Close Enough

Judy's book, Close Enough, deciphers the massive amount of information inside the 2005 and 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans so that the average Judy can understand it. She then combined that knowledge with the Nutrition Facts label's specifics. In order to ensure the food she eats comes as close as possible to their recommendations, she designed a Daily Nutrition Spreadsheet.

She wanted to understand how to eat nutritiously on about $5 a day by using the information from the Nutrition Facts label. So she logged the calories, grams, milligrams, vitamins and minerals into the Daily Nutrition Spreadsheet. She could easily see where adjustments were needed to meet the recommended nutrient levels from each of the food groups.

When it comes to choosing foods for your health and happiness, ignorance is not bliss in the grocery store. Using the examples in the book, you can design your own spreadsheet to include your personal nutrition needs for your goals. You don't need to forget about your comfort foods either. It's called Discretionary Allowance. Yummy.