Summer brings with it an abundance of produce. Consider certain guidelines when stocking up to increase freshness. For bunched items, cut off any greens that may pull moisture out of your fruit or vegetable. Examples include beets and carrots. Removing fasteners such as rubber bands helps increase circulation, which aids in maintaining freshness. Finally, avoid washing less hearty varieties of produce, such as strawberries, as this can result in soggy items.

Due to COVID-19 re-opening phases, summer trips may include more car time travel. A few tips can help make the most of your drive. With hand sanitizer is back in stock, you will want to ensure its use when you exit the car and prior to any meals or snacks. Also consider taking a trash receptacle. By taking a cereal container and adding a trash can liner, you can create a small, yet functional garbage can. Be sure to prepare a large Ziploc with disposable napkins and utensils even if you think you will not need them. Pack non-messy, but yummy road trip snacks like these. 

Quinoa is a fantastic whole grain to add as a pantry staple!  Chock-full of fiber and protein, this is a healthy and versatile meal base.  Here are some quinoa recipes to give you some inspiration to get started.

Quinoa Zucchini Fritters

• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1 tsp paprika or Old Bay
• ½ cup Bread Crumbs
• ¼ cup Avocado Oil (could sub olive oil)

Directions:  Shred zucchini and carrots.  Set aside for 10-15 mins.  Wrap in cloth or paper towel and wring out excess moisture.  Mix zucchini, carrot, quinoa, eggs, and spices in a bowl.  Fold in bread crumbs once mixed.  Portion fritters and flatten into patties.  Heat skillet and coat with avocado oil.  Place fritters in pan, fry until golden brown on both sides (about 3 minutes).  Repeat until all the fritters are done and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe from: https://thekitchengirl.com/crabless-cakes-zucchini-quinoa-fritters/ 

Shrimp Avocado Quinoa Bowl

• 1 avocado, sliced
• Lime juice
• 2 cups lettuce or other greens
• ½ cup tomato, diced
• ¼ cup onion, diced
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• ½ pound shrimp
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ tsp each of salt, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, oregano, and cayenne pepper

Directions: Combine shrimp, garlic, oil, and spices.  Heat a pan over medium-high until hot.  Coat with a light drizzle of oil and cook shrimp until charred.  Divide greens into two bowls, top with half of quinoa, shrimp, avocado, tomato, and onion. Drizzle with lime juice & serve.

Recipe from: https://gimmedelicious.com/avocado-shrimp-quinoa-salad-bowls/ 

Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 1 cup cheese
• 1 cup water

Directions: Preheat oven to 350.  Line 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper.  Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix.  Spread into a prepared pan and bake for 28 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let it sit in an unopened oven for another 25 minutes.

Recipe from: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/09/19/quinoa-casserole-mexican-black-bean/ 


Mediterranian Quinoa Salad

• 3 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1 large cucumber, chopped
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
• ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 4 oz garlic and herb goat cheese
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Directions: Make the dressing by combining olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Add in veggies and quinoa.  Toss to coat in dressing.  Top with goat cheese and parsley.

Recipe from: https://www.thekitchn.com/quinoa-salad-22955988 ​

Whether you are quarantined with your family and kids, significant other, or with your pets, here are some tips to help alleviate meal-time stress!

1. Establish a meal time routine - Establish a role for everyone in your household to play at meal time, whether that is prepping the food, cooking, cleaning, or even setting the table.  Having that routine will help meal time flow easier!
2. Enjoy your meal and your time together - Have discussions about everyone’s day, or their plans for the day!  Try to turn off screens, and enjoy the food and the time with your family.
3. Meal Prepping - Having pre-cooked veggies, pre-made meals, or even pre-washed produce will help make meal time easier.  This will cut down on the stress of preparing a meal and the time you need to spend on cooking nightly!
4. Check out one-pot or one-pan meals - These are great for easy prep and easy clean up!  They help you minimize the materials you use and get dirty, because you are only using one pot or one pan to cook your meal.  Check out this website for some more inspiration: https://thegirlonbloor.com/25-super-easy-sheet-pan-dinners/
5. Try 5 ingredient or less meals - Along similar lines of the one-pot meals, using 5 ingredients or less eliminates the need for long, complicated cooking!  Especially during quarantine, and with grocery store shelves sparsely stocked in some areas, 5 ingredient or less meals will help alleviate stress of a missing ingredient and keep meals from being too expensive!

