• Add something good to every meal: Start by adding a piece of fruit to your breakfast and a salad or other vegetable to your lunch and dinner.
• Be prepared: Rinse and cut up fruits and vegetables during the weekend or at the beginning of the week. Then store them in containers in the refrigerator for easy use throughout the week.
• Make it easy on yourself: If it helps you stay on track, you can buy fruits and vegetables that are already cut up and salad that is pre-washed and bagged. Or, buy frozen fruits and veggies to keep in your freezer so you always have them on hand. Try a fruit or veggie tray for convenience to snack on or pack up for meals.
• Go for easy add-ins: Boost the nutrition in your salads by adding diced vegetables, seeds and nuts and using an oil-and-vinegar dressing. Try balsamic vinegar, lime or lemon juice for extra flavor.

Swap bad foods for healthier options

After you start working more healthy foods in, take a look at the unhealthy foods you eat and see if you can come up with healthier alternatives. Here are a few examples:

• If you typically eat hot dogs a few times a week but also like roasted chicken breast, swap out hot dogs in favor of chicken most of the time.
• Replace ice cream with frozen yogurt or sorbet.
• Replace milkshakes with fruit-and-yogurt smoothies.
• Snack on a handful of nuts or seeds instead of potato chips.
• Try whole-grain toast or cereal instead of pastries.
• Commit to changing your dinner entrée from red meats to fish once or twice a week.
• Opt for beans instead of potatoes in several meals each week.