Here are a few tips:
1. Pick your Pasta - Do you typically buy elbow macaroni or spaghetti? How about experimenting with different shapes of pasta...bowtie, farfalle, linguine, rigatoni...some shapes are better with chunkier sauces and others work best in casseroles or cold salads. Picking the right pasta for your recipe can actually improve your meal. https://pastafits.org/pasta-dictionary
2. Pasta and Fiber - Whole wheat or whole grain? Up the fiber content with whole wheat or whole grain pastas or pastas with added fiber.
3. Plan your portion - It may be tempting to eat a big bowl of pasta but unless you're a long distance runner you probably don’t need all of those carbohydrates. Don’t go overboard with your serving size.
4. Pair your Pasta - Pair your pasta with plenty of vegetables, a side salad and lean protein for a balanced meal or substitute beans for part of the pasta in a recipe.
For more recipe ideas see Pasta Fits: https://pastafits.org/pasta-recipes
Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN
Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian
facebook.com/LeahMcgrathDietitian
800-334-4936