Fire Up the Barbecue!
If your barbecue pit has been undercover for the winter months, take time to make sure your grill is clean and ready for safe use before throwing on your favorite food. Clean your grill by scrubbing it with hot, soapy water before every use. When you’re ready to cook, allow the grill to heat up sufficiently to eliminate potential bacteria problems. Also, if you are using a gas grill, check the burner orifices to make sure they are clear of any deposits to ensure a safe ignition and even flame.
Your grill is clean, hot and ready to go. Now comes the most important question: what to cook? There are the traditional barbecue favorites of hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken, but there are a number of other creative options. Try a few of these non-traditional ideas:
•Cut the fat. Grill up some turkey burgers instead. Ground turkey breast can be as lean as 99% fat-free. Add cilantro, shallots or chili sauce to spice things up. Or mix in feta cheese, kalamata olives, oregano and pepper and serve on a pita for a Greek-style burger.
•Pile on the vitamins and nutrients. Add flavor and nutrition to your meal with vegetables cooked right on the grill. Baste vegetables such as peppers, corn, eggplant or onions. Season them with herbs and place on a hot grill until they are tender and brown. Or sprinkle sliced zucchini, tomatoes and carrots with a little water and seasoning, wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and grill until vegetables are tender.
•Don’t forget dessert. Grill fruit kabobs, pineapple slices or peach halves on low heat until the fruit is hot and slightly golden. Serve them on top of a scoop of low-fat ice cream or angel food cake for a tasty and nutritious dessert.
Finally, be sure to use one of the most important (and overlooked) grilling accessories: the meat thermometer. In addition to taking the guesswork out of cooking, the meat thermometer helps to prevent foodborne illness by assuring your food is cooked to proper temperatures. When buying a thermometer, read the package label to be sure you’re buying a type designed to use with meat. Look for a thermometer made of stainless steel and with an easy-to-read dial and shatterproof lens.
Can Grilling Cause Cancer?
According to the USDA, recent studies suggest a link between cancer and charred meats and fish. Charring commonly occurs as a result of high temperature cooking methods, such as grilling, frying and broiling.
Here are some tips to prevent your meats from charring:
•Remove fatty areas
•Pre-cook meat in the microwave before placing it on the grill
•Make sure the coals of the grill are not directly below the meat
•Avoid grilling meats until they are well done or burnt
Living a healthier life is always a work in progress.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday Message from June 20th
Sell By, Use By. What Do They Mean?
Many food products now include open dating on the label or packaging. This date helps the store know how long to display a product. It also helps consumers know the time limit to purchase or use the product at its best quality. The most common labels are sell-by, use-by and expiration date. Here's what they mean:
Sell-by Date – This date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. Buy the product before the date expires.
Use-by Date – This is the last date the product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor and texture.
Expiration Date – If you haven't used the product by this date, it's time to toss it.
Many food products now include open dating on the label or packaging. This date helps the store know how long to display a product. It also helps consumers know the time limit to purchase or use the product at its best quality. The most common labels are sell-by, use-by and expiration date. Here's what they mean:
Sell-by Date – This date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. Buy the product before the date expires.
Use-by Date – This is the last date the product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor and texture.
Expiration Date – If you haven't used the product by this date, it's time to toss it.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday Message from June 13th
Does My Child Need A Supplement?
by Roberta Duyff, MS RD FADA
Does your child eat a variety of foods? If so, your child probably doesn't need a nutrient supplement. Meals and snacks likely supply enough vitamins and other nutrients for growth and health. Food is the best nutrient source, anyway.
If your child has a feeding problem that lasts for several weeks or if you're unsure about your child's nutrient intake, get expert advice. Before you give your child a supplement, talk to your child's doctor or a registered dietitian.
Beware of claims for supplements targeted to help children get over colds, depression or attention deficit disorder, among others. These claims aren't supported by sound science; such supplements may be harmful. An appropriate supplement may be recommended if your child avoids an entire food group due to a food dislike, allergy or intolerance; or if your child is a vegetarian.
If your health provider recommends a nutrient supplement for your child:
•Choose a supplement with a childproof cap. Store it out of your child's reach.
•Give a supplement only in the safe, recommended does. Too much can be harmful.
•Remember: Supplements are just that – supplements – not an excuse to forgo smart eating.
