Next time you visit your favorite supermarket, take a gander down the aisle and count how many shelves are dedicated to foods that come in boxes or bags. These days, a whole lot of these processed foods are available. All too often, we end up getting way too many of our calories among the prepackaged varieties. Generally, these foods have more salt, less nutrients per calorie, and more additives. Anyone who follows nutrition trends knows dieticians say to avoid these foods as much as possible.

But sometimes, eating bagged or boxed food is unavoidable. That’s all that’s available. You just plain don’t have time. Whatever the reason, when you do eat prepackaged items, do away with the bag or box first. In other words, place what you’re about to eat on a plate. When you eat out of the bag or box, it’s easy to keep eating without having any idea how many pretzels, chips, or crackers you’ve taken down. If you’re really hungry, you might just find yourself at the end of the bag when you only meant to have a quick snack to get you by. Avoid eating more than you intended to eat by deciding ahead of time what your allotted serving size will be and serving yourself up only that amount.

I recently read an article on healthy eating that suggested cutting out dinner by candlelight. The reason? Eating with the lights low leads to overeating because when you can’t see (or more accurately, when whoever you’re eating with can’t see) what’s going on, you’re less self-conscious. Thus you not only eat more, you don’t lighten up when it comes to higher-calorie items. I say pshaw!

Eating healthy, nutrient dense foods is important. But, when it comes to overall health, eating right doesn’t trump feeling emotionally well. While wholesome eating does play a role in emotional well-being, camaraderie and bonding, as well as romance, are irreplaceable components of overall health. There’s nothing quite so stress-relieving in just the same way as sitting down to a relaxing, delicious meal with people you share a special bond with.

Nor can anything match gazing into the candlelit eyes of someone you love. Special dinners like these can be the patches that mend tears in the relationships that are most important to you. Feeling good about your relationships means feeling good about yourself, which translates to better eating and healthier lifestyle choices in your daily life.

All in all, I say chalk doing away with dimly lit dinners up to a change you shouldn’t make. After all, diet isn’t everything. My recommendation? Just the opposite: Put fresh flowers in a vase, pull out the cloth napkins and those special-occasion candle holders, and put something delicious in the oven. Call up some good friends or a loved one and let the soft lights and lovely aromas wash your cares away. Why? Because it’s Monday.

Health practitioners, web articles, and magazines aplenty flood us with diet changes we should make and nutrition options we should implement into our daily lifestyles. And truly, there’s a lot of good information available. Many of those suggestions will indeed help you and your family become healthier and feel better now and in the long run. The problem can be that it all seems so overwhelming? Where do you begin? What’s more important—switching to low-fat options, eating organic products, learning how to complement proteins, choosing only whole wheat options, cooking at home more often, consuming probiotics, blending flax seeds for optimal health benefits, introducing extended periods of daily physical exertion.

Whoa. Take a deep breath. The list goes on. But you don’t have to do it all at once. Change is difficult for humans. We’re adaptive, but we tend to get stressed when we’re overloaded with newness, even when it’s good. And stress isn’t good for your health. Keep in mind that all of these healthy lifestyle changes will be just as good for you and your family tomorrow as they are today. We could argue all day about which is most important. Start with whatever suits you best. It generally takes around twenty-five days to form a habit.

So before you start individualizing each of your family member’s daily nutrient intake needs, try out one new healthy lifestyle change for a month at a time. Change the dinner soda to water or fruit juice. Focus on breakfast—eat only oats or enriched whole grain cereals, fruits, and yogurt five times a week. If the change takes well, add a new one next month. Soon, without even realizing it, you and the whole family will be the epitome of healthy living, with habits you won’t want to lose.

When we want to make a healthy diet or lifestyle change, we tend to focus on immediate results—or more accurately immediate restrictions. We decide that our daily French fry binge at lunchtime may be the cause of those extra pounds that just won’t come off, and we make an abrupt and final decision: No more fries—ever. How often does that work? Rarely is likely the answer. Two facts account for the cut off’s low result rates. First, we generally don’t like being told absolutely not, even the ban comes from our own lips. Second, we probably eat that not-so-wholesome food or participate in that unhealthy activity because we like it; it makes us feel good.

Depriving ourselves often makes matters worse. We go for a week without those greasy fried potatoes, and the next week we have French fries for lunch and dinner, with extra salt, and some cheese and bacon bits for good measure. Cravings are enhanced when our bodies abruptly no longer have something they’ve grown accustomed to. These cravings stir up emotional responses that trigger responses, often subconscious, similar to loss and rejection. How do you deal with loss and rejection? French fries, duh.

