Start Simple with MyPlate
In today’s day and age, we are lucky to have nutrition information available at our fingertips. But there is so much health and nutrition information out there now that it’s become confusing and complicated for a lot of people. We may want to eat right, but we just don’t know where or how to start. The USDA has been thinking about how to help people find simpler ways to move toward better eating, especially since half of all American adults have one or more preventable chronic diseases, like hypertension or diabetes, linked to poor nutrition.
That’s why the USDA is rolling out their new campaign, Start Simple with MyPlate. The goal of this campaign is to provide easy things you can do to improve your daily foods choices. The Start Simple with Myplate website provides ideas and inspiration that we easily incorporate into our busy lives. Find what works for you and your family within your food preferences, health goals, and budget.
Here are some simple tips that you can implement in your life right away:
- Try a new fruit for a snack. Fruits vary in vitamins and minerals so mix it up!
- Make each meal colorful by adding red, dark-green, yellow, or orange vegetables to your plate.
- Pack a whole grain snack for work, or when you’re on the go. Whole grain cereal or crackers and plain popcorn are great choices!
- Make colorful kabobs with your favorite protein foods and veggies! Enjoy the kabobs grilled or roasted.
- Taste your food before you reach for the salt shaker. Spices and herbs are a great way to add extra flavor.
Simple tips like these can make a difference in your overall health and well-being over time. Once you’re ready to get started, take the #MyPlateChallenge! Post your MyPlate inspired healthy eating tip with a photo or video and share it on your social media accounts. Once you post your healthy eating tip, challenge a family member, friend or co-worker to share their own healthy eating tip.
Start Simple with MyPlate, and see how easy it can be to improve our food choices!
