Making healthy food choices most of the time is one of Dr. Cooper’s 8 Steps to Get Cooperized. It can be tough to consistently consume a healthy diet, even for the experts, but a few healthy eating tips can go a long way. Read on for the top tips and insider information from Cooper Clinic’s Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.

Elana Paddock, RDN, LD, CDE

My favorite snack in the morning is an Alyssa’s Healthy Oatmeal Bites cookie paired with a cup of coffee and light vanilla soy milk. I love cookies, especially oatmeal raisin, and this one hits the spot. One cookie has only 45 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 4 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar.  I love that the first five ingredients are rolled oats, oat bran, ground flax, ground chia and dried fruit. It tastes so good that you wouldn’t think it was packed with such healthy ingredients. I look forward to this “guilt-free” treat!

Patty Kirk, RDN, LD

I love the following meal for a simple dinner at home but great for company, too. Plus it has a bonus of being healthy!

Marinated pork tenderloin cooked on the grill, diced potatoes roasted with garlic and drizzled lightly with olive oil, accompanied by roasted vegetables (mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, onions).

Cynthanne Duryea, RDN, LD

My favorite dinner: I prepare white fish (cod or tilapia) in my electric rice and vegetable steamer according to the easy and clear instructions given in the manual (the steaming assures moist fish every time). While the fish is steaming, I sauté fresh baby spinach and sliced fresh mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil. In a separate pan, I lightly heat sliced almonds in a pan until golden brown, lending a nice crunchy texture and toasted flavor.  I dish out the spinach and mushrooms onto a plate, top with steamed white fish and sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds on top of the fish. For a carbohydrate component, I add either brown rice or a slice of Seeduction Bread from Whole Foods.

My favorite breakfast: I batch cook several servings of McCann’s Steel Cut Oats. In the cooking water, I add chopped apple, pear, raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots or another fruit of choice. Then, each morning, I simply portion out a bowl of the cooked oats that have been cooked with the delicious fruits, and I microwave to heat the single portion. Then I add about 1/8 to ¼ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or slivered almonds on top.  In preparing oats with fruit, a lot of flavor is added as well as nutrients…and there is no need to add sugar. The nuts on top add heart-healthy fat and some additional protein, making it very satisfying.

Meridan Zerner, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD

  • Breakfast – Two frozen Kashi waffles with almond butter
  • Morning Snack – Vanilla Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries
  • Lunch – Pita pocket with hummus, nitrate-free turkey, cucumbers, tomatoes and spinach
  • Afternoon snack – VitaTops muffin
  • Dinner – Trader Joe’s steamed shrimp dumplings, seeds of change quinoa blend, edamame and mandarin oranges
  • If the sweet tooth kicks in:  Three Dove dark chocolates or a Fudgesicle, cocoa dusted almonds or protein powder pudding

Kathy Duran-Thal, RDN, LD

Some of my favorite meals are as follows:

  1. Luvo frozen entree mixed with Birdseye frozen veggies
  2. Chick-fil-A: Large fruit cup and grilled chicken wrap with ½ package of honey mustard dressing
  3. KFC Grilled chicken breast, corn on the cob and green beans
  4. Store-bought rotisserie chicken breast, small baked potato and asparagus
  5. Sweet potato sprinkled with lime juice and some salt, rotisserie chicken and roasted Brussels sprouts
  6. Low sodium V8 juice microwaved until hot in coffee mug, then add a few drops of Tabasco and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Place one slice of whole grain bread in toaster oven topped with a slice of low fat cheese.
  7. California rolls with salad bar, including edamame, etc.
  8. Chick-fil-A seasonal tortilla soup
  9. McDonald’s Egg White Delight and Yogurt Parfait

Colleen Loveland, MS, RDN, LD, CDE

I love my instant oatmeal in the morning for breakfast with raisins and chopped walnuts added.  For a quick dinner, I go for salmon, brown rice steamer and steamed broccoli.  I love honeycrisp apples this time of year for snacking!

For more healthy eating tips, click here. To learn more about Cooper Clinic Nutrition Services, visit cooperclinicnutrition.com or call 972.560.2655.