Healthy eating is important at every stage of life, including celebrations and gatherings. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding what to eat or drink, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Start with these tips:

Serve up variety

At your next event, create a colorful buffet table that includes a variety of foods from all the food groups.

Cheers to good health

Serve water or unsweetened iced tea with fresh mint leaves. Offer seltzer water with a splash of 100% fruit juice or a wedge of lemon or lime.

Make activity part of the fun

Laugh, mingle, dance, and play games. Have fun walking and talking with family and friends after a special meal.

Rethink dessert

Offer a combination of fresh and dried fruit. Put out fixings for guests to make their own trail mix with a combination of peanuts, dark chocolate chips, and dried fruits.

Reduce food waste

Manage leftovers by packing them for guests to take home, adding them to soups or salads, and including extra veggies in omelets, sandwiches, or stews.

Try a twist on a dish

Substitute unsweetened applesauce for butter when baking, or use low-fat milk when a recipe calls for cream. Experiment with low-salt herbs and spices.

The benefits of healthy eating add up over time, bite by bite.