K-State Research and Extension

search

Tag: Nutrition

Shoot for Three

Posted on by djbechard

Although mornings can be busy, making time for breakfast is important, especially for children and teens. Eating within 1-2 hours of getting up in the morning helps to break the fast from the night before, and sets children and teens up for success throughout the day. Ideally, a breakfast meal includes foods from at least three food groups (a protein or dairy, a fruit or vegetable, and a whole grain) from MyPlate, as well as being low in added sugars, salt, and saturated fat.

Here are few breaking-the-fast tips:

  • Make small changes to your usual breakfast options to find a healthy eating style that works for you.
  • If a sit-down breakfast doesn’t work for your family, have granola bars, cheese sticks, yogurt, and fruit in an easy to grab place for family members to take with them on their way out the door.
  • Everything you eat and drink matters. Choose foods and drinks that can help your family be healthier now and as they grow.
  • Cereal is a great option, especially if you choose whole-grain. Purchase ready-to-eat breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid. If your family enjoys sweetened cereals, try mixing them half-and-half with an unsweetened option. Add fruit such as peaches, blueberries, or strawberries for extra nutrients. Top with low-fat or fat-free milk.
  • If eating breakfast away from home, read and compare the nutrition information. Choose options lower in calories, saturated fat, and added sugar and sodium.

Source: University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

It’s Lunch Time!

Posted on by djbechard

As school starts, it’s time to thinking about nutrition and food safety for school lunch. If you pack lunch for your child, keep these tips in mind:

  • Have your child help with shopping a preparation for their lunch. Chances are your child will eat the whole lunch!
  • Add colorful fruits and vegetables that are ready-to-eat.
  • Change up the menu during the week so meals don’t get boring.
  • Use an insulated lunch bag with a small ice pack. Freeze juice boxes or fruit cups to help keep food cold.
  • Limit convenience foods that add extra fat, sodium, and sugar.
  • Prepare lunches the night before. Refrigerate cold items and add to the lunch bag in the morning.

Source: Iowa State University Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

Spice Up Snacks and Meals with Salsa

Posted on by djbechard

Add taste without adding a lot of calories. A combination of tomatoes, onions, and peppers can add zest to chips. A mixture of fruit, herbs, onions and pepper added to meat or fish can add unique flavors to dishes. There are a variety of salsa options for different preferences and dishes such as spicy, hot, sweet, herbal, and aromatic.

Salsa ingredients and preparation tips:

  • Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Or use a commercial produce protector and follow the manufacturer’s directions.
  • Cover and refrigerate cut fruit and veggies until ready to serve.
  • Most salsas taste best if refrigerated for about an hour before serving to let the flavors blend.

Serve salsa safely.

  • Perishable foods like dips, salsas, and cut fruit and vegetables should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
  • If you will be serving items such as these for a longer period than this, set out a smaller bowl and then replace it with another one when it is empty.
  • Do not add fresh dip or salsa to dip or salsa that has been sitting out.
  • Refrigerate and use up any dip or salsa that has not been served within three to four days of preparation.

Source: University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

Start Your Day the Good Way

Posted on by djbechard

When it comes to breaking the overnight fast, whether to eat breakfast – and what to eat if you do – can be a confusing topic. The fact is, if you do it right, the morning meal can offer an important opportunity to nourish your body, and it may help with weight control.

Breakfast is a great opportunity to bring in foods which you may be falling short on, such as dairy products (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A whole-grain hot or cold breakfast cereal, plain yogurt with granola, or a cottage cheese topped with fresh or frozen fruit and nuts is a quick, simple, nutritious, and satisfying way to break your fast. A slice of whole-grain toast or a whole wheat wrap makes a great base for peanut or other nut butter and banana or apple, melted cheese and tomato, mashed beans and salsa, or mashed avocado and hard-boiled egg. Eggs are fine for breakfast in moderation.

Think of breakfast as a nutritional bonus. Breakfast is the opportunity to have whole-grain items or dairy products that you might not have for another meal during the day. Choose breakfast as a health goal. Start your day the good way, with breakfast.

