It can be hard to stick to healthy intentions when you’re living in a less-than-healthy environment! A coworker’s candy dish, leftover snacks in the cupboard at home or an easily accessible takeout menu can all lead to mindless munching.
Prevent diet disaster before it strikes by fool-proofing your environment this week. Get rid of the unhealthy foods in your refrigerator and cabinets and leave nutritious choices where you’re most likely to notice them. Remember that it’s easy to make healthy choices when they’re all around you!
Fall is upon us- time to wind down from summer vacation and settle back into a regular routine. Take time this week to reevaluate your schedule and priorities for the coming season. Planning reduces stress and ensures that healthy habits find their way into your daily life.
Food and Nutrition Tips from the American Dietetic Association:
1. Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze.
2. Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins. Enjoy your “ants on a log”.
3. Stuff a whole grain pita picket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.
4. Mix together ready-to-eat cereal, dried fruit and nuts in a sandwich bag for an on-the-go snack.
5. Smear a scoop of frozen yogurt on two graham crackers and add sliced banana to make a yummy sandwich.
6. Top low-fat- vanilla yogurt with crunchy granola and sprinkle with blueberries.
7. Microwave a small baked potato and top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
8. Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks.
9. Toast a whole grain waffle and top with low-fat yogurt and sliced peaches.
10. Spread peanut butter on apple slices.
11. Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for thirty seconds for a delicious smoothie.
12. Make a mini-sandwich with tuna or egg salad on a dinner roll.
13. Sprinkle grated Monterey Jack cheese over a corn tortilla- fold in half and microwave for twenty seconds. Top with salsa.
14. Toss dried cranberries and chopped walnuts in instant oatmeal.
15. Mix together peanut butter and cornflakes in a bowl; Shape into balls and roll in crushed graham crackers.
16. Microwave a cup of tomato or vegetable soup and enjoy with whole grain crackers.
17. Fill a waffle cone with cut-up fruit and top with low-fat vanilla yogurt.
18. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on hot popcorn.
19. Banana Split: top a banana with low-fat vanilla and strawberry frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with whole-grain cereal.
20. Sandwich cut outs: make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Cut out your favorite shape using a cookie cutter. Eat the fun shape and the edges too.
21. Spread mustard on a flour tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce, then roll it up.
22. Mini Pizza: Toast an English Muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella.
23. Rocky Road: Break a graham cracker into bite size pieces. Add to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows.
24. Inside-Out Sandwich: Spread mustard on a slice of deli turkey. Wrap around a sesame breadstick.
25. Parfait: Layer vanilla yogurt and mandarin oranges or blueberries in a tall glass. Top with a sprinkle of granola.
The American Heart Association recommends healthy snacking. Not only are the snacks below healthy, but most are easy to make and quite refreshing in this heat.
Fruit Pops: Homemade freezer pops are an easy, fun treat for kids to make. Mash up fruit like peaches, grapes, berries or watermelon and put them in paper cups, insert a popsicle stick, freeze overnight and enjoy!
Cool and Crisp: Keep a variety of colorful veggies on hand that stay cool and crunchy – baby carrots, cucumber slices and celery sticks are just a few examples.
Fruit Smoothies: Blend your favorite fresh fruits with fat-free or low-fat yogurt and ice for a refreshing drink or freeze and eat with a spoon like a frozen ice chill.
Mix it up: Make your own trail mix using your favorite unsalted, oil-free nuts, seeds and dried fruits (just be sure to keep servings to 1.5 ounces or 1/3 cup).
Just Slice and Serve: Summer is peak season for most fruits; just slice and serve – the whole family will enjoy the refreshing natural sweetness and juices just the way nature made ’em!
Instead of stopping off for some fast food, stop by your local farmers’ market and select some seasonal fresh fruit for your snacking.
It can be hard to stick to healthy intentions when you’re living in a less-than-healthy environment! A coworker’s candy dish, leftover snacks in the cupboard at home or an easily accessible takeout menu can all lead to mindless munching.
Gael Doyle
Greg White
jones9095
saraeholmes
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