Besides drinking champagne, singing “Auld Lang Syne,” and giving your partner a peck at the stroke of midnight, making a New Year’s resolution is probably one of the most time-honored traditions associated with the holiday. And it makes sense that people want to set goals that will support their well-being in the months to come—building strength in the gym, nabbing a promotion at work, staying in touch with friends, whatever it may be.
Another common one? Tweaking your eating habits in some way, shape, or form often tops the resolutions list, according to the National Institutes of Health. Food, after all, plays a major role in how you think, feel, and function overall on a day-to-day basis. Consider it the human version of gasoline: The kind you use to fill up your tank can make a big difference. Specifically, you need a balance of all the major macronutrients: protein, carbs (including fiber), and fats—and don’t forget about all-important micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, either. While there’s no telling how any one body will react, prioritizing nutrition in a way that works for your everyday life (without losing sight of the importance of taste and satisfaction, of course!) could do a whole lot: boost your energy, improve your mood, strengthen your bones, support your immunity, and even lower your risk for certain health conditions. In other words, it’s a goal that’s very much worthy of your resolutions list.
To usher in 2025 on that note, SELF asked our writers and editors to share their favorite healthy-eating strategies that made them feel better in 2024, whether they’re specific nutrition-boosters or simply about how to make the whole feeding-yourself-each-day thing a little less fraught. Read on for tips on hydration, meal hacks, and everything in between—you just might be inspired to make a tiny little change that can yield some big feel-good results.
1. Prep your morning glass of water in advance.
I’m guilty of forgetting to fill up my water bottle at night and really regretting it the next morning when I wake up with a dry throat. Do your future self a solid and put a full glass or bottle by your bed before you go to sleep. That way, it’s ready for you as soon as you open your eyes. —Jenna Ryu
2. And on that note, make what’s inside a little more exciting.
Staying hydrated is easier when you like what you’re drinking. I like to keep multiple mix-ins on hand that make my water taste better so I’m more likely to drink more of it. Some of my favorites include lemon and lime slices (I freeze them, so they keep longer and can also double as ice cubes), True Lemon crystals (you can cook with them, too!), and Hydrant electrolyte packets (I have one every morning). —Abbey Stone
3. Invest in a big ol’ cup to take with you on the go.
If hydrating throughout the day feels like a drag, you might need a better vessel. I highly recommend using a nice, big cup that’s uniquely satisfying to drink out of. It could be a Stanley, an upcycled marinara-sauce jar, or a vintage wine goblet—as long as it feels good in your hand and is easy to sip from, you’re on the right track. —Sara Coughlin
4. Switch up your milk.
Sure, new milk alternatives hit the shelves seemingly every day, but ultra-filtered milk—milk that’s subjected to a process that essentially concentrates the nutrients—is a real standout. Compared to the traditional stuff, it has literally double the protein, and it tastes exactly the same. And as an added bonus for folks who deal with, um, stomach upset after consuming dairy, ultrafiltered milk contains zero lactose. —Christa Sgobba
5. Add extra nutrients to your desserts.
If you’re someone (like me) who can’t stand a regular can of beans in your savory dinners or lunches, I highly recommend incorporating them into your sweet treats. My go-to is black beans in brownies. Or, chickpeas in blondies. Trust me, you won’t taste them, and as an added bonus, beans make your desserts extra rich, moist, and hard to put down. —JR
6. Upgrade your tuna.
Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin D, and other important nutrients—and canned seafood can be a quick, easy way to level up your lunch. No shade to Chicken of the Sea, but these days, you can buy some seriously bougie tinned fish. Some of my faves include Fishwife’s albacore tuna in spicy olive oil and Freshé’s Sicilian caponata, which mixes tuna with butternut squash, roasted veggies, and herbs for a ready-to-go salad topper or stand-alone snack. Pro tip: Try branching out to other seafood varieties, like mussels, anchovies, or trout. —AS
7. Buy a rotisserie chicken so you always have a versatile protein source handy.
I’m not big on cooking, so I’ll do anything I can to make meal prep easier—including outsourcing the bulk of it. I like to buy a rotisserie chicken at my local grocery store and use it throughout the week in tacos, salads, or pasta dishes. Honestly, sometimes I’ll just snack on it by itself. My husband and I call this “Straight protein to the face.” —AS
8. Boil up some eggs to make your salads more substantial.
I’ve been trying to eat more veggies lately, and I know salads are a good way to do that, but it’s hard for me to feel satisfied with that alone. It needs protein, and I’m not about to grill up some chicken during a hectic workday. Enter: the humble hard-boiled egg. I’ve recently started hard-boiling a bunch at the beginning of the week and slicing up two to top my weekday salad. It’s made a big difference in enjoyment and satisfaction, so much so that I’m already looking around for other potential add-ons to make it even better. —CS
9. Make your lunch work for you.
Lunch is such a joyless meal for me, but I’ve made it a little less of a drag by throwing out normal lunch conventions and eating whatever I feel like instead. Once you stop thinking exclusively in terms of sad desk salads and sandwiches, you can have leftover chili, a big bowl of yogurt with delicious mix-ins, or a makeshift cheese board as your midday meal—whatever floats your boat. —SC
