25 Simple Ways to Eat Better

fresh produce

Committing to eat better in the New Year doesn’t have to mean a dramatic overhaul of your diet or eliminating entire food groups. Making little tweaks here and there can make a big impact over the long haul without making you feel deprived and craving the drive-thru. It’s a process. Several years ago I gave up soda. Lately, I’ve been aiming to boost vegetables in my breakfast. In essence, it’s about small changes over time. So, in keeping with that approach, here are 25 ideas to boost nutrients, cut empty or excess calories, eat more sustainably, or all of the above.

So go ahead. Pick one. Any one. Or come up with your own. And if you do, please share.

  1. Add vegetables to breakfast. Whirl spinach into smoothies, scramble eggs with leftover veggies, or pile half a bagel with avocado, tomato, cucumber, or carrots.
  2. Opt out of high calorie coffee drinks. Consider the difference between a Starbucks large white chocolate mocha at 640 calories and 18 grams of saturated fat and a small cappuccino with low-fat milk at just 90 calories and 1.5 grams of saturated fat. This is an extreme example, but you get the idea.
  3. Swap your snacks. Rely on nutrient-rich whole foods instead of processed ones. A bag of potato chips and a small handful of nuts may have the same calories, but the latter will nourish and fill you up in the way chips will not.
  4.  When it comes to sweets, keep portions petite. A small amount can really satisfy such as an ounce of dark chocolate, a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt with berries, or a miniature cupcake.
  5. Split meals out with a table mate or take home half for the next day. Calories in restaurant meals are often way out of scale with healthy eating. Consider, for example, that the shrimp pasta at the Cheesecake Factory tops 3000 calories. Yikes.
  6.  Skip or scale back sodas and sugary drinks. You may be surprised to know how much sugar gets added to iced tea, juices, and sports drinks. Go for good ole H2O, bubbly water with a splash of juice, fruity spa water, or hot and cold tea instead.
  7. Look for leaner cuts of meat. The meat you buy can have a significant impact on fat and calories. Choose sirloin over rib eye and you’ll save nearly 100 calories and about 15 grams of fat in just four ounces.
  8. Close the kitchen after dinner to avoid  late night snacking.
  9. Belly up to the bar a little less. The calories in beer, wine, and spirits can add up quickly.
  10. Pack a lunch instead of buying one. Homemade lunches tend to be cheaper and you get to control what’s in there.
  11.  When you eat out, ask for a veggie or fruit side so you get plenty of produce even when dining out.
  12. Opt for less quantity, but more quality when it comes to buying poultry and meat. Organic, pastured chicken and grass fed beef, for example, are pricey but better for you, better for the environment, and nicer to beast on your plate!
  13. Expand your fruit and vegetable repertoire. A colorful variety of fruits and veggies is key for maximum vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Get inspired by going to farmer’s market or signing up for a CSA. Sunchokes anyone?
  14.  Add in foods high in Omega-3s such as walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, salmon, and sardines. Most of us aren’t getting enough of these healthy fats.
  15.  Cook more often; eat out less, you’ll probably eat lighter and eat better.
  16.  Experiment with whole grain flours in baking. Whole wheat white flour and whole wheat pastry flour tend to do quite well in many desserts, pancakes, quickbreads, and the like.
  17. Explore more with beans and legumes.  They’re cheap, nourishing, delicious, with a huge variety of options from red lentils to chickpeas to pinto beans.
  18. Aim to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies, round out the rest with protein foods and grains.
  19.  Switch your peanut butter. If you’re buying peanut butter with added sugar and partially-hydrogenated or hydrogenated fats, choose one with little more than peanuts and salt. One day, I promise, Skippy will start to taste like dessert.
  20. Honor your hunger meter.  Eat when you’re hungry. Stop eating when you’ve had your fill.
  21. Swap out processed grains for whole grains: brown rice, whole-grain bread, whole wheat tortillas, farro, quinoa, and so on.
  22. Aim for five or fewer ingredients in packaged foods. Read labels and shy away from processed foods with a laundry list of ingredients.
  23. Work more veggies into soups, stews, sauces and casseroles. Chopped onions, garlic, leafy greens, carrots, mushrooms, and other veggies can be added quite seemlessly into so many dishes you already cook.
  24. Get smart on seafood by learning which species are sustainable and low in environmental pollutants and which are best avoided. Seafood Watch is a good place to start.
  25. Give whole grain pasta a try. It may take a while to find one that your family loves, but over time kids (and you) can really develop a taste for it.

