If your eating habits are anything like those of most Americans and you are looking for the simplest advice possible we would tell you to eat more vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Most of us don’t eat enough produce and we are really lacking in fiber in our diets and those are great sources.

If you’re craving just a bit more guidance about healthy eating, one of the best places to start is to cook more at home. When you cook at home you control the ingredients and restaurant meals are almost always higher in calories and sodium than something you would make yourself. Plus, you get to make what you like! If you’re not sure how to start cooking healthier here are 10 ways to make cooking healthy meals at home a little easier.

1. Make a plan

Without a plan, it’s easy to draw a blank with what to make for dinner (or breakfast or lunch for that matter). For some people meal planning means writing down a detailed menu and shopping list on a Sunday to be good to go all week. For others, it may look more like scribbles on a sticky note-taco night, pasta night, stir-fry night. Whatever your process is, having a plan helps set you figure out what you’re going to make and sets you up for success.

2. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Only 14 percent of adults eat the recommended amount of vegetables and 18 percent eat enough fruit. That means more than 80 percent of us aren’t eating enough produce! Fruits and vegetables are rich in inflammation-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber. It’s recommended we eat 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables every day (adult men are on the higher side for veg). (Here are 8 ways you can get the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables.)

When you think about cooking, have produce be the star of your meals. Make a fruit smoothie in the morning, a big salad for lunch and stuff a spaghetti squash at dinner. Use vegetables as noodles by spiralizing a zucchini or sweet potato. Try to make half your plate fruits and veggies. Snacks are a great way to sneak in extra produce servings too-baby carrots, apple slices, dried fruit or vegetable soup are all great options.

3. Choose whole grains

Pick whole grains over refined grains, at least 50 percent of the time. Whole grains like brown rice and bulgur have their bran intact and thus have more fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and other nutrients. Try quinoa, whole wheat pasta, oats, farro and barley as side dishes, on top of salads and in soups.

4. Mix up your protein

Meat is a great source of protein but it’s often served in really large portions. A serving of protein is 3 ounces cooked or 4 ounces raw, about the size of a deck of cards. So eat smaller amounts of meat, fish and poultry. Fill up the rest of your plate with healthy vegetables and whole grains. And it doesn’t have to be meat. There are plenty of vegetarian proteins and vegan protein-rich foods that are a great way to add more plant protein to your diet.

5. Cook with global flavors

Some of the healthiest diets-think Mediterranean diet or traditional Japanese or Chinese cuisine-are rich in vegetables and grains and skip packaged processed foods. Using spices, like curry powder, and herbs, like basil, help flavor your food without adding salt. Plus, eating meals like Thai curries and Greek salads are not only good for you, they’re delicious (and not that hard to make at home!).

6. Keep portions reasonable

Even healthy foods, when heaped onto your plate, can be too much of a good thing. We’re not saying you need to measure out every bite you put in your mouth (that would get old really fast) but having an idea of healthy portions before you plate your meal can help you from eating more than you intended. Get 10 Simple Ways to Control Portion Sizes.

7. Add healthy fats

Fat is not bad. Even though new research has dispelled the myth that low-fat diets are the healthiest, people still believe that fat is bad for you. Fat is very filling (so if you eat less of it you may not be satisfied after your meals). It also helps you absorb nutrients-namely vitamins A,D,E and K. And, it tastes good! Choose unsaturated (e.g., olive oil, avocados, nuts) over saturated fats, such as butter, more often.

8. Limit added sugar and salt

Most of us eat more than the recommended amount of added sugars and sodium every day. Eating too much of either, over time, can put you at risk for health conditions like high blood pressure or heart disease.

Aim for less than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day if you’re a woman, and less than 9 teaspoons if you’re a man. That includes white sugar, brown sugar, honey and maple syrup. Check ingredient labels on products and use sweeteners sparingly when you cook.

