Healthy Eating Plans

Nutrition programs can teach participants how to create and follow healthy eating plans by sharing information and resources that address the unique dietary needs of older adults.

Food and Mood

The Science of Cravings— Resource on understanding urges to eat from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Emotional Overeating Awareness— Brief from Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources (GWaar) and the University of Wisconsin-Stout

DASH – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

a woman picking out food at a store

28 Days Toward a Healthy Heart— National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) overview on creating a healthy routine
A Week with the DASH Eating Plan— Collection of DASH menus from NHLBI
DASH Diet Toolkit— Resources for three levels of familiarity with DASH from NHLBI
- Getting Started on DASH— Steps to following a DASH lifestyle from NHLBI
- DASH Eating Plan— Recipes and more from NHLBI
- Tips to Keep on Track— NHLBI tips to maintain a DASH meal plan
- Tips to Lowering Calories on DASH— Simple substitutions from NHLBI
- Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium— Guide from NHLBI
- Why the DASH Eating Plan Works— Daily nutrient levels and the science behind the DASH diet from NHLBI
How to Reduce Sodium Intake— Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tips on reducing sodium intake
Making the Move to DASH— NHLBI tips to switching to a DASH meal plan
Overview of DASH— Benefits and weekly challenges from Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources (GWaar) and University of Wisconsin-Stout

Diabetes

Food Tracking— Interactive module from the CDC's Personal Success Tool within the National Diabetes Prevention Program
Added Sugar BINGO— Game cards from Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources
Being Active with Diabetes— Placemat from the National Extension Dining with Diabetes Working Group
Easy Meals for Diabetes— Handout for participants and guidance for weekly action plans from GWaar and University of Wisconsin-Stout
Eating Healthier with Diabetes— Placemat from the National Extension Dining with Diabetes Working Group
Preventing and Managing Diabetes— Chronic health management programming from Michigan State University Extension
Setting Plans into Motion— American Diabetes Association information on living with Type 2 diabetes

Gluten-Sensitivity

Considerations for Going Gluten-Free— Michigan State University Extension's article on understanding the impact on health
Labeling of Food as Gluten-Free— Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for food labeling

Arthritis

Nutrition and Arthritis— GWaar monthly dietary tracking
Nutrition and Arthritis Bingo— Game cards from GWaar

Reducing Salt

Be Salt Smart— Information on sodium in the diet from MyPlate
Effects of Excess Sodium— American Heart Association infographic
Get the Scoop on Sodium and Salt— Benefits of eating less sodium from the American Heart Association
Hold the Salt— American Heart Association infographic
How Much Sodium Should I Eat?— Information from the American Heart Association
Less Sodium in Foods— American Heart Association infographic on how Americans want less sodium
Nutrient Dense, Low Sodium BINGO— BINGO cards from GWaar
Salty Myths Busted— American Heart Association fact sheet about sodium
Sea Salt vs. Table Salt— American Heart Association information on the difference
Sodium Intake and Health— CDC information on sodium
Sodium Can be Sneaky— American Heart Association infographic
Sodium in Your Diet— FDA information on the nutrition facts label and more
Sodium on the Nutrition Facts Label— FDA information about sodium on the nutrition facts label
Sodium, Potassium and Health— CDC information on the effects of these electrolytes
Sodium Tracker— Tips on tracking your sodium from the American Heart Association
Where Does All That Sodium Come From?— American Heart Association information on sodium sources
Tips for reducing sodium intake
- 10 Tips for Reducing Salt— National Kidney Foundation tips
- Be Smart With Salt— Quick guide from the Ohio Department of Aging
- Change Your Salty Ways in 21 Days!— American Heart Association infographic
- Choose Foods Low in Sodium— Foods to choose and avoid from NHLBI and the Community Health Worker Health Disparities Initiative
- Cut Back on Salt Without the Cravings— Guidance from the American Heart Association
- Cut Down on Sodium— Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion guide
- Eating Too Much Salt? Ways to Cut Back...Gradually— One-minute video and information from the FDA
- How to Reduce Sodium— CDC tips for reducing sodium
- Reducing Sodium in the Diet— Tips from the American Heart Association
- Salt Reduction— Key facts about sodium from World Health Organization (WHO)
- Tips to Eat Less Salt and Sodium— Tip sheet from NHLBI
- Spice Up Your Diet— How to use herbs and spices instead of salt for flavor from the National Kidney Foundation

Other Diets

Anti-Inflammatory Foods— Challenges, a recipe, and more from GWaar and the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Anti-Inflammatory Diet— Diet review from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Clean Eating— Choosing nutritious food options infographic from American Heart Association
Flexitarian Diet— Description of flexitarian eating pattern from GWaar and the University of Wisconsin-Stout
Mediterranean Diet— Description of Mediterranean eating plan from GWaar and the University of Wisconsin-Stout
MIND Diet— Information from GWaar and the University of Wisconsin-Stout on the Mediterranean-DASH Invention for Neurodegenerative Delay
Straight Talk About Soy— Brief from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Vegetarian, Vegan, and Meals Without Meat— American Heart Association information on eating plant-based meals
What is a Healthy Diet?— American Heart Association infographic on serving sizes

Menu Plans

1,200 and 1,600 calorie diets from NHLBI