Fruits and veggies are low in calories and full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. How important are they to your diet? The United States Department of Agriculture and ChooseMyPlate.gov recommend making them half your plate at mealtime.

If you’re having trouble getting them fresh, use frozen, canned or dried fruits and veggies. With the canned option, watch out for too much sodium or salt. Save fruit that’s too ripe for smoothies with fat-free milk or low-fat yogurt – or bake muffins or bread with it. If your family isn’t crazy about fruits and veggies, try adding them to casseroles, salads, soups and sauces, where they’ll be harder to taste.

Many of us are trying to get more fruits and veggies into our diet. Want to make it easier? Try planting your own! It can be a garden in your yard, raised beds or pots on your patio. And if you don’t have room, get your neighbors involved. Community gardens are a great way to grow healthy food and bring people together. They can be set up on empty lots or in parks and schools.

Another benefit to having your own garden or a shared one is being able to keep everything pesticide-free. Some flowers and herbs even act as natural pest control. So have fun, enjoy the “fruits” of your labor and plant safely.

Flu season starts around October and usually peaks in January/February. But you can catch the flu all year long. Symptoms may be minor, like a runny nose or sore throat, or very serious – even life-threatening. Your best protection is to get the flu vaccine each year. It’s even safe for babies as young as 6 months. Talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns about the vaccine.

Because the flu is spread through contact with affected people and things, good hygiene is an important defense. Wash your hands often to kill germs, and avoid people who are sick. If you get the flu, stay home for at least 24 hours after a fever passes so you’re not contagious.

You may not see them, but dangerous germs can be unwelcome guests at mealtime. Thousands of people die in the U.S. each year because of contaminated food. Soap
and water are your best defense against food-related illnesses. To keep germs from spreading, you should wash your hands throughout the day. Scrub them for 20 seconds – or about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. On the go, use hand sanitizer with at least a 60% alcohol base.

Clean hands are especially important when you handle food. You should make sure to clean counter tops, cutting boards, dishes and other areas where you prepare food. Never mix fresh fruits and veggies with raw meat, poultry or seafood. And don’t place cooked food back on plates that held uncooked food.

Whole grains are a very important part of a healthy, balanced diet. Barley, quinoa, wheat berries and other whole grains are full of protein, fiber, vitamins and iron your body needs. There’s also strong evidence that whole grains may lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The biggest challenge may be knowing what a whole grain is and where to find it. To help you do just that, the Whole Grains Council created an official packaging symbol, called the Whole Grain Stamp, to identify whole grain-rich foods where you shop.