Luckily, deprivation is not the only answer. Ease up on yourself. Slowly cutting back on those yummy foods will be much more successful. Instead of no fries, try fries only three times a week for awhile. Then, when that’s no longer difficult, cut back to twice a week, then once a week. Soon, French fries will be a treat only for special occasions.

Have you ever read the label of your hotdog package? Chances are you’ll find what I can only refer to as a disclaimer—“meat byproducts.” What’s that? Who knows. It seems safe to conclude that if the ingredient is a mystery, it’s probably not good for you. What’s more, hotdogs are one of the leading causes of choking. Yet this is a “food” we regularly give our kids.

Also on the list of not-so-wholesome lunch regulars are commercially processed cold cuts. These sandwich mainstays are packed with additives that are decidedly not part of a healthy diet. Included are those prepackaged lunch meals, complete with crackers, disc-shaped meat slices, and a chocolate.

But wait, you say, quick meals that kids will eat are an absolute must. This goes without saying. Healthful and truly easy options are abundant. Tuna fish is a great source of vitamin D, which kids needs for healthy bones. Plus, it’s loaded with protein, also a must for children’s nutrition. Mix in some dried cranberries and sliced almonds to make tuna fish sandwiches even healthier. Don’t forget to use whole grain bread. Another easy kid-pleasing meal kids is chicken tenders with barbecue sauce. Buy the chicken pre-sliced and cook it in a Crockpot or on the stovetop with olive oil and a little water. Serve up with barbecue sauce and a side of veggies and/or fruit skewers. Cook some ground beef with a package of taco seasoning. Serve with soft or hard tacos, grated cheese, and sliced tomatoes. As for lunch meat, go to the deli counter. The less processed your meat, the better. Hummus and vegetables are a great snack for kids and adults. Slice apples and let the kids dip them in peanut butter.

A relatively recent addition to food label laws (2007) requires companies to list any of the top eight food allergens their products may contain within easy view. This is helpful to consumers not only because these eight foods are responsible for a lot of highly dangerous allergic reactions but also for often less-recognized, annoying food intolerance reactions. Their visibility on food labels helps those of us who need to avoid them more readily.

An allergic reaction is when your body responds to something as a foreign substance and mounts an attack. An intolerance, on the other hand, is a reaction in the digestive system rather than the immune system. But just as with allergies, the symptoms aren’t limited to one space. Along with bloating, gassiness, and regular indigestion obviously associated with the gut, intolerance can cause a long list of problems. These include headaches and migraines; nasal congestion and asthma-like symptoms; skin problems like hives or blotchiness; joint pain; or fatigue, inability to sleep regularly, and even anxiety. Do you regularly experience one or more of these sometimes annoying, sometimes intolerable symptoms? Read on.   

Without further ado, let’s reveal the top eight: peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts and almonds are the most common), wheat, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, and soy products.

If you think you may be intolerant to one or more of these items, it’s likely worth systematically cutting each out of your diet (for at least two weeks at a time). You may happily discover that one of these trial periods relieves your not-so-pleasant symptoms.

We all can name a handful of varieties without even batting an eye. Even the sound of a soda pop can opening is familiar to almost anyone over the age of two—at least in North America. But this dietary staple is a health killer you should avoid like the plague. Soda pop is loaded with sugar and calories, not to mention artificial sweetners and preservatives. It has little to no nutritional value.

At an average of 150 calories a pop, if you drink just two twelve-ounce glasses of soda, a day, that’s almost 1,500 empty calories every week. And these days, you can buy soda at convenience stores in amounts that make twelve ounces seem like a sip. Empty calories mean we don’t get the right amount of nutritionally dense calories. And they eventually turn into ever-dreaded, hard-to-lose body fat.

The overabundance of simple sugar in our diets is rapidly becoming a frightening epidemic of diet-induced type-2 diabetes. Children are developing type-2 diabetes at an alarming rate. In addition, soda is responsible for a lot of tooth decay, which along with making your smile less beautiful and more painful has a negative effect on general health. Put bluntly, soda offers you nothing but weight gain and the possibility of chronic diseases.

What’s more, so many thirst-quenching and delicious alternatives are at our fingertips. Water is the best drink. If it’s not your favorite taste-wise, try squeezing in fresh lemons or limes and/or adding fresh mint leaves. Fruit juice—make sure it’s 100 percent juice and not a fruit “drink”—offer good nutrients along with the sugar.

