Healthier Kids Meals

It’s inevitable that from time to time our family eats at a quick serve restaurant. As a working mom and registered dietitian, I want to make even those eating occasions as healthy as possible. I’m not the french fry police, but good nutrition counts even when dining out. Some statistics suggest kids who eat out at least three or more times a week can get over 40% more calories each day when compared to kids who don’t eat out. Good news for parents (and kids) is that the industry is responding by adding healthier menu options.

Southern-based Chick-fil-A recently announced they are revamping their kid’s meal selections. Meal offerings now include grilled chicken and either fruit cup or applesauce. Children’s beverage options will be limited to 1% milk, 100% apple juice, lemonade and water. First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign to fight child obesity has inspired other fast food chains to offer healthier kids fare such as Panera yogurt, McDonald’s apple slices,  Chipotle low-fat milk, and Subway sub sandwiches.

As a parent, I take advantage of the healthier kid options too by substituting fruit for fries, milk for soda and yogurt for a sweet treat. If you’re not seeing anything that is mom-approved on the kids menu, look at some of the adult entrées that are baked, steamed or meatless which keep calories and fat low. To keep portions in check, split the healthier “adult” entree between kids or take the leftovers home.

It can be difficult finding healthy options when dining out. Write in and tell us what your healthy favorites are when dining out are?

Tracy Noerper, MS, RD, LDN, SNS

Delve into the Dairy Case

One of my favorite things to do is go grocery shopping.  Let me rephrase that.  One of my favorite things to do before I had kids was to go grocery shopping!  Now, it feels like one more item on that long list of chores that I must accomplish quickly every week.  But when I have some extra time (and no children in my cart), I like to meander through the store looking at new products. Maybe it’s the Registered Dietitian in me.  I especially like to spend some extra time around the dairy case.  The dairy industry is a strong leader in product innovation and is constantly providing real, simple nutrient-rich foods to meet consumers health and wellness needs.  Here are some new dairy products I recently tried.

• Iced Coffee:  One of my favorite coffee shop treats is iced coffee.  Naturally, I was curious when I came across this.  With 15% of your day’s worth of calcium, this is a delicious way to get you to 3-Every-Day (And cheaper than your local coffee shop).
• Reduced Sodium Cheese:  I’ve never worried too much about sodium in cheese.  After all, 92% of the sodium in the U.S. diet comes from sources other than cheese.  Yet, as an effort to help Americans reduce the sodium in their diet, several companies  have launched reduced sodium cheeses.   I served this  to my children recently and they gobbled it down with no complaints!
• Mix and Serve Smoothies:  We are a smoothie loving family, but sometimes even the simple task of getting out the blender and mixing milk, yogurt and fruit seems like too much.  I was thrilled to find several different varieties of mix and serve smoothies in the frozen fruit section.  Some contain frozen fruit and you just add milk, others are frozen fruit and yogurt and you add juice.  Either way- voila- a refreshing smoothie- no clean up and no mess!  With 200 calories or less and up to 20% of your day’s worth of calcium these make a nutrient-rich snack or grab and go breakfast.

 What new dairy products have you recently tried?

Laura Buxenbaum, MPH, RD, LDN

Consider “Break the Fast” Resolution

 Wikipedia, defines New Year’s resolution as a “commitment a person makes to one or more lasting personal goals, projects or the reforming of a habit.”  Each New Year, hundreds of people make commitments to eat healthy, lose weight and get fit. Diet modification to lose weight is one of the most popular resolutions people make and rightfully so.  Losing just 10% of your body weight is associated with reduced risk of heart disease and lower blood sugar, blood pressure and blood cholesterol.

