Healthy eating tips for the winter months

As the holidays wind down we tend to think about eating healthy again. Here are a few tips to get you started on eating healthy in 2010!

•  Eat Locally, Eat Seasonally. The fresher the healthier. Try some of these local options:

    •  Winter Squash

    •  Spinach

    •  Broccoli

    •  Potatoes

     •  Turnips

    •  Pack your shopping cart with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and green beans. Apples, cranberries and pears combine easily for a tasty salad or fruit crisp.

•  Stop eating when you are full . Have your leftovers boxed up, or put them away for tomorrow's lunch. Listen to your body.

•  If you cannot pronounce the ingredients, pass it up —a sure sign that the item is not nearly as good for us as the manufacturer would like us to believe, that includes many of the foods that look healthful at first glance.

•  Recipe modification for healthier eating

    •  Instead of using 1 egg, use 2 egg whites. This will save 42 calories and 6 grams of fat.

    •  Serve a Turkey dog instead of a regular hot dog and save 80 calories and 8 grams of fat. Turkey bacon instead of regular bacon saves a whopping 250 calories and 20 grams of fat!

Simply substituting Lean Ground Beef (92% lean, 8% fat) for Regular Ground Beef will save 180 calories and 22 grams of fat!

Content provided by Erika Devore of KC Healthy Kids.