As for salt, it’s recommended we eat no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (for some people, like those with heart disease or kidney disease, it’s even less). Here’s where cooking can really help you. Sodium is found mostly in processed foods (see the top 10 high-sodium foods in our diets) so the more you cook at home, the easier it is to eat less. Cook with fresh whole foods as much as possible, and use herbs, spices and vinegar to add flavor without adding sodium.

9. Enjoy treats!

Yes, you read that right-treat yourself. Just because you’re eating healthier and cooking healthier doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy what you eat and that includes dessert. Depriving yourself can backfire, because when foods off limits it’s much more desirable. Go ahead and eat chocolate after dinner or a cookie as a snack. Try not to eat desserts just because they’re there (think-donuts in a break room) but rather because you really want it. Dark chocolate is good for you, but if you don’t like it, there are plenty of other ways to tasty ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Be mindful of portions here because while treats are tasty, they won’t be adding lots of nutrients to your diet.

10. Be mindful and enjoy

Mindful eating can feel overwhelming if you’re used to eating on the run. But being more mindful doesn’t mean you need to sit down and savor every bite slowly. While sometimes that’s ideal, mindful eating in real life may just be about making more conscious food decisions about what you’re going to eat. For the most part try to choose delicious foods and savor them. Enjoying what you eat is crucial to feeling satisfied and decreasing stress about your diet.

You’re on a conference call and somehow wandered into the kitchen. Next thing you know you’re eating crackers and dry cereal out of the box. Or maybe you got so caught up in a project that you suddenly realize you haven’t eaten a thing all day. Or perhaps the “I’ll just have a handful of chips as I work” mentality turned into accidently eating the entire bag.

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Keeping your nutrition in check can be tough when your home is your office. You feel comfortable and there’s plenty of food available. And unlike in the office, you’re free to graze all day and the fridge is all yours. But this habit can wreak havoc on your waistline, sabotage weight loss and halt your productivity.

Registered dietitian Anna Taylor, MS, RD, LD, CDCES discusses strategies and hacks for eating healthy while working from home.

