Eating more fruits and vegetables is a positive step toward better health and weight management. If you use each of these 26 alphabet letter ideas, you will have a healthier year!

A - Apple Keep a variety handy for quick and tasty snacks

B - Banana Eat one for breakfast, snack or dessert for a potassium boost

C - Carrots Put carrot nuggets in your lunch or grated carrots on your salad

D - Dried fruit Cranberries, blueberries, dates and raisins all are good cereal toppers

E - Every Try for at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal every day

F - Fennel substitutes for celery in almost any recipe

G - Grapes Available year round, they are easy to carry and eat as a snack

H - Herbs Use basil, cilantro, dill, oregano and parsley to flavor soups and casseroles

I - Italian Pasta dishes are easy to prepare and a good way to include vegetables

J - Jerusalem artichoke Peel and slice to use for salads or for dipping

K - Kale This nutrition powerhouse is good in stir fry or soup

L - Lettuce Use assorted varieties in salads for a low calorie addition to a meal

M - Melons Cut up and keep in the refrigerator for a delicious snack

N - Nuts Add crunch to salads with a sprinkling of chopped nuts

O - Oranges Peel and eat or slice into salads and fruit cups

P - Potatoes Bake or microwave and top with yogurt or fat free sour cream

Q - Quick Cook vegetables in the microwave to preserve the vitamins

R - Radish Good for dipping or adding crunch to salads

S - Strawberries Fresh or frozen, they add fiber to any meal or snack

T - Tomatoes Grape tomatoes keep well and kids love the taste

U - Ugly fruit A funny looking fruit that has an interesting citrus taste

V - Vinegar A splash of flavored vinegar adds taste to any food

W - Winter squash The hard outer shell makes this a vegetable that keeps well

X - eXplore Try a new fruit or vegetable each season

Y -Yams Pierce the skin with a fork and cook quickly in the microwave

Z - Zucchini Use this squash in muffins, omelets and vegetable stews

Follow these suggestions for nutritious eating from A-Z.

Hint for a healthier new year: Look for “whole wheat” as the first ingredient on bread labels to be sure that you are eating a whole grain bread.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator with the Eat Smart NY program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.

Carrot Spice Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 medium carrots, washed, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil 12 muffin cups or use cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, sugar, vanilla and oil.

Mix until well blended. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. (You may replace the 1/2 cup whole wheat flour with 1/2 cup all purpose flour for a total of 1 cup all purpose flour).

Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture, just until blended. Fold in carrots and raisins. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup about 1/2 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool at least 10 minutes.