Also, I’m really excited to be doing some FREE gluten-free education in our stores….  

If you suffer from gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, or you just want to know more about our gluten-free products, then this tour is for you!  Brush up on your gluten-free knowledge or get started with your learning at our FREE interactive and fun filled tours.

I will start the 60-minute tour with basic information on celiac disease and how to read nutrition labels. Next, I will walk you through the store identifying and sampling tasty gluten-free products. You will learn how to plan well-balanced meals and snacks, and get recipe ideas perfect for holidays or other special occasions. Our skilled pharmacy team will also be on-hand to help you with your gluten-free medication needs. Living well with celiac disease is possible and can even be enjoyable and empowering. Let me show you how!

Seating is limited register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/V5DMVVB

“This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is.”

The plate method of meal planning has actually been used by dietitians for quite a while, I’ve been using it with the in-store diabetes education I’ve been doing. But it is nice to have a good graphic and information using the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The new guidelines focus on 3 key areas…

Balancing Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less
• Avoid oversized portions

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
• Make at least half your grains whole grains
• Switch to fat-free or low fat (1%) milk

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals  – and choose the foods with lower numbers
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks

The hope is that MyPlate will help people make better choices with the foods that they buy and consume. A website has been established for the new concept. Check out www.ChooseMyPlate.gov to see more info.

Also for those looking for ways to teach young children about MyPlate? Try this activity: give each child a paper plate, divide into sections and have them draw different foods in each sections or have them put stickers or pictures from magazines in each section.

What do you think about the new ChooseMyPlate?

The Dietary Guidelines recommend shifting eating patterns to eat more of some foods and nutrients and less of others. A healthy eating pattern will allow you to meet the recommendations while staying within your calorie needs.
Foods and Nutrients to Increase
The Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat more:
• Whole grains: Increase whole grains by choosing whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Make at least half your grain servings whole grains.
• Vegetables: Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange vegetables plus beans and peas. Most adults need 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day.
• Fruits: Add fruit to meals and snacks—fresh, frozen or canned—to get about 2 cups each day.
• Low-fat or fat free milk, yogurt and cheese or fortified soy beverages: Include 3 cups per day for calcium, vitamin D, protein and potassium. Lactose-free milk is also an option.
• Vegetable oils such as canola, corn, olive, peanut and soybean: These are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Use in moderate amounts in place of solid fats.
• Seafood – Include a variety of seafood more often in place of some meat and poultry.
Foods and Food Components to Reduce
More than one-third of all calories consumed by Americans are solid fats and added sugars.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend eating less:
• Added sugars
• Solid fats, including trans fats
• Refined grains
• Sodium

Sodium
The recommendation for sodium remains the same—no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium—for most people. However, a reduction to 1,500 milligrams per day is recommended for people over age 51, African-Americans and those with a history of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and diabetes.
Suggestions for reducing sodium:
• Prepare food using little salt or fewer high sodium ingredients. For example, skip using salt in cooking pasta, rice, cereals and vegetables.
• Taste food before salting it. Lightly salt food only as needed, not as a habit.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables which are naturally low in sodium
• Use herbs, spice rubs and fruit juices in cooking in place of salt.
• Check food labels comparing like items and choose lower sodium foods. Also watch for terms like “low sodium” and “no added salt.”
• Eat fresh, lean meats, poultry, fish, dry and fresh beans and peas, unsalted nuts and eggs, all of which contain less sodium.

Fats
For optimal health, most people should reduce their intake of solid fats and trans fat by replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Solid fats are found in fatty animal-based foods such as well-marbled meat, poultry skin, bacon, sausage, butter and whole milk products. Trans fat is found in foods made with vegetable oils that have been partially hydrogenated such as cookies, donuts, pastries and crackers.
Most fats should be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated such as liquid vegetable oils like canola, olive, corn, peanut and soybean. Plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, olives and avocados also contain these healthy fats.

