Happy 2015! If healthy eating goals are part of your New Year’s resolutions, HealthyDiningFinder can help.
Each day in January we’ll be posting a new dietitian tip below to help you eat healthier in the New Year and beyond. Share with us how you’re using these tips each day by posting photos and videos of your healthier choices on our Weekly Giveaway page, Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest and you could win a restaurant gift card to help feed your healthy resolutions.
- Enjoy an extra serving or two of fruit today for a wealth of health benefits.
- Savor healthy portions of lean meat, about the size of a standard deck of cards, for protein, iron and B vitamins
- Work with a registered dietitian for expert personalized advice on healthy eating to help meet your goals for the New Year.
- Avoid fried foods to limit added calories and fat in your diet.
- Opt for whole grains over refined whenever possible.
- Make old favorites like pizza and burgers healthier instead of giving them up entirely.
- Skip the soda. Even a small coke adds 140 calories and nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar to your meal. For a healthier option, choose water, milk, or unsweetened tea.
- Sit in a well-lit area near the front of the restaurant to make healthier choices.
- Try ordering at least one meatless meal per week to increase plant-based protein while you help the environment.
- Fuel your fitness with meals and snacks that mix easily digested carbs and protein.
- Stick to servings of rice or pasta that are about the size of a computer mouse.
- Spice up your diet with ingredients such as cayenne, chipotle, jalapeno and other kinds of peppers.
- Follow the “rule of two.” Order a healthy entrée and just two indulgent additions at restaurants instead of everything.
- Add an extra serving of seafood to your diet this week for heart- and brain-healthy omega 3s and lean protein.
- Indulge in creamy, calcium-rich cheese servings in portions about the size of two dominoes.
- Load up your burgers and sandwiches with a variety of veggies for flavor, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Replace sugary toppings like syrup and whipped cream with fresh fruit on pancakes and waffles.
- Give unusual new fruits and vegetables a try to add variety to your healthy diet.
- Beans are a low cost, high fiber, meatless alternative to meat. Add portions about half the size of a baseball to your diet this week.
- Respect the salad. Start with a foundation of nutrient-rich, low-calorie vegetables and limit high fat and sodium toppings.
- Fine-tune your sandwich today by holding the mayo and other creamy sauces and requesting whole grain bread, wrap or pita.
- Consider ordering from the breakfast menu when available to enjoy healthier choices like oatmeal and yogurt parfaits
- Give good carbs like whole grains and fruit a place in your healthy diet for the energy and fiber you need to stick to resolutions.
- Add some extra fiber to your diet today with foods like black beans, lentils, broccoli and whole grain breads.
- Love dessert? Order lower calorie options like non-fat yogurt, sherbet or sorbet.
- Order dressings and sauces on the side to add sparingly for flavor with fewer calories and less fat and sodium.
- Try new herbs in your menu choices this week for more flavor with less sodium.
- Try ordering a healthy new cuisine today with fresh flavors and ingredients to liven up your diet and reinvigorate your taste buds.
- Help manage stress with foods like salmon, sweet potatoes, cherries and ginger.
- Enjoy a healthier comfort food choice this week to nutritiously sooth without the guilt.
- Treat yourself well with healthy choices every day to fuel your long-term health and well-being.