Mix Up Your Meals for National Nutrition Month
Think about your digital music player or CD collection. Do you have just a few artists and styles you listen to over and over, or do you enjoy classical, pop, jazz, country, and rock, with something completely new tossed in every now and then? When it comes to meals, many of us are like music lovers in the first scenario—we have a standard repertoire of foods we eat because they’re convenient and we know we like them.
But if you want optimal nutrition, variety is key. No one food or combination of foods can give you all of the nutrients you need, so make sure to eat from each of the major food groups every day. Check out www.mypyramid.gov for a breakdown of the food groups and how many daily servings you should aim for of each.
Next, try to eat as many different kinds of foods as you can within the basic groups. To help and inspire you, we've created a healthy-foods version of the "If you usually listen to… then you might like…" feature that you see in your favorite music stores. Have fun exploring, expanding your repertoire, and boosting your nutrition while you enjoy a symphony of new flavors.
| If You Usually Eat… | Try... | Creative Ways to Enjoy It… |
|---|---|---|
| Green vegetables such as string beans |
Color! Bright-hued veggies contain health-promoting phytochemicals. Try:
For green veggies that are fun to eat, try artichokes (peel the leaves, and scrape off the meat with your teeth) and edamame (shell them like peas, and pop 'em in your mouth). |
Top Healthy Choice® Café Selections Pizzas with extra chopped vegetables. Add crunchy veggies to potato salad and hot or cold pasta dishes. Shred zucchini or carrots into meat loaf and casseroles. Enjoy Healthy Choice meals such as Chicken Broccoli Alfredo and Lasagna Bake. Sip your veggies in soups such as Healthy Choice Country Vegetable or Fiesta Chicken. |
| Whole-wheat bread |
Other bread flavors such as rye—just look for the word "whole" on the package and in the ingredients list. Other whole-grain options, such as oatmeal, brown rice, wild rice, and popcorn. |
Use Healthy Choice Hearty 7 Grain bread when the recipe calls for bread crumbs, or substitute rolled oats or crushed bran cereal. Enjoy rice in many Healthy Choice products, from our Roast Turkey Breast meal to our Chicken with Rice soup. |
| Beef, pork, or chicken |
Seafood, from shrimp and scallops to omega-3-packed fatty fish such as mackerel, herring, and albacore tuna. Beans. Go meatless with black beans, chickpeas, lentils—whatever tempts your tastebuds. Eggs. For fewer calories and less cholesterol, choose yolk-free options such as Egg Beaters®. |
Dig in to Healthy Choice entrees such as Herb Baked Fish, Creamy Dill Salmon, and Creamy Garlic Shrimp. Toss canned beans into pasta sauces, salads, soups, and stir-fries. Or spoon them up with Healthy Choice Bean & Ham or Split Pea & Ham soups. Omelets aren’t just for breakfast. Whip up one with mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes to get your protein and veggies at the same time. |
| Apples, oranges, and bananas |
Blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, cherries—you can enjoy most of your favorite berries either fresh or dried. More unique fruits such as kiwi, nectarines, and avocado (yes, avocado is a fruit!). Tropical fruits. Don’t just go bananas—sample mangoes, guava, and papaya. |
Toss fruit into the blender with yogurt or low-fat ice cream for a delicious smoothie. Put pears and apples into green salads, or slice them into sandwiches. For crunch and sweetness in your chicken and tuna salads, add a handful of grapes or dried berries. Use fruit in creative combination with veggies—a homemade salsa with peaches or mangos, for example. Savor Healthy Choice Apple Glazed Pork Medallions or Sweet & Sour Chicken. Or indulge in fruity desserts with our Complete Selections meals. |
