Tip 1 : For a change, try whole-wheat pasta in macaroni and cheese or pasta salad.

Tip 2 : Serve an avocado salad with seafood or chicken. Look online for recipes.

Tip 3 : Make a summer salad: Mix together diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet onions with a citrus vinaigrette. Top if off with low-fat feta crumbles.

Tip 4 : Make your own watermelon ice-it's a nice refreshment on a hot day. Check online for recipes.

Tip 5 : Need dessert for a special treat? Make home-made custards with fat-free milk. Look online for recipes.

Tip 6 : An ounce equivalent of protein foods is 1 oz of meat, poultry, or seafood, ¼ cup beans, 1 egg, 1 T. peanut butter, or ½ oz nuts or seeds.

Tip 7 : Learn to love beans! Try black bean enchiladas, white bean spread or edamame (green soybeans).

Tip 8 : Read the Nutrition Facts label when buying cheese--compare the saturated fat and sodium content and choose the one with the lowest amounts.

Tip 9 : Choose fruit! Ask for fruit, like sliced apples, a fruit cup, or 100% fruit juice at a fast food restaurant instead of fried foods.

Tip 10 : Build a meal around beans or peas. Bean burritos are a quick and easy dinner entree.