According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black Americans, which makes it important to focus on the wellness benefits of eating heart-healthy, nutritious foods. This month is an opportune time to provide everyone with free resources for better health.
USDA’s Start Simple with MyPlate meets people where they are and supports them through eating choices that can promote heart health. Start Simple is based on the idea that no matter your age it is never too early or too late to eat healthy, and that even the smallest changes can benefit health and impact diet-related diseases, like heart disease.
Start Simple with MyPlate maps out how to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives for people who can’t or choose not to consume dairy. When deciding what to eat or drink, Start Simple provides tasty options that are full of nutrients while limiting added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. And, when ready to shop, this resource also pinpoints where to find cost-saving opportunities to eat healthy on a budget locally.
Here’s how to make heart-healthy eating simple and affordable:
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Find your starting point: Take the quick MyPlate Quiz to see how your eating habits stack up against the MyPlate recommendations. Based on your answers you’ll receive tailored resources and a personal quiz results code to sync with the Start Simple with MyPlate app.
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Set simple goals based on your personal needs: Use the Start Simple with MyPlate app to help you set daily meal- and snack-based goals to help you eat healthier. Sync your results from the MyPlate Quiz for a personalized experience. Join challenges, see progress, and earn badges to celebrate successes.
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Learn how much you should eat: To find out what and how much to eat from each of the food groups, get your own personalizedMyPlate Plan.
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Put your plan into action:Discover recipes on MyPlate Kitchen. Check out hundreds of healthy, budget-friendly recipes that provide detailed nutrition and food group information to help you choose recipes that fit your needs.
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Save money and eat healthy:Use Healthy Eating on a Budget to help save money at the store by making a shopping plan, shopping smart, and preparing healthy meals to stretch food dollars, including SNAP benefits.
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Explore MyPlate.gov for your go-to, trusted, nutrition tips and information built on the basics of healthy eating.