1. Don’t work in (or near) the kitchen. Try to set up your desk in an area that’s not near the kitchen. You might be tempted to wander over and check the fridge (for the tenth time) if it’s constantly in your line of vision. Decide that the only time you’ll be in your kitchen during the workday is when you’re getting ready to have a planned snack or meal. (More on that below!) If this is hard to follow, hang a sign on your fridge and pantry to remind you that the kitchen is closed until the next scheduled meal or snack.
2. Plan your snack and meal times. Just as you schedule and plan out the rest of your day (get up, workout, shower), establish when throughout the day you’re going to eat. If you know you like to eat lunch around noon, plan for that. And if you like to have a snack in the late afternoon, plan for that as well. Treat food like you would in the office. You can’t be grazing all day long when you’re there – so act the same way at home.
3. Make sure you actually eat. Once you hit the ground running, err, working, it can be hard to take a break to actually eat. But it’s important to know your hunger signs and realize that not eating can affect your alertness and productivity. Plus, eating throughout the day can save you from being a big hangry mess once 5 o’clock rolls around. If needed, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and eat something.
4. Meal prep your lunches. There’s something freeing about being able to whip up whatever you want to eat for lunch (and not having to stand in line for the work microwave is a huge bonus). But for some people, the freedom is too much, especially when it comes to weekday lunches. If you can, try to meal prep your lunches ahead of time, just like you would on days you physically go to work. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy either. A bag of lettuce, precut veggies, grilled chicken and nuts is a simple form of meal prep that takes out all the guess work. Or maybe you’ve decided that you’re going to make a veggie omelet every day for lunch. Precut the vegetables ahead of time so you can quickly cook up a healthy and delicious lunch.
5. Focus on real food.Balanced, nutritious food makes us more productive. It keeps us fuller longer and helps us focus. Understand that what you eat will impact your mood and energy level. Think about this the next time you’re feeling hungry and just want to grab a handful of chocolate from the pantry. Focus on protein, fiber, healthy fats, fruits and veggies. Planning a menu ahead of time will make it easier to avoid noshing on whatever looks tastiest and quickest in the moment.
6. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can lead to headaches and fatigue, which are both not good for your productivity. Just as you’d fill up a water bottle at the office to keep at your desk, keep water next to your work station at home too. If you have water readily available, chances are you’re more likely to drink it, helping you reach your goal of at least 64 ounces per day. (And PLEASE stay away from sugar-loaded soda and juice, both of which can cause you to crash later.)
7. Be careful of too much caffeine. Having access to endless cups of coffee might seem like a great idea, but tread carefully when it comes to caffeine. Too much is known to cause headaches, anxiety, digestive issues and even fatigue – none of which are ever good, but particularly not good when you’re trying to work. Aim for no more than two cups of coffee per day to avoid the jittery feeling and avoid flavored creamers and other high calorie add-ins!
8. Don’t buy junk food. Don’t stock your fridge or pantry like a vending machine. This can lead to eating just because you can! Try you best to keep junk food out of your house, especially foods you know can trigger a binge for you. Out of sight, out of mind.
9. When you eat, just eat. You might be tempted to continue working through your lunch break now that your co-workers aren’t physically there. Bu don’t do it! Being distracted during a meal can lead to over-eating and decreased satiety (satisfaction and fullness) from the meal. Instead, take a break from work to sit down at a table to enjoy your lunch and relax for a few minutes. You’ll enjoy the meal more, and it may even help you feel more prepared for the rest of your work day.
10. Portion out snacks and meals before eating. Never eat out of the bag or original container, as it’s much harder to control portions that way. Check the serving size on the container if you need extra guidance. For meals, try the healthy plate method: Fill half a 9-inch plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth the plate with a lean protein (poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, tofu, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt) and one-fourth the plate with a high fiber carbohydrate (fruit, whole grains or starchy vegetables).

10 Tips: Eating Foods Away from Home

Restaurants, convenience and grocery stores, or fast-food places offer a variety of options when eating out. But larger portions can make it easy to eat or drink too many calories. Larger helpings can also increase your intake of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Think about ways to make healthier choices when eating food away from home.

Consider your drink
Choose water, fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, and other drinks without added sugars to complement your meal.

Savor a salad
Start your meal with a salad packed with vegetables to help you feel satisfied sooner. Ask for dressing on the side and use a small amount of it.

Share a main dish
Divide a main entree between family and friends. Ask for small plates for everyone at the table.

Select from the sides
Order a side dish or an appetizer-sized portion instead of a regular entree. They’re usually served on smaller plates and in smaller amounts.

Pack your snack
Pack fruit, sliced vegetables, low-fat string cheese, or unsalted nuts to eat during road trips or long commutes. No need to stop for other food when these snacks are ready-to-eat.

Fill your plate with vegetables and fruit
Stir-fries, kabobs, or vegetarian menu items usually have more vegetables. Select fruits as a side dish or dessert.

Compare the calories, fat, and sodium
Many menus now include nutrition information. Look for items that are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. Check with your server if you don’t see them on the menu. For more information, check the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) website.

Pass on the buffet
Have an item from the menu and avoid the “all-you-can-eat” buffet. Steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes have fewer calories than foods that are fried in oil or cooked in butter.

Get your whole grains
Request 100% whole-wheat breads, rolls, and pasta when choosing sandwiches, burgers, or main dishes.

Quit the “clean your plate” club
Decide to save some for another meal. Take leftovers home in a container and chill in the refrigerator right away.

You can eat away from home without sabotaging your weight-loss plan. You just need to be menu-savvy about making decisions.

When ordering food at a restaurant, do you know which items may be loaded with fat and calories? Unlike when you’re grocery shopping, the foods in a restaurant may not have nutrition labels listing their fat grams and calorie content.