Be sure to check out our other blogs: 
Creating a Flexible Grocery List that Works
3 Ways to Use Potatoes

Currently, product availability in grocery stores across the nation has fluctuated significantly from week to week. As individuals' schedules are also in flux, there may not be a set day that one can get to the store, causing even more uncertainty when planning meals. Here are some ways to make your grocery list more adaptable!

• Outline your meals for the week - This will alleviate any unnecessary trips to the store. We find that picking a dinner "theme," such as breakfast for dinner or Mexican-themed foods is enough to guide you through the isles while giving you enough flexibility based on whatever is available. 
  
• Have a backup plan - This is especially the case with proteins. For example, pinto beans and rice would make an easy pantry-based swap for ground beef, if your store is all out. 
• Make sure your items can be multi purposeful - One tip we always share with clients is that they can batch cook things like rice and meat, which can be later tailored to fit varying flavor profiles. For example, a large batch of penne pasta can be cooked at once, but can be used with a red sauce one night and then also turned into a cold pasta salad for lunch the next day.
• Remember your essential food items - We have all left the grocery store and realized we forgot the flour!  Including the basics, such as olive oil, flour, butter, or lemons on your list helps you remember. 
• Break up your list - divide it into proteins, grains, dairy, pantry staples, snacks, etc and come up with a couple options for each.  This allows you to mix and match based on what you need for the week, and gives you flexibility if something is available.

Don’t forget the freezer! - whether that is the grocery store freezer section, or buying the meat that is on sale and freezing that until you are ready, remember to keep frozen foods in mind.

The five senses work together to provide both our minds and bodies with satisfying and nourishing meal experiences. Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch each add their own element to mealtime. Besides taste and smell, the sight of a food item sets certain expectations about things like intensity of flavor (e.g., a brighter colored food provides a more intense expectation of flavor). Touch contributes to detecting texture and temperature. Of less obvious understanding, is how sound is integrated into acceptance or rejection of certain foods. Sound helps one anticipate the feel of a food (e.g., the crunchiness of a carrot). Try these fun sensory games with your kids today:
Smelly Spicy Art by Mindful Littles
Five Senses Popcorn Mini Book by I Heart Crafty Things
Desalinization Experiment by STEAM Powered Family

Basic Biscuit Playdough Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick (or other brand biscuit mix)
1 cup salt
2 cups water
1 TBSP cream of tartar
1 TBSP oil
Your choice of kool aid or cocoa (for sight and smell)
Directions:
Pour and mix all ingredients into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, scrape and stir the bowl. Next, microwave for another 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, stir, and let cool for 1-2 minutes. The final step is to knead the dough.
Recipe from: No Time for Flashcards

Providing meals for school-aged kids throughout the day is not entirely new to parents since weekends typically provide more family time. Reflecting on weekend days is a great place to start in terms of tackling homeschool eating habits. From there, it is helpful to follow a fairly set meal schedule. Having meals at regular intervals is a basic nutrition tip that helps establish many healthy lifestyle choices. Eating about every 3-4 hours keeps kids fueled for the day, prevents grazing and creates an ideal plan for meal planning and preparing. Ensuring meals and snacks are substantial and satisfying can be achieved by aiming for at least 2-3 food groups per meal. Including kids as part of the planning and preparing can be fun and helpful.
 
More on building healthy meals at Making the Grade at Lunchtime

Adding in plant-based meat extenders to a meat dish is a way to combine the best of both worlds! Plant based foods added into meat dishes boost flavor, add volume, and are budget-friendly.

Examples Include: 

1. Mushrooms can add B vitamin, selenium, and fiber to a dish while also adding flavor. Use 8 oz. raw, small diced mushrooms per 8 oz. of raw meat.
2. Lentils are similar in texture and color to cooked meat, and are good sources of protein, fiber, iron, and folate.  To raw ground meat, add cooked lentils in a ration of 3:1 or 2:1.
3. Mashed beans may be used as a binder in meatballs or burgers. Use ¾ cup mashed beans added to one pound of meat as binding agent. 
4. Prunes help lock moisture into meat and add fiber to the dish. Soak prunes in hot water for 5 minutes, drain, puree and use 2-3 prunes per one pound of raw meat.
5. Whole grains and seeds add volume and nutrients to meats. Use 1 cup bulgur or quinoa per pound of raw meat, or it may be used as a binding agent. As a binding agent use ¾ cup dry oats or 1 tablespoon hydrated chia seeds per pound of raw meat.

