It's Friday Try-day!

It's "FRIDAY TRY-DAY!"  Time to be adventurous and try something new.  How about a PARSNIP (a close relative of the carrot).  Parsnips are a great source of fiber and potassium.  Try this:  peel and cut 1 lb of fresh parsnips.  Toss lightly in a drizzle of olive oil or flavored oil of your choice (the possibilities are endless).  Roast 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  You can also add parsnips to soups/stews, or use them in your mashed potato recipe for a unique spin on a traditional favorite.  Enjoy!!

Boost Your Brainpower with BREAKFAST!

Back to school means getting back in the habit of an early breakfast to start the day.  Breakfast is an important part of a healthful diet, yet tends to be the meal that is most often neglected or skipped. Research has shown that children who eat breakfast perform better academically than children who do not eat breakfast. Why, you ask? Eating breakfast is very important for both the brain and the body first thing in the morning. Breakfast is the first time that the body has to replenish its stores of glucose (blood sugar- the brain's main source of fuel) after at least 8-10 hours of fasting! Having a meal in the morning jump starts your metabolism and gives your body the energy that it needs to start the day.
A super nutritious breakfast should have at least: one serving of whole grains, one serving of fruit and either one serving of a calcium rich food or a protein (or both). Try these healthful breakfasts to jump start the day:
-Whole grain cereal with nonfat milk and fruit
-Oatmeal with sliced almonds, fruit and milk
-Vegetable omelet with a slice of whole grain bread and fruit
-Whole grain toast or waffle with peanut butter (or soynut butter) and sliced bananas on top
-Breakfast quesadilla or burrito (whole grain tortillas filled with eggs and veggies)
-Smoothie (fresh fruit, yogurt, a teaspoon of wheatgerm or flaxseed oil blended together).

There is no rule that you have to have breakfast foods at breakfast. If you or your child's taste buds crave other types of foods in the morning try: A toasted whole grain English muffin with turkey or ham and a piece of fruit, Vegetable pizza (on a whole grain English muffin or pita bread), Rice and beans and a fruit, or anything that appeals to your tastes (and is healthful)! 

Enjoy!

Recipe for Excess

We all are well aware of the increasing size of our population, not in terms of number but in terms of actual SIZE. Studies show that about 20-40% of children are overweight (varies depending on what groups of kids they are looking at), and there are many different theories why. Could be activity. One study correlated the increased and prolonged use of strollers to increasing weight of 2-3 year olds. Could be the increase in fast foods. Another study found that french fries were the most popular vegetable eaten by two year olds! Or the increased use of soft drinks made with the ever present "high fructose corn syrup". In one study, overweight school age children stopped drinking soft drinks with no other changes and ALL lost a significant amount of weight. But no studies have linked it to home cooking....until now!

Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab looked at recipes in the Joy of Cooking comparing recipes from the 1936 version all the way to the 2006 version. Overall, they found that the calories per serving in 17 of the recipes increased 63%! More fat, more meat, more butter, more sugar and larger portions (what once served 8 now was serving 4) contributed to the increase. There were also incidences where the calories came with greater nutrition, for example when raisins or nuts were added but overall the increase generally came from extra fat and sugar or the larger portions. They found similar calorie increases in other cookbooks such as the "Better Homes and Garden Cookbook".

While the calories may have gone up for many of the classic recipes, there are ways we can turn back the clock on calories. The one consistent theme is portion size. Remember when a cup was actually 8 ounces and not a Big Gulp and a hamburger was a hamburger not a Whopper?
Practice assessing portion sizes by going to "Portion Distortion" at
http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/. Not only will it show you how our perceptions of portions have changed but what you need to do to use up those extra calories.

It's Snack Time

After school is a really important time for a nutritious snack for many reasons. Many kids have not had anything to eat for 3-4 hours and need to refuel; many kids participate in sports after school and this snack helps many kids control their level of hunger at dinner time.

Giving kids a little more control often helps them make better choices. Remember you still choose what to buy!

For young children, offer them a choice of 2 things to help keep choices healthful (for example: do you want crackers and string cheese or yogurt and fruit?)

For older children and teens, make a list of possible snacks and post. When it is snack time, choose one together.

Try pizza! English muffin or mini-bagel pizzas, that is!

Use half of a whole grain English muffin (or one mini whole grain bagel), top with marinara sauce, low fat mozzarella cheese and veggies. Place in and oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly!

This snack is well balanced, contains protein and has 3 food groups- whole grains, dairy, veggies.

Enjoy :)