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Healthy eating is important at every age. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding what to eat or drink, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Start with these tips:

Shop With a Plan

Prepare a shopping list before you head to the store so you can focus on what you need. To go faster, organize your list by store sections such as "produce," "frozen foods," etc.

Prep ahead

When you have some time, wash, slice, and portion out fruits and veggies for quick snacks on-the-go. You can also prepare ahead some of the fresh ingredients for upcoming meals.

Enjoy veggies raw

Not cooking saves time, too! Cherry tomatoes, string beans, or sugar snap peas taste great as a side dish all on their own.

Use a toaster oven

Small, convenient, and quick-to-heat appliances can save both time and energy. They’re perfect for broiling fish fillets, roasting small vegetables, or heating up a sandwich.

Plan for leftovers

Make larger recipes with enough servings for multiple meals to use that week or freeze for later. This reduces the number of times you need to prepare meals.

Use a slow cooker

Save time with easy slow cooker meals that require little “supervision.” Slow cooker soups and stews are also a good way to use up fresh vegetables that may be a little past their prime.

The benefits of healthy eating add up over time, bite by bite.