“Get in the habit of reading food labels,” says Zachary Collins, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian at Neighborhood Health Center. “The information on those labels allows you to compare foods and make healthier choices.”

A little bit of knowledge can go a long way. The Neighborhood wellness team offers a few simple tips to keep in mind at meal and snack times, when grocery shopping, or eating on the go.

Balance your plate: Use the plate method approach to give your body more of what it needs and less of what it doesn’t

• ½ of your plate veggies and fruits (spinach/tomato/broccoli)
• ¼ of your plate lean protein (chicken/turkey/fish)
• ¼ of your plate whole grains (Oats, brown rice, whole grain pasta/bread)

*Using this approach, you can customize your plate with foods that you like*

Limit sugary drinks: The calories in sugary drinks add up quickly and don’t pack a nutritious punch. 

• Stick to water when you can
• Limit juice to one small glass per day
• Avoid other sugary drinks altogether

Read the nutrition facts label: You can learn a lot about a food item by turning the package around and reading the nutrition facts label. 

• Look at the serving size – it’s not a recommendation of how much you should eat; your portion may be more or less than the listed serving size
• Limit foods that are high in:
  • Calories
  • Saturated Fat
  • Sodium
  • Added Sugars

Want to learn more? Neighborhood has dietitians at all of our locations who can help you make more informed food choices. 

Here are some more resources:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate

https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label