4 Easy Tips for Eating Healthy

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Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD, Founder of NutritionWise

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

1. Appropriate Portions

Smaller portions not only help control weight gain and satisfy sensitive eaters like children, but decrease general food waste. Each time we waste food, we also waste the water used for growing, the paper or plastic used to package, and the gasoline necessary for transporting food.

2. Watch Your Meat Consumption

80% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emission is caused by meat production, but a reduction of the average meat consumption by just 10% would have a significant effect on global warming. A per person reduction of 1lb per day would also reduce intake of saturated fat and cholesterol which contribute to the development of heart disease. Think about meat as a part of a meal, like in stir fry, spaghetti, or chili, as opposed to the main course.

3. Consider Organic Foods

Organic produce can be more expensive, so focus on “The Dirty Dozen”, those foods that contain the most pesticide and fertilizer residue and should always be bought organic, if possible: Peaches, Strawberries, Apples, Cherries, Sweet Bell Peppers, Lettuce, Celery, Imported Grapes, Nectarines, Pears, Spinach, Potato

4. Tap Water

Bottled water manufacturers do not have to follow the same rigorous standards that our city water districts do; in fact, they have very few regulations in regards to contaminants. The concern is also with those plastic bottles. In 2006 Americans drank 167 bottles of water each, and only 24% of those bottles were recycled, thus ending up in landfills. Get a faucet filter (such as Pur) or a filter pitcher (such as Brita), and filling up reusable canteens like Klean Kanteen.

For more quick tips and simple, kid-friendly recipes, visit Eat Healthy. And join us all througout April for our Eat Healthy Challenge!

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.