Tip 1 : Rinse veggies under running water before preparing or eating them to remove dirt and microbes on the surface.

Tip 2 : Craving ice cream? Choose fat-free frozen yogurt instead.

Tip 3 : Don’t want to eliminate all sweets? Try a drizzle of chocolate fudge sauce on a pear, banana, or berries..

Tip 4 : Eat potatoes with the peel to get more nutrients like fiber, iron and potassium.

Tip 5 : Walnuts are great in salads, and slivered almonds in veggie dishes. When you add nuts, cut back on meat or poultry portions in the meal.

Tip 6 : Check out the freezer section for seafood. Flash-frozen seafood retains the nutrients and taste of fresh seafood.

Tip 7 : 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 8 : Make a smoothie by blending fat-free milk or yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit. Try bananas, peaches, or mixed berries.

Tip 9 : Look for lower fat cheeses like part-skim mozzarella, or reduced fat versions of Monterey Jack, Swiss, Colby, Cheddar & Muenster.

Tip 10 : For breakfast try low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Mix in cereal or fruit for extra flavor, texture and nutrients.