If meals were children, lunch would have a full-on case of middle child syndrome. If you look at breakfast as the eldest child showered with praise and endorsements as the most important meal of the day, and then dinner handled with care and doted on like the youngest, lunch is left with little to hold up its head about. Instead, you see it brooding at fast food lines or in the empty wrappers of candy bars tossed aside on desks. Poor lunch. Can’t it get any love?
The truth is it should. Lunch deserves as much respect as breakfast, if not a little more.
“Even though a morning meal is very important to let your body know it’s not starving and to energize you as you start your day, lunch may be even more important — especially if we’re doing errands and are on the go, chasing after our children, or working hard at our desks,” said Elisa Zied, RD, author ofNutrition at Your Fingertips. She continued to praise lunch saying, “We need to keep energy levels high throughout the day, and having a healthful lunch packed with protein and fiber can help you stay energized and alert to perform optimally both physically and mentally. It also provides a great opportunity to supply our brain and muscles with key nutrients to keep us healthy.”
Talk about a self-esteem boost for this mid-day meal! Breakfast might get you going but lunch will keep you going. That 3:00 lull that has you inhaling Doritos? Kiss it good-bye. If you eat lunch, especially a healthful lunch, you’ll forget 3:00 even happened. Read Full Post >
I had breakfast over the course of two hours today. I woke up and while dressing had a low-fat organic chocolate milk box. Then I made breakfast for my family which consisted of a cheese omelet (made with 4 eggs and 4 ounces of shredded organic cheddar cheese and cooked with nonfat cooking spray); instant oatmeal (1 packet, for me only, made with one teaspoon vegetable oil spread); and 1 cup of cut up strawberries and pineapple (I had the fruit late morning, after I dropped my younger off at school). Read Full Post >
Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian, and the founder/president of Zied Health Communications, LLC in New York City. She’s the author of the award-winning Nutrition At Your Fingertips (Alpha, 2009), a regular contributor to MSNBC.com and Galtime.com, and an Advisory Board member for Parents magazine and parents.com. For more information, or to sign up for The ZIED GUIDE free weekly e-newsletter, visit elisazied.com.
This recipe, from Feed Your Family Right! (Wiley, 2007), packs in lots of delicious RED foods—tomatoes (rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, and potassium and a good source of lycopene when cooked), red bell peppers (loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A, and also a good source of vitamin B6, fiber and other nutrients), and jalapeno peppers (rich in vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A and fiber). It also combines protein (from sirloin) with complex carbohydrates and fiber (from beans) to fill you up and provide long-lasting energy.
An added bonus? It’s a hearty and delicious meal the whole family will enjoy!
The fast-food giant is being called out for the less than 35 percent beef used in their tacos and burritos. However, Taco Bell is fighting back saying they use 88 percent, plus a secret ingredient, in these “truth ads.”
The USDA and HHS released the pentennial report with new nutritional recommendations for Americans. Included is direction for consuming less sodium, sugar and saturated fat, and consuming more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
When you make food at home, you can control the ingredients and the portions. Try some of these ideas and recipes for serving healthier Super Bowl favorites at your party. Read Full Post >
You’ve probably heard them all: put your fork down in between bites, snack on fruit when you want something sweet, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Diet tips can start to sound monotonous after a while, and maybe even obvious. But if they were so obvious, wouldn’t we be more apt to follow them? We went in search of some of the best diet tips you’ve never heard before, and a few notable dietitians gave us some great material that we know will help you kick-off your healthy new year’s habits!
Tips for Hunger Pangs
“At your first hint of feeling full, place your napkin over your plate.” – Mary Hartley, RD, MPH and director of nutrition for Calorie Count
“Wait for hunger to eat… hunger is the sign the body needs food. If you feel tempted to snack, but aren’t hungry, set a 20 minute timer and distract yourself.” Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, ACSM
Tips for Portioning and Serving Sizes
“Cut your sandwich into four pieces, it makes it easier to leave the last piece.” – Hartley
“Use small serving spoons. Even four spoonfuls will still be a little.” – Hartley Read Full Post >
