Tip 1 : Keep vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood while shopping, storing, and preparing.

Tip 2 : Make your own fruit sauce like strawberry rhubarb to use as a topping on frozen desserts, pancakes or waffles.

Tip 3 : Eat a variety of protein foods. Include beans, peas, nuts, lean meats, poultry, soy products & eggs. Choose seafood twice a week.

Tip 4 : Ready-to-eat, whole-grain cereal is a tasty whole grain snack. Check the Nutrition Facts label to find one that is lower in sugar.

Tip 5 : Enjoy preparing foods in different ways. You can steam, grill, stir-fry, roast or stew your vegetables for a change in texture and flavor.

Tip 6 : Not all protein foods come from animals. Vegetarian options include beans, peas, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and soy products.

Tip 7 : Take a walk around the block after dinner. If you are still hungry, have a piece of fruit instead of a rich dessert.

Tip 8 : 1 flour tortilla (8 inches in diameter) counts as 2 oz of grains. Use My Plan to see how many ounces of grains you need each day.

Tip 9 : Butternut squash tastes great oven roasted and pureed. Use it to make it a soup or add it to risotto! Look for recipes online.

Tip 10 : Create a whole-grain pilaf using a mixture of barley, wild rice, and brown rice. Check online for recipes.