Whiteside County Health Department will feature the writings of Jennifer Kutz, a nutritionist at Whiteside County Health Department. Jennifer will provide information that is useful for you whether you are eating out, dining at home or doing your grocery shopping.
Get Your Plate in Shape! Eat Right!
March is National Nutrition Month. This years theme is "Get Your Plate In Shape." Here are a few tips to help get your families plates in shape.
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- Cut back on sodium and empty calories from added sugars and fats. Compare labels and choose foods with less fat, sodium and added sugar.
- Pay attention to portion sizes. Model your plate off the new food plate to keep portion sizes balanced. Try eating off smaller plates or leaving 1-2 bites of food on your plate after each meal.
- Be physically active at least 5 days a week. Adults need at least 30 min most days and kids need at least 60 minutes, preferably every day. posted 3/12/12
Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store
Groceries are a huge expense but we all have to eat. Try putting all your receipts for food in an envelope for a month. Include receipts from the grocery store, gas stations, restaurants, etc. Then add it up. How much did you spend on meat? Fruits and veggies? Soda? Extras your family probably didn’t need? Eating out? Now, you can make some adjustments and start saving. You could save up to 50% off your grocery bill by following a few simple tips.
- Cook from scratch. Start small if you don’t cook often. Try some simple recipes. Ask your family and friends for their favorite recipes.
- Buy the store brand, which are usually the cheapest. Compare the unit price for different brands. They show the price per ounce, pound or other amount.
- Shop from a list and stick to it. This works best when you have a plan for what meals you are going to make for the week.
- Plan meals and snacks around what is on sale this week. Check the store ads when making your list. Meat is expensive so plan your meals around what is cheapest this week.
- Clip coupons. Use coupons for items you usually purchase. If you are clipping coupons for items you don’t normally buy, are you really saving money?
- Don’t buy extras like soda, sport drinks, chips or cookies.
- Buy in bulk. If your family eats a lot of cereal then buying the giant size box will be cheaper in the long run. If it is a food that may go bad before your family is able to finish it then it would be better to buy a smaller quantity.
- Make a list of the items you always buy along with the price you usually pay. Keep it in your purse or car. This way, if you see it on sale you will know if it is a better deal.
- Don’t shop when you are hungry. Have a small snack before you go shopping to prevent impulse buying. Keep a few healthy snacks in your car for these occasions.
- Shop alone. Leave kids or other adults at home who like to ask for items that are not on the list. This can prevent some impulse buying also. Kids may want certain items just because their favorite character is on the box. Plus, we won’t be buying items just to bribe our kids to behave.
posted 3/2/12
Folic Acid: A Very Important vitamin
January is Birth Defect Prevention Month. One key nutrient that can help prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord is folic acid. The March of Dimes is the leading organization for folic acid awareness. According to the March of Dimes up to 70% of all neural tube defects could be prevented if every woman consumed the recommended amount of folic acid before and during pregnancy.
Folic acid comes in 2 forms, both of which are B vitamins. Folic acid is man made and added to enriched grain products like breads, cereals, rice and pastas. Folate is the naturally occuring vitamin found in some fruit and vegetables, beans and liver (beef or chicken). To get more folic acid in your diet eat a variety of enriched grain products, leafy green veggies (broccoli, spinach, asparagus, brussels sprouts), beans (kidney, black, lima, garbonzo), lentils and fruit such as oranges or orange juice, strawberries or tomato juice.
However, it is difficult to get enough folic acid in our everyday diets. That is why it is recommended for all women who are able to get pregnant to take a multivitamin with 400 mcg folic acid everyday. A pregnant woman should take a prenatal vitamin with at least 600 mcg folic acid daily. The best way to get to the recommended amount of folic acid is to take a multivitamin daily and eat a variety of foods that contain folic acid or folate. posted 1/17/12
Replacing MyPyramid with MyPlate
The food pyramid we are all accustomed to has been replaced. The new image is a food plate that is meant to simplify the food pyramid. When looking at the new food plate the first thing you will notice is half the plate is fruits and vegetables, while the other half is grains and proteins. It can’t be that simple, can it? The vegetable portion is larger than fruit, and grains are larger than protein. This is telling us we should be eating more vegetables than fruit and more grains than meat. Dairy is represented by the cup of milk in the corner. Try having skim or 1% milk with meals. |
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Is half your plate fruits and vegetables?
If you’re not use to having vegetables with breakfast, try mixing some with eggs. If fruit is not a common food on your dinner plate, try adding a little as a garnish and offering fruit for dessert. Fruit and yogurt parfaits make a great dessert.
Besides replacing some high fat foods with more fruits and vegetables, modeling your plate after the new food plate can help with portion control.
We tend to eat portions that are twice as large as they should be, so divide your plate into 4 sections and have foods from all the food groups with each meal. Many kids may be picky when it comes to fruits, vegetables or trying new foods.
The best thing parents can do is not make a big deal about it.
posted 12/15/11
Picky Eaters
Picky eating can be a child’s first step towards independence (learning to make decisions) or it may be that your child just has a smaller appetite.
