Make blueberries part of your little changes to start the New Year off right

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. I received a stipend to facilitate my purchase for my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”My family loves blueberries. Blueberries in baked goods, blueberries in smoothies, blueberries on dessert, or blueberries by the handful… as long as its blueberries, they are happy. In fact, my son {who is a notoriously picky eater} decided a few months ago that he would like his nickname to be “blueberry Bubs” in honor of his favorite berry.

It all started this past summer when we spent a few hours blueberry picking and eating our fill in the field {yes, eating the berries was allowed as long as you were buying some as well}, and we came home with a huge flat of the most amazing blueberries I have ever tried. However, we made the mistake of leaving that flat of blueberries out on the counter and my son basically ended up eating half of our haul by sneaking a handful every time he walked past until we realized it and then we put them away.

Call me mean, but I wanted some of those delicious berries for myself! We hid some to make into fresh blueberry pies and then froze the rest to snack on even after the fields near us were closed for the season. Even though our local blueberry season officially ended months ago and all of our frozen stash of blueberries have been eaten by the handful or blended into delicious smoothies, there are still many areas that are producing blueberries that are readily available in grocery stores nationwide. And, every time my son sees a display of blueberries, he asks us to buy a huge flat of them. No carton or container will do, he wants a box bigger than suitcase stuffed to the top with delicious blueberries. So, when my pregnancy nutritionist suggested I eat blueberries instead of other fruit because of their low calorie content {just 80 calories per 1 cup serving}, the 3.6 grams of fiber, and the fact that they are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese without sabotaging my sugar levels, my son was overjoyed to see our kitchen once again fully stocked with his favorite fruit.

And, I have been so excited to be able to indulge in some delicious blueberries knowing that I’m getting good nutrients for the baby as well as satisfying my sweet tooth. While we’re not baking pies with this batch as we’re looking for ways to eat healthier in the new year, we’ve all enjoyed blueberries in our favorite recipes, as a touch of sweet in baked goods, and mostly, by the handful. But, my favorite pairing is blueberries on top of Greek yogurt because it adds some protein to my snack to help keep me feeling full and satisfied much longer than most other snacks. And, did I mention that it is delicious? It’s like having dessert for breakfast and it makes me stress less about sugar levels and eating healthy for two. As for my son, would you be surprised to know that this is how he served up some yogurt with blueberries on top? Underneath all those fresh blueberries there must be some yogurt, right? If your goal is to eat healthier this year, why not start small? Pick up some fresh, frozen, or freezedried blueberries and keep them on hand for recipes and snacking throughout the year and you can feel like you are indulging without all the guilt. Small changes can add up to big gains when it comes to health, and incorporating blueberries into your everyday diet is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to start that change.

Want some inspiration? The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council website hosts a variety of tips on how to make eating blueberries a part of your lifestyle as well as a slew of recipes in which you can incorporate blueberries, all of which can be found here. Love blueberries as much as we do? Be sure and enter the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council Sweepstakes that began on January 1, 2015 and closes February 16, 2015.

You can enter to win a trip for two to LA for the Little Changes Kitchen Challenge alongside actress, author, and TV host Alison Sweeney. Runners up may win one of four $500 Whole Foods or Lululemon gift cards for a refreshed pantry or workout wardrobe! Choose little, win BIG. Enter at www.littlebluedynamos.com/littlechanges2015

To learn more about the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council visit littlebluedynamos.com. You can also check out Little Blue Dynamos on Facebook, on Twitter at @Blueberry411, on Instagram @LittleBlueDynamos, and for meal ideas visit Blueberry Life on Pinterest.