Coffee alone is not enough! Eating breakfast in the morning fuels your body. It helps adults and kids stay focused at home, school, and work. Eating a healthy breakfast may lower your chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight. It is also a good opportunity to get vitamins and nutrients from healthy foods like fruits, dairy, protein, and grains. Keep reading for 3 ways to make your breakfast a little bit healthier!

Whole grains have more fiber and nutrients. This keeps you feeling fuller longer and provides your body with lots of nutrition. Instead of plain, white toast, plain pancake mix, or a plain bagel, make it whole wheat! Oatmeal, whole wheat tortillas, whole grain cereals, and quinoa are other great options! Check out Why Whole Grains Will Change Your Life to learn how to find whole grain foods at the grocery store.

Remember that MyPlate, our healthy eating guide, recommends that we make 1/2 of our plates fruits and vegetables. That doesn't just mean our lunch and dinner plates! Fruits and veggies can be easily added to your morning meal.

Try adding bananas, raisins, or berries to hot or cold cereals. Chopped up vegetables make a great addition to eggs or potatoes. Or simply serve apples, oranges, or another piece of fruit alongside your meal. Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and veggies will do the trick!

When you look at the nutrition facts label on your favorite breakfast food or drink, is sugar listed as one of the first ingredients? If so, it may not be the healthiest choice.

Fruit flavored yogurt and muffins are popular breakfast foods, but the first meal of the day can be healthier. Swapping them out for plain yogurt with berries and granola will give your body less sugar and more nutrition, plus these are all items you can buy in bulk. That means you will save money!

Another easy way to reduce the amount of sugar in your breakfast is to skip the juice! We know it seems healthy because it's made from fruit, but even 100% fruit juice is high in sugar. It's also missing the healthy fiber that whole fruit provides. Try eating a piece of fruit instead or limiting yourself (and the kids) to 1/2 cup or 4 oz of juice per day.

• Watch this video from MyPlate.gov to see how simple swaps can help you build a better breakfast:
  

• Check out How to Make Breakfast a Healthy Habit from the American Heart Association
  
• Read Breakfast: Key to Growing Healthy from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Don't eat a typical American breakfast? Don't worry, all foods can fit! Check out MyPlate for Different Cultures to learn how.

At SNAP4CT we love sweets, but it’s no secret we’re fans of making our favorite foods a little bit healthier. With the holidays right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to share our favorite baking hacks! The swaps listed below will help you cut back on sugar and fat while boosting nutrition. Remember, you can use these tips whether you are making your grandmother’s recipe from scratch or something baked from a box! We've also included recipes that have already been adjusted so you don't have to. Keep reading to learn more!

Reduce the amount by 25%

• Did you know you can reduce the amount of sugar in most baked goods by 25% without noticing any difference? For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, reduce the amount to 3/4 cup.
• Works in all baked goods (cookies, brownies, breads, muffins, and more)!
  

Carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and beets work great in baked goods. You can try it in these Garden Muffins or Sweet Potato Blueberry Oat Squares.

Making a chocolate cake? Try adding 1 cup of pureed beets (low sodium canned beets work great here) to your favorite box of cake mix or to your own recipe!

You might not realize that frosting is just sugar and fat. Delicious, but not the healthiest!

• Try whipped topping, a dusting of powdered sugar, or fruit (fresh, canned, or frozen will do) on your favorite treats instead of rich frostings.
• If you like to make your own frosting, give one of these tips a try:
  
  • You can use plain, nonfat Greek yogurt to replace some or all of the butter in cake frostings. The frosting will be thinner, but still taste great!
    
  • In recipes that call for cream cheese, use low fat cream cheese in place of full fat.
    

Remember, adding veggies or using whole wheat flour in baked goods will make them slightly healthier, but it won't turn desserts into health foods. While it is totally fine to enjoy unhealthy foods from time to time, remember to use MyPlate as your guide for healthy eating most days. Saving decadent desserts for special occasions like birthdays and holidays and serving smaller portions is another way to make a healthier choice.

