Written by: Mary Vandergriff, MBA – Food City Dietetic Intern

Setting resolutions at the turn of the calendar year is a long-standing tradition. When it comes to making nutrition-related goals, the process can be overwhelming and challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Try these tips to simplify the resolution making process and to help you create realistic, achievable, and habit-forming goals. 

Make SMART Goals 

SMART is an acronym for goals that are specific, measurable, action-oriented, relevant, and time-sensitive. Following this goal-setting method will help you create a goal that is specific to you. The beauty of the SMART goal framework is that it does not have to be complex to be a meaningful goal. The simplest of goals can go a long way in making sustainable changes to your nutritional habits. By following the SMART goal framework, your nutrition resolution will hopefully become a life-long habit.

Balance Your Plate

The USDA MyPlate model is an excellent place to start to make a SMART goal. This method focuses on building your plate around different food groups to balance each meal. Making half of your plate fruits and vegetables, a quarter of your plate grains, a quarter of your plate protein, and one cup dairy at each meal are the guidelines for the MyPlate Method. An example of a SMART nutrition goal using this method would be to build your meals using this tool for at least one meal daily. As this goal becomes more routine, you can increase the frequency to following the MyPlate Method for three meals daily. As simple as this goal may seem, it is creating a sustainable nutrition habit that will last. 

Shop Dietitian’s Pick Tag 

Finding the foods to help achieve your nutrition goal and to build your plate can be even simpler with the Dietitian’s Pick tag on Food City shelves. Using this tag as a guide will help your shopping efforts by quickly identifying foods with more essential nutrients and less saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. 

No matter your goal going into the new year, sustainable and lasting changes can be made to your eating when you create SMART goals, balance your plate and simplify your shopping.