National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, the theme this year is "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day". What this means is to find ways to eat healthy that fit your likes and lifestyle. There is no magic list of foods that you can or cannot eat. Enjoy healthier versions of your favorite foods. Examples of how this can work:

Fried Chicken: Try oven fried chicken, bread it with whole wheat flour/bread crumbs.

Asian food: Try making stir-fry at home. Use a little sesame oil, lots of veggies, use low sodium soy sauce. Serve w/ brown rice.

Mexican food: Use very lean beef or chicken. Serve with guacamole, plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), and lots of salsa. 

Italian food: Use whole wheat pasta, serve with lots of vegetables. Go easy on the cheese and choose low fat versions. Choose red sauces instead of white. 

French fries: Try making oven fries. To make it even better, use sweet potatoes. Remember to eat only one serving.

When you bake muffins from scratch: Use whole wheat flour, use half the amount of oil/substitute apple sauce for the other half, and only add half the sugar.

Here is a link to give you lots of ideas on how to make healthier substitutions in your favorite recipes. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00585

Basically remember to have lots of fruits and veggies at each meal. Have 3 or 4 ounces of lean protein (meat, fish, beans, eggs) and one or two servings of whole grains. Use low fat dairy products. Don't deprive yourself of all your favorite things, just adjust them to make them healthier for you!