Eating Right with MyPyramid
Get a personalized eating plan at
www.mypyramid.gov. Your MyPyramid Plan will give you the amounts of each food group you need daily. If you have special dietary needs, consult a registered dietitian for a customized plan.

Authored by American Dietetic Association staff registered dietitians. Found at www.eatright.org

Gifts for Healthy Eating

Home-made food, cooking ingredients and kitchen tools are sure to please almost everyone on your list. The possibilities are endless, but here are a few practical gift ideas to get you started.

Fruit & Vegetable Basket: Give a colorful selection of fruits and vegetables, keeping them at optimum quality by assembling the basket shortly before giving it. Many grocery stores will help put one together for you. Here are a few items you could include: green and red grapes; apples; oranges; grapefruits; lemons;  limes; bananas; kiwi; strawberries; tomatoes; peppers (red, orange, green and yellow); broccoli; zucchini and onions.

Healthy Snack Jar: Select a clear, covered container and fill it with packages of healthy snacks such as: little boxes of raisins; non-fat snack bars; trail mix; 100-calorie packs of various crackers; dried fruit; baked chips and pretzels. These snacks are low in fat and sugar but may provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. The see-through container makes it easy to tell when it’s time to refill.

“Gift Certificate” for Food From Your Kitchen: Give a home-made “gift certificate” for fresh, healthy treats from your kitchen. You might promise to cook a complete meal for six people or to bake one fresh loaf of bread per month for the next year.

Assortment of Herbs & Spices: Buy several small containers of seasonings to add new zest and taste to foods formerly flavored by salt, sugar and fat. Add a few less common herbs and spices for your family and friends to try, also.

Sweet-Tasting Spices: These spices reduce or eliminate the need for sugar in foods: cinnamon; allspice; cloves; anise; nutmeg; ginger; cardamom and mace. Cutting back on dietary sugar benefits everyone, especially diabetics.

Cookbook or a Subscription to a Cooking Magazine: Choose a cookbook with healthful recipes that are lower in sugar, fat and calories. Other options include a cookbook that has only a few ingredients or one with recipes for quick meals. If the person enjoys receiving new recipe ideas throughout the year, give them a subscription to a cooking magazine.

Kitchen Tools

Here are some kitchen items that allow more cooking in less time.

Easy-To-Handle Gadgets: If someone on your gift list has weak hands or hands that are affected by arthritis, give them an assortment of large rubber-handled, easy-to-use kitchen tools, including: a vegetable peeler; grater; scissors; garlic press; can opener and ice cream scoop. Also available is a gadget that makes getting the lid off practically any jar as easy as pressing a button.

Spoonula: A heat-resistant, spoon-shaped spatula can take on many jobs of both a mixing spoon and a spatula. Look for a larger-sized one with a firm, flexible head. It should be strong enough to mix heavy batters yet flexible enough to conform to the contours of the mixing bowl.

Make sure the handle feels comfortable and is sturdy enough not to bend when mixing or scraping down the sides of the bowl. The spoonula should be dishwasher-safe and suitable for stirring in nonstick pans without scratching. The degree of heat resistance should be 400° F or higher so that the spoonula is suitable for stirring foods at the stove.

Extra Cutting Board: Every cook needs several cutting boards to save time that would be spent washing the board before cutting another item.

More importantly, having extra boards prevents cross-contamination when cutting different types of foods for the same meal. This is very critical when cutting raw meats, poultry or seafood followed by ready-to-eat foods such as salad items (e.g. raw vegetables and fruits).

Select a cutting board that is made of plastic or other non-porous material that won’t dull knives and is dishwasher-safe.

Extra Set of Measuring Spoons: Buy an extra set of measuring spoons, or maybe two extra sets, so the cook on your gift list won’t have to continually wash and rewash that single set of spoons. Onion powder might taste great in the dip, but it doesn’t go as well in the sugar cookies!

Universal Pan Lid: This lid fits a wide variety of pans and allows a person to visually check the cooking progress of food without lifting the lid, which releases heat and increases cooking time.

