How can I start eating healthier?

Healthy eating means choosing a variety of foods from the basic food groups: meat and meat substitutes; dairy; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as breads and pasta; and a limited amount of fats and sweets. As simple as this sounds, it’s not always easy to get the nutrition you need. You may eat more of your favorite foods from only one food group, and as a result, get less of other food groups. Or perhaps you opt for convenience over quality when you are hungry.

Healthy eating requires some planning and purpose and an effort to include a variety of foods in your meals. If you look closely at how you eat, you might find you aren't getting enough nutrients because you don't get the recommended number of servings from each food group.

So, not only is it important to pay attention to what you eat but also to what food groups you may not eat enough of. To accomplish this, keep a food diary of everything you eat and drink for 1 week. Pay attention to serving sizes, and check to see if you are eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups. You don't need to meet the minimum number every day, but try to get the recommended intake on average over a week. If you are not getting the recommended amount of servings from each food group, you may be missing important nutrients. For example, if you rarely eat fruits or vegetables, you may not get enough vitamin C, beta-carotene, or potassium. Making a few small changes can help ensure that you're eating a variety of healthy foods.

Do I have to make dramatic changes in how I eat?

After you are aware of food groups that you may be missing or other ways that your eating is out of balance, you can begin to make a few small changes toward healthier eating habits. For example, simply adding a yogurt as a snack might be enough to meet your milk servings. Adding a sliced banana to your cereal will take care of a fruit serving.

Paying attention to serving sizes is also important. You may not know that a serving size of cereal is only 1 ounce (28 grams), which is ½ to ¾ cup for most cereals. That means a typical bowl full of cereal is usually far more than a serving. So instead of a big bowl of cereal and milk for breakfast, have one or two servings (1 to 2 ounces) of cereal with a sliced banana, and have a small glass (1 cup) of juice. Try low-fat or nonfat milk or soy milk instead of whole milk on your cereal to reduce the amount of fat you take in.