Tips and Recipes

Reading Nutrition Facts Labels

Nutrition Facts labels can help us choose healthier foods, but only if we know what to look for! Here are a few tips to keep in mind when checking nutrition labels.

First, look at the serving size. All the other information on the nutrition label applies to the serving size, but your portion size (the amount you actually eat) may be bigger or smaller than the serving size listed on the label. So, if the serving size is ½ cup but you ate 1 cup, then remember to double the amount of calories and other nutrients.

Percent Daily Values (%DV) tell you how much of a certain nutrient you will get from the product. If the label says “10% Total Fat,” this means one serving of the food is 10% of all the fat you should be eating each day. However, Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day. This means that you might need more or less than 100% of the nutrients listed on the label each day. 

In general, aim for a low percent Daily Value (5% or less) of 

• Saturated fat
• Trans fat
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Added sugars 

Aim for a high percent Daily Value (20% or more) of 

• Vitamins
• Minerals (like potassium, calcium, and iron)
• Fiber

It’s also helpful to remember that the ingredients on the bottom of a food label are listed in order of most to least.  So if you want to know what’s in your food, the products at the beginning of the ingredients list are the ones you should look at most closely. 

Resources:

Eatright.org , FDA & Heart.org

Curbing Candy Cravings

During the holidays, especially during Halloween when there is candy around every corner (literally!), it can be hard for kids to manage their candy cravings. Help your kids stay in control by setting some rules. These tips aren’t just for Halloween. They’re great for any holiday that involves lots of sweets, especially sweets your kids get to bring home!

Set Expectations: Talk ahead of time about how much candy your child is allowed to have while they are trick-or-treating. Also discuss when they will be allowed to eat the rest of the candy they bring back–how many pieces can they have each day? Do they need to finish their lunch or dinner to get a piece?

Keep it in the Kitchen: Knowing where the sweet treats are kept will help you limit when they are eaten. It’s especially important to keep candy out of kids’ bedrooms so you know when they are eating it. Also consider keeping treat containers on a high shelf so younger kids have to ask for help reaching them. 

Focus on other Traditions: Involve kids in activities like decorating, making cards for friends and family, carving pumpkins, and creating their own costumes. Focusing on the other fun activities will help take the focus away from sweets and will give kids other things to look forward to. 

Trade and Share: Some dentist offices will “buy back” leftover candy from children, and there are several programs that send donated candy to troops and first responders. You can also call your local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, nursing home, or Ronald McDonald House as these sometimes accept candy donations too! (Candy Buyback Locations , Operation Gratitude , or find a Ronald McDonald House )

Written by: Bethany Helm, Student Employee

Resource

Slow Cooker Oats

Ingredients:

-Cooking spray

-2 Cups Skim or 1% Milk

-¼ Cup Brown Sugar

-1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

-1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats

-1 Cup Apples, Chopped 

-½ Cup chopped pecans or almonds 

Directions: 

1. Spray the inside 

2. Add all the ingredients

3. Mix together

4. Cook on low for about 8 hours

Making Healthier Choices When Eating Out

Maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging when eating fast food on a busy day or treating yourself to a dinner out. Use these tips to help you make healthier choices when eating out:

1. Choose smart-drinks like water, unsweet tea, or milk. Remember that coffee, alcohol, and even juice can have a lot of added sugars. 
2. Start your meal with a salad so you fill up on healthier foods first. Choose one with lots of veggies, and ask for the dressing on the side so you can use a smaller amount. 
3. If the restaurant you are at serves large portions, feel free to order an appetizer or side dish as your meal, or split a regular entree with someone else. This will also save you money!
4. Pack snacks so you aren’t tempted to stop for fast food to fill up! Fruit, nuts, granola bars, and string cheese are all good choices if you tend to get hungry on your commute or have a long day of errands planned.
5. Choose veggies as your side and fruit as your dessert instead of fries and sugary sweets. 
6. Check out the nutrition information on the menu–lots of restaurants list the calories next to the dish, and many will have this information available somewhere else. If you don’t see it, just ask!
7. Go for steamed, broiled, or grilled dishes instead of fried as these tend to have fewer calories and be lower in saturated fats and cholesterol.
8. When you order bread, sandwiches, or pasta, ask for 100% whole-wheat. Many sit-down restaurants and even some fast food chains will have this on hand even if it’s not listed on the menu. 
9. Leftovers are your friend! Don’t feel pressured to clean your plate. Instead, eat until you are full and take the rest home for later. Leftovers will last about 3-4 days in the fridge. 
10. Don’t stress too much. If you don’t eat out that often and maintain a healthy and well-rounded diet at home, a few fries or a soda every once in a while is okay.

Find out more at Choose MyPlate

Written by: Bethany Helm, Student Employee

Beef & Double Broccoli

A classic Asian take-out favorite gets a healthier facelift by adding a heavy hand of broccoli cooked-two-ways.  

Serves 4

Ingredients 

-4 cups broccoli, separated and stems intact

-1 lemon (or 3 Tbsp lemon juice)

-1 cup brown rice, uncooked 

-2 cups water

-2 Tbsp vegetable oil

-1 lb lean ground beef 

-5 cloves garlic, smashed (or 1 Tbsp garlic powder)

-1 Tbsp minced ginger (or 2 tsp ginger powder)

-2 tsp salt 

-1 tsp black pepper 

-¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

-2 stalks scallions, greens and whites, chopped

Directions 

1. Preheat your oven to 400˚ F. 
2. Toss half of the broccoli (2 cups) in the lemon juice. Season with half the salt and pepper and drizzle with the vegetable oil. 
3. Bake uncovered on a sheet pan for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are crispy. Set aside to cool. 
4. In a large skillet pan, over medium heat, add the ground beef and use a spoon to break the beef apart slightly, keeping large bits intact. 
5. Add the garlic, ginger, and the remaining salt and pepper and the other half of the broccoli.  
6. Cover the pan with a lid and let cook on low heat for about five minutes. Meanwhile, cook the rice per package directions, usually 2 parts water for 1 part of rice. 
7. After five minutes, add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Add the scallions. 
8. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160˚ F serve a top steamed brown rice with roasted broccoli.

-Recipe by Chef Brigid Washington