Small things, big difference

Michelle Gordon-Releford, Michigan State University Extension -

Make changes to the way you eat.

Making changes to our daily diets can be beneficial to our overall health. Healthy eating does not mean bland eating. Spices like chills, cilantro, lime, garlic and other spices can be used to flavor foods. Using spices to season food will remove some of the desire for sodium. Using spices are a great way to reduce sodium and enjoy a nutritious healthy meal or snack.

Small changes can change the way your family eats over time. Small changes can include introducing a new vegetable or fruit each week to your family. Ask all of your family members to at least taste the new item. Michigan State University Extension offers nutrition articles on ideas about incorporating small changes into you meals.

Set goals for the family to make sure they are attainable. Small attainable goals are extremely rewarding. Some goals that can be achieved as a family are: The family ate fresh fruit for dessert twice a week instead of cake, ice cream or other sweets, the family drank water all day as a way to stay hydrated twice a week, the family went to the farmers market together and picked the vegetables for a meal they planned together.

Don’t consider making changes for health as a diet – consider it a healthy choice or a lifestyle change. Read 10 steps to a healthier plate to make daily changes to your lifestyle.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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