A universal lid usually has several rings of ridges that let it fit over different sizes of pans. Some brands cover pans from about 8″ to 12″ in diameter (as measured across the top of the pan), and other brands may offer both a smaller and a larger size lid. A few questions to ask about them are: Is it dishwasher-safe? Does it have a stay-cool knob? Is it oven-safe, and if so, to what temperature?

Fitness-Related Gifts

To rev up the physical activity level of people on your gift list, consider giving them one or more fitness-related items like these this year.

Pedometer: A recommended walking goal is to build up to an average of at least 10,000 steps a day. Why not buy a pedometer for someone else and get a duplicate for yourself? Then you can turn holiday shopping and cleaning into a step-a-thon. If you only want to count steps taken, then you can buy a pedometer that is ready to use right out of the box. Another type can be programmed to figure mileage.

Workout Video or DVD: These are available in levels from beginner to advanced, so choose the appropriate fitness level. The programs feature everything from kick boxing to pilates, salsa and tap dancing.

Popping a workout video into a home player is like having a personal trainer on call. You can work out to a dance video at home by yourself. This reduces the stress of whether your workout clothes measure up to someone else’s or whether you’ll step on your partner’s toes. In fact, you can make up your own moves and don’t even have to follow the steps. The important thing is to keep moving.

Stability or Balance Ball: There are several exercise routines that can be done on these balls. Through the continuous adjustment and readjustment of the body, core muscles can be strengthened while sitting on the ball and watching TV. However, just bouncing up and down on it is a lot of fun and a great stress reliever. Always check the instructions on the box and buy the ball size that is correct for the person’s height.

MP3 Player: This device is great for enjoying music or recorded books while taking a brisk walk or doing household chores to burn calories. Make sure you choose a player with enough memory to hold the number of songs, books, etc. for the intended use.

Three-Wheeled Adult Bike: This is an ideal gift for a senior who needs to exercise and get some fresh air. Since it is an expensive item, the entire family may need to pool together and buy it. Features to consider include a wide padded seat, rear cargo basket, and a foldable frame.

Sources:

1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid. April 2005. www.MyPyramid.gov.
3. Henneman, Alice. Six Kitchen Tools to Simplify Holiday Cooking. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County.
4. –––. Add a Little Spice (& Herbs) to Your Life! University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County.
5. –––. Healthy (and FUN) Holiday Gifts for YOU! University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County.
6. –––. Have a Healthy Red & Green Holiday! University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County.
7. Gifts for Healthy Eating. FoodTalk Newsletter (December, 1996). University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County.
8. Schaarsmith, Amy McConnell. Holiday Gift Guide: New Products Can Make Life Easier for Seniors. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 12, 2007.

• Remove fat from meat and poultry juices with a spoon or a fat-separating pitcher.
• Fat may also be removed by placing pan drippings in the refrigerator, which will cause the fat to slightly harden and it may then be easily removed with a spoon.

Every tablespoon of fat you remove from gravy or pan juice subtracts about 120 calories and 13 grams of fat.

From www.eatright.org

I don’t know if you are like me, but I am also wanting healthier snacks around the house as well. So here are some ideas…

Also, rememeber as with any treat, candy can be a part of children’s healthful eating plans — in moderation.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

So…

How Long Can Leftovers Last?

In general, most perishable foods have a shelf life of just three to five days. However, different foods have different timelines, so use this quick reference list as a guideline:

Main dishes

• Beef, pork, poultry and fish: 3 to 4 days
• Lunch meats: 3 to 5 days
• Seafood: 2 days
• Pasta: 3 to 5 days

Side dishes

• Cooked fresh vegetables: 3 to 4 days
• Rice: 1 week
• Soup: 3 to 4 days

Always check for unusual odors. I still remember the rule my college nutrition professor told me “If in doubt, throw it out.”

September is National Food Safety Education Month. Learn more about food preparation and food safety at www.homefoodsafety.org.

Information from the American Dietetic Association (www. eatright.org)

With the school year starting, I thought it would be a good time to repost this information from a Little Theatre class I did last year.

