1.  Eat real food.  What does this mean?  Enjoy food in the form that it is found in nature or as close to it as possible.  (Not the cherry pie, but the cherries. Not the banana walnut bread or cereal but bananas and walnuts)

2.  Eat mostly plants.  The emphasis here is on veggies but do also enjoy legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole intact grains.

3.  Eat veggies at lunch, dinner and snack but also include them twice a week for breakfast. Not sure how, try these Vegetarian Frittata Muffins .

4.  Instead of rice, bread or pasta being the bulk of your dinner, fill up on greens, sautéed or raw.  A favorite in my household is Sauteed Kale and Dates .

  5.  Significantly cut back on junk food - completely processed foods while convenient and tasty (thanks to the added sugar and fat) are killing us, literally.  Make chips, cookies, crackers, ice creams, pastries, sugary cereal, hot pockets, nuggets, etc. an occasional treat not the norm.

6.  Cook one more meal this week than you did last week. Work your way up to eating more home cooked meals weekly than restaurant, fast food or ready-made meals.

7.  Make at least one meal a day all plants - consider lentil soup, a vegetarian wrap or a salad loaded with veggies, beans and non-starchy vegetables for lunch or dinner.  Try this delicious protein dense Four Bean Salad on top of a bed of fresh arugula and sliced tomatoes.  You won't miss the meat, I promise.

8.  Enjoy at least one meatless meal a day in addition to your plant-based meal above.  Yogurt, cottage cheese, and eggs allowed.  Here's my favorite breakfast, Chocolate Covered Blueberry Yogurt .

9.  When eating meat, limit portions to 4-6oz, instead go "hog wild" on veggies.

10.  Buy beef and lamb that is 100% grass-fed and locally raised, if possible.

11.  Buy chicken and pork that is humanely raised in their natural environment.

12.  Shop at a farmer's market, when available.

  13.  Make a conscious effort to eat foods that are in season within the US.  Citrus from Florida in the winter is a better choice than berries from Chile. 

14.  Eat sustainably caught seafood.  If this is cost prohibitive, buy canned salmon, sardines or tuna from companies that support sustainable fishing practices such as Wild Planet.

15.  If you don't know how, learn to cook.  Experiment in the kitchen on weekends when you have more time and get your kids involved.  It's truly the gift that will keep on giving.

16.  Instill healthy eating habits in your children. The sooner you start, the easier.  Are you frequently feeding your loved ones hot dogs, boxed mac and cheese,      pizza, fried chicken nuggets, French fries, processed breakfast cereals, cookies, chips, sodas, sports drinks or white pasta?  Instead, limit dessert to a couple times a week, always serve veggies and fruit with meals and snack, enjoy a fast food meal or pizza just a couple times a month and provide a healthy alternative to their favorite chips or cookies.  This Energy Snack Mix and sliced apples are a great solution.  A good rule of thumb - if you wouldn't eat a food regularly yourself, don't feed it to your most precious commodities frequently.  You're just setting them up for a lifetime of poor health and bad habits.  Teach them early to make food choices that preserve their health and the health of our planet!