Going Meatless Every Monday

by Monique Ryan, MS RD CSSD LDN

Have you gone meat-free today? More and more people are going vegetarian — at least for one day a week. This small change in your diet can improve your health and the environment.

Going meatless one day a week started with the Healthy People 2010 report from the United States Surgeon General, which recommended lowering meat consumption by 15 percent, specifically to cut down on saturated fat. This calculation works out to about one day weekly, so plan ahead and try making Monday, or any other weekday, meatless. In fact, a few generations ago, meat was often consumed in side dish portions, while nutrient-rich beans and lentils, vegetables and whole grains took center stage.

Cutting back on meat intake offers many protective benefits. Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increased risk of death from chronic disease. Going meatless once a week can help fight the nation’s top killer — heart disease. Fatty red meats and many processed meats are high in saturated fat which raises harmful or “bad” LDL cholesterol. Consuming red meat can also raise the susceptibility for certain cancers, including colon cancer. Studies suggest people who eat less meat tend to be leaner and less likely to gain weight than people with higher meat intakes.

Don’t Just Cut Back, Add to Your Diet
Losing meat one day a week is not only about subtracting from your diet, but adding to it. Eating more whole grains, beans and lentils and vegetables on your meatless day offers many health benefits.
Whole grain, unprocessed carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, brown rice, oats, buckwheat, quinoa and millet can help prevent heart disease, certain cancers and diabetes. Experimenting with a new grain choice on your next meatless day can provide fiber for normal bowel function, along with a variety of vitamins and minerals that contribute to the nutrient density of your diet.Americans regularly eat more than enough protein. Adding beans or lentils to your meat-free meal also maintains an adequate protein intake. Providing about 16 grams of protein per cup of cooked, beans and lentils are also a great source of fiber, folic acid, iron and potassium. These nutrient-rich foods are also good sources of manganese, magnesium and copper, riboflavin and vitamin B6.Vegetables are also nutrient powerhouses and add color and texture to your meals. Try leafy greens like kale, collards, bok choy and broccoli for good plant sources of calcium.

Good for the Environment
The practice of consuming a plant based diet can benefit the environment. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, livestock was estimated to contribute to 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), with other estimates ranging from a 10 percent to 51 percent contribution. Going meatless one meal weekly, eating less meat, and choosing organic or grass fed meats all reduce GHG.

  - See more at: http://www.eatright.org/kids/article.aspx?id=6442478591#sthash.MmP3JEUa.dpuf

Monday Message from August 13th

Fake a Homemade Dinner

by Karen Ansel, MS RD

 

 

Family meals are making a comeback, and that's good news for several reasons. "Dinnertime may be the only time a family can get together and find out what's going on in each other's lives, so families who eat together are closer," says Bethany Thayer, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "What's more, children who regularly eat with their families are more likely to have healthy diets and get good grades in school. At the same time, they're less likely to suffer from depression or experiment with cigarettes, alcohol or drugs as they get older."
If you don't have time to whip up a homemade meal, you can still enjoy all the benefits of a family dinner. Here are four speedy meals you can dish up without breaking a sweat:

• Frozen ravioli with store bought sauce and a salad:
  A well-stocked pantry and freezer can go a long way in cutting down on last minute trips to the supermarket. Fill your pantry with go-to ingredients like your favorite tomato-based pasta sauce, whole wheat pasta and polenta and load your freezer with different varieties of gourmet ravioli, stuffed shells or manicotti. Dinner will never be more than 20 minutes away.
  
• Rotisserie chicken, frozen mashed potatoes and peas:
  When it comes to frozen veggies you can lose the guilt. Because they're flash frozen within hours of harvesting, frozen vegetables may actually have more nutrients than fresh which can sit on store shelves for days. Plus, they're ready in the microwave in minutes. In addition to peas, load up on edamame, carrots, corn, chopped spinach and even mashed potatoes. Buy yours without sauce and toss with a little heart-healthy olive oil instead.
  
• Veggie burgers with a cucumber salad:
  A vegetarian meal doesn't have to mean hours slaving over the stove. Keep staples like veggie burgers and whole-wheat buns on hand for a meatless meal you can throw together on the fly. Serve with sliced cucumbers drizzled with your favorite light vinaigrette dressing.
  
• Grilled chicken Caesar salad with French bread:
  For the ultimate healthy convenience meal slice up store-bought grilled chicken breasts and toss with hearts of romaine and light Caesar dressing. If you have a few minutes to spare, bake up a loaf of frozen whole wheat dinner rolls or French bread and the house will smell like you've been baking all afternoon.

Monday Message for August 6th

Does My Child Need a Gluten Free Diet?

by Karen Ansel, MS RD

 

Lately, gluten free diets are getting a lot of attention. Going gluten free has been rumored to increase energy and concentration, cure digestive ills, and even improve symptoms of autism and ADHD in children. With so much hype it’s hard not to wonder if your child might not benefit from a g-free diet.
Gluten is a protein found in certain grains like wheat, barley and rye. Because gluten helps make foods taste better and improves their texture, it’s also added to everything from deli meats to French fries. For most children gluten is completely harmless, with two exceptions. “Children should be following a gluten-free diet if they’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease or with non-celiac gluten sensitivity,” says Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, co-author of Easy Gluten Free: Expert Nutrition Advice with More than 100 Recipes.

What exactly are celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity? Celiac disease, also known as celiac sprue, is an autoimmune condition that affects one in 133 people. For children with celiac, even the slightest morsel of gluten can spell trouble, triggering the release of antibodies which mount an assault on the intestines. These attacks damage the intestine, making it difficult to absorb many of the nutrients children need to grow and thrive. They also cause many unpleasant symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and weight loss or weight gain. Untreated, celiac can also lead to complications such as anemia, neurological disorders and osteoporosis. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (or NCGS) is believed to be more widespread that celiac, affecting an estimated 18 million Americans. It’s similar to celiac in that it also involves an immune reaction to gluten. But unlike celiac disease, that reaction doesn’t cause the body to produce damaging antibodies. So while a child with NCGS may have many celiac-like symptoms, he or she won’t experience the same intestinal damage, nutrient deficiencies or long term complications.

Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease or NCGS is a gluten free diet. “A gluten free diet is extremely restrictive so it can be difficult for a child to follow,” says Dee Sandquist, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It can also be psychologically and socially challenging.” Birthday parties, sleepovers, eating out and even snack time at school can be difficult to navigate. But the good news is that when children with celiac disease do give up gluten their growth returns to normal and their symptoms quickly improve according to a 2008 Journal of the American Dietetic Association (now Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) review article.

If you suspect your child has celiac or NCGS, experts recommend having your child screened by your healthcare provider before going gluten free. In fact, testing for these conditions only works if your child is eating a gluten containing diet. Because gluten is found in so many foods, unnecessarily restricting it can actually cause your child to miss out on important nutrients like iron and B vitamins children normally get from enriched and fortified foods like cereals, bread and pasta. If, after testing, you do find that your child needs to go gluten free, working with a registered dietitian can help develop a plan that ensures he or she gets all the nutrients needed for optimal health.

Monday Message for July 30th

Exercise with Your Baby

Physical activity is important during every stage of life, even infancy. Activity can encourage rolling over, crawling and walking as well as cognitive development and can lead to a preference for active play.
Try these activities to get your child moving:

• Spend part of each day with active baby games (babies love peek-a-boo).
• Hold playtime on the floor and help your infant explore his or her surroundings.
• Join a parent-infant play group.
• Choose activities that allow movement of arms, legs, hands and feet.

Remember, always avoid rough play, and consider talking to your child care provider about how much time your infant should spend moving.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/bday/celebrateIE.aspx

ChooseMyPlate- toddler style

  Spending way to much time (and money!) in Walmart the other day, I found these great plates from Munchkin following the ChooseMyPlate guide. They are made from toddler friendly melamine and provide a guide suggesting a fruit, vegetable, protein, grain, and dairy serving at each meal. They also have place mats that show what foods fall into each category. Find all of the budget friendly products here for a pretty nice price: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Munchkin-Toddler-Balanced-Meal-Feeding-Set/19487796?findingMethod=rr


have you checked out ChooseMyPlate.gov?  The Food Guide Pyramid is so 5 years ago  :)  Take some time to check out all of the great info and areas fod

Monday Message from May 14th

Feeding Vegetarian and Vegan Infants and Toddlers

 

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agree: Well-planned vegetarian and vegan eating patterns are healthy for infants and toddlers.
Time and attention are necessary to make certain young children, vegetarian or not, get all the nutrients they need for normal growth and development.
For the first four to six months, all babies do best with breast milk. Use iron-fortified formula (soy for vegans) if breast feeding is decreased or stopped. Cow’s milk, soymilk, rice milk and homemade formulas are not appropriate for babies during the first year because they have the wrong ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrate. They are also missing important nutrients for health, growth and development.
Solid foods can be introduced in the same order as for non-vegetarian infants. Replace meat with mashed or pureed tofu or beans and soy or dairy yogurt and cheese. (See Introducing Solid Foods.)
Since breast milk is such a rich source of nutrients, vegan mothers may want to breast feed for more than one year. Wean vegan infants with soymilk fortified with calcium and vitamins B12 and D. For toddlers, rice milk should not be used as a primary drink because it is low in both protein and energy.

Some Nutrients Needing Special Attention

When feeding vegetarian or vegan children, pay close attention to the following nutrients:

• Vitamin B12: Vegetarians can get plenty of B12 from milk products and eggs. Vegans, both breast feeding moms and children, need a good source of B12. Options include a supplement or fortified foods like soy or rice beverages, cereals and meat substitutes.
• Vitamin D: The AAP recommends all breast-fed infants receive 400 IU per day of supplemental vitamin D starting shortly after birth. This should continue until your child consumes the same amount of vitamin D from fortified milk: at least one quart per day of cow or soy milk.
• Calcium: Breast and formula-fed babies, as well toddlers who eat milk and dairy foods, usually get plenty of additional calcium from foods such as yogurt and cheese. For vegan toddlers, calcium-fortified foods and beverages or supplements may be necessary. See a registered dietitian for advice.
• Iron: The iron content of breast milk is low, even if moms are eating well. Babies are born with enough iron for four to six months. After this age, vegetarian and vegan infants need an outside source. Options include iron-fortified cereals or supplements.
• Protein: Babies need plenty of protein for rapid growth during the first year. Protein needs can be met with breast milk or formula until about 8 months. After that, add plant proteins from beans and cereals and fortified soy milks. Lacto-ovo toddlers can get protein from yogurt and eggs.
• Fiber: Lots of fiber can fill toddlers up quickly. Provide frequent meals and snacks. Use some refined grains, such as fortified cereals, breads and pasta, and higher-fat plant foods like sunflower butter and avocadoes to help vegetarian children meet their energy and nutrient needs.