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 spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, offered five easy resolutions for healthful eating in 2010.

1. 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 citrus, bananas and grapes. Fresh is best, but canned and frozen also work, as long as they don't contain added salt and sugar.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Experiment with natural flavor boosters so 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.