Tips and recipes to help you stay on track with your healthy eating goals for this year

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If your goal is to eat healthier, there are simple, affordable ways to build healthy habits that really stick.

Shane Dawsey, a registered nurse with Ascension St. Vincent’s, joined The Morning Show on Wednesday to share some tips on healthy eating and recipes that are easy, delicious and affordable.

Here is some recipe/plating advice from the team at Ascension St. Vincent’s:

Meal ideas

1. The Tuna Bowl
   1. 1/2 Plate: Two big handfuls of bagged salad mix or baby spinach.
   2. 1/4 Plate: One pouch or can of tuna (lemon pepper flavor is great).
   3. 1/4 Plate: Half a cup of canned chickpeas (rinsed) or a slice of whole-wheat toast.
2. Steam-Bag Special
   1. 1/2 Plate: Half a bag of steam-in-the-bag frozen mixed vegetables (peppers, onions, broccoli).
   2. 1/4 Plate: Rotisserie chicken breast (no skin) or pre-cooked frozen shrimp.
   3. 1/4 Plate: A microwaveable “90-second” pouch of quinoa or brown rice.
3. Breakfast for Dinner
   1. 1/2 Plate: Sautéed canned tomatoes or a pile of raw cucumber and carrot sticks.
   2. 1/4 Plate: Two hard-boiled or scrambled eggs.
   3. 1/4 Plate: A bowl of oatmeal (made with water or low-fat milk) or one whole-grain English muffin.

Shopping tips

• Canned & Frozen are your friends: They are often cheaper than fresh, they don’t spoil as quickly, and they require zero chopping. 
• Look for “No Salt Added” on canned veggies and “In Fruit Juice” for canned fruits (no syrup)
• “In Water”: for canned proteins (fish, chicken)

Ways to get kids to eat more vegetables

• Make veggies fun and interactive: Kids are more likely to eat what they help create. Let them pick a vegetable at the store, help wash it, or arrange it on their plate. Cutting veggies into fun shapes, serving them with a healthy dip (like hummus or yogurt
• Sneak them into their favorite foods: You don’t always need veggies front and center. Add finely chopped or pureed vegetables into foods they already love… think shredded zucchini in muffins, spinach in smoothies or carrots blended into pasta sauce. They still get the nutrients, and over time their tastes may expand.
• Be a role model and keep offering them: Kids notice what adults eat.When they see you enjoying vegetables regularly, they’re more likely to try them too.Keep serving veggies consistently, even if they’re rejected at first—research shows kids may need to see a new food several times before they accept it.

Three easy items you can make healthier at home

1. Oven “Fries”:

Why it’s budget-friendly: Potatoes and sweet potatoes are inexpensive staples. Health win: Less oil and no preservatives.

2. Salad Dressing:

Why it’s budget-friendly: Basic pantry staples (vinegar, oil, mustard) cost little per use. Health win: No added sugars or hidden oils.

3. Smoothies:

Why it’s budget-friendly: Frozen fruit and spinach are cheap and long-lasting. Health win: More fiber and nutrients, less sugar than juice blends.