January 2018

Enjoy Family Meals Together

“My kids and hubby are meat lovers, but I prefer fish, tofu or beans with my meals.”  Sound familiar? It is really hard to enjoy family meals together?  I come across this situation many times with my clients, friends and peers. This situation is very common and often it is also complicated by the fact that many families are busy during the week and it is hard to eat together as a family.  When you do eat together as a family you want everyone to be happy and to enjoy a peaceful dinner.  How can you solve the dilemma of serving healthy meals that appeal to everyone?

Batch cooking.

Batch cooking is the practice of cooking large quantities of foods ahead of time so that during the week you can easily assemble and reheat meals.  Once you get used to planning your meals in batches, the practice is really quite simple.  For my family, I set aside time on Sundays to batch cook grains, pasta, veggies and meats.  I also take time to make 1 or 2 bean salads as well.  I find that batch cooking saves me a lot of time during the week, and I feel good about serving my family healthy nutritious meals that meets everyone’s preferences. (more…)

By Natalie, ago

2018’s Top Three Diets

Last week, US News and World Report listed their picks for the best diets for 2018.  The #1 spot was a tie between the DASH Diet and the Mediterranean Diet.  3rd place went to the Flexatarian Diet.   All  top three diets listed by US News and World Report are lifestyle diets.  The top three diets challenge people to plan ahead their meals, cook more at home, and increase their intake of fruits and veggies.  Let’s take a closer look at each of the top three diets.

DASH Diet

The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.   It is a lifelong approach to healthy eating that is designed to help treat and prevent high blood pressure.   It encourages people to reduce their sodium intake by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and other foods that are rich in nutrients that help to lower high blood pressure such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Furthermore, the DASH dietary guidelines are also known to help prevent or reduce the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.  Key emphasis is on consumption of veggies, fruits and low-fat dairy with moderate intake of whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts. (more…)

By Natalie, ago

Easy Nutrition Resolutions for 2018

Happy New Year!

If you are looking for easy nutrition resolutions for 2018, I have some tips below to get you started. Remember that change takes time and small consistent steps.  Start each week with trying out at least 1 new tip and build from there.  By the end of February, you will have gained new healthy habits that can last you for the rest of 2018 and beyond.

Eat a healthy breakfast every day  

photo credit: derrickbrutel Muesli with strawberries via photopin (license)

Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day.  It can also be simple too.  A quick combo of a high fiber carbs (think whole grains and fruits/veggies) + lean protein (low-fat dairy, eggs, lean meats) is key.  The combos are endless too:

  • ¼ cup steel-cut oats + ½ cup frozen fruit + 2/3 cup of low-fat plain Greek yogurt + 4 walnut halves
  • 1 small whole wheat tortilla + scrambled egg + veggies
  • 1 Oatmeal muffin + 1 medium apple + 8 ounces soymilk or skim milk

(more…)

By Natalie, ago