Basic tips for healthy eating

Think about which tips will work best for you and your family:

Eat breakfast every day and do not skip meals. Skipping meals may lead to extreme hunger, over-eating, and poor food choices.
Include at least 1 fruit or vegetable at every snack and meal.
Drink nonfat or 1% milk with meals and water with snacks. Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks including fruit juices, fruit punch, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sodas.
Choose one place in the house for eating, such as the kitchen table.
Never eat straight from the bag or box! Serve a small helping in a small bowl or plate to help reduce portion sizes, especially for snack foods.
Reduce fast food and restaurant meals.
Do not keep problem foods around the house (a problem food is one that you are likely to eat too much of or too often if it is available).
Keep healthy snacks readily available so that you can grab and go.
Plan ahead for meals and snacks. Cook large meals on the weekends and keep leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer to use for quick meals during the week.
At restaurants, share your meal or take half home. Restaurant portions are usually much too big, especially for kids!