AMA Healthier Life Steps™

Information and resources for patients

Healthy eating resources

Choose among these simple steps to fit healthy eating into your busy lifestyle

Healthy shopping

US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides a shopping checklist of foods that comply with the US Dietary Guidelines.

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides tips on what to look for when shopping.

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Consumer Corner offers an extensive list of tips and resources on shopping and meal planning.

Healthy cooking

Featured recipes from the AMA Type 2 Diabetes Cookbook

• Roasted pork loin with acorn squash 
• Bread salad with roasted red peppers 
• Baked stuffed apples

Find additional recipes and other meal planning and cooking tips from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the USDA.

Eating healthy when eating out
The USDA’s MyPyramid and NHLBI offer tips to help you choose healthier foods when eating out.

Portion-size information
Learn how much portion sizes have changed over the years and how big portions really should be using these resources from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and the USDA (PDF)

Additional resources are available from the following government and non-profit institutions:

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

MyPyramid
Learn how many servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and meats and beans are right for you.  This site also provides online tools to track your daily food intake and physical activity, including an interactive meal planner.

Nutrition.gov
A central portal of government information on food and human nutrition for consumers, including information on shopping, cooking, and meal planning; the amounts of calories and other nutrients in food; and many other issues related to food, nutrition, and weight management.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
Review the consumer brochure developed by the US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

Food and Nutrition Information Center: Consumer Corner
Another portal of information on food, nutrition, and weight management.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Offers extensive resources on general nutrition and healthy eating for a healthy weight. 

CDC and Produce for Better Health Foundation
Learn about the benefits of fruits and vegetables, what counts as a cup-size serving, how many servings you need a day, and get other planning, shopping, and cooking tips at these Web sites from the CDC and Produce for Better Health Foundation. 

American Dietetic Association
The world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals provides many resources (including some in Spanish) to help people improve eating habits and achieve a healthy lifestyle.

American Heart Association
This national voluntary health agency aims to help reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and provides many resources and recommendations on diet and nutrition.  

American Cancer Society
This nationwide community-based voluntary health organization is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem, and provides tips and resources on shopping, cooking, portion sizes, eating out, and more.