Tip 1 : 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal (such as flakes) counts as 1 oz of grains. Use My Plan to see how many ounces of grains you need each day.

Tip 2 : Broil lean beef cuts--sirloin, top round, or flank steak. Sliced into strips, it’s great on a salad, sandwich or by itself.

Tip 3 : Choose unsalted nuts as a snack, on salads, or in main dishes. Use nuts to replace, not add to, other protein foods.

Tip 4 : Use vegetable oils (olive, canola, corn, soybean, peanut, safflower, sunflower) rather than solid fats (butter, shortening).

Tip 5 : Keep a bowl of cut-up veggies in a see-through container in the refrigerator so they are easier to spot.

Tip 6 : Read the ingredients list on food packages. The whole grain should be the first or second ingredient, after water.

Tip 7 : Try different ways to use eggplant: Baba Ghanoush, eggplant parmesan, grilled eggplant sandwiches, or stuffed with rice and tomatoes.

Tip 8 : Shopping tip: Find specials and coupons in your local paper or online for discounts on fresh, frozen, dried or canned fruits.

Tip 9 : Choose fat-free or low-fat milk as your beverage at meals for an easy way to get calcium.

Tip 10 : For a flavorful pork picadillo stew--use lean pork with onions, peppers, tomatoes, raisins and green olives. Check online for recipes.