The Smart Choices Grocery Program, the very program that DietsInReview panned last month, has been voluntarily discontinued. Officials with Smart Choices said that the group will “postpone” active operations and not encourage wider use of the logo while the FDA investigates labeling issues, reported MSNBC over the weekend.
The FDA cited the use of multiple nutritional markers on foods, from check marks to stars, icons and even numerical ratings, that can overwhelm the consumer and in reality label foods healthier than they really might be. Foods could contain as much as 50% sugar and still receive the green check mark if they had extra fiber or were high in one of twenty nutrients. In my book, there’s not one food that is 50% sugar that I’d label as “healthy.”
Recently I was provided with two weeks worth of meals from Diet to Go, a meal delivery service. One week of fresh prepared foods and one week of meals for the freezer were provided. For the purposes of this post, I will be discussing the fresh delivery option. Diet to Go offers two calorie levels for weight loss – 1200 and 1600 calories a day; as well as three meal plans – low fat traditional, vegetarian, and low carb. After looking over the menu choices, I chose the 1600 calorie a day version of the low fat option. Every picture looked amazing, and I wondered if the meals would actually live up to the hype.
Sometimes, you make plans to work out. You might do all of the prep work: you pack your gym clothes the night before, make sure you have your water bottle and a healthy snack, you clear your schedule, and then, boom! Something happens and your carefully constructed plans vanish in smoke. What’s an intrepid gym rat to do? Don’t worry, there are many things you can do at home that will give you a great workout, even if you don’t have access to free weights or a treadmill! Here are some great options:
- The Power of 50 – 50 squats, 50 push ups, 50 sit ups and 50 lunges. It’s guaranteed to get your blood moving!
After the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables all summer long, fall might seem lacking in variety. However, with a little research, there are some great fresh fruits and vegetables that are at the peak of flavor and nutrition in the colder months. Not only do they taste better, many of them are grown locally, and local produce is always a great choice. If it’s not shipped in, odds are pretty good that the fruit is more fresh and it’s also a great option to keep your food budget in check, a win-win situation. Add these cold weather choices to your meals for great taste and exceptional benefits to your diet.
1. Apples – Studies have shown that apples can help lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, and prevent several diseases, including cancer. Apples peak in the fall, and the flavor can’t be beat. They are full of fiber, around 5 grams per fruit, and are comparatively low in calories.
You’ve seen the cookbooks and heard the buzz. “It’s a great way to sneak vegetables into your kid’s daily diets and bypass their picky palates!” scream the reviews. I’m talking, of course, about the practice of adding veggie purees to foods that you wouldn’t ordinarily suspect – beets in brownies or spinach in chocolate chip cookies, for example.
No, I’m not kidding. Spinach is a fine food and a great addition to an entire roster of dishes – but not, in my mind, a yummy addition to my beloved chocolate chip cookies. Which are just fine on their own.
I think that vegetables are a tricky subject for many kids. Vegetables have strong flavors, and many children are averse to them, but in my mind sneaking them into other, less nefarious foods is the wrong tact to take. Don’t get me wrong – I frequently add shredded carrots to my bolognese sauce, for extra flavor, and have been known to add cauliflower chunks to my homemade macaroni and cheese – but my kids know that I’ve done so.
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