Now that the eggnog has settled into your thighs and your belly is bulging with stuffing, the time is ripe for the annual pledge to eat more healthfully in the coming year — but this time, you're sticking with it.

Sarah Krieger, a personal chef and dietitian in Tampa, Fla., and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, offered five easy resolutions for healthful eating in 2010.

• Make it a habit to buy fruits and vegetables every time you go to the grocery store. Variety is important: If you typically eat apples and green salads, work in some citrus, bananas and grapes. Fresh is best, but canned and frozen also work as long as they don't contain added salt and sugar.

• Cook at home more often. When you eat out, typically the portions are larger and you can't control the ingredients. Keep your simplest and most frequently used cookbooks near your grocery shopping list for easy access.

• Lower your salt intake. Everyone should consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and people with heart disease and other risk factors should get less than 1,500 milligrams. Check nutrition labels. Some foods, such as breakfast cereals, are surprisingly sodium-heavy.

• Eat something with protein and fiber within an hour of waking up in the morning to help jump-start your metabolism. Try a hard-cooked egg and a glass of milk, grab an apple or granola bar on your way out the door. Krieger's favorite: a banana with peanut butter.

• Experiment with natural flavor boosters so that you don't depend so much on packaged foods. Grow fresh herbs on your window sill and add them to tomato sauce. Try lemon, lime and orange zest in soups, salads and marinades.

1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup chopped onion3 cloves minced garlic1 teaspoon ground cumin48 ounces lower-sodium chicken broth¼ cup (dry) quick-cooking brown rice1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut in ½-inch pieces1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce (or less, to taste)2 tablespoons lime juice¼ chopped scallionsHeat oil in large soup pot over medium high. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 to 4 minutes, until somewhat softened. Add cumin and chicken broth and bring to boil; add rice and cook 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, diced tomatoes and chipotle; simmer until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and scallions.

1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup chopped onion3 minced cloves garlic8 ounces turkey kielbasa (or other lower-fat sausage), cut in ½ -inch pieces32 ounces lower-sodium chicken broth2 cups water1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomato1 (19-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed6 cups (about 8 ounces) prewashed kaleHeat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes until onion is softened. Add the kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, water and tomato and bring to a boil; immediately reduce heat to simmer.Add beans and about ½ of greens, allowing them to wilt slightly before adding remaining greens. Cook until the greens are completely wilted and the broth is flavorful, about 5 more minutes.

1 tablespoon olive oil12 ounces beef bottom round, cut in Z\x-inch chunks½ teaspoon dried basil½ teaspoon dried thyme1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes1 carrot, cut in ¼-inch dice29 ounces lower-sodium chicken broth½ cup ditalini pasta1 cup frozen corn1 cup frozen peasHeat the oil in a large soup pot over medium high. Add the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the basil, thyme, tomatoes, carrot and broth and bring to a boil; immediately reduce heat, cover and simmer gently until beef is tender, about 20 minutes.Add the pasta, corn and peas and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Season to taste with plenty of black pepper and salt as needed.