10 Tips for Better Food Choices

By Jane Farrell

Make yourself a priority and take time to care for yourself. Here, ChooseMyPlate.gov, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helps you choose the types and amounts of food and beverages you need.

Find out what you need

Get personalized nutrition information based on your age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity level. SuperTracker provides your calorie level, shows foods and beverages you need, and tracks progress toward your goals. Learn more here.

Enjoy your food but eat less

Use a smaller plate at meals to help control the amount of food and calories you eat. Take time to enjoy smaller amounts of food.

Strengthen your bones

Choose foods like fat-free and low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and fortified soymilk to help strengthen bones. Be sure your morning coffee includes fat-free or low-fat milk.

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes. Choose red, orange, or dark-green vegetables like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for meals.

 Drink water

Sip water or other drinks with few or no calories to help maintain a healthy weight. Keep a water bottle in your bag or at your desk to satisfy your thirst throughout the day.

Eat whole grains more often

Choose whole grains like brown rice and whole-grain pastas and breads more often. Foods with a high-fiber content can help give you a feeling of fullness and also provide key nutrients.

Learn what is in foods

Use both ingredient and Nutrition Facts labels to discover what various foods contain. SuperTracker’s Food-A-Pedia makes it easy to compare nutrition information for more than 8,000 foods. Click here to learn more.

Cut back on some foods

Cut calories by cutting out foods high in solid fats and added sugar. Limit fatty meats like ribs, bacon, and hot dogs. Choose cakes, cookies, candies, and ice cream as just occasional treats. 

Be a better cook

Try out healthier recipes that use less solid fat, salt, and sugar. Eat at home more often so you can control what you are eating. If you eat out, check and compare nutrition information. Choose healthier options such as baked chicken instead of fried chicken.

Be active whenever you can

Set a goal to fit in at least 2½ hours of moderate physical activity in your week. Being active 10 minutes at a time also adds to your weekly total. Ask your friends or family to keep you company as you bike, jog, walk, or dance. Don’t forget to do some muscle strengthening activities twice a week.

For more information on nutrition, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.