We're all pulled in so many different directions, sometimes our food becomes an afterthought. Not only do we struggle to plan nutritious meals for ourselves and our families, but the actual act of eating has become mindless. This time of the year is no different. While students might be introduced to a "normal" or "structured" schedule again, we're still ultra-busy.
So this week, I'm highlighting healthy tips at breakfast, snack time, and in the fast food lane. I'll also go over fun ways to be active at the end of the day.
Breakfast on the go
Here are some quick tips for those rushed mornings. Remember, aim for 3 food groups at meal times and 2 food groups for snacks.
1. Whole grain frozen waffle topped with low-fat cottage cheese and fruit
4. Whole grain cereal- look for a cereal with a decent amount of protein and fiber for fullness until lunch time. Be sure to aim low on added sugars. Look for cereals that have 9 grams or less of added sugars. And remember to switch your family to a low-fat or fat-free milk. Only children two and under need whole milk. I recently started drinking Fairlife, and I love it! Twice the protein and half the sugar.
5. Toast- enjoy a classic, or spice it up and try something new. Toast with jam, with peanut butter, with egg and cheese, with avocado. The possibilities are endless!
Healthful snack options for kids (from Today's Dietitian)
1. Bare Snacks Chia Coconut Bites
2. Annie's Popcorn
3. KIND Fruit Bites
4. Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas
5. Brothers All Natural Fruit Crisps
6. Rhythm Beet Chips
7. Zespri SunGold Kiwis
8. RXBAR Kids (protein bars)
9. Justin's Snack Pakccs
Looking to provide a snack made at home? My favorite is trail mix. Just choose a whole grain, a dried fruit, and a nut or seed. If desired, sprinkle chocolate chips (or similar) sparingly.
Other great go-to's include Sargento Balanced Breaks, a handful of nuts or seeds, or just some fruits and veggies!
At the end of your day was exhausting and it's not over yet, and there's no way you're getting a home cooked meal on the table tonight, here are some ways to shop smart on the fast food menu:
1. In general, stay away from menu options with the words fried, crispy, stuffed, loaded, creamed, battered, or breaded. Instead, look for roasted, baked, grilled, or steamed.
2. Look for whole grains, brightly colored fruits and veggies, avocado, and salmon (or other fish).
3. Don't fall into the salad trap. Not all salads are created equal. Often, many salads at fast food restaurants come with toppings that really jack up the calories like bacon, cheese, and creamy dressings. Instead, look for salads with colorful vegetables, grilled chicken, seeds, whole grain, and ask for a vinaigrette dressing on the side.
4. Pay attention to calories counts when available. You might even try looking into what restaurants offer this information beforehand so you can make plans to go there over somewhere else.
5. Look over the whole menu. Restaurants often place items they want to sell more of toward the top of the menu.
6. Look for a light menu, but know that this won't necessarily mean the dish is low in sodium.
7. Portion sizes are huge! Plan to eat some of your meal immediately, but then save some for later. Another trick I use is ordering off the children's menu for smaller portions.
8. Advice I got in college that still sticks with me today is this: Don't drink your calories. Your body has a hard time sensing calories from liquids compared to calories you chew. This means a few hundred calories from a pop or smoothie won't fill you up the same way an equal amount of calories from a food source would. (Environmental Nutrition)
And lastly, one of my favorite topics: Physical Activity. You've probably been sitting at a desk most of your day, your kids have been sitting at a desk most of their day. Do your whole family a favor and be active together. I know it's all too easy to sit down in front of the TV or scroll through something on your phone. But your body will thank you! Go for a walk, play a game (not on an electronic device), do a workout video together (there's tons on YouTube!). We all probably think we don't have time for it, but if we had a reality check, a lot of us probably have a lot more down time than we are aware of. It just slips through our fingers when we watch TV or spend too much time on our phones.
I know it's going to be a hectic week, and I wish everyone the best of luck! Reach out if you have any nutrition and health questions!
Until next time,
Lindsey