www.choosemyplate.gov for more information. In general, follow these guidelines: Choose foods low in fat and salt Dietary supplements you eat. Large amounts of some supplements can hurt you. If you think you need a supplement, talk to your health care provider before you start to take it. Find your healthy eating style Choose MyPlate.gov. Move to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt Focus on whole fruits Make half your grains whole grains veggies protein routine Limit Limit the extras. with less sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. MyWins eating style. Start with small changes that you can enjoy, like having an extra piece of fruit today. 41
Fruits Vegetables Grains Dairy Protein Focus on whole fruits and select 100% fruit juice when choosing juices. Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, canned, or fresh, so that you can always have a supply on hand. Eat a variety of vegetables and add them to mixed dishes like casseroles, sandwiches, and wraps. Fresh, frozen, and canned count, too. Look for reduced sodium or no-salt-added on the label. Choose whole-grain versions of common foods such as bread, pasta, and tortillas. Not sure if it s whole grain? Check the ingredients list for the words whole or whole grain. Choose low-fat (1%) or fat-free (skim) dairy. Get the same amount of calcium and other nutrients as whole milk, but with less saturated fat and calories. Lactose intolerant? Try lactose-free milk or a fortified soy beverage. Eat a variety of protein foods such as beans, soy, seafood, lean meats, poultry, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Select seafood twice a week. Choose lean cuts of meat and ground beef that is at least 93% lean. Daily Food Group Targets Based on a 2,000 Calorie Plan Visit SuperTracker.usda.gov for a personalized plan. 2 cups 2½ cups 1 cup counts as: 1 cup counts as: 1 large banana 1 cup mandarin oranges ½ cup raisins 1 cup 100% grapefruit juice 2 cups raw spinach 1 large bell pepper 1 cup baby carrots 1 cup green peas 1 cup mushrooms 6 ounces 3 cups 5½ ounces 1 ounce counts as: 1 cup counts as: 1 ounce counts as: 1 slice of bread ½ cup cooked oatmeal 1 small tortilla ½ cup cooked brown rice ½ cup cooked grits 1 cup milk 1 cup yogurt 2 ounces processed cheese 1 ounce tuna fish ¼ cup cooked beans 1 Tbsp peanut butter 1 egg Water Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Activity Regular soda, energy or sports drinks, and other sweet drinks usually contain a lot of added sugar, which provides more calories than needed. Don t forget physical activity! Being active can help you prevent disease and manage your weight. Kids 60 min/day Adults 150 min/week 42
2 3 4 5 Be food safe 10 tips to reduce the risk of foodborne illness A critical part of healthy eating is keeping foods safe. Individuals in their own homes can reduce contaminants and keep food safe to eat by following safe food handling practices. Four basic food safety principles work together to reduce the risk of foodborne illness clean, separate, cook and chill. These four principles are the cornerstones of Fight BAC!, a national public education campaign to promote food safety to consumers and educate them on how to handle and prepare food safely. CLEAN 1 wash hands with soap and water Wet hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available. Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all parts of the hand for 20 seconds. Rinse hands thoroughly and dry using a clean paper towel. If possible, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet. sanitize surfaces Surfaces should be washed with hot, soapy water. A solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water can be used to sanitize surfaces. clean sweep refrigerated foods once a week At least once a week, throw out refrigerated foods that should no longer be eaten. Cooked leftovers should be discarded after 4 days; raw poultry and ground meats, 1 to 2 days. keep appliances clean Clean the inside and the outside of appliances. Pay particular attention to buttons and handles where cross-contamination to hands can occur. rinse produce Rinse fresh vegetables and fruits under running water just before eating, cutting, or cooking. Even if you plan to peel or cut the produce before eating, it is important to thoroughly rinse from the outside to the inside of the produce. SEPARATE separate foods when shopping Place raw seafood, meat, and poultry in plastic bags. Store them below ready-to-eat foods in your refrigerator. 6 7 separate foods when preparing and serving Always use a clean cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw seafood, meat, and poultry. Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw food. COOK AND CHILL 8 use a food thermometer when cooking A food thermometer should be used to ensure that food is safely cooked and that cooked food is held at safe temperatures until eaten. 9 cook food to safe internal temperatures One effective way to prevent illness is to check the internal temperature of seafood, meat, poultry, and egg dishes. Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a safe minimum internal temperature of 145 F. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least 3 minutes before carving or eating. Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 F. Cook all poultry, including ground turkey and chicken, to an internal temperature of 165 F (www.isitdoneyet.gov). 10 keep foods at safe temperatures Hold cold foods at 40 F or below. Keep hot foods at 140 F or above. Foods are no longer safe to eat when they have been in the danger zone between 40-140 F for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature was above 90 F). United States Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion Go to www.choosemyplate.gov for more information. Go to www.fsis.usda.gov for food safety information. DG TipSheet No. 23 October 2012 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 43
Snacking tips Snacks are okay, if they are smart food choices. If you want an afternoon pick-me-up or after-dinner spread on a slice of whole wheat toast counts toward the grains group and the protein foods group. Ideas for healthy snacking include: An ounce of cheese with whole-grain crackers, a low-fat or yogurt or popcorn. Servings and portions isn t necessary. What exactly is a serving? Is it different from a portion? The term portion means how much of a single food is on your dish. A portion size can vary from meal to meal. For example, one restaurant might serve larger portions than another. The term serving is how Here are some pictures to help you understand how much you are eating: golf ball = deck of cards = 3 ounces meat or poultry 4 dice = baseball = Dining out tips of an entrée. Share an entrée with a friend or eat half and ask for a take-out container. 44
Reading labels can help you make smart food choices Ingredients list. Nutrition facts label. Sodium: The word to look for when you re avoiding salt. Fats: All fats are high in calories and you will want to limit the amount for weight management purposes. Daily Goals Saturated Fat: Trans Fat: Sodium: per day Soluble Fiber: Read labels to make better choices % Daily Values are diet. Since most people are unsure of calorie intake, it is preferred to look less at % Daily total grams (fat) and mgs (sodium). Total Carbohydrates are important to keep in mind if you have Fats to favor heart healthy Monounsaturated fats - May help Food sources: Canola and olive oil, Smude s Omega-3 fatty acids - May help contain Omega-3 fatty acids chia seeds. Fats to avoid These fats are associated with increased risk of heart Saturated fats (8-11 grams/day) - Raise cholesterol Food sources: Animal fats found in meat (sausage, fatty meats, bacon), dairy foods (whole milk, ice cream, cheese, butter) and tropical oils (coconut & palm oil). Trans fatty acids (0 grams/day) - Raise cholesterol Food sources: Partially hydrogenated fats which are found primarily in processed foods (chips, crackers, snack foods, stick margarines). Look for tub margarines that are trans fat free. Cholesterol - saturated and trans fat Food sources: Found only in animal foods (organ meats, meat, eggs and cheese). 45
(Make additional copies of this page before use) Meal planning made easy Planning healthy meals ahead of time can help you stick to a healthy eating style. If you re new to meal planning, start small and work up to more. Be sure to Vegetables: (fresh, frozen or canned without salt) asparagus avocado carrots celery corn (sweet yellow) eggplant garlic lettuce, dark green leaf mushrooms onions peas potatoes spinach squash sweet potatoes tofu tomatoes zucchini Lean protein: shrimp/seafood Beverages: low fat milk sparkling water teas Healthy shopping list Legumes, nuts and seeds: almonds or almond lentils peanuts pine nuts pistachios pumpkin seeds sesame seeds tofu walnuts Canned: (low- sodium, no added sugar) apple sauce, unsweetened pasta sauce, low-sodium tomato paste tomato sauce, no added salt tomatoes, no added salt Grains: oatmeal popcorn, light quinoa whole grain or whole whole grain cereal whole wheat pasta Oils and healthy fats: avocado extra virgin olive oil Fruits: (fresh, frozen, or canned without sugar) apples apricots grapefruit grapes kiwi lemons/limes mangos nectarines oranges peaches pears pineapple plums Miscellaneous: spices dark chocolate marinades condiments Other: 46