Three food habits for the new year

Yesterday a friend was talking about getting control of her health. That’s something many people attack with abundant energy in the first few days of the new year. Then the routine sets in, we forget, we stray, we’re tempted into old habits. So much for our health.

There are three food habits that I’ve ingrained into my lifestyle over the years that help me stay on a positive nutrition track. They’re easy and straightforward.

          Don’t buy foods you shouldn’t eat. I could eat an entire bag of Lays Classic potato chips in one sitting if it’s available to me when I get a craving. Once I open it, the smell lures me in and I’m lost to snacking world. I know that’s not good for me so I rarely buy them. If I have to leave my house to buy something I’m craving, I’m likely to choose a healthy food I already have in the house instead. Keeping my kitchen free of my food weaknesses helps keep me healthy.

      Eat a rainbow of foods. I’ve been following this advice for more than 10 years. It causes me to be more intentional about my food choices as I consider what’s available and what colors I’m lacking. The rainbow is an easy and visually appealing way to get a wide range of nutrients.

       
        Eat as many locally produced, in-season fruits and vegetables as possible. The closer to your home something is grown the less time it spends in shipping, which means the foods haven’t had as  much time to lose their nutrients. Fresh foods also mean flavorful foods. Challenging myself to cook primarily from local foods has made me a more creative cook, a fun side benefit of this healthy habit.

Fruit is the area where I most frequently stray from local produce. We do not have an abundance of it available in my area. So check out the picture for an appealing and healthy dish you can create for a meal or snack. I used kiwi, oranges and pomegranates. I’m already thinking about what other fruits I could use to make a flavorful masterpiece for the table.