Channel: Lee Health

Category: Education

Tags: seasoningclinical dietitiandining outsave moneywhole grainsdiet changestrying new foodslean meatsvegetablesfoodfavorite foodsnutrientsnutritious goalsfruitshealthy recipeshealthy fooddifferent foodshome cookingdiethealthy lifestylespicesnew favorite foods

Description: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats—they're the foods we know to include in our diet but often don't know how. "It's good to experience our favorite foods in a different way and then we can create new favorite foods too," said Lee Health clinical dietitian Noel Konken. Health experts say cooking at home can allow you to experiment with new, healthy recipes. "When we are cooking at home, we can save a lot of money, but also create more nutritious goals than we would be dining out," said Konken. Including a variety of different fruits, vegetables, and spices in your diet can give your body the nutrients it needs. "Experimenting with new seasonings and spices is a great way to add bursts of flavor into your meal. Also when we add extra spices and seasonings, we can likely cut back on the extra salt that we're adding to that dish without even noticing it," she said. Adding a variety of different nutrients to our meal can also encourage children to try new recipes. "Parents shouldn't expect their kids to try new foods if they aren't also trying those new foods, so family mealtime is a great opportunity to introduce new foods that the whole family can enjoy together. Introducing some new foods to our kids when they're young can kind of help prevent potential picky eating in the future," Konken said. A variety of healthy foods can keep your body energized and healthy. View More Health Matters video segments at LeeHealth.org/Healthmatters Lee Health in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of health care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For more than 100 years, we’ve been providing our community with personalized preventative health services and primary care to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries. Lee Health - Caring People. Inspiring Care. Visit LeeHealth.org