25 simple ways to eat better

Comments

03.27.2013 at5:56 AM #

Anne Mullen

For keeping sweet portions small, I store a bag of Ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate chips in the freezer. When I need a hit, I pour a few in my hand, put the bag back, and leave the kitchen munching. It even works… most of the time.

03.27.2013 at5:56 AM #

Katie Morford

So nice to here from you Anne. Good tip on the chocolate chips.

03.27.2013 at8:03 AM #

Hari Chandana

Very useful post.. thanks for sharing dear !!

03.27.2013 at8:42 AM #

Cat

We LOVE our smoothies any time of day, but morning is great. My son will NOT eat veggies, but he loves his smoothies (with carrots and spinach swirrled in). Great Ideas – thanks!

03.27.2013 at8:42 AM #

Katie Morford

That’s terrific. What form of carrots do you use? Raw carrots, carrot juice, puree?

03.27.2013 at9:43 AM #

Robin

I choose them all. Especially vegetables with breakfast. I enjoy eating some of last night’s veggies with my morning meal. So I always make extra at dinner time.

03.27.2013 at9:43 AM #

Katie Morford

Smart of you to plan ahead by making extra at dinner. I’m taking a page from you!

03.27.2013 at10:18 AM #

Leslie

When I’m going out to dinner, I look at the menu online first. I decide in advance, making healthy choices, so I’m not swept away by fattening options once I’m there. (I do, however, always order dessert!)

03.27.2013 at10:18 AM #

Katie Morford

A little forethought can go a long way Leslie…and nice to make some room for dessert.

04.03.2013 at1:01 PM #

Mary Frances

I am trying to work more vegetables into our food plan, and have started making a vegetable cream cheese spread (with softened light cream cheese, and grated carrots, finely chopped red/yellow/orange peppers, finely chopped green onions or chives and some freshly ground black pepper). I try to cram as many of the vegetables as I can into a brick of cream cheese (basically, the cream cheese just acts as the “glue” to hold all the vegetables together and makes them spreadable on toast or a bagel (cut into thirds). I keep the spread in the front of the fridge so that the kids can use it for after school snacks as well as breakfast!

04.03.2013 at1:01 PM #

Katie Morford

Thank you…and great idea for a homemade veggie cream cheese spread. Sounds delicious.

04.03.2013 at1:03 PM #

Mary Frances

I just realized that I forgot to compliment you on a fantastic list … I’ve printed it out and I’m posting it on our fridge! Thanks for the great website.

04.09.2013 at4:54 PM #

aida mollenkamp

These are great pointers, Katie.Thanks!

04.09.2013 at4:54 PM #

Katie Morford

Aw thanks Miss Aida!

07.25.2013 at6:28 PM #

cara langsing

I am actually thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic
paragraph at here.

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08.07.2013 at11:49 AM #

Pavan Sanghera

Great tips

01.15.2018 at7:58 AM #

Linda

Love this, thank you! I practice lots of these but some great additional ideas! My biggest struggle are my 15 and 12 year old sons.

01.15.2018 at7:58 AM #

Katie Morford

I know the kids do not always fall in with our best intentions, but your role modeling is so important!

01.15.2018 at11:57 AM #

Catherine McCord

These are such amazing tips! Thanks for the inspiration!

01.15.2018 at11:57 AM #

Katie Morford

Aw, thank you, Catherine. You inspire me all the time, so happy to send some your way!

01.15.2018 at1:19 PM #

Marcia Smart

Love this post, Katie! Real life tips!

01.15.2018 at1:19 PM #

Katie Morford

Thanks Marcia.

01.15.2018 at10:41 PM #

Wanda

I’m not a huge fan of whole wheat pasta but we always use a certain brand that has some lentils and garbanzo beans in it, which is higher in fiber and protein than regular pasta. The whole family loves it and actually prefers it to conventional pasta.

01.15.2018 at10:41 PM #

Katie Morford

I am guessing you are talking about the Banza brand or is it another one?

01.18.2018 at2:32 PM #

Joanna

Thanx for sharing some good tips & recipes, I did not know rib eye was so many more calories than Sirloin. Good tip with the choc chips. Frozen grapes are a good snack too

02.02.2020 at8:41 AM #

Manella

Thank you so very much for all the help and advice. I like the Catelli Harvest Blend.
It has a bit of a nutty taste but holds it’s shape. I printed out the list and it is going to be taped to the inside of my cupboard

02.02.2020 at8:41 AM #

Katie Morford

Terrific! It’s always great to have reminders in front of you.

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