Nutritious choices made simple®
You’ve figured out a dietary or lifestyle change you want to make. You’ve gone through some of the Stages of Change already and you realize that now is a good time to make that change and you’re ready to prepare for taking action. Here are three tips to help you in the preparation stage because, you know, failing to plan is basically planning to…let’s just say that good prep is key to success.
Gulping sandwiches while standing at the sink so that you can rush out to mail those last holiday packages. Ordering pizza (again) because you’re just too exhausted and time-pressed to think about—let alone concoct—a healthy meal from scratch. If either of these scenarios sounds familiar to you, you’re not alone. This time of year is crazy-busy for most people, for various reasons. I wrote about mindful eating last year. This blog post is different because it’s not about nutrition as much as its about enjoying special meals at this special time of year. It’s unfortunate that all of our holiday-related activities seem to take our minds and hearts away from the spirit of the holidays. With all the rushing around, wrapping, mailing, card-writing, party-going, cookie-baking (and oh yes, going to work in between all of that), it’s no wonder that many of us feel on the brink of losing what we are seeking during this season: peace, reflection, family and friends, generosity and joy.
Whether you’re one of those folks who is still working your way through leftover Halloween candy you bought (or pilfered from your kid’s stash) or have already begun laying in a supply of seasonal candies selected from the massive display of treats at your local retailer, chances are this time of year brings more than the usual amount of sugar into your life. How much sugar is too much? It depends on whom you ask.
It’s that time of year when more of us are cooking for friends and family, and being careful to prepare our food safely is important. (Okay, it’s important all year ‘round, of course!) Last week the FDA finalized some rules that will go further in making our food safer before it even reaches our kitchens. Foodborne illness outbreaks linked to fresh fruits and vegetables seem increasingly common, but these new requirements for farms and food importers should help curtail this dangerous trend.
The turkey as the center of the Thanksgiving meal is a tradition that many really enjoy…and others really dislike (but are afraid to swap out for fear of being boo’d out of the kitchen, or pelted with Brussels sprouts). Why do so many of us feel compelled to recreate the Norman Rockwell holiday meal? There are other birds we could serve—or even non-bird entrees that could impress our guests. Still, the bird is the word most of the time.
I just returned from the annual conference and expo of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that was held in Nashville this year. It’s a wonderful chance to catch up with colleagues, attend educational sessions and news briefings and–my favorite part–check out the new food products at the expo. Here are three of the trends I spotted as I browsed around (along with some info on brands of products—I don’t typically discuss brands here and I am not recommending these brands, I’m just giving a few examples of things I saw at the conference.)
The phrase “clean eating” or “clean food” is being used more and more in the food and fitness arenas. The food industry also utilizes the “clean” concept in relation to food labels, but what exactly does “clean” mean in relation to food? Let’s take a look at this increasingly common (yet often confusing) term…
I grew up with a father who loved popcorn, and he made it so well—popped perfectly on the stove and topped with melted butter and a generous sprinkling of salt. Sometimes he would make it for my mother, my little sister and me and we’d sit all cozy with my mom, noshing on the freshly-popped corn while she read our nightly stories. Ah, popcorn memories…