According to Lisa Lynn, Specialist in Metabolic Disorders and Personal Training, “diet is responsible for 80% of your weight loss and exercise makes up the other 20%.”  Unfortunately, many of us are unsuccessful at meeting weight loss goals.  As a dietitian, I know one mistake dieters make is skipping breakfast.  People who skip breakfast tend to eat more later in the day.  Eating a nutrient-rich breakfast helps set the tone for the rest of the days’ calorie intake.  The National Weight Control Registry observed that a common behavior of people who lost weight and kept it off was that they ate breakfast every day.  Additionally, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that “adult women trying to diet are more successful if they eat a healthy breakfast and avoid mid-morning snacks.”  Here are a few other breakfast facts:

• The definition of breakfast is to “break the fast.” Our body is in a fasting state when we sleep. Eating a healthy breakfast breaks this fast.
• Eating breakfast can reduce your appetite , thereby reducing overeating.
• Glycogen is important for muscle energy. You may have more energy by eating a healthy breakfast because it replenishes muscle glycogen stores which were depleted overnight.  On the other hand, skipping breakfast has been associated with decreased physical activity.
• Research shows that students who fuel up with breakfast are better prepared to learn

Considering smart resolutions and eating a healthy breakfast can play a major role in your weight loss progress.  For delicious breakfast recipes visit the recipe section of our website.

Arlene Murrell, MS, RD, LD, CLE

My 2012 Resolutions

To me, midnight on New Year’s Eve meant starting with a clean slate.  Like millions of Americans, I begin each January with good intentions and declare this year – I will keep my list of resolutions. Alas, I lose steam around April.  But in 2012, I truly intend to keep my healthy resolutions and turn them into new habits.  I have challenged myself to these 5 resolutions.

1. Create A Great Plate – Do you know how? The healthy plate formula = ½ fruits and vegetables + ¼ whole grains + ¼ lean protein. I intend to make my lean protein, fish, at least three times per week according to recommendations.  I will add one serving of dairy either fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese for one great plate either at lunch or dinner, daily.
2. Kick the Can - It has been years since I have had a regular soda with sugar. But I do (or did) enjoy a diet soda mid-afternoon. No more. Inspiration came from reading my co-worker’s blog.  I will eliminate all diet sodas for one year.
3. Exercise Daily – It’s time to step up my exercise if I plan to outsmart stubborn midlife fat cells.  For me, three 10 to 15 minute quick exercise sessions, will work best with my work life. I will start with cardio and strength training in addition to walking my two Jack Russells.
4. Practice Gratitude - Expressing gratitude to others will make their day brighter, as well as improve my own. In 2012, I will take time to verbalize and express my thanks. I read that feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. I hope to transform myself and others with gratitude.
5. Savor Each Moment -This past year, my husband and I had the gift of two new grandchildren, bringing our total to six!  Life is meant to be enjoyed and savored as it’s lived. I pledge to add activities into my schedule that I enjoy and savor each moment. I want to memorize and experience each precious moment spent with family and friends. Life is short.

My pledge to you is to blog for one year about my journey keeping my 2012 resolutions and the life lessons learned from my experience. Happy New Year! What are your resolutions?

Mary Martin Nordness, MA, RD, LD, CHES

Catch Up and Dine Out

When was the last time you had lunch with your best friend? Life is busy for the working gal, but best friends need love too!  It’s a tough challenge juggling family, a full-time job and those annoying chores like grocery shopping and cleaning the bathroom. But it’s important for you and important to your friends to still make time for “girl talk.” Call her up and have lunch together. That’s just what I did!  My gal pal and I met up to enjoy a casual and energetic Italian lunch.  The warm and inviting atmosphere allowed us to unwind, disconnect from work and reconnect our friendship.

As a registered dietitian, I know a lunch break outside the office doesn’t mean I have to throw nutrition to the wind. As I reviewed the restaurant’s superb lunch menu I had a hard time choosing between the Flame Grilled Portobello Mushroom Salad or their Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad. Both dishes are nutrient-rich and would get me through the afternoon.

The Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad won. The baby greens with grape tomatoes, red onions, and roasted red peppers help meet my Vitamin C requirements for the day. Nutrient-rich blue cheese offers vitamins and minerals for stronger bones and the roasted walnuts help me stay full and satisfied. For a few extra dollars I ordered grilled salmon which provides me high quality protein. Since this salad had no added whole grains I enjoyed a slice of their warm bread guilt free. Ordering the dressing on the side gives me control of extra fat and calories.

You can successfully catch up while dinning out and still keep your nutrition in check!

Rebecca A. Turner, MS, RD, LD

Snacks: Fueling up with Premium or Regular?

Over the holidays, we spent a lot of time in the car- 28.5 hours to be exact!  That much time in captivity is hard on anyone, but especially difficult with a 2 and 4 year old in tow!  As long as there’s a good selection of books, DVDs and snacks, our tiny travelers usually do well.   However, I underestimated their appetites and our cooler full of snacks quickly ran dry!  What’s a well intentioned mom to do? For obvious reasons, I balked at my husband’s suggestion of replenishing our snack supply at the gas station.  They bring to mind high sugar, low nutrient options.  But my sons were getting grumpy and I became desperate.   Surprisingly, I found an array of healthy choices including fresh fruit, cheese sticks, mini veggie trays, yogurt and hummus and crackers!  While not all convenient stores offer such a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods, many are making an effort to offer healthier choices.  So next time you fill your tank, fuel up with these nutrient-rich options.

1. Dairy Foods- All convenient stores offer milk- both white and flavored.  Chocolate milk is a nutrient-rich beverage for the traveler with a sweet tooth.  Additionally, string cheese and yogurt are high in protein and calcium.
2. Fruits- Look for fresh bananas and apples. I found fresh fruit cups, packed with grapes, melon and strawberries!   Some convenient stores also offer fruit and yogurt parfaits.
3. Vegetables- Believe it or not I did come across a snack size vegetable and dip tray here.  If not available, 100% vegetable juice is a good choice. One 12-ounce bottle provides the equivalent of 3 servings of vegetables for just 70 calories and 3 grams of fiber!
4. Sensible snacks- Look for whole grain cereal cups, pretzels, granola bars, small (1.5 oz) bags of nuts and animal crackers.

How do you fuel up when on the road?

 Laura Buxenbaum, MPH, RD, LDN

Training Camp for the New Year

Have you started thinking about resolutions for 2012 yet? I have. After a year of interceptions, I’m ready for a touchdown! Come on team, are you with me? The New Year is upon us and time to renew our commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Let’s look at your stats from 2011. Did you fumble a few times? Did you have good intentions and lost sight of the goal? For most, optimal health always seems to be few yards shy of a first down. If only you could get more sleep, exercise daily and stop eating out. If only you skipped the fries and ordered a salad instead. If only.

So what’s holding you back? The same bad plays are made over and over.  Another year has slipped by without any breakthroughs while New Year’s resolutions are deactivated and reactivated like light switches.

Let’s not get carried away in 2012 and try to win the super bowl before spring training. Instead let’s change the way we think and suit up for a yearlong training camp. Below are three strategies to add to your daily play book that guarantee a healthy touchdown!

• Fuel Up First. Research confirms that breakfast is the one meal no one should go without. Start your day with a nutrient-rich breakfast, try this creamy banana oatmeal.

• Pour one more.  Experts recommend three servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt each day and most of us are fall short. Pouring one more serving of milk each day can help ensure that each member of your family gets the nutrients they need to be healthy and strong.

• Conquer 10,000 steps. Try to increase daily steps each week by 500 per day until you average 10,000 per day. Wearing a pedometer is an easy way to track your steps.

 Rebecca A. Turner, MS, RD, LD

A (not so) Skinny Santa

My four year old loves the book “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” We read it all year round. As a dietitian I often pause at the description of Santa in that book. It seems that his clothes are dirty, he smokes and his belly “shakes like a bowl full of jelly,” which is hardly the picture of health.

