Eat Better - Overview

Eating better means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains,lean meats, and low-fat or non-fat milk. It also means not eating too much food that is high in fat and sugar.

Think you have to give up all your favorite foods to eat better? You don’t. You just need to eat them less often, or eat them in smaller amounts.

Why Should I Eat Better?

Eating better can help you look and feel better, control your weight, have more energy, and lower your chances of developing certain diseases. It can also help your kids do better in school, grow up strong, and feel better about themselves.

How Much Do I Need to Eat Each Day?

Most people need at least 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Seem like a lot? A serving is actually pretty small.

Fruit and Vegetable Servings

• 1./2 cup chopped fruits or vegetables
• 1 medium piece of fruit (the size of a tennis ball)
• ¼ cup dried fruit
• ¾ cup vegetable juice
• ½ cup 100% fruit juice
• 1 cup leafy green vegetables

You also need 7-8 servings of grains.

• 1 slice of whole grain bread
• 1 cup of dry cereal
• ½ cup of cook whole grain cereal or oatmeal
• ½ cup cooked rice (brown is best)
• ½ cup pasta (whole wheat is best)

Lean Meats (including fish and poultry)

• 6 ounces per day- (the size of 2 decks of cards)
• 1 cup Beans and rice and or soy products such as tofu

Milk

• 1 cup 1% or non-fat milk
• 1 cup low-fat or non-fat yogurt

What Kind of Fruits and Veggies Should I Eat?

Make sure you pick lots of different colors for your fruit and veggies- purple, green, red, orange, yellow and white. Use this list to help plan your menu.

Buying fresh fruits and veggies that are in season can help save money. Farmers’ Markets are a great place to shop in the summer, and many of them take WIC coupons.

But it doesn’t matter if you buy fruit and veggies from a farmers’ market or if you buy them frozen or canned from a store. They all count! Look for deals on frozen and canned food all year round. Just be sure you look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.

Want to Learn More?

To learn more about what your healthy weight is, figure out if you’re eating the right amount, learn now to plan and cook healthier meals, and get ideas for your kids, check out these additional resources.