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Fueling for the College Life
As a college student at Iowa State University, life can get busy. Whether it’s back-to-back classes, hoping from job to job, nights studying at the library, or just time spent with friends, each day is filled. Quick easy meals become a priority to having fuel to make it through these days. I have come up with my top four tips for quick and easy meals in the college lifestyle.
Fuel for the Future
March is National Nutrition month! The theme this year is Fuel for the Future. At every phase of life, making healthful food and drink choices will provide your body with energy now and fuel for the future. Choosing recipes that appeal to kids and that they can help make is one way to get them excited about different foods. My 9 and 13-year-old children can be selective with what they want to eat but I have found that these Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes are a hit!
‘Celebrate a World of Flavors’ during National Nutrition Month®
Every March the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month®. This year’s theme is ‘Celebrate a World of Flavors’. Here are some tips to help you do just that:
Am I spending too much on groceries? Part III
As I looked at my sister’s grocery receipts, I noticed she bought lots of fresh, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables, which is great! There are not many prepackaged meals or convenience items—also a plus. The meat purchased was quite economical with the exception of chicken strips. They are generally not a smart buy in terms of nutrition and cost.
Organic, locally grown,…are they the same?
Consumers used to ask me about products labeled for specific nutritional attributes such as sodium free, trans fat free and rich in omega 3’s. Now, they are asking if there is a nutritional advantage of organic foods.
2010 Healthy Homemade Calendar on sale for just $2
Last week I wrote about making food gifts for the holidays. One of my friends asked me why I didn’t mention that our 2010 Healthy and Homemade Nutrition and Fitness Calendar is on sale for only $2 plus shipping and handling from the ISU Extension online store. Good idea—so here are some details about the calendar.
Kale, the Healthiest Vegetable
My daughter and her husband decided they are going to eat healthier and exercise more. As part of the plan, she is trying to prepare more of the “30 Top Foods” she found in a magazine article. One of the foods she wanted to try from the list was kale. Kale really is a superstar vegetable. Like other leafy greens (collards and spinach) it is rich in lutein, beta-carotine, Vitamin K and offers just about everything else too (calcium, fiber, folate, iron and Vitamin C).
Just Add One Campaign
The Canned Food Alliance has a campaign called “Just Add One” which is short for just add one ingredient to make a recipe healthier. And the one ingredient is usually—you guessed it …. a canned fruit or vegetable.
What School Lunches look like in other Countries
School lunches have been front page news in the U.S. this fall with lots of discussion about the healthier meals. Have you ever wondered what kids in other countries eat for school lunch? BuzzFeed, a social news organization, posted What School Lunches Look Like In 20 Countries Around The World about a year ago. The lunches are random pictures but do give an idea of what kids eat in other countries. I feel sorry for the kids in Kenya, Honduras, Ghana, and Djibouti (a tiny country in Africa). Their lunches are very skimpy. The U.S. lunches shown are higher in fat and have less fruits and vegetables than many of the other countries. However, these pictures were taken before the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act became effective.
App for Tracking Food, Weight, Exercise
I have used several apps to track my food and exercise. The one I am currently using, MyFitnessPal, is just about perfect for me after I read more info about fitness on various sites and it receives the highest rating by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you don’t have a smart phone you can do the same thing on the MyFitnessPal web site.
Is Corn a Whole Grain?
I’ve been asked recently by a few people if corn is a whole grain. According to the Whole Grains Council, fresh corn is usually classified as a vegetable and dried corn (including popcorn) as a grain.
Label Claims: What they Mean
Various labels and health claims cover food packaging these days. Some labels and health claims are regulated by the FDA, while others are simply advertising. Deciphering labels can be confusing and the laws and regulations behind them are even more confusing. After completing a course in Food Law this summer I thought I would try to simplify and clear up some confusion about “organic” versus “natural” labeled products.