Remember to serve child-sized portions. Let your child eat to his or her own hunger and void trying to force or bribe your child to eat.
Also remember, picky eating is usually temporary. Offer a variety of healthy foods for meals and snacks and set a good example by eating those foods yourself.
Sometimes it helps to be creative when making your child’s’ plate. Try making a face or fun design with food on their plate or let them help with meal prep and planning.
Children will be more likely to eat when it looks appealing or if they helped make it.
posted 11/1/11
Make Family Meals a Priority
Most parents have a very busy schedule between work, after school activities, household chores and helping with homework.
Cooking may be the last priority, especially when so many convenience foods are available. However, research shows that children who eat regular family meals do better in school are less likely to experiment with drugs or alcohol and have fewer behavior problems.
Plus, there are closer family relationships, meals are usually healthier and food dollars are better spent. Start small with one-to-two family meals per week if your family is not used to this.
Ask kids to help with washing veggies, setting the table or other easy tasks to make cooking meals quicker. Starting family meals when children are young is the best habit. As children get older they will be more likely to share what is going on in their days.
And last, but not least, turn off the TV!
posted 9/29/11
Choose Colorful Veggies
Different colors of fruits and vegetables will provide different nutrients. That is why it is important to get a variety of different fruits and vegetables.
Try getting all the different colors throughout the week. To get more green veggies try spinach, broccoli, green peppers or kale.
Orange veggies include carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. Some children (and adults) are weary to try new vegetables so start small and keep offering them.
It could take several times of trying something new before we learn to like it. Setting the example by eating these foods yourself helps encourage kids to try them also. Be patient. Don’t force your family to eat new foods.
And, remember there is nothing wrong with hiding veggies in other foods they already enjoy. posted 9/8/11
Make Half your Grains Whole
I recently read an article that claims 40 percent of Americans do not eat any whole grains.
The USDA recommends making at least half your servings of grains whole. But what does that mean?
Whole grains contain the entire grain – the bran, germ and endosperm.
Look for the word “whole” to be listed as the first ingredient when purchasing breads, crackers, cereals, pastas or tortillas. Oatmeal, brown rice, barely, wild rice and bulgar wheat are all whole grains.
Even popcorn is a whole grain. Try popping your own so you can control the amount of added fat and/or salt.
posted 6/3/11
Small Changes = Healthier You
Eating right and being more active may be easier said than done. I have found that setting small goals to reach is easier than trying to change your entire diet all at one time.
Try switching to reduced-fat milk and dairy foods, adding more fruit and/or veggies, choosing leaner cuts of meat or eating more whole grains.
When adding exercise to your routine, set reasonable goals. If you have never exercised before, an hour a day may be unrealistic. Start with 20-30 minutes three times-a-week and increase is as you get more physically fit.
posted 5/26/11
Good snacks are good for us
Snacks are an important part of our everyday diet.
Eating three meals a day plus one-to-two snacks a day is normal for adults and children.
It is important to remember that snacks should come from one of the food groups.
If you know you or your child do not eat enough fruit, vegetables, protein or calcium, try to include these foods for snacks.
Try fresh or canned fruit, raw vegetables with dip, peanut butter on whole wheat crackers or toast, string cheese, or yogurt.
Limit cookies, candies and chips to the occasional treat.
Remember, if you don’t buy them you won’t be tempted to eat them or give them to your kids. posted 5/9/11
The nitty-gritty of organic fruits, vegetables and proteins
There is a lot of talk in the news about organic foods.
If produce is labeled organic, it means these foods were grown without the use of pesticides or other harmful chemicals.
If meat, poultry or eggs are labeled organic, then these animals are fed a diet without hormones or antibiotics added to their feed.
Organic foods are better for us in the long run but generally cost more.
There are certain foods that have a higher number of pesticides used, so it is recommended to purchase these foods organic.
The Dirty Dozen are: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes and imported grapes.
posted 4/28/11
Home-cooked meals generally have less salt than frozen/boxed meals
Processed foods, such as frozen/boxed dinners, soups, lunchmeats, sausages or hot dogs may be convenient and easy but are not usually the healthiest option. These foods are loaded with sodium (salt).
Most of the salt is added by manufacturers to increase the shelf-life at the store and in your cupboard or freezer.
Consuming a diet high in sodium can lead to health conditions such as high blood pressure.
Home cooked meals will have less salt when cooking with fresh ingredients.
When shopping, compare labels and buy items with less sodium and look for low sodium versions of your favorite foods.
posted 4/19/11
Children, adults need calcium in their diets
Milk provides calcium, an important mineral for strong teeth and bones.
Drinking milk with meals is an easy way to get enough calcium.
Children need two cups-a-day of milk, while adults need three.
Calcium is also found in dark green vegetables, dry beans and peas, and dairy foods.
Try yogurt, spinach, low-fat cheese, broccoli, kale, cottage cheese or a variety of different beans to add more calcium in your everyday diet.
posted 4/12/11