Health at Every Size (HAES) may be a word or acronym floating around in the media, but this approach to mindful and healthful eating is gaining traction in the research world.

What it is: HAES encourages (1) body acceptance, (2) respect for diversities of body shapes and sizes, (3) finding joy in physical activity, and (4) promotion of eating habits that balance the individual’s nutritional needs with the feelings of hunger, satiety, appetite, and pleasure¹. 

HAES is a very different message than what has been the recent social norm regarding diets as presented by popular media, whereby the only way to lose weight and be healthy are to calorie restrict, ignore hunger cues, detach pleasure from eating, and/or to excessively exercise.

A randomized clinical control study conducted an intervention in a sample of Brazilian women using HAES. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control or intervention group. Both groups were exposed to traditional HAES teachings, but the HAES intervention group had more in-depth lessons including philosophical workshops, group physical activities, and individual nutrition counseling.

Results: Participants from both groups had an increase in guiltlessness of eating pleasure, greater reflection on food desires, and better social eating experiences¹. Instead of becoming even further removed from thoughtfully making food choices and finding pleasure in eating, both groups were bridging the gaps between eating and listening to their bodies. The intervention group experienced even greater benefits through decreased emotional eating, greater perception of autonomy over food choices, and increased cooking¹.

HAES is one approach that offers a more well rounded and sustainable approach to healthy changes for both body and mind. It is a direct tool that can help address such easily spoken, but hard to manage tasks such as eating "all things in moderation." 

As  noted, HAES is also a movement, aiming to bring about social justice where social stigmas and disparities may lie. Visit https://haescommunity.com/haes-connections/ to learn more or take the pledge.  You can also email us at info@NutritionRites.com for more information on HAES. 

​While food is not medicine, it can play a role in helping your immune system function optimally. At the very core, your immune system needs adequate energy and nutrients to respond to potential pathogens. During cold and flu season, you can focus on getting a balanced mix of protein and vitamins that help build up the body’s defenses. Specific vitamins to include in your diet are Vitamins A, C and E. Vitamin A helps nourish your skin, which acts as your body’s first line of resistance. Sources of Vitamin A include fish, cheese and eggs. Vitamin C helps your body form antigens and can be found in products that are typically acidic, such as citrus and tomatoes. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, which helps to slow potential body damage. Vitamin E can be found in various nuts and seeds. 

With the holidays fast approaching, traditions may have you doing a little extra meal planning and preparing. With many dishes that require oven use, you may be planning to employ your stovetop. Understanding a little food science behind your cooking method of choice can go a long way in helping you plate a delicious meal. Cooktops afford us the options to pan-fry, sauté and sear foods. These cooking methods differ in their use of fat and heat. Pan-frying uses enough fat to partially submerge the food item being cooked. To cook it through, medium heat is used and one side at a time is cooked. Examples of items that are pan-fried include skin-on chicken thighs and latkes. Sautéing cooks food just until tender in a thin layer of fat over medium-high heat. Shrimp, mushrooms and leafy greens are items that sauté particularly well. Searing gives foods a caramelized outside while not completely cooking the inside. Oftentimes, recipes call for a pan sear, followed by an additional cooking method such as baking. 

We have long understood that food can serve much more than just a nutritional need. Because it is so essential to life, individuals can relate and connect through food and nutrition. Culture includes the beliefs, customs and habits of a group of people, and each cultural group has access to its own food and creates its own food habits. Home cooking proves to be particularly beneficial in providing mental stimulation and creativity. It also provides additional stimuli, such as aromas, to the senses that aid in meal satisfaction.  Preparing food gives people shared experiences, just as eating socially does.  

How we eat is also a derivative of our cultures, and table manners can be one of the earliest teaching opportunities for parents. Kids can be receptive to learning table manners as soon as they can sit and eat independently.  Some of the more basic etiquettes include washing hands prior to sitting down, sitting up straight with a napkin placed in ones lap and waiting for other before beginning to eat. Family meals offer opportunities to not only model good table manners, but they also offer times to try new foods and practice appropriate responses to those things that kids may not particularly like. While cultural influences may afford some mealtime differences, using proper utensils, chewing with ones mouth closed and not reaching across the table are all still standard behaviors to follow. 

