Tip 1 : Make half your grains whole! This includes rice, bread, crackers, cereal, popcorn--look for the word "whole" on the ingredients list!

Tip 2 : Just because bread is brown, doesn’t mean it is a whole grain. Check for whole grains on the ingredients list.

Tip 3 : Stews can make a small amount of lean meat or chicken go a long way. Check online for recipes.

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

Tip 5 : For a plant-based protein meal, try bean burgers, lentil burgers, or pita halves with falafel (spicy ground chick pea patties).

Tip 6 : Ready-to-eat, whole-grain cereal is a tasty whole grain snack. Check the Nutrition Facts label to find one that is lower in sugar.

Tip 7 : Make twice-baked potatoes with plain yogurt instead of sour cream. Top with chopped green onions or chives.

Tip 8 : To get some extra dairy, add some shredded low-fat cheese to tuna casserole.

Tip 9 : Check the Calories on dairy product labels. Choose the lower Calorie versions--those that are low-fat or fat-free, without added sugars.

Tip 10 : Flavored milk has Calories from added sugars--try flavoring your plain low-fat milk with cocoa powder or vanilla extract.