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THE BLOG

Nutritious habits that last a lifetime.

3 Ways to Use Potatoes

4/29/2020

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Potatoes are a great produce item that will last for weeks, sometimes up to a couple months with proper storage!  They are a versatile item that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Here is a little potato-inspo for you! Also, check out this visual on the nutrition of potatoes. It's one of our favorites! 
  • Baked potato: Baking the whole potato or roasting it in cubes are both great ways to incorporate a potato into your meal.  You can stuff a whole baked potato with different proteins, cheeses, and veggies!  By adding different stuffings and mixing up the seasonings, baked potatoes can be very different from meal to meal.  Chopping, cubing and seasoning potatoes is another great way to add some different flavor profiles to your weekly meal planning. Experiment with different spices such as garlic, rosemary, or chili powder! Check out this yummy loaded sweet potato recipe from @budgetbytes.
  • Potato Side Dishes: Mixing it up with thick-cut or thin-cut fries and roasting them in the oven is a great way to get your fry fix at home!  What about home fries or hash browns?  Both are easy to do at home as a side for your meal.  You could even make your own homemade chips with a potato!  Similar to the baked potato, experimenting with different spices and seasonings can mix up the flavors and keep it fun and interesting. For instance, paprika and sweet potato is a great combination! We enjoy these baked fries with ranch seasoning from @wellplated. 
  • Potato Soups: Adding pureed potato to your soups can add a thick and creamy texture!  Potato puree can even be a substitute for heavy cream.  Try a regular potato or sweet potato soup, a potato leek soup, baked potato soup, or even potato-gnocchi soup! 

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Creating a Flexible Grocery Plan that Works

4/26/2020

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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.
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COVID-19 and Food Safety

4/26/2020

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released guidelines on food safety and COVID-19 to help ease fears regarding food during this stressful time. Per the FDA, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging as COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, not a sickness that affects the GI tract.

There has been no significant connection between food packaging and the transmission of COVID-19, whether it be from takeout or from grocery store packaging.

Consider these facts when grocery shopping and ordering takeout!
  • Wash hands before and after handling food packaging
  • Transfer takeout to a clean dish if concerned
  • Do not wash or wipe down produce with soap or disinfectant, but continue to wash under running water
  • Use delivery or curbside order to minimize contact
  • Evidence does not support the need for leaving your groceries outside or in the car for any amount of time as there is still continued concern for perishable foods, as lack of refrigeration can increase risk of food borne illness.​
Other great tips to remember for food safety and preventing food borne illnesses include:
  • Refrigerate perishable items as soon as you get home from the store. If they go more than 2 hours without being refrigerated throw them out.
  • Use one cutting board for raw meats and a separate one for fresh produce.
  • Keep meats on the bottom shelf in the fridge.
  • Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked and reheated to the proper temperature. Sauces, soups, and gravies should be brought to a boil when reheating.
  • Do not thaw food on the counter. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water, or as part of the cooking process.
References 
1. NCSU. Handling Groceries COVID-19. https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Handling-Groceries_COVID-19_Flyer-1.pdf?fwd=no
​2.FDA. Food Safety During Emergencies.https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
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Using the Five Senses

4/9/2020

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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
Refferences
Silvia Peleteiro. Leahterhead Food Research. (2011) Retrieved from https://www.leatherheadfood.com/files/2016/08/White-Paper-How-Our-Senses-Interact.pdf
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    Author

    Cheyenne is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist located in the Charleston, SC area. 

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