Tips for Healthy Trick-or-Treating

Trick or Treat, smell my feet, give me something healthy to eat! So, that is not the original version of the song. But, I do work with pediatric patients and this is a common question during the latter part of the year. With all the celebrations that occur in the latter part of the calendar year, one of my most frequently asked questions is “how do I eat healthy during the holidays?”.  It is Halloween or Fall Festival time. So, here are a couple tips for eating healthy with candy.



Snack right

• Make sure your kiddos are well-fed before going trick-or-treating. This can help prevent meltdowns and decrease the amount of candy they “need” while trick-or-treating.

Travel light

• Have your children carry a small trick-or-treat bag. Once it is full, you can stop trick-or-treating. And, it can save the adults from carrying around huge sacks of candy for multiple children. It also allows for you to be finished trick-or-treating with less candy.

Set boundaries

• You are the parent, so you are allowed to parent your kids. One part of parenting is setting healthy boundaries. These boundaries are helpful to prevent the ever dreaded candy tummy ache.
• Choose a small zip-top bag or a set number of pieces of candy for your child to fill with their favorites. 
• Also, it may be helpful to set a number of pieces of candy to eat per day. 

Share

• “It is better to give than receive.” Sharing candy is a great way to teach this lesson. After your child has chosen their favorite candy from the mother-load they received from trick-or-treating, they may choose who to share their candy with. Family (aka mom and dad), siblings, cousins, relatives, neighbors, or friends at school. 

Trade

• Offer your child a chance to trade-in candy for a non-food prize or outing. For example, 10 pieces of candy gets them a small toy, stickers, pencils, erasers, side walk chalk, crayons, coloring books, or bubbles. For bigger prizes, 50 pieces gets them a trip to the zoo, children’s museum, or movies.

Have some fun, healthy snacks

• I have seen some pretty cute fall snacks lately. Stayed tuned for tomorrow's post for healthy snacks!

Hope these tips are helpful to you! Have a happy and safe candy-filled (in moderation) Fall!

For more tips and tricks for healthy eating, follow RDtipoftheday on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Healthy Changes from Fast Food Favorites

I recently had the opportunity to speak at a weight management class for pre-teen girls and their families. During the breakout session, I had the opportunity to talk with 10 of the girls and their families. We talked through many of the struggles with food. One question came up about eating out. Can I eat out and be healthy? Can I eat out at all? Do I have to cook all my food from scratch? Can I make good choices while eating out?

I was happy to share that there are many exciting health changes in the food market. The menu-labeling act can help inform customers of what they are actually choosing. 

Knowledge is power.

I think that this act has caused some restaurants to think twice about what they are feeding their customers. One example is Burger Kings new “satisfries”. These fries are ~20% less calories and ~27% less fat than the normal fries. So, a small “satisfry” is reported to have 270 calories and 11 grams of fat compared to the normal small fry with 340 calories and 15 grams of fat.

Chick-fil-A has started offering more grilled options. Their Chargrilled chicken sandwich has 310 calories and 3.5 grams of fat compared to the original chicken sandwich which has 440 calories and 18 grams of fat. So, the grilled option has 30% fewer calories and 80% less fat.

On the kid’s menu, they also offer grilled items. The 6-count Nugget kid’s meal is 200 calories and 10 grams of fat. The 6-count Grilled Nuggets have 110 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. The grilled nuggets have 45% fewer calories and 72% less fat.

I am a big proponent of small, healthy changes leading to a healthy lifestyle. I am not saying to eat fried or “satisfried” foods every day is a healthy choice. But, am excited about restaurants offering healthier options to its patrons.

Have you made any healthy lifestyle changes lately?

P.s. This is not a sponsored post. These are my own options, and Burger King and Chick-fil-A have no idea I exist. Thank you!

Packing Lunch in 6 Easy Steps!

You survived back-to-school or back to work time. Either way, bringing your lunch to school or work takes some . . . well work. But this planning can provide economical and health benefits. Here are some tips for making packing healthy lunches easy.

Stock your pantry and refrigerator

Keep your favorite food stocked in your home. Here are some examples to add to your favorite lunchtime staples.

·      Lean protein (tuna fish, peanut butter, nuts, and lean, low sodium lunch meats)

o   Add protein and a savory component to your meal.

·      Whole grains:  whole grain breads, tortillas, crackers, or rice

o   Add fiber and B vitamins.

·      Diary: low fat cheese, yogurt, and milk

o   Help you meet your vitamin D and calcium needs.

·      Fruit: fresh, frozen, pre-portioned, canned (in it’s own juice)

o   Add color, micronutrients like folic acid and vitamin C, fiber, and can help satisfy a sweet tooth.

·      Vegetables: bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber,

o   Add color, micronutrients, fiber, and crunch.

Keep it Simple

Pack a variety of food groups by following these six steps to help you build a balanced meal:

1) Choose a grain
2) Add a source of protein
3) Add a dairy
4) Choose a fruit 
5) Add a veggie 
6) Add a healthy fat

The goal is to include as many food groups as possible. This will help you build a better plate by add a variety of flavors and nutrients to your diet.

If time and energy are willing, make it fun! Try containers with multiple compartments and make your own Lunchables. Cut sandwiches into fun shapes. Or, leave a note of encouragement for your child or spouse.