Hidden calories refer to the extra calories in many dishes that come from ingredients you may be unaware of. That’s why they’re such a problem for people grappling with weight control. Ingredients are often added to enhance the flavor, color or texture of food — for example, seasonings, sauces, cheesy toppings or dressings. And sometimes they’re part of the process used to prepare the dish — for example, oil or butter for cooking. These calories add up fast.

Use these tips to steer clear of hidden fat and calories in restaurant food.

• Appetizers. If you’re having an appetizer, choose one that contains primarily vegetables, fruit or fish. Lettuce cups, edamame, fresh-fruit compote and shrimp cocktail served with lemon are healthy appetizers. Avoid fried or breaded appetizers, which are generally high in calories. Of course, you can also save calories by skipping the appetizer altogether and just focusing on your entree.
• Soup. The best choices are broth-based or tomato-based soups. Creamed soups, chowders and pureed soups can contain heavy cream or egg yolks.
• Bread. Muffins, garlic toast and croissants have more fat and calories than do whole-grain bread, breadsticks and crackers. Skip the temptation by asking the server not to bring the bread basket.
• Salad. Your best choice is a lettuce or spinach salad with a low-fat dressing on the side. Limit all of the high-calorie add-ons, such as cheese and croutons. Also beware that chef salad and taco salad are usually high in fat and calories because of the meat, cheese and other extras — such as the taco salad’s deep-fried shell.
• Side dish. Choose steamed vegetables, rice, fresh fruits, a baked potato or boiled new potatoes instead of higher-calorie options, such as french fries, potato chips and mayonnaise-based salads.
• Entrees. You may want to skip pasta dishes with meat or cheese or dishes with creamy sauces. The names of certain dishes are sometimes giveaways that they’re high in fat, such as prime rib, veal parmigiana, stuffed shrimp, fried chicken, fried rice and fettuccine Alfredo. Instead, look for these healthy terms when choosing an entree: baked, broiled without added butter, grilled, poached, roasted or steamed.
• Dessert. Finish your main meal before ordering dessert. By the time you’re done, you may not even want dessert. If you do order dessert, consider splitting it with one of your companions. Some healthy dessert options include fresh fruit, sorbet or sherbet.

Also, be mindful of two common dining-out challenges: the urge to order more food than you need and the impulse to eat every bit of food on your plate — even when the portion size is way too large for one person!

Eating healthy can be hard when you are living on your own and cooking for one. You start with the best intentions, but then Friday rolls around and you still have a gallon of that salad you made Monday sitting in the fridge. Groceries add up fast and throwing out food is a real bummer. I totally get it.

But before you reach for that phone to order Chinese takeout, hear this: Eating healthy when you are cooking for one is challenging but totally doable. In fact, it actually has some perks. Here are 10 practical tips on how to eat healthy when you are living alone and cooking for one.

1. Meal plan and prep ahead.

Meal planning is essential to stay organized and committed to eating well. It also saves you a ton of time and money. Try making a rough meal plan for two weeks. That way you can freeze some of the stuff you make this week and eat it next week. This makes it less likely you’ll waste food and helps you avoid eating the same thing every day. Prep what you can in advance on the weekend to make your week much easier.

2. Make the entire process fun.

When you make cooking and eating healthy fun, it becomes a whole lot easier. Turn on music, sip on a glass of wine, or listen to your favorite podcast while you plan, prep and cook. Look at your time in the kitchen as a way to relax, unwind, and live in the present moment.

3. Become besties with your freezer.

Think ahead. Freeze leftover vegetables and fruit if you know you won’t be able to eat them before they go bad. This will save you a ton of money in the long run! Keep your freezer organized with stackable glass containers so you always know what you have on hand. Here are some great ingredients to keep in your freezer for last minute meals.

