Could you use a little simple, practical advice on making better food choices? Who couldn’t, right? Each week, I’ll feature seven tips I’ve mined from our Health Starts Here™ program to get you from Monday to Sunday with an eye toward a healthier lifestyle.

Tip 1: Get fresh with your diet.

Start to include more fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet while reducing highly processed foods.

Tip 2: Switch to whole grain breads. The best breads are made primarily from whole grains, meaning the word “whole” should be at the beginning of the ingredients list. The next time you visit your local Whole Foods Market, look for breads in our bakery marked with the Health Starts Here logo.

Tip 3: Eat greens with every meal. Try to include a colorful salad or cooked greens at every meal. Is breakfast a challenge? Add frozen spinach to your morning smoothies!

Tip 4: Avoid the artificial stuff. Avoid hydrogenated fats and artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners and preservatives. They may negatively affect your body and its normal functions.

Tip 5: Make salty jokes, not food. Don’t automatically salt your food – taste it first. When cooking, always salt the finished dish instead of salting while the meal is cooking. Need recipe ideas? We’ve got over 100 Health Starts Here recipes for you to peruse.

Tip 6: Get snack happy. Create your own trail mix of dried fruit, nuts, seeds and popcorn, and then portion it into single-serving containers. When the snacking urge hits, grab a container and then enjoy your portioning prowess. Want more snack ideas? Check out our earlier post for 5 Simple Snacks.

Tip 7: Befriend beans. Beans are an important plant-based source of protein. They’re also rich in fiber and virtually fat free. All varieties of beans are a good source of low-calorie, low-fat, low-cost protein. 

For more tips, and a series of educational missions to better health – download our Whole Foods Market Missions App for iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Do you have some simple, practical advice for making better food choices? Share ‘em!