So next time you’re thirsty and the liquid sugar calls, just say no. Reach for the vitamin-enhanced water bottles alongside the soda fountain at your regular convenience store instead.

The early bird gets the worm. We’re all more than familiar with the old adage. But it has more than one meaning; getting the worm early isn’t just about being first in line, when it comes to healthy eating, eating first thing in the morning means jumpstarting your metabolism and starting the day off right. A healthy breakfast not only provides your body the nutrients you need to get going and feel well throughout the day; it gives you the calories you need to have energy to meet the day’s challenges. What’s more, eating in the morning functions like a gauge, “setting” your appetite for the rest of the day, which helps you avoid overeating at the meals that follow. Translation: weight control!

Because typical breakfast foods include protein, grains, and fruit, consuming this first meal of the day means you’ll get more nutrients. The energy affords you better concentration, focus, and alertness during your morning activities. As for weight, studies show over and over that breakfast eaters weigh less and are at lower risk for obesity. This is partially because skipping breakfast makes you hungry and ornery faster by slowing your metabolic rate and dropping your blood sugar, meaning you’re likely to snack. Snacking often means low-nutrient and high-sugar calories. Likewise, people who don’t eat breakfast are at greater risk for developing diabetes.

So no more excuses. Wake up and grab a bowl of enriched cereal, pop some whole grain bread in the toaster, or scramble some eggs and veggies. Don’t forget the milk—low fat yogurts and cheesy omelets are other great morning starter options.

Restaurant dining can be a wonderful and satisfying way to take a break, bond with friends and loved ones, and avoid the stress of meal preparation. Fast food restaurants and delis are oh-so-tempting when your life feels like you’re always on the goal. Unfortunately dining out often equates to less healthy eating. So here are seven tips to ensuring that eating away from home doesn’t blow your diet.

First, focus on portions. Restaurants often serve up more than you need to eat. Share an entrée with a friend. Order an appetizer and a soup or salad instead of the whole meal.

Next, focus on the side dishes. Sides are often packed with unnecessary calories. Instead of fries, onion rings, or other fried options, choose salads or vegetables. Limit your consumption of the pre-meal bread or chip baskets.

Third, select wheat breads over white breads every time.

Fourth, think drinks. Water over soda is always the best choice. Drink selection is often simply a matter of habit. Start drinking water with lemons, and you’ll often find that you don’t even want that overly sugary soda pop that used to accompany every meal. If you get milk, ask for the slimmer variety. Limit your alcohol intake—alcohol gives you seven calories per gram.

Fifth, remember that you have options. Ask for grilled instead of fried. Try out vegetarian dishes. Choose meals that have beans and rice. Avoid heavy sauces and items with lots of cheese. Sixth, when it comes to fast foods, choose delis that offer subs over hamburger joints as often as you can. And never supersize. Finally, dessert. I’d never suggest avoiding it altogether. Instead, look for options that feature fruit. Again, sharing is a good way to reduce the amount of extra calories you take in when you need that extra sweet.

The days of iceberg lettuce-and-ranch, only-for-dieters salads have come to an end. Not only can salads be absolutely delicious, they can be a filling main entrée. From fruits to meats to veggies to nuts, you can put just about anything on a salad. They can be pretty creative and complex or simple and straightforward. And for those who are into the aesthetics of food (I am), salads can be downright beautiful, with splashes of bright colors (think tomatoes, raspberries, or bright cheeses) amidst the deep luscious greens and mahoganies of the leaves. Top them with curled, thin slices of radishes, carrots, or purple onions, bright whites of cheeses like feta and blue cheese, and dark browns of toasted nuts and you’ve got a masterpiece.

Some of my favorite salads are actually pretty simple. Try a mix of arugula and spinach with toasted pecans, cherry tomatoes, and cubed (small cubes) Colby cheese. Top it off with a bit of olive oil and squeezed fresh lemon. This is a terrific side salad. For another delicious combo, start with an organic spring mix, lightly toast some walnuts with a touch of sugar, and add red onions and some diced citrus. Top with garlic-infused vinaigrette.

For a heartier salad, add grilled chicken strips or shrimp or boiled eggs. Make your own combo. Don’t forget the avocado, mushrooms, peppers, flax, blueberries, grapefruit … The sky’s the limit. Now salad’s got a little something for everyone.