By: Jamie Rathbun

Fruits and Veggies – More Matters!

Posted on by djbechard

Recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables range from 3 to 6 ½ cups per day. How much you need depends on your age, activity level, and gender.

Instead of doing the math, you could just keep it simple: Fill half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at every meal and snack.

Research shows that fruits and vegetables promote good health. How? They contain essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber) and other healthful substances.

People who eat generous amounts of fruits and veggies as part of a healthful diet reduce their risk of getting a chronic disease, including stroke, heart attack, and certain cancers.

Eating fruits and vegetables instead of higher-calorie foods can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so that you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories, yet are filling.

 

If you are looking to add more fruits and veggies to your meals, purchase a Simply Produce bundle from:

  • Gene’s Heartland Foods in Smith Center,
  • Girard’s IGA in Osborne,
  • Kier’s Thriftway in Mankato.

 

By: Jamie Rathbun

Eat More Dark Green Veggies

Posted on by djbechard

Most Americans age 2 and older do not eat the recommended amounts of vegetables. It is important to add more veggies to our meals and snacks, as vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and most are low in calories and fat.

Vary your veggies. The most commonly eaten vegetables are potatoes and tomatoes according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is important to vary your veggies throughout the week by eating from the five vegetable subgroups: dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other vegetables.

These vegetables are grouped together based on their nutrient content. Most Americans do not eat enough of dark green, red and orange vegetables, and beans and peas. Try to focus on fitting more dark-green vegetables into your day.

4 Ways to Add More Dark Green Veggies

  • Add spinach to a smoothie.
  • Dip fresh broccoli in hummus, yogurt-based dip, or another low-fat dip.
  • Not used to eating salads with leafy dark greens? Try mixing romaine lettuce, spinach, or baby kale with a lettuce you normally use.
  • Liven up a pasta dish, stir fry, omelet, or salad by adding spinach or chopped broccoli.

See the recipe for Clover Power Smoothie. Try this simple green smoothie for a fun and festive way to add dark green vegetables by using spinach.

VEGETABLE SUBGROUP EXAMPLES
Dark Green Broccoli, spinach, leafy salad greens (including romaine lettuce), collards, bok choy, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, green herbs (parsley, cilantro)
Red and Orange Tomatoes, carrots, 100% tomato juice, sweet potatoes, red peppers (hot and sweet), winter squash, pumpkin
Legumes (beans and peas) Pinto, white, kidney, and black beans; lentils; chickpeas; lima beans (mature, dried); split peas; edamame (green soybeans)
Starchy Potatoes, corn, green peas, lima beans (green, immature), plantains, cassava
Other Lettuce (iceberg), onions, green beans, cucumbers, celery, green peppers, cabbage, mushrooms, avocado, summer squash (includes zucchini), cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, bean sprouts, olives, asparagus, peapods (snowpeas), beets

By: Jamie Rathbun

Clover Power Smoothie

Posted on by djbechard

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a festive, tasty, and kid-friendly green smoothie.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup 100% apple juice*

½ cup fresh baby spinach**

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks, no sugar added

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt***

1 banana

Directions:

  1. Add apple juice and spinach leaves to blender. Blend first to help make it smooth and avoid leafy chunks.
  2. Place the remaining ingredients in the blender.
  3. Blend until smooth and serve.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (1 cup): 135 calories, 1g Total Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 35mg Sodium, 31g Total Carbohydrates, 24 g Sugars, 2g Dietary Fiber, 2g Protein

* You can substitute low-fat or nonfat milk or 100% white grape juice for 100% apple juice. Adding milk instead of 100% fruit juice will lower the calories and sugar while adding extra calcium to help strengthen bones.

** You can use kale instead of spinach. Kale does have a stronger flavor than spinach. I like using spinach since it has little to no flavor.

***To make the smoothie even healthier, use nonfat vanilla yogurt or nonfat Greek yogurt instead of low-fat vanilla yogurt.

By: Jamie Rathbun