Whether you’re Santa or one of his elves, there’s no denying during the holidays there are opportunities for unhealthy indulgences everywhere which can easily set you up for unwanted pounds for 2012. Here are my three festive tips for finding your inner (skinny) Santa:

Exercise is your best gift to yourself: stay active by walking, biking, taking the stairs, swimming or power walking at the mall. Wear a pedometer to motivate yourself to 10,000 steps per day.

ReThink Your Drink:  Don’t forget, calories in drinks count towards your total day’s intake. Mixed drinks not only have the alcohol calories but the “mix-in” calories as well. Most glasses of wine contain 125-150 calories and beer can range from 64-198 calories per 12 ounces. Instead, boost calcium and nutrition with warm seasonal beverages such as Holiday Milk Punch, Chai Coffee, Holiday Spice Cappuccino or Minty Wonderland Hot Cocoa.

Give thanks: reduce seasonal stress by maintaining a positive attitude, exercising, and being thankful for life’s blessings. Tweet to me at @thedairyrd and tell me what you’re most thankful for this holiday season.

Many blessings to you and yours for a healthy and happy 2012.

Tracy Noerper, MS, RD, LDN, SNS

My New Healthy Habit – 1 Year Anniversary

It’s been a year! On December 31, 2010, I drank my last diet soda and haven’t had one since. I had been thinking of removing them from my diet for a while. I tried different strategies of buying smaller serving sizes and limiting them to only certain occasions, but finally stopped “cold turkey.” It wasn’t easy at first but after several weeks I didn’t miss them much, and now I don’t at all.

Do you have a new healthy habit in mind for 2012? If so, you might find yourself in what’s called a stage of change: precontemplation, contemplation, or preparation. I know it’s not easy to make a long-term change (your goal), but take heart it can be done!

When you consider your health is there an area you’d like to improve? Maybe you want more sleep, increased fruits or vegetables or more regular exercise. For many, improving the number of dairy servings per day would be a good health habit to start. Adults and kids often miss the mark on getting adequate dairy in their diet which can lead to untended consequences of low calcium or vitamin D levels. Getting the recommended three servings of low-fat or fat-free nutrient-rich dairy foods each day plays a crucial role in helping promote bone health, healthy blood pressure and a healthy weight.

For you, change might take a different path and may not be as simple as starting or stopping a behavior. I encourage you to take the challenge of choosing one new health habit for the year. Let us know what you decide. Best wishes for a healthy 2012!

 Tracy Noerper, MS, RD, LDN, SNS

Enjoy a Low-Lactose Holiday Season

How do you take control of holiday eating if you feel you have lactose intolerance? Here’s how! Try these tips for a Low-Lactose Holiday season.  

Milk – Lactose-free milk is available in national and local store brand varieties. Make mashed potatoes or gravy with lactose free milk. Choose easy side dishes like skillet creamed corn or yellow squash casserole. Give Santa lactose free milk with his cookies on Christmas Eve. Try hot chocolate made with lactose free milk.

Cheese – Top mashed potatoes or casseroles with hard aged cheeses like Swiss or Cheddar. These cheeses are naturally low in lactose and are a good source of calcium, phosphorus and protein.

Yogurt – Yogurt with live active cultures helps the body’s ability to digest lactose. Greek yogurt is a good replacement for sour cream in holiday baking. It has more protein than regular yogurt and also provides dietary calcium.

Ice cream – Try lactose free ice cream or consume regular ice cream in small amounts, or opt for frozen desserts like this Frozen Key Lime and Strawberry Pie.

Eggnog – For this holiday favorite substitute lactose free milk in place of regular milk.

Flavored Milk - Studies show that flavored milk is more easily digested than plain milk for people with lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance is not a disease or allergy. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest the lactose sugar found in dairy foods like milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream. The good news is even with a food sensitivity like lactose intolerance, you can still enjoy a rich, balanced diet.

Share your favorite low lactose holiday recipes on our SUDIA Facebook page.

Tracy Noerper, MS, RD, LDN, SNS