Here are a couple of my real life examples.

From top left: 
1) Grilled garlic pepper chicken, steamed broccoli, crackers, and cheese. (fruit was a snack and is not pictured).
2) Spinach wrap with turkey, hummus, lettuce, and cucumbers. Grapes
3) Light chicken salad on a croissant with tomato and lettuce, cucumber, reduced fat ranch, peaches.
4) Turkey, avocado, lettuce, cucumber, and provolone sandwich with fruit salad (pineapples, strawberries, and blueberries)

For more lunch tips and tricks. Follow RDtipoftheday on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Enjoy!

Hydrating

I have seen many people hospitalized due to dehydration. They range in the spectrum of a couple day stay to staying in the ICU (intensive care unit) and having long-term organ damage. So, my opinion of adequate hydration is probably skewed. However, hydration is important!

We learned in grade school science class that our body is made up of approximately 80% water and that water is used in many different vital organ systems.  So, that makes adequate hydration pretty important to all of us.

How do you get started? Start with a plan, set a goal, and assess any barriers to your goal. The most common barriers to drinking more water I hear include: “It gets so boring,” “I don’t like the taste of water,” or “I don’t know how much to drink.” So, let’s address those things!

How much water do I need to drink?

Most adults need 8 cups of water per day. One cup of water is 8 ounces, so 8, 8-ounce cups gives us a total of 64 ounces per day. You need more water if you are more active, but 64 ounces is a great place to start for most people.

How do I know how much water my container holds?

This is one of the RD tips and tricks I picked up in my professional practice. To find the volume of a cup, you can flip the cup over! It is usually on the bottom of the cup, so you won’t have to guess. You can also measure your favorite cup or water bottle if it isn’t labeled with a measuring cup.

I don’t like the taste of water.

Most waters don’t have a taste to me. But if the taste of water is a struggle for you, consider flavoring your water. I like to add fruit to water. It’s a fun change of flavor and the combinations are almost endless!

Drinking water is boring.

Feel free to try new ways to flavor your water as mentioned above. I believe you eat with your eyes, so use some of that fruit as a garnish (and then a snack!) to make your water visually appealing. Try a new cup or glass. With kids, sometimes a fun straw helps make water less boring.

Hope these tips help!

Do you have any tips to help drink more water? Feel free to share your tips and tricks for staying hydrated below.

3 Steps to Help You Eat 5 Servings of Fruits and Veggies a Day

It is back-to-school time or back to work time. This time of year usual means an adjustment to new school schedules, holidays, tailgating, and can be filled with more extracurricular activities for families with children. In any of these cases, eating healthy during this busy season means incorporating healthy options at school, work, or parties. This takes some planning but can pays off in health benefits. Here are some tips for reaching your "5-a-Day" Goal of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

3 Steps to Help You Eat 5 Servings of Fruits and Veggies a Day

1) Purchase Produce
Keep your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer stocked with healthy choices. 

2) Prep your Produce
I prepare my produce on the weekends if I am being super organized and productive. When I have prepped my produce, it is convenient to use for meals or as a quick snack.

3) Pack your Produce
You've purchased and prepped your produce, so it's easy to grab and go! Aim to include  a variety of food groups in your lunch: protein. Choose a grain, a protein source, a fruit, a vegetable, and/or a dairy product.

Benefits of Produce

        Choose fresh, frozen, pre-portioned, canned (in it’s own juice for fruits or with "no added salt" for vegetables). Vegetables, like bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and cucumbers, add color, micronutrients, fiber, and crunch to your lunch. Fruits add color, micronutrients like folic acid and vitamin C, fiber, and can help satisfy a sweet tooth. Enjoy!

I hope you are encouraged to try to incorporate five serving of fruits and vegetables into your diet. Have you ever met the "5 a Day" Challenge? 

For more tips and encouragement for healthy eating, follow RDtipoftheday to Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Food Myth: Dietitians Eat Perfectly

You’re a dietitian so you must eat perfectly, right? That is one of the questions I get asked most frequently. I don’t think that’s the case. Neither is my goal to eat “perfectly.” I’m still not sure what that means, but it sounds like an unrealistic expectation. In my experience, unrealistic dietary expectations lead to impossible goals, lack of healthy behavior change, and in some cases disordered patterns of eating. Instead of eating “perfectly,” my goals are to make better (i.e. healthy) choices everyday and to find balance between eating, exercise, and living life!

Make healthy choices daily

Balance eating, exercise, and living a healthy life

For those that know me, they can attest to my love of sweets. My mom joked with me, when I was little that I didn’t have a “sweet tooth.” No, I had “sweet teeth!”

To help me make better “sweet” choices, I try to keep healthy, sweet things convenient. For me, this means packing a couple servings of fruit for lunch and snacks at work. I also keep a fruit bowl at home. This means that it is just as quick and convenient to grab a piece of fruit, as it is to grab a pre-packaged, saturated fat-filled sweet snack. Don’t get me wrong, I still usually eat about a “sweet” a day, but I am incorporating more fruit and vegetables into my diet. Convenient, healthy snacks have helped me find a better dietary balance. 

This week RDtipoftheday will focus on tips and recipes to help you get more vegetables in your diet. What steps have you taken to find a healthy balance in your life?

Follow RDtipoftheday on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for more recipes and tips.