Fats and Oils

Tip 1 : Many grain foods contain both whole grains and refined grains. These can count towards getting your whole grains.

Tip 2 : Having a snack attack? Reach for whole-wheat crackers - top them with hummus or a little peanut butter.

Tip 3 : Add toasted peanuts or cashews--instead of meat--as the protein food in a vegetable stir-fry.

Tip 4 : Select vegetables with more potassium, such as beet greens, lima beans, spinach, and lentils.

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

Tip 6 : In pancakes and muffins, experiment with substituting half the flour with oat or whole-wheat flour. (They may need more leavening).

Tip 7 : Adding 8 oz. of low-fat or fat-free milk to your meal is one of the easiest ways to get dairy.

Tip 8 : Try mixing different textures of fruits. For example, apples are crunchy, bananas are smooth and creamy, and oranges are juicy.

Tip 9 : Milk and yogurt have more potassium and are lower in sodium than most cheese. Also, most milk is fortified with vitamin D.

Tip 10 : When choosing canned fruits, select fruit canned in 100% fruit juice or water rather than syrup.