Blog / Post

Eat Smart!

November is Eat Smart Month! Nourish yourself, your family and your community by learning how to shop, cook and eat smart! Making more of your meals at home is one of the best ways to eat healthier and save money, too. Try these tips to get cooking.

• Add more color to your meals with fruits and vegetables. Fresh, frozen, canned and dried can all be healthy choices, but watch out for salty sauces and sugary syrups.

• Compare nutrition label information at the grocery store. Choose products with the lowest amounts of sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.

• Learn some new cooking methods and techniques. Instead of frying foods – which can add a lot of extra calories and unhealthy fats – use healthier cooking methods that add little or no fat, like roasting, grilling, baking or steaming.

• Give your pantry a makeover. If your cabinets, fridge and freezer are well-stocked with the right staple ingredients, it will be easier to make healthy meals.

• Make it fun for kids to try new foods. Let them pick out a new fruit or vegetable in the grocery store each week. Figure out together how to cook or prepare it in a healthy way.

• Make healthy substitutions, like whole grain instead of refined white flour. Take small steps over time to replace less-healthy ingredients in your family favorites.

• Cut down on the salt and learn new ways to give food great flavor, including herbs, spices, vinegars, citrus, garlic and other seasonings.

• Upgrade your fats. Use liquid vegetable oils such as canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame and sunflower in place of butter and solid fats.

• Include some meatless meals. Choose plant-based proteins like beans, vegetables, legumes and tofu.

• Relax! Have fun in the kitchen and get the family involved in planning and preparing meals. Explore new recipes together.

Find recipes, cooking tips and more at heart.org/HealthyforGood.