10. Set a goal to eat a fruit or veggie (or both!) at every meal.
Yes, we know we should aim for about five servings of both fruits and veggies each day, but honestly, who has time to keep track? Following this rule will automatically take a big chunk out of your goal. Add kale to a morning smoothie, layer banana slices onto a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, and toss frozen peas into a curry for dinner. Hello, easy nutrition! —Westry Green
11. Find a delicious garnish to enhance the basics.
When you’re ravenous but fresh out of snack ideas, it’s good to have a go-to condiment or topping to pep up otherwise bland foods like bread, crackers, or plain yogurt. For me, it’s peanut butter, hands down. —SC
12. Have produce prepped and ready for snack time.
I prep my fruits (and sometimes veggies) right when I get home from the grocery store, washing them and transferring them into containers as I unpack. I might even chop some veggies up, especially if I know I’ll be using it for dinner that night. This way, I can grab a handful when I swing by the fridge. Having fewer barriers standing in the way of a healthy snack means I’m more likely to add one to my meal! —Sarah Felbin
13. Supplement ready-to-eat dinners with fresh or frozen veggies.
To make a frozen meal more filling (and a little healthier), I often add veggies. My favorite way to do this is by throwing peas in Trader Joe’s frozen gorgonzola gnocchi—it’s like a fancier mac and cheese! On top of boosting the veggie content, this is an easy way to add a little interest to the meals I eat on repeat. —SF
14. Make a weekly menu and shop with it in mind.
I’ve found it’s much easier for me to whip up healthy meals if I actually have all the ingredients on hand, so each week, I make a list of the meals I’d like to make and then craft my shopping list around it. This doesn’t have to be a hard menu, but more so a general bulleted list. This way, I have everything that I need already stocked. Besides, knowing there are Brussels sprouts in the veggie drawer that will rot if I don’t cook them in the next few days is good motivation to actually incorporate them into my next meal like I said I would (a recent real-life example!) —Amy Marturana Winderl
15. Pack lunch the night before—and divvy it up wisely.
The key is to pack foods that will stay fresh in the fridge overnight. Make a hearty salad and pour the dressing into a separate container to keep your greens crisp. Stow sandwich components in a bento box and build it fresh right before you eat. Or immediately put a serving of the dinner you just cooked into a microwave-safe container that can be reheated at the office. Now all you have to do in the morning is remember to snag your lunch from the fridge. —WG
16. Or knock out a few meals in one go with a marathon meal-prep session.
Try setting aside some time over the weekend (or whenever you have a couple hours free) to meal-prep a few lunches at once. Just make a big batch of food—I’ve found stew-type dishes work best—portion it out into Tupperware containers, and stash them in the fridge. I’ve done this with chili, rice and beans, chickpea stew, and many other dishes. It might feel like a pain on the back end, but I promise your future self (and your wallet) will thank you when you’re able to grab and go rather than worrying about A) waking up early to haphazardly whip something up, or B) blowing a bunch of money in the caf. —Caroline Tien
17. Learn to cook one new dish per month.
It’s easy to fall back on weeknight dinners that get the job done, but—let’s face it—stopped sparking joy on their 20th revival. Once a month, challenge yourself to tackle a totally new recipe—ideally, one that forces you to try out a new culinary skill, flavor combo, or protein source. You’ll expand your meal prep options, and might even find a little more fun in nourishing yourself. —Grace McCarty
18. Don’t sleep on Pinterest for recipe inspo.
When I do my weekly meal planning, I always include one or two recipes that are new to me. I still am an avid Pinterest user for this exact reason! When I have some downtime, and before my weekly grocery shopping trip, I browse the app, searching by a few key ingredients (usually nutritious items I want to try to eat more of and one or two ingredients I already have and want to use up). While I find it’s easier to look for riffs on my go-tos (like a different sauce and veggie combo with chicken than what I made the previous week), sometimes I do save something entirely outside of my wheelhouse. —AMW
19. Or eat your way through your favorite cookbook.
Figuring out what to make for dinner every night (and how to make it nutritious) is a daunting task. Eliminate both stressors by committing to cooking every recipe in your favorite healthy(-ish) cookbook. On top of having a fun new adventure, you might even find new recipes to add to your rotation. And most importantly? No decision-making needed. —Lara Kramer
20. But don’t be afraid to cut out the frills and fall back on some key no-recipe recipes.
Take the thought out of the cooking process by tossing a few basic ingredients together and calling it a day. For example, I will combine ground beef with bell peppers, zucchini slices, and taco seasoning in a pan and then melt some Tex-Mex cheese on the top to finish it off. Or, I’ll do Asian-style frozen veggies with chicken, frozen edamame, and some premade teriyaki sauce. I don’t have to think at all when I’m making these meals, so taking in important nutrients like fiber and protein becomes low-stress and easy. What’s more, there is no major grocery haul required. —Dana Leigh Smith
21. When in doubt, have a smoothie.
What’s easier than tossing a bunch of fruits and veggies in a Vitamix and blending them all together? I suck at meal planning and always forget to feed myself when things get really busy. Smoothies have saved me from withering away on stressful days when I don’t have time to prepare food or don’t want to spend money on take-out. Plus, you can stuff pretty much all of your daily recommended fruit and vegetable servings in just one drink, so it’s a win-win! —Katie Camero
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