Full Resources:
Teaching Good Table Manners to Kids
10 Tables Manners Rules to Teach Children

Recently there has been more attention given to the idea of “intuitive eating.” There are even hashtags galore for this underlying healthy eating philosophy, but what exactly is it? Paraphrasing, we see intuitive eating as a process that helps individuals learn to trust their own bodies again and to eat foods that make them feel good both mentally and physically without using a lot of valuable brain space. 

As dietitians, we often hear an initial bout of frustration from clients as they quickly try to sum up intuitive eating as a plan to “eat whatever you want whenever you want whenever you want.” This habitual act of seeking out a quick fix immediately diminishes the intuitive eating journey. 

Again, intuitive eating is a journey and it is made up of the following ten principles:

• Reject the Diet Mentality
• Honor Your Hunger
• Make Peace with Food
• Challenge the Food Police
• Feel your Fullness
• Discover the Satisfaction Factor
• Cope with your Emotions without Using Food
• Respect your Body
• Exercise-Feel the Difference
• Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition

In general, our culture is so diet focused that it’s hard to trust our own bodies because of all the external messages we are constantly bombarded with. We believe the doctor, celebrity or even the dietitian should know exactly what we should eat (but nobody knows you like YOU!). We scour the internet for meal plans that we think are in our calorie range and eat only those foods over and over again all in the name of health, wellness and/or weight loss. 

Here’s what we know about dieting*: 

• Slows your body’s ability to burn calories

• Increases likelihood of gain weight
• Increases appetite
• Reduces ability to feel hunger and/or fullness, making it easier to confuse hunger with emotional needs
• Increases fat storage enzymes and reduces fat releasing enzymes
• Reduces total amount of muscle tissue (muscle burns more energy than fat)
• Increases your body’s efficiency at wringing every calorie out of the food you do eat so that you digest food quick and feel hungrier sooner

*Taken from Health At Every Size


Despite knowing these things about dieting we continue to look for “the answer” with the newest fad diet. If you’re ready to ditch the diet mentality and want to learn more about Intuitive Eating drop us a line at info@nutritionrites.com. 

*Kayla Fitzgerald,RD LD is in the process of becoming a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor which means she has undergone hours of additional training specializing in this topic

​

​Pumpkins pack a nutritious punch, their varying parts containing vitamins and nutrients such as calcium, potassium, iron and vitamin A. While fresh fruits and vegetables yield the highest nutrient contents, canned pumpkin purees are not far behind so do not hesitate to use these for recipes like this Healthy Pumpkin Pie Dip from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. However, never underestimate a good roasted pumpkin recipe. Since pumpkins are from the winter squash family, it is no surprise they cook up similar to the acorn and spaghetti squash varieties. If you are aiming to get in additional iron and fiber, you will want to go for the pumpkin’s seeds. 

We love this Roasted Pumpkin recipe from @SteamyKitchen.
@Jessica_Gavin provides step by step instructions on how to roast those pumpkin seeds. 

Vegetarian options are continually expanding, making it easier for vegetarians to meet their nutritional needs through food sources. Leveraging all food groups including vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, protein and fats aids in more easily achieving nutrients needs on a daily basis. For example, the inclusion of dairy provides Vitamin B12, which is necessary to prevent anemia. If a vegetarian is not yet routinely achieving the vegetarian intake requirements as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, additional supplementation may be suggested until adequate intake is achieved.
 
For example, if a vegetarian does not get adequate dairy, soymilk, rice milk or fortified cereals, they may need to supplement Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. If fish or eggs are missing from a vegetarian diet, supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids may be required as plant-based fatty acid intake in insufficient for human needs. If there are certain food groups that are more difficult to include on a daily basis, the key is slowly adding more in (e.g., one additional time per week, then two additional times, and so on). Ultimately you’ll most likely have to try new products and plan ahead.

 There is a lot of nutrition information out there, and while you may be eager to set your child up for healthy lifestyle choices, it is important to understand the age appropriateness of certain teachings.

Specifically, children ages three to five years typically learn best with hands on tasks that involve tearing, mashing and washing. They will not be extensively using utensils, but they will still be practicing some motor skills. They will learn most about nutrition through observance of the other tasks going on around them.