4. Fall in love with soup.

Soup is affordable, easy, and can pack a ton of nutrients. It’s also the perfect meal to keep in your freezer—it can be thawed relatively quickly and is very versatile! You can always add in extra broth, veggies, or quinoa to take it up a notch. Tip: Freeze soup in individual portions so you can thaw out only what you need. This creamy Butternut Squash Soup freezes beautifully!

5. Frozen fruit is the best thing ever.

It’s true for several reasons. Depending on where you live, fresh berries can be ridiculously expensive. You get more bang for your buck with frozen berries and don’t have to worry about them going bad within a few days. Frozen berries, grapes, and sweet cherries are great in smoothies and make a terrific snack for when you crave something sweet. And don’t throw out those bananas that are starting to brown! Peel, chop, and freeze. They will come in handy down the road when you are making breakfasts and snacks like this ridiculously delicious Blueberry Banana Bread.

6. Be smart about grocery shopping.

As we already mentioned, meal planning is the best way to save money when grocery shopping. When you have a plan, you are only buying what you need instead of going into the store and throwing anything and everything into your cart. When shopping for one, buy smaller portions. For example, if you are buying salsa, get the smallest jar possible so nothing goes to waste. If you are meal planning for two weeks at a time, do a bigger grocery shop the first week and the second week fill in the gaps with things like fruits and vegetables that need to be purchased fresh.

7. Buy single-serving treats.

I don’t know about you, but when I buy a large bag of chips, I eat the whole bag. That’s why it’s so important to get single-serving treats. Enjoy, savor, and avoid binging on the leftovers.

8. Recruit friends who also value healthy eating.

Do you know someone who is also trying to eat healthier? Maybe a friend or a colleague? Team up and take turns making meals and sharing them. It will cut your cooking in half, make meals exciting, and is a great relationship builder. Win, win, win!

9. Don’t be afraid to cut a recipe in half.

If a recipe makes six servings and that is way too much for you, cut all the ingredients in half. While this doesn’t always work out, when it does it is super awesome. Use leftover ingredients for snacks. If a recipe calls for half a green bell pepper, slice up the other half, throw it in a baggie and pack a side of hummus for a snack tomorrow.

10. Organization is key.

Last but not least, keep everything in your pantry, fridge, and freezer organized. Who needs to drop another $10 on a bag of chia seeds when you have half a bag buried in your pantry? Not this girl. We recommend using glass containers like mason jars and stackable containers to clearly see what you have. Storing things in glass jars not only helps you stay organized but also preserves the freshness of your food.

You start with the best intentions: You bookmark healthy recipes, pick up kale and quinoa at the grocery store and buy a pressure cooker. But then something happens. You get slammed with a huge work project, you find yourself taking care of sick kids (or parents), or you spend all day running errands. Whatever the reason, life often leaves us no time (or energy!) to prepare meals. So you swing by the drive-thru or phone for a pizza, which leaves you feeling bloated and discouraged about ever eating healthy again.

You’re right to be concerned. “A diet that’s high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar can lead to obesity , elevated blood cholesterol levels and high blood pressure — all of which are risk factors for heart disease,” says Isatu Isuk, R.D., L.D.N., a dietitian at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. But there are ways you can whip up wholesome meals at home without investing tons of time planning meals or grocery shopping. You can also eat healthier when you’re on the go. Isuk recommends these strategies to help you stay on track even when you’re feeling frazzled.

Healthy Restaurant Options

Many restaurants now offer lighter fare on their menus, often with calorie counts. Take a quick look at restaurant menus online to see which ones provide the best options before you head out. Then consider these tips when ordering:

• Eat a small salad or broth-based soup first. It’s a nutritious and filling start to your meal that will help you consume fewer calories overall.
• Choose veggie-based entrees or those with baked, broiled or grilled fish or skinless chicken.
• Look for meals that aren’t greasy or oily. For example, instead of ordering cheese-covered chicken enchiladas, get the grilled chicken or fish tacos. Choose food items without creamy sauces or gravies.
• Ask to substitute veggies or salad for fattening sides such as fries, coleslaw or butter-laden mashed potatoes.
• Portions served at restaurants can be too big. See if smaller portions are available. Restaurants often offer “half” salads or sandwiches upon request. If not, ask for a doggie bag and be prepared to take home one-third to half of the meal.
• If you crave dessert, opt for fresh fruit or sorbet.

