National Nutrition Month: Boost Your Nutrition Today!

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Fruits and Vegetables

 

 

Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Slice up an apple and add it to your oatmeal at breakfast. Eat a banana with all-natural peanut butter or 1 oz of unsalted nuts for a mid-morning snack. Make a salad for lunch and add cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, carrots and mixed greens. You can add olive oil and vinegar as a healthy salad dressing and chicken if a plain salad won't satiate your hunger or desires. Enjoy baked sweet potato fries and/or steamed broccoli as side dishes for dinner. 

 

Whole Grains

 

 

Avoid white flour and processed grains for a healthier diet filled with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Use whole-wheat bread or a whole-grain pita instead of white bread. Brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain pasta and oats are easy to make, very filling and packed full of healthy nutrients. Try not to use butter or salt to flavor whole grains. Whole grains can be flavored using your favorite spices and herbs to create meals and side dishes that will entice your taste buds.

 

Lean Protein


 

Protein is the building block to building and maintaining strong muscles. Enjoy lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey, egg whites and fish. Other plant-based protein options include beans, such as kidney and garbanzo beans, nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, edamame (soybean), tofu and seitan. Enjoy protein sources on a salad or with vegetables and whole grains as side dishes for a healthy meal.


Dairy

 


 

Low-fat dairy products are important to ensure you are getting enough calcium for strong bones. Use milk in your oatmeal or with your whole-grain cereal for breakfast. Eat yogurt, slices of cheese or low-fat cottage cheese as a snack. Sprinkle low-fat cheese on your salad or drink a glass of 2 percent milk with your meal. Don't like or can't do dairy products? Have no fear, vegetables are here! Many vegetables are rich in calcium such as: artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots, beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, lettuce, mushroom, onions, pepper, pumpkin, swiss chard, sweet potato, and many more!

 

Healthy wishes!

Jessica, Alissa, Marilyn, and Maura

The Vermont State Employees' Wellness Program Staff

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