10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Nutrition

Habits, we all know, are hard to alter. Here are ten ideas to help promote positive dietary habits. (Note: This is for adults only. The nutritional needs of babies and children differ.)

Eat a healthy, low-fat breakfast each morning. Focus on whole grains, fruit and low-fat dairy products.
Aim for at least six servings of grains each day, at least three of which should be whole grains. Whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, whole rolled oats, popcorn, whole grain cereals and whole grain corn are good examples of grains to include in a healthy diet.
Try at least one new fruit or vegetable you have not tried before or try a new way to eat a fruit or vegetable you already love.
Swap the red meat in one of your favorite recipes for turkey or pork for a more lean protein option.
Try to eat vegetarian for one meal or one day a week (meatless Monday).
Purchase a vegetarian cookbook.
Try something with soybeans, soybean curd (tofu) or soymilk. For example; simply experiment with substituting soymilk or meatless crumbles, which resemble ground beef, in a favorite recipe.
Replace one high-fat, high-calorie dessert with fruit or low-fat frozen yogurt.
Replace your whole or 2% milk with 1% or skim milk.
Drink at least four 20 oz bottles of water every day.
Try seasoning your food with low-sodium spices instead of salt to reduce sodium intake.