The Nutrient Rich Foods approach to eating is a positive, total diet approach based on the five food groups and nutrient density concepts highlighted in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate. It is not a specific eating plan, but it helps people choose nutrient-rich foods that best fit personal tastes and lifestyles, giving them a long-term, well-balanced and healthier way to eat.

Nutrition experts across Florida are empowering people to make their calories count by choosing nutrient-rich foods. More enduring than a trendy diet, the Nutrient Rich Foods approach is a fundamentally different way to define healthy foods – an evolution from what foods or nutrients to avoid to what to include.

Nutrient-rich foods (NRF) provide the most nutrients per calorie. They are the total nutrient package, including vitamins and minerals. The goal is to build a positive foundation for overall eating habits that last a lifetime. Here are some “tips” for having a Nutrient-rich experience:

• Shop the perimeter of the supermarket: Most supermarkets are set up so that fresh foods and perishable products are located on the outer walls of the store. By circling the outer part of the store, your basket will end up filled with nutrient-rich foods rather than processed foods. As an added bonus, nutrient-rich foods also can be less expensive than convenience items.

• Variety: In Florida, there is never a lack of variety when it comes to nutrient-rich foods.  Each food has its own unique contribution to a nutritious diet, and it is important to incorporate as many options as possible into a health diet.

Choose first among the basic food groups:

• Brightly-colored fruits and 100% fruit juice 

• Vibrantly-colored vegetables and potatoes

• Whole, fortified and fiber-rich grain foods

• Low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt

• Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts

• Cook in bulk: To avoid falling into the trap of convenience foods, try fixing a double portion of NRFs and then grab and go.  Making extra is simple and saves you from the temptation to pop a frozen mystery meal into the microwave

• Look for color:  Color is often a good indicator of a higher nutrient content in vegetables. Some brilliant options include carrots, sweet potatoes, and red peppers, which are high in carotenoids. Other excellent options are broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peppers, tomatoes, peas, even strawberries and blueberries. When you eat a good salad, you can almost feel the nutrition flowing into your body and what could be more convenient and easy to grab when time is short?

For more information on nutrient-rich foods, click here!