I Will…Eat Healthy Foods
Choose snacks that are nutritious and filling.
A piece of fresh fruit, cut raw vegetables or low-fat yogurt are excellent (and portable) choices to tide you over until mealtimes. Take these snacks with you for a healthy alternative to chips, cookies or candy.1
Eat foods that are high in fiber to help you feel full.
Whole grain cereals, legumes (lentils and beans), vegetables and fruits are good sources of fiber that may help you feel full with fewer calories.1
Watch your portions at home and in restaurants.
Portion sizes at restaurants (including fast food) are usually more than one serving, which can result in overeating. Choose smaller portion sizes, order an appetizer and a leafy green salad with low-fat dressing, share an entree with a friend, or get a "doggy bag" and save half for another meal.1
Use a scale and measuring cup to determine portions.
Read food labels to identify serving sizes. One “bowl” of cereal may actually be two ¾-cup servings. A small frozen pizza may contain up to three servings (check the nutrition information label).1
Go lean with protein.
The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts. The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin and ham. Choose ground beef that is at least “90% lean.” Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.2
Vary your veggies.
Buy fresh vegetables in season. They cost less and are likely to be at their peak flavor. Plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir-fry or soup. Then add other foods to complement it. Grill vegetable kabobs as part of a barbecue meal. Include a green salad with your dinner every night.2
Incorporate more fruits into your diet.
Try low-fat yogurt or pudding as a dip for fruits like strawberries or melons. Try meat dishes that incorporate fruit, such as chicken with apricots or mango chutney. At breakfast, top your cereal with bananas or peaches; add blueberries to pancakes; drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice.2
Balance your food choices over time.
Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.3
Know your diet pitfalls.
To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.3
Make changes gradually.
Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.3
Eat regular meals.
Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.3
Medtronic Foundation Sponsors Raising Healthy Kids Free Publication
Raising Healthy Kids, a free 16-page publication, is part of the Medtronic Foundation’s intentional and targeted effort to encourage life-long healthy habits in children. Research tells us that children with good eating and exercise habits grow up to have fewer health problems and even do better in school. Raising Healthy Kids outlines helpful tips that can get families on the path to good health.
Download a copy of Raising Healthy Kids.
Translations
Raising Healthy Kids is available in a four-page translated version for parents whose first language is not English. You will need Acrobat Reader to view these documents. These translated versions of Raising Healthy Kids may be photocopied as needed.
1Source: Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2Source: United States Department of Agriculture
3Source: American Dietetic Association