Better Fast-Food Choices

Eating fast food doesn’t mean you have to down a fatty cheeseburger and salty fries. These days, there are a variety of menu options where you can find healthier picks. Many fast-food restaurants also have their menus, with calorie counts, online.

Smart picks for a quick and easy meal are places where you have more control over what goes into your order. At a sandwich shop, it’s easy to make healthy adjustments such as no mayo, extra veggies and whole wheat bread. (Plus, they also often have salads and soups.) Ethnic eateries that offer build-your-own bowls, vegetarian options or grilled meat and vegetable plates are good bets, too.

But if you’re passing through a traditional drive-thru, keep these tips in mind:

• Avoid fried food (e.g., french fries, onion rings, chicken strips and nuggets).
• A grilled skinless chicken breast sandwich is lower in saturated fat than a burger.
• Order the smallest sizes — don’t “supersize” anything. Ordering the kid’s menu version of your favorite fast food can give you the taste you crave with far fewer calories.
• Skip calorie-heavy sides and toppings.
• Bypass sugary drinks in favor of water, unsweetened tea, or fat-free or low-fat milk.

Convenient Home-Cooked Meal Kits

If the time it takes to gather recipes, plan what you’re going to eat for a week and grocery shop is what’s holding you back from eating healthy meals at home, there’s an easy solution: meal subscription boxes.

There are more than 100 different companies that box up multiple meals’ worth of groceries and deliver them to your house each week. Sure, the cost is more than if you did the meal planning and shopping yourself, but many find the convenience worth it. When your meal box is delivered, you can just throw the premeasured ingredients together and follow the cooking instructions to get portion-controlled, tasty dinners on the table in minutes. You get to choose from a constantly rotating list of recipes. Many companies offer low-carb, low-calorie, gluten-free or vegetarian options as well. And you avoid buying ingredients that go unused and sit in the fridge.

“Whether you’re dining out or eating in, it’s important to think about a balanced diet,” says Isuk. “That means making sure you’re getting a good mix of lean protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy low-fat dairy.”

With such a wide range of convenient meal options available — and the information you need to make smart, heart-healthy choices — you can feel good about what you eat even when life gets busy.

A healthful diet includes a variety of fruits and vegetables of many colors, whole grains and starches, good fats, and lean proteins.

Eating healthfully also means avoiding foods with high amounts of added salt and sugar.

In this article, we look at the top 10 benefits of a healthful diet, as well as the evidence behind them.

Share on Pinterest There are many benefits to eating healthfully.

Losing weight can help to reduce the risk of chronic conditions. If a person is overweight or obese, they have a higher risk of developing several conditions, including:

• heart disease
• non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
• poor bone density
• some cancers

Whole vegetables and fruits are lower in calories than most processed foods. A person looking to lose weight should reduce their calorie intake to no more than what they require each day.

Determining an individual’s calorie requirements is easy using dietary guidelines published by the United States government.

Maintaining a healthful diet free from processed foods can help a person to stay within their daily limit without having to count calories.

Fiber is one element of a healthful diet that is particularly important for managing weight. Plant-based foods contain plenty of dietary fiber, which helps to regulate hunger by making people feel fuller for longer.

In 2018, researchers found that a diet rich in fiber and lean proteins resulted in weight loss without the need for counting calories.

An unhealthful diet can lead to obesity, which may increase a person’s risk of developing cancer. Weighing within a healthful range may reduce this risk.

