Making changes to your diet can be daunting, but it’s not something that has to happen all at once.

Gradual adjustments can be easier to stomach and pay for when you’re shopping.

Registered Dietitian Jen Gawel, from Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital, has some advice.

“Make that list out. You have your staple food items you go though the most often. Pick two or three of those items off the top of that list and look at the food labels from those items. Compare what you’re currently buying to other items in the store that may be a little bit healthier, low calorie, lower fat, lower sodium and make those changes with just a couple of food items each time.”

So you’ve hit the grocery store and filled that cart with healthy, wholesome choices.

But they only do you good if you’re actually eating them.

Gawel has a great tip to make those fruits and vegetables accessible for the whole family:

A cooking class teaches kids about healthy eating.

“After shopping I always say maybe commit a half an hour in the kitchen to take out those vegetables that you bought fresh and do some prep work. Wash them off, cut them up. I like to portion them out so if you like to have them as snacks or go-to lunches, have them ready to go so really you’re creating a fast food of healthy eating and that way when you are hungry at home and you want to eat something, it’s a quick thing. They’re already cut, they’re already fresh, washed, ready to go. And for dinners, if you’re thinking about taking those vegetables, you can easily throw them into a sauté pan and make stir fry or use them in a salad. Makes dinner time prep much faster.”

And if you think that bowl of cereal is a true serving, the reality is probably not.

Here’s a great tip to know how much you’re really eating.

Gawel:

“A lot of the time we don’t want to measure or get out the food scale, which is ok. But I do say some easy homework you can do is take out your regular bowl that you eat things out of, or your regular cup that you drink your beverages out of, and take your measuring cup and measure and see how much actually goes into that bowl or goes into that cup. Start eating off the smaller salad plates. Another great tip is use serving spoons when you’re cooking if you have a bowl of peas or something that you’re having for dinner. If you know that you’re ladle and your serving spoon is a half cup serving, you know how much you’re putting on your plate.”

Eating at home is the best way to know exactly what you’re putting in your mouth.

But it takes time.

Gawel says planning ahead is the best way to make your life easier and healthier at meal time.

“If you can maybe take a little bit of time on the weekends planning in advance figuring out what you’re going to have for meals during the week, that saves on your groceries. “You know what you’re buying, you know what you’re doing with those groceries and also make use of your tools. If you have a crock pot at home, pull out the crock pot and put somethings in the crock pot for dinner. A lot of the time you can get more than one meal out of stretching those meals a little bit. And if you’re preparing a meal at home that you have leftovers, put a plate together or set those out in portions and pop them in the freezer for a time when you need a quick meal that’s kind of healthy without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.”

You can find all kinds of information–and misinformation–on the internet, especially when it comes to your health.

Gawel has some reliable resources to find truly helpful advice.

“Some great places to look for information, if you have access to the internet, which a lot of us do now, the American Diabetes Association is a good website if you’re looking for some things regarding diabetes. If you’re looking for just overall good nutrition info, the academy of nutrition and dietetics also has some good resources, handouts, materials that are very user friendly. They have a myplate.gov website that you can go to and play around. So that’s a fun way of learning how to put meals together as well.”

Wellness Wednesday

All Episodes

Stronger Together: From Injury to Recovery

Wellness Wednesday: Strawberry Gazpacho

Wellness Wednesday: Campground and Pool Inspections

Wellness Wednesday: The power of the Radish

Wellness Wednesday: World Autism Awareness Month

Wellness Wednesday: Purple for Epilepsy Awareness Day

Wellness Wednesday: Loneliness and Isolation

Wellness Wednesday: National Nutrition Month

Wellness Wednesday: Arthroscopic Spine Surgery

Wellness Wednesday: Demystifying the stigma surrounding mental health

Wellness Wednesday: Jagannathan Neurosurgery is with you every step of the way

Wellness Wednesday: Communication is key

Wellness Wednesday: Dry January & the benefits to your body

Wellness Wednesday: The Plate Method

Wellness Wednesday: Communicate and connect this holiday season

Wellness Wednesday: Working off that Thanksgiving feast

Coming to Wellness Wednesdays - HiFi Health News

Wellness Wednesday: HŌM Fitness ‘Planksgiving’ challenge

Wellness Wednesday: Health benefits of walking

How to get help selecting your Medicare plan

Wellness Wednesday: Non-candy options for Halloween

Wellness Wednesday: HŌM Fitness in Petoskey

Wellness Wednesday: Suicide Prevention Month and men’s mental health

Wellness Wednesday: Michigan Therapy and Counseling is ready to give you the support you need

Wellness Wednesday: Aqua Cycles at Boyne Mountain

Wellness Wednesday: Diving into the world of tennis at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Wellness Wednesday: Diving into pickleball at Pickle U in Williamsburg

Wellness Wednesday: Be Here Now Massage in Traverse City

Wellness Wednesday: Drumming communication at New Moon Yoga

Wellness Wednesday: Learning the fundamentals of boxing at Cadillac Boxing Club

Wellness Wednesday: Face Yoga with Katherine Palms

Wellness Wednesday: Skin care at Kindly Beauty Lounge

Wellness Wednesday: Ballroom and Social Dance of Traverse City

Wellness Wednesday: Making Shephard’s Pie for meal prepping with Dana Lee

Reach new heights at ELEV8 Climbing & Fitness!

Tennis programs on the rise for many schools in Northern Michigan

Wellness Wednesday: Novello Imaging

Wellness Wednesday: Grounding your feet

Wellness Wednesday: Practicing beach yoga

Wellness Wednesday: Get outside and play!

Wellness Wednesday: The benefits of getting in the water

Wellness Wednesday: The benefits of spending time in nature

Wellness Wednesday: Plugging into nature

Wellness Wednesday: Exploring activities on the Boardman Lake Loop Trail

Wellness Wednesday: The benefits of natural sunlight

Wellness Wednesday: Debunking the expectations of working out

Wellness Wednesday: Improving Mobility For Everyday Tasks and Activities

Wellness Wednesday: Yen Yoga and Fitness Offers Classes to Improve Your Overall Wellness

Wellness Wednesday: The Importance of Community Within Yoga

The Positive Impact of Yoga With Mari Vineyards In Traverse City

Hometown Pharmacy Brings a Personal Touch Back to Wellness

MI Lupus Foundation Provides Support to Patients and Their Families

Wellness Wednesday: Impacts of Breathing Techniques in Everyday Life

Wellness Wednesday: Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

DEA Hosts Prescription Drug Take Back Day This Saturday

Wellness Wednesday: At-Home Barefoot Workouts

Michelle Cooks: Collard Greens, Black-Eyed Peas

Michelle Cooks: Artichoke & Red Pepper Melt

Michelle Cooks: Broccoli-Parmesan Chicken Soup

Father Turned Entrepreneur & Author Raises Awareness about Concussions in Girls’ Lacrosse

Norte Youth Cycling Fall Programs

Suicide Prevention: HOPE Lives in Northern Michigan

Wellness Wednesday: Snow Shoveling and Winter Walking Safety

U.S. Birth Rates at an All-Time Low

Get Up & Move Wherever You Are With McLaren Northern Michigan

Free Banking Basics and Debt Reduction Workshop in Cadillac

Ask the Expert: How to Make Eating Healthier Easier