The first of June marks the start of 30-days devoted to dairy! Milk and other dairy products are loaded with tons of minerals like calcium and phosphorous as well as vitamin D and B12, and are a great way to fill your snacks and meals with more nutrients. 

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Here are a few tips of our own to increase your dairy consumption and help build strong bones and teeth!

• Challenge yourself to drink a glass of milk with at least one meal a day for the next 30 days.
• Try adding Greek yogurt to your meals to add extra protein and calcium. Yogurt parfaits for breakfast, Greek tzatziki dip with veggies, or a yogurt marinade for meat are all great options.
• Top your salad with a serving of cheese for added flavor instead of heavy salad dressings and croutons. Feta is especially great for summer salads when paired with fruits like watermelon and cherries.
• Have a sensitive stomach or lactose intolerance? Try kefir, a fermented milk product that is 99% lactose free! It's loaded with live bacteria cultures to aid in digestion, and can have upwards of 12 grams of protein per one cup serving! That's 4 more grams than traditional milk!

What is your favorite source of dairy?

• 1 ripe Fresh Hass Avocado, halved, seeded and peeled
• 6 hardboiled eggs, peeled and halved
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 Tbsp. chopped chives (optional)

1. Chop eggs; set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine half of the avocado, vinegar, mustard and salt; mash until smooth. Dice remaining avocado and add to mixture along with eggs and onion; mix gently.
3. Enjoy!

Raspberry Banana Soft Serve with Chocolate Swirl

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• 1.5 bananas, frozen
• 1 cup raspberries, frozen
• 1/4 cup + 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

• 2 teaspoons cocoa/cacao powder
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons water

• Place frozen banana and frozen raspberries in a small food processor. Then, add in 1/4 cup of almond milk. Pulse and blend until everything is smooth. Depending on how soft/frozen your fruit is, you may need to add a few more tablespoons. Do it slowly. Once smooth, place in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to harden up just a bit.

• Mix together all ingredients until smooth.

• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Strawberries

• Oranges
• Grapefruits
• Mandarin oranges

• Apples
• Pears
• Peaches
• Grapes
• Pomegranate seeds

(Photo source: yummly.com)

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1. Convenience is Key
   • Prep veggies right when you are home from the grocery store so they are just as easy to grab as a bag of chips
2. Social Eating
   • Pay attention to the conversations and then take a break to pay attention to your food
3. Portion Sizes
   • Visual plate rule � half of plate made up of fruits and vegetables
4. Food Conditioning
   • Instead of giving kids a ?treat� for a chore, use solutions for ?bribes� or rewards such as going to the park or having a friend over
5. ?See-Food� Diet
   • Out of sight, out of mind
6. The Forgotten Food
   • Put everything on your plate that you want to eat and don't go for seconds
7. Surveying the ?Table-Scape�
   • Reduce number of items on your plate at one time, use skinny glasses and smaller plates
8. Nutritional Gatekeepers
   • Repackage large boxes of food into smaller containers
   • Bring less unwanted food into your home, buy more healthy options
9. Distracted Eating
   • Don't multi-task
10. Eating Out
    • Try ordering half an entr�e or share with a friend
11. Fast Eating
    • Slow down, give your body time to decide when it is full

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(Photo source: realfoodco.com)

• 3 avocados (pit removed, skin still on)
• 1 medium onion, cut in rounds
• 1 red, yellow or green pepper cut in half
• 1 roma tomato, halved
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• Lime juice
• �_ tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat grill, oil the grate. Arrange first four ingredients on the grill. Be sure to place avocados flesh side don. Cook at high temperature, turning, until ingredients get some scorching and color, 5-7 minutes.
2. Dice onion, peppers and tomato. In a bowl, mix and season with cumin, lime juice, salt and pepper. Feel free to add jalape�os for extra heat, cilantro for extra flavor or diced peaches for sweetness.
3. Spoon mixture into avocado halves.
4. Serve with pita chips or just with a fork and enjoy!

(Photo source: Taste of Home)

1. Try a meat
   • Grill up a chicken breast the night before and add sliced cold chicken to your salad. Pairs great with strawberries, almonds and poppy seed dressing. Add croutons, Parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing for a tossed Caesar salad.
   • Try thinly sliced beef with mandarin oranges, water chestnuts and an Asian-style ginger dressing.
   • Crumble bacon with blue cheese, or add tuna with a squeeze of lemon juice for a variety of creative options.
2. Add some beans
   • Beans are an easy way to add protein, iron and fiber all-in-one. Most have a mild flavor, and add another dimension with their soft texture. Mix together garbanzo beans with cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes and sliced avocado with balsamic dressing and add on a bed of greens.
3. Go for grains
   • Grains are a great source of protein to keep you full. Toss wild rice, quinoa, or cooked barley on a bed of greens or enjoy your grain on the side such as a baguette.
4. Don't forget the eggs
   • One hard-boiled egg added to your salad adds 6 grams of protein. A simple addition with a great protein punch. Not a fan � try tofu or edamame for additional protein.