Tips for packing a lunchbox

1. Make smart choices

•Try to include different colors, textures and flavors

• Provide selections from as many food groups as possible

•Consider your childs likes and dislikes and that these change periodically

2. Plan ahead

•Make several containers or baggies of items to include in your child’s lunches for the week (vegetables, crackers, pretzels, dry cereal)

•Create a cycle menu or a list of options for each food group

 •If you are planning to pack dinner leftovers for lunch, pack the storage container as you are cleaning up for dinner.

•Prepare muffins, quick breads, trail mixes, granola bars, etc on the weekends when you may have more time and keep them handy in the refrigerator for daily packing.

•Use your freezer  (pre-pack and freeze single servings)

3. Organize

•Have a staging area set up with everything you need in one place, including…

At least two lunch boxes •Brown bags •Plastic baggies •Storage containers in all sizes •Spoons and forks •Napkins •Straws •Thermos or water bottle •Cookie cutters, food markers, stamps, etc.

4. Go small

•Use kid serving sizes. Adult size servings can overwhelm a child, causing disinterest in the meal.

•Children enjoy a small amount of a variety of foods

5. Get your kids involved

•Take your kids shopping with you so they can have some input

•Invite children to help with lunch preparation and give them choices within established boundaries; older children can often prepare and pack their own lunch with adult supervision

6. Be creative

•Have themed lunches -  ie:  fish theme with sandwich cut into a fish shape with fish crackers and blue yogurt (water)

•Cut shapes!  Use cookie cutters, glasses, or cut into cubes or strips with a knife. •Make kabobs or wraps instead of sandwiches

•Try different types and shapes of bread

•Add sprinkles! Decorate with food coloring markers! Leave notes, jokes, etc!

•Provide dipping sauces like ketchup, yogurt, hummus, nut butters, guacamole, etc.

•Use mini-versions of regular foods (or cut them smaller). Mini muffins, bagels, and crackers seem to go over better with preschoolers than regular size.

Also, here are some ideas on what to include from the different food groups.

August is National Peach Month and the sweetest time to enjoy this fruit. In addition to its great taste, one large peach will give you 19 percent of your vitamin C for the day, 11 percent of your vitamin A and 10 percent of your potassium. 

First, how to pick a perfect peach…

So, grab a peach and try these recipes:

• Summer shake: Puree peach slices with low-fat buttermilk, crushed ice and a touch of ginger or cinnamon until smooth.
• Grilled treat: Place peach halves on the grill on low heat until the fruit is hot and slightly golden.
• Colorful salad: Pair peaches with fresh spinach and lime vinaigrette. Add protein by tossing in walnuts, pecans or chicken.
• Fruit tea: Dice a peach and add to iced tea.
• Peach salsa: TO DIE FOR!  See recipe below…

Peachy Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  Delicious over baked fish, chicken or pork.

 Recipe courtesy of Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). This recipe meets PBH and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) nutrition standards that maintain fruits and vegetables as healthy foods.

Another benefit of biting into a peach: dietary fiber. You’ll get 3 grams from a single peach.

July is National Blueberry Month, and for good reason. The blueberry harvest reaches its peak this month across United States, where much of the world’s blueberries are grown.

In addition to being a favorite in the flavor department, blueberries are also a great nutritional treat. On a per serving basis, they pack high levels of antioxidants; they are a good source of fiber; and one cup’s worth will provide you with a fourth of the daily requirement for vitamin C.

The best part, blueberries are a wash-and-eat treat. And if you are up for getting creative in the kitchen, there are many fun recipes to be found. Try using blueberries:

• In a low-fat bread or muffin recipe
• As the star of a breakfast smoothie
• Paired with fresh mint leaves as the topping on ice cream
• Tossed with spinach for a summer salad
• In pancake batter

Since blueberries are in season now, consider freezing extras to use later. To keep the skins from toughening, freeze them unwashed in a single layer in freezer bags. Wash them when you are ready to eat.

Do you have a favorite blueberry recipe? If so, please share!