• For more tips to make the holidays a little bit healthier, visit 7 Healthy Holiday Swaps and Everything but the Turkey: a Thanksgiving Menu
  
• Learn more about why you should limit added sugar and unhealthy fats in your diet
  
• Get more Healthy Baking Alternatives from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  

You may have heard of fermented foods before. They are a hot topic right now! Not sure what they are and why they are good for us? We’re here to give you the facts! Keep reading to learn what fermented foods are, the benefits of eating and drinking them, some things to look out for, and how to make them at home!

Fermented foods have gone through a process called fermentation. This word means that healthy bacteria or yeast were allowed to break down parts of the food. This is usually done to preserve foods and improve their flavor.

People have been consuming fermented foods and beverages for thousands of years. You have probably eaten or heard of these foods before, but might not have known they are fermented! At the grocery store, you'll find true fermented foods in the refrigerated section and sometimes in jars and cans in the aisles. Common fermented foods include:

These foods have many benefits. They include:

• Shelf Life - Fermentation allows foods to be stored for longer periods of time. Fermenting foods before they go bad can save you money by cutting down on food waste.
• Taste - The process of fermentation produces favorable tastes and textures. For example, the delicious tart taste of dairy products like yogurt and kefir.
• Health Benefits - Many fermented foods provide the body with good bacteria called probiotics. These bacteria help support a healthy digestive system. Fermented foods are also thought to improve heart and immune health.
  
• Fun - Making your own fermented foods is an easy and enjoyable activity to do in the kitchen! Plus, it can make eating more veggies easier!

While there are many benefits to consuming fermented foods, there are some downsides.

• Gas - For some people, fermented foods may cause bloating and gas. Start with small amounts and see how your body handles them.
• Sodium - Since salt is used to preserve fermented foods and allow the growth of healthy bacteria, many fermented foods are high in sodium. Eat sauerkraut, pickles, miso, and kimchi in moderation to keep your heart healthy.  
• Sugar - Did you know that some store bought bottles of kombucha have 20 grams of added sugar? That's equal to 5 teaspoons of sugar!
  
• Cost - Fermented foods can be expensive at the grocery store, but it is easy and inexpensive to make them at home. We'll show you how!

Making fermented veggies at home only takes 4 easy steps! All you need is vegetables, salt, and water. No canning or fancy equipment required!

When a fermented recipe calls for salt, you may be tempted to reduce the amount or use a salt substitute. Don't do it! In fermenting, the salt is important to reduce bad bacteria, preserve the food, and keep you from getting sick. Visit Safely Fermenting Food at Home for more tips to make sure you're fermenting foods safely.

• Getting to Know: Fermented Foods from Cook's Country - America's Test Kitchen
  
• How Do I Ferment? from National Center for Home Food Preservation
• Probiotics: What You Need to Know from National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
  

​Winter is a great time for casseroles! Casseroles make a delicious meal or side dish, especially for holiday parties and gatherings with family and friends. They are portable, easy to prepare, and you can customize them any way you like. Just follow these simple instructions and you’ll have a nutritious, balanced meal that won’t break the bank.  

1. Grease a 13 x 9 or 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray, vegetable oil, or butter.
2. Choose ingredients from the groups below and mix together in your baking dish. Cover with a heat-resistant lid or aluminum foil.
3. If you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 20-50 minutes until the casserole is heated through. Add any extra toppings like cheese in the last 10 minutes so they do not burn.
4. If you are not ready to bake, place the covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking. You can also freeze a casserole for up to 2-3 months. Just thaw in the refrigerator 1-2 days before you are ready to bake. 

• Use cheese sparingly. Cheese is delicious! But, it can add lots of calories, fat, and sodium to your dish.
• Look for lower sodium and reduced fat canned soups and sauces, and rinse and drain canned vegetables to remove extra salt.  
• Casseroles are a great way to use leftovers! If you make extra grains and pasta, save them in the fridge. You will be able to assemble them into a casserole in minutes.
• You can make casseroles in the microwave. In a glass dish using the 50% power setting, microwave the casserole for 10-30 minutes checking frequently to see if it is warm throughout.  

Would you rather just use a recipe? We’ve got loads of casserole recipes. Here are a few favorites: