Home > Food & Health > Education Resources > Smart Choices > Smart Choices: Nutriton and You [Image: Nutrition and You] Follow the USDA Dietary Guidelines to improve your quality of life and to have a more productive life. (PDF format only) Smart Choices: Benefits of Exercise [Image: exercise] You'll feel better and have more energy. (PDF format only) Smart Choices: Are You Shaped Like an Apple or a Pear? [Image: shaped like an apple or pear] Research continues to indicate it’s better to be shaped like a pear than an apple. Fat pattern seems to be more important than the degree of fatness. Use this factsheet to help you determine your risk factors. (PDF format only) Smart Choices: The Nifty Thrifty MyPyramid [Image: mypyramid] Use the sample shopping list to help you make thrifty choices. (PDF Format Only)  more articles... Smart Choices: Need/Have/Purchase Worksheet [Image: grocery list] My Grocery List: Use with Food Intake Pattern, Smart Choices Cards, Food List, Buying Guide and Menu Planner. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Nutrients in Fruits and Vegetables [Image: nutrients ] Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who include more of these foods are less likely to have a risk of chronic diseases. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Breakfast Helps You Be a Better Student [Image: breakfast] Did you know that eating a morning meal does make a difference in how well you do in school? (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Meal Planning Guide [Image: meal planning guide] Choose foods from each food group every day when planning your meals. Use the sample grocery planning list to help you make thrifty food choices. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Wake Up to a Healthy Start [Image: breakfast] People who eat breakfast think better, feel peppier, have better attitudes toward school or work and miss fewer days. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Help Your Heart [Image: help your heart] The foods you eat now can help you have a healthy heart all your life. Eating too much fat when you’re young can lead to heart problems as you grow older. Help your heart by making healthy food choices. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Fascinating Facts About Milk [Image: milk] You should eat dairy foods three times a day. Word activity and recipe for ice cream included. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Fruit - Two Will Do [Image: fruit] Adults need at least 2 cups of fruit daily. Use these tips to get more fruit in your diet. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Scout Out Healthy Fast Foods [Image: eating on the go] Eating on the go can be a challenge if you're trying to make smart choices. This fact sheet provides information to help you find healthier fast foods or snacks, including tips on foods to eat more often, foods to avoid and snacks you can take along. It also stresses reading the nutrition information label when selecting snacks. (PDF Format Only) Smart Choices: Managing Your Food Dollars [Image: managing food dollars] Have you ever had a month when you ran out of food money? Careful planning and shopping can help you buy more food with the dollars you have to spend. Use these tips so you and your family can get the nutrition you need to be healthy. (PDF Format Only) Click for more information...