Children | How Big Is Your BUT? Blog

June 16, 2012

Beverages, Bellies and Backsides

Have you been listening to all the chatter on banning bake sales in Boston and shrinking soda sizes in New York City? So what’s your opinion?Should laws be enforced that cut off calories at the 16 ounce mark or ban bake sales in order to curb the obesity crisis in our country? As a guest on Sean Hannity’s radio show, I was on a panel discussing bake sales and obesity. Needless to say, the panel was divided…just like many of you.

There are numerous children in this country who are overfed when it comes to calories but undernourished as it relates to nutrition. Portion sizes have become obscene. I’m not big on regulating what you can buy or order nor do I think that putting the blame solely on beverages or bake sales is going to change the face of obesity. But I am big on empowering children, teenagers and adults of all ages with the information to make a smart decision. Change begins with yourself and knowledge as I see it, is power!

So here is my question to you. Do you know how many calories you…your body…needs on a daily basis? Have you considered that number and how it compares to the calories in many of the beverages you drink? It’s my opinion that most of us have no clue how many calories our bodies need everyday nor what that looks like in terms of quantity or portions.

So calculate the number of calories you need each day to maintain the weight you are right now.

Multiply your current weight ______ x 12 = _______ calories you need each day if most of your daily workout is done with your fingers and your mouse. If you work out, you can eat more, probably 150-300 calories more as a rough calculation.

Want to lose one pound this week? One pound = 3500 calories / 7 days = 500 calories less you must eat each day or burn off thru exercise.

In the case of the 150 lb person: 150 x 12 = 1800 calories day – 500/day = 1300 calories allowed each day to lose one pound. That’s not a lot of calories and less than what I like to see most people consume.

You are probably groaning by now…why is she having me think about this? Because I want you to get it…to see how few calories you need as compared to the calories in a serving of many items you drink.

How many calories a day do you drink?

As my dietitian colleague Edie Hogan says…are smoothies really that smooth? The 40-ounce peanut power plus grape smoothie from Smoothie King weighs in at 1460 calories and 42 grams of fat. Wait a minute… what about that 150-pound person who only needs 1300 a day to lose one pound a week? This smoothie would be the only thing you could consume all day and still be over the calories you need. But you could order the 20-ounce and make it skinny for 530 calories and 21 grams of fat.

Even the Tropicana Tropical Fruit Fury Twister so popular with kids contains about 340 calories for the bottle (20 ounces) that is supposed to be 2.5 servings according to the label. But I ask you, how many kids would drink less than one half a bottle and stop? Compare that to a 10-ounce bottle of 100% juice for 110 calories. Big difference.

Look at the nutrition information which most companies post on their website. If you have a place you love to go, familiarize yourself with their offerings and find the best and healthiest. I think we are totally unaware of the calorie content of most items and how easily you can drink 2000-3000 calories a day. Think small size and a simple drink…without a lot of extras. Check the Nutrition Facts label to see how many servings in the container and how many calories per serving. Remember, regular coffee has zero calories but a fancy coffee drink can edge all the way up to 1500 calories. So think before you drink!

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast.

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April 1, 2012

How Do You Eat Pizza?

The large slice of Margherita pizza on the cover was all it took to draw me in. The March 11^th issue of Parade magazine was all about pizza. I’m a huge pizza fan as is my husband and we make it at home most every weekend. It’s fun and an easy way to get your entire family involved.

But before we talk pizza-making tips, Parade included a ‘Pie Personality’ quiz for us to take. According to Scott Wiener, who leads pizza tours around New York City and has observed over 14,000 pizza eaters, the way you eat your slice of pizza has something to say about you.

So, which of these four pizza-eating styles describes you?

The Folder: If you fold your pizza slice, you’re an on-the-go multi-tasker who eats to live. Food isn’t high on your priority list. This is definitely not me…food is very high on my priority list.
The Pizza Surgeon: You suffer first to enjoy your treat at the end so you cut away the edges of the crust and scrape off the cheese that you save and eat last.
The Hands-On Eater: Tradition is your style. You eat pizza cheese side up with your hands. You like to kick back and take life a bit slower.
The Knife-and-Fork Holder: Keeping everything in order, you are scrupulously clean and focus on a single task at a time.

So what is your style when it comes to eating your pizza? I’m the hands-on-eater although my life is anything but slow…although I would like it to be.

The article in Parade titled The United States of Pizza, says that we consume three billion pies a year. What do you think is the most popular topping? If you said pepperoni, you are correct.

To make a great pizza pie at home, you’ll need a pizza stone. We use one our friend Andy gave us from Pampered Chef. It has handles on the end making it easy to get in and out of the oven. The stone pulls moisture from the dough, which helps prevent the crust from becoming soggy. Plus it keeps the pizza warm for a little while once it’s out of the oven. You might prefer a metal pan with perforations referred to as a pizza screen. Both work well. Also check out sites such as Williams-Sonoma.com and SurLaTable.com.

To cut the pizza, we use these pizza shears that I found a few years ago at Williams-Sonoma. The blades are long and cut from the edge of the pie all the way to the center. They’re unique and get the job done. A pizza wheel works well too.

When time is tight, I purchase a whole grain frozen pizza dough at Whole Foods. We keep extras in the freezer and thaw them out on the day we plan to bake the pies. Most grocery stores now carry fresh or frozen dough. If you need gluten free dough, check out Bob’s Red Mill pizza crust mix. The Parade article also shared a recipe for pizza Margherita including crust.

After pressing your dough out on the stone, add