Also, in 2014, the American Society of Clinical Oncology reported that obesity contributed to a worse outlook for people with cancer.

However, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may help to protect against cancer.

In a separate study from 2014, researchers found that a diet rich in fruits reduced the risk of cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract. They also found that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and fiber lowered the risk of colorectal cancer and that a diet rich in fiber reduced the risk of liver cancer.

Many phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes act as antioxidants, which protect cells from damage that can cause cancer. Some of these antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Trials in humans have been inconclusive, but results of laboratory and animal studies have linked certain antioxidants to a reduced incidence of free radical damage associated with cancer.

Eating a healthful diet can help a person with diabetes to:

• lose weight, if required
• manage blood glucose levels
• keep blood pressure and cholesterol within target ranges
• prevent or delay complications of diabetes

It is essential for people with diabetes to limit their intake of foods with added sugar and salt. It is also best to avoid fried foods high in saturated and trans fats.

According to figures published in 2017, as many as 92.1 million people in the U.S. have at least one type of cardiovascular disease. These conditions primarily involve the heart or blood vessels.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, up to 80 percent of cases of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented by making lifestyle changes, such as increasing levels of physical activity and eating healthfully.

There is some evidence that vitamin E may prevent blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks. The following foods contain high levels of vitamin E:

• almonds
• peanuts
• hazelnuts
• sunflower seeds
• green vegetables

The medical community has long recognized the link between trans fats and heart-related illnesses, such as coronary heart disease.

If a person eliminates trans fats from the diet, this will reduce their levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This type of cholesterol causes plaque to collect within the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Reducing blood pressure can also be essential for heart health, and limiting salt intake to 1,500 milligrams a day can help.

Salt is added to many processed and fast foods, and a person hoping to lower their blood pressure should avoid these.

Kids learn better eating habits when schools provide healthy foods. Find out what you can do to promote nutritious foods at your school.

Ensure Families Get Information About School Meal Programs

Schools play an important role in shaping lifelong healthy eating habits by offering nutritious meals through federal child nutrition programs external icon . School meals include milk, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, and they provide key nutrients like calcium and fiber. As students return to school in person or do virtual learning from home, schools may be using a variety of methods to ensure students have access to nutritious meals.

Some students may eat meals in their classroom, while students learning from home may pick up grab-and-go meals from the school or other community sites. It’s important for schools to communicate with families about the benefits of school meals and different meal options during in-person and virtual instruction. Families can find more information about where to pick up meals for students on the Find Meals for Kids When Schools are Closed web page. external icon

Encourage Students to Start Their Day With School Breakfast

Healthy students are better learners. Research shows that eating habits pdf icon [PDF – 480 KB] and healthy behaviors are connected to academic achievement. Student participation in the School Breakfast Program is associated with better grades and standardized test scores, reduced absences, and improved memory.

Give Students Enough Time to Eat School Lunch

When school meals are served in the cafeteria or classrooms, it’s important for students to have enough time to eat, socialize, and enjoy their meal. Schools should ensure that students have at least 10 minutes, once they are seated (seat time) for breakfast and at least 20 minutes for lunch. Having enough seat time is linked to more consumption of fruit, vegetables, lunch entrées, and milk, and less waste. 1-3

Promote Healthy Eating Throughout the School Day

Schools can use the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) approach to promote federal school meal programs and nutritious snacks outside of school meal programs. Parents can take part in promoting healthy eating in school by asking that healthy foods and beverages are available at school events, celebrations, and fundraisers. CDC’s Parents for Healthy Schools offers more ideas on how to get involved and advocate for your child’s health and well-being.

Make Nutrition Education Part of Instruction

Nutrition education is part of a well-rounded health education curriculum but can also be included in other classes. For example, students could:

• Count with pictures of fruits and vegetables.
• Learn fractions by measuring ingredients for a recipe.
• Grow vegetables at school.
• Learn about cultural food traditions.