MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – While many of us are staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and without a typical routine, it can be difficult to keep up with our nutrition. Hy-Vee Dietitian Andrea Miller shared some tips with NBC15’s Gabriella Rusk. on the Weekend Morning Show about how to create healthy eating habits.

Keep Produce Fresh
If you’re trying to take less essential trips to the grocery store, it can be hard to have healthy food last longer.

When meal planning, it’s best to eat the freshest food first. Miller says items like lettuce, grapes, and berries have a shorter shelf life.

“Switching over to putting those items in a smoothie or use them in cooking once they start to lose their luster a little bit,” said Miller.

After the produce is gone, you can start using what’s frozen as the nutrition value for fruits and vegetables will be the same.

Cut Back on Snacking
Boredom during this time can often lead to sneaking in extra snacks between meals.

Miller says one of the best things to do is to develop a meal structure for a typical day.

“Try to think about eating every 3-5 hours,” she said. “If you’re going for food or snacks in between that time frame, ask yourself if it’s for physical hunger or maybe it’s boredom or you kind of just got into the habit of it.”

Allowing yourself to focus on an activity other than food, like taking a walk or listen to some music, can also help your mind break that connection of reaching for the nearest snack or sweet treat.

Healthy Baking
It seems like most of us have tried out a new baking recipe in the past few weeks. A popular one on social media is banana bread.

“There’s nothing wrong with baking, it’s a great activity as it brings people together which is fun,” said Miller.

Taking some baked goods and storing them in the freezer can make it less tempting to have an extra if they’re not sitting all out on the counter.

To try out a healthier alternative for Chocolate Chip Chia Banana Bread, click HERE.