•Remind children that supplements aren't candy, even if they come in fun names, colors, shapes and package design.
•Remember that enriched and fortified foods may have the same added nutrients that the supplement has.
by Roberta Duyff, MS RD FADA
Does your child eat a variety of foods? If so, your child probably doesn't need a nutrient supplement. Meals and snacks likely supply enough vitamins and other nutrients for growth and health. Food is the best nutrient source, anyway.
If your child has a feeding problem that lasts for several weeks or if you're unsure about your child's nutrient intake, get expert advice. Before you give your child a supplement, talk to your child's doctor or a registered dietitian.
Beware of claims for supplements targeted to help children get over colds, depression or attention deficit disorder, among others. These claims aren't supported by sound science; such supplements may be harmful. An appropriate supplement may be recommended if your child avoids an entire food group due to a food dislike, allergy or intolerance; or if your child is a vegetarian.
If your health provider recommends a nutrient supplement for your child:
•Choose a supplement with a childproof cap. Store it out of your child's reach.
•Give a supplement only in the safe, recommended does. Too much can be harmful.
•Remember: Supplements are just that – supplements – not an excuse to forgo smart eating.
•Remind children that supplements aren't candy, even if they come in fun names, colors, shapes and package design.
•Remember that enriched and fortified foods may have the same added nutrients that the supplement has.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Monday Message from June 6th
Whole White Wheat Flour: Tasty and Nutritious
by Nour El-Zibdeh, RD
Do your kids turn up their noses when you try to get them to eat bread or other foods made with whole wheat? Then you haven't tried whole white wheat flour!
Whole white wheat flour is made from wheat kernels that have white-colored bran (the outer shell). The term "white" refers to the type and color of the kernels, and the flour is considered a whole grain. It is completely different from the traditional white flour you are used to, known as refined all-purpose flour, which is not whole grain and is made from red wheat kernels after the bran has been removed. What most Americans traditionally identify as "whole wheat flour" is milled from red wheat kernels, whose bran has a dark color, heavy texture, and a strong flavor that some don’t like.
In the Kitchen
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people eat more whole grains and many think their only choice in the kitchen is whole wheat flour. But this type of flour, while full of nutrients, is not a favorite for baking because the final product is often heavy and unsmooth. To get around this, recipes often mix whole wheat flour with refined all-purpose flour, but the final baked product won't be 100% whole grain.
Whole white wheat flour, on the other hand, is lighter in color and texture, milder in flavor, and sweeter in taste. You can use it alone in your recipes to get all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the whole grain, without sacrificing the taste. "Baked goods prepared with whole white wheat flour tend to mimic their refined counterparts in color and texture," says Marisa Moore, MBA, RD, LD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. It is a great way to boost your family's whole grains intake with minimal effort because "the milder flavor of whole white wheat may be more acceptable to children," she adds. The sweetness of whole white wheat also allows you to use less sugar or other sweeteners when baking.
In the Store
Most mainstream grocery stores sell several brand names of whole white wheat flour and products made with it. Moore advises parents to "look for words like '100% whole wheat' on the package when shopping for bread and other products touting a whole grain status." Alternatively, you can look for the Whole Grain Council's "100% Whole Grain" stamp. To distinguish between products made with whole white wheat flour and others made with regular white flour, look at the ingredients list and make sure the type of flour used is whole wheat, not refined or enriched wheat.
by Nour El-Zibdeh, RD
Do your kids turn up their noses when you try to get them to eat bread or other foods made with whole wheat? Then you haven't tried whole white wheat flour!
Whole white wheat flour is made from wheat kernels that have white-colored bran (the outer shell). The term "white" refers to the type and color of the kernels, and the flour is considered a whole grain. It is completely different from the traditional white flour you are used to, known as refined all-purpose flour, which is not whole grain and is made from red wheat kernels after the bran has been removed. What most Americans traditionally identify as "whole wheat flour" is milled from red wheat kernels, whose bran has a dark color, heavy texture, and a strong flavor that some don’t like.
In the Kitchen
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people eat more whole grains and many think their only choice in the kitchen is whole wheat flour. But this type of flour, while full of nutrients, is not a favorite for baking because the final product is often heavy and unsmooth. To get around this, recipes often mix whole wheat flour with refined all-purpose flour, but the final baked product won't be 100% whole grain.
Whole white wheat flour, on the other hand, is lighter in color and texture, milder in flavor, and sweeter in taste. You can use it alone in your recipes to get all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the whole grain, without sacrificing the taste. "Baked goods prepared with whole white wheat flour tend to mimic their refined counterparts in color and texture," says Marisa Moore, MBA, RD, LD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. It is a great way to boost your family's whole grains intake with minimal effort because "the milder flavor of whole white wheat may be more acceptable to children," she adds. The sweetness of whole white wheat also allows you to use less sugar or other sweeteners when baking.
In the Store
Most mainstream grocery stores sell several brand names of whole white wheat flour and products made with it. Moore advises parents to "look for words like '100% whole wheat' on the package when shopping for bread and other products touting a whole grain status." Alternatively, you can look for the Whole Grain Council's "100% Whole Grain" stamp. To distinguish between products made with whole white wheat flour and others made with regular white flour, look at the ingredients list and make sure the type of flour used is whole wheat, not refined or enriched wheat.
Monday Message from May 30th
Kids on the Move
by Roberta Duyff, MS RD FADA
Why are more and more teenagers less and less active? Perhaps it's the family pattern they "inherited." But for every reason teens give, there's an easy, often fun solution. Offer these tips as starters to teens:
Reason: "I'd rather watch TV." In fact, about 50 percent of children and youth watch more than three hours of television a day!
Solution: Get some self-discipline: limit your TV time to fit in other types of fun. Or multitask: watch TV while you do something active, perhaps lift weights, do push-ups or sit-ups or dance in front of the TV. (Kids: it's not weird to move more.)
Reason: "It's too far to walk there." So kids ride in or drive cars to school, the store, friends' homes, the library or work.
Solution: Skip the school bus or car if you can. Walk or use a bike, scooter or in-line skates. (Remember a helmet and perhaps knee pads, for safety.)
Reason: "I'd rather play video games or get on the computer."
Solution: Mental exercise is great, but – take an active break from sitting. It's good for your eyes and your head. In fact, your brain's synapses may work faster with some physical activity!
Reason: "I don't have time." Perhaps leisure time for active fun is limited.
Solution: Fit physical activity into what you need to do anyway. Perhaps wash the family car. Volunteer for your share of the household chores – the ones that make you move more, like raking leaves or sweeping sidewalks.
Reason: "I don't want to sweat or mess up my hair." "Exercising isn't 'cool.'" That's probably more true for teenage girls than boys.
Solution: Do everyday activities, such as walking to school or household tasks, that don't work up a sweat. Even if you do sweat, fitness is more important.
by Roberta Duyff, MS RD FADA
Why are more and more teenagers less and less active? Perhaps it's the family pattern they "inherited." But for every reason teens give, there's an easy, often fun solution. Offer these tips as starters to teens:
Reason: "I'd rather watch TV." In fact, about 50 percent of children and youth watch more than three hours of television a day!
Solution: Get some self-discipline: limit your TV time to fit in other types of fun. Or multitask: watch TV while you do something active, perhaps lift weights, do push-ups or sit-ups or dance in front of the TV. (Kids: it's not weird to move more.)
Reason: "It's too far to walk there." So kids ride in or drive cars to school, the store, friends' homes, the library or work.
Solution: Skip the school bus or car if you can. Walk or use a bike, scooter or in-line skates. (Remember a helmet and perhaps knee pads, for safety.)
Reason: "I'd rather play video games or get on the computer."
Solution: Mental exercise is great, but – take an active break from sitting. It's good for your eyes and your head. In fact, your brain's synapses may work faster with some physical activity!
Reason: "I don't have time." Perhaps leisure time for active fun is limited.
Solution: Fit physical activity into what you need to do anyway. Perhaps wash the family car. Volunteer for your share of the household chores – the ones that make you move more, like raking leaves or sweeping sidewalks.
Reason: "I don't want to sweat or mess up my hair." "Exercising isn't 'cool.'" That's probably more true for teenage girls than boys.
Solution: Do everyday activities, such as walking to school or household tasks, that don't work up a sweat. Even if you do sweat, fitness is more important.
Monday Message from May 23rd
Food Safety Starts at Home
by Ruth Frechman, MA RD
Spending time in the kitchen preparing meals with your kids will provide lasting memories, as well as an opportunity to teach them practical skills. While you are teaching your kids to cook, be sure to include important ways to avoid getting a foodborne illness. Show your children that proper food handling takes place in all parts of the kitchen, from countertops and the microwave to the refrigerator and oven.
Turn these four simple foodborne illness tips into a game:
Clean – Wash hands often
Not only will proper hand washing eliminate cases of foodborne illness, but it will also reduce the spread of the common cold and flu. Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after preparing food. Sing "Happy Birthday" two times while washing or find another favorite song to sing.
Separate – Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate
When teaching your kids about cross-contamination, using different color cutting boards can help remind them about keeping foods separate so that juices from raw meats can accidentally drip on fruits, salads or ready-to-eat foods. Let your kids decide which color cutting board to use for cutting raw meat, poultry and seafood and which to use for produce and ready-to-eat foods. And remember, never put cooked food back on the same plate that held raw food.
Cook – Cook to proper temperatures
Cooking food to the recommended minimum internal temperature is necessary to kill potentially harmful bacteria. The only way to ensure that a food is safely cooked is to test it with a food thermometer. Giving your kids their own thermometer will make them feel like a scientist. This goes for reheating leftovers too. Have you been reheating leftovers to 165º?
Chill – Refrigerate promptly to 40ºF or below
Refrigerate foods quickly to slow the growth of bacteria. Keep your refrigerator at 40ºF or below and your freezer at 0ºF or lower. Let your kids read the thermometer temperature to you. Safe food storage will protect them from foodborne illnesses.
Perishable foods are not safe to eat if they have been left in the danger zone of 40-140ºF for more than two hours (one hour, if it's 90ºF or hotter).
You can't rely on how food looks, smells or tastes to decide if it is safe to eat. Foods can spoil or harbor dangerous bacteria long before noticeable signs appear. The number of cases of foodborne illness each year is staggering. Following these four easy food safety tips can help protect your entire family.
For more information and tips to reduce your family's risk of foodborne illness, visit www.homefoodsafety.org.
by Ruth Frechman, MA RD
Spending time in the kitchen preparing meals with your kids will provide lasting memories, as well as an opportunity to teach them practical skills. While you are teaching your kids to cook, be sure to include important ways to avoid getting a foodborne illness. Show your children that proper food handling takes place in all parts of the kitchen, from countertops and the microwave to the refrigerator and oven.
Turn these four simple foodborne illness tips into a game:
Clean – Wash hands often
Not only will proper hand washing eliminate cases of foodborne illness, but it will also reduce the spread of the common cold and flu. Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after preparing food. Sing "Happy Birthday" two times while washing or find another favorite song to sing.
Separate – Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate
When teaching your kids about cross-contamination, using different color cutting boards can help remind them about keeping foods separate so that juices from raw meats can accidentally drip on fruits, salads or ready-to-eat foods. Let your kids decide which color cutting board to use for cutting raw meat, poultry and seafood and which to use for produce and ready-to-eat foods. And remember, never put cooked food back on the same plate that held raw food.
Cook – Cook to proper temperatures
Cooking food to the recommended minimum internal temperature is necessary to kill potentially harmful bacteria. The only way to ensure that a food is safely cooked is to test it with a food thermometer. Giving your kids their own thermometer will make them feel like a scientist. This goes for reheating leftovers too. Have you been reheating leftovers to 165º?
Chill – Refrigerate promptly to 40ºF or below
Refrigerate foods quickly to slow the growth of bacteria. Keep your refrigerator at 40ºF or below and your freezer at 0ºF or lower. Let your kids read the thermometer temperature to you. Safe food storage will protect them from foodborne illnesses.
Perishable foods are not safe to eat if they have been left in the danger zone of 40-140ºF for more than two hours (one hour, if it's 90ºF or hotter).
You can't rely on how food looks, smells or tastes to decide if it is safe to eat. Foods can spoil or harbor dangerous bacteria long before noticeable signs appear. The number of cases of foodborne illness each year is staggering. Following these four easy food safety tips can help protect your entire family.
For more information and tips to reduce your family's risk of foodborne illness, visit www.homefoodsafety.org.
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