Kids ages five to seven years will have much improved motor skills, and safe and appropriate cooking utensils can be used. There are kid friendly products such as knives, graters and mixing sets. Think ahead and prepare for additional tasks that can easily be incorporated with just a bit of prep (e.g., have your child crack the egg in a small separate dish and then add it to the other ingredients). Additionally, at this age, kids can begin incorporating newly acquired school-based skills in the kitchen. For example, a recipe may be practice for reading.

Once your child becomes a teen, they should be able to participate in almost any part of meal preparation. This may also be a great time to begin introduction of more formal nutrition education. Eatright.org offers lessons on Teaching Your Teen about Nutrition Facts Panels. This is a unique opportunity for you to help your kids forgo many of the nutrition myths out there. 

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” While it is good to ensure that we are fueling our days, a typical breakfast at seven or eight in the morning may not be the answer for you. Everyone is different and this includes hunger cues and food preferences. If you find that you just aren't hungry in the morning, explore why. From there, you can implement possible solutions to make your first meal complete and convenient. 
 
To accomplish this, you’ll first want to ensure that mealtimes in general are prioritized and that distractions are minimized. My favorite hashtag is #cookingisalifeskill. No matter who you are, you need to know how to feed yourself! What you do prepare may depend upon your schedule, desire to cook and taste preferences. You can find a solution that fits you and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can help. Keep in mind that you may need to leverage a weekend day where you can pay attention to routines including eating, restroom use and physical activity. There may be some connections between bowel movements and mealtime readiness, for example.
 
If you feel confident that you truly are not hungry until after it’s time to head out the door, get prepared. Perhaps a higher fat milk or yogurt drink is a quick solution just before you leave the house. This is especially key if a morning snack is may not be feasible. Remember that your body has been fasting all night long. 

Overall, here are a few things to keep in mind: 

• Your body is fasting all night long and meals are typically digested 100% within 4 hours. 
• Your brain needs a constant supply of glucose. A breakfast that includes carbohydrates can help energy the body and brain to aid in your ability to focus. 
• What you have the night before may affect your appetite the following morning. If you believe this is the case, try small, continual adjustments over a period of a week to see if the changes made a difference.
• Breakfast doesn't have to be limited to cereal, yogurt, eggs and muffins. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and toast with cheese and tomato are both great options. 

There is significant science associating sleep and nutrition. While food choices can affect sleep, there’s evidence that suggests sleep can also influence diet.
Weight change has been associated with inadequate sleep, whereby appetite-regulating hormones are altered.
 
Imagine waking up after a restless sleep. You are tired, and you realize you are craving carbohydrate-rich foods. In this scenario, your body is looking for an immediate energy source. In order to properly fuel such a day, it is recommended that your pair those needed carbohydrates with fat and protein. The goal is to give your body the fuel it needs while avoiding a carb-induced sleepiness. While carbohydrates may not be labeled as “snooze foods,” they actually make tryptophan (a protein that causes sleepiness) more readily available to the brain. Ensuring each meal has a mixture of protein, carbohydrates and fat is ideal.
 
Read more on Nutrition and Sleep from the National Sleep Foundation.
EatRight.org also boasts a great article How Sleep Habits Affect Healthy Weight.
Macronutrient Ratios in a Diet

There's a lot of press on additives. While ingredients are usually top of mind, one of the main points The American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement regards is that of containers. Some of the biggest additive "offenders" were nitrites used to cure meats, BPA which is used to line most cans, and phthalates used in plastics. The statement also called for action on the part of our government for tighter regulations on these chemicals so that we don’t have to be afraid of the food we put in our body and the products our food gets packaged and stored in. Does this mean you should never eat bacon again? Or throw away everything in your kitchen made of plastic? Of course not! However, you can make a few small changes to improve your family’s health.

• Avoid placing plastics in the dishwasher/microwave
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables when possible
• Use glass or stainless steel products in place of plastic when possible
• Encourage hand washing before handling food and wash all produce with a skin that will be consumed
• Avoid/limit processed meats (especially during pregnancy and first 3 years of life)

Any reduction in exposure is good so don’t feel like you have to drive yourself crazy trying to avoid these things 100% of the time. Sit down with your family and discuss what changes will be feasible for your family and of course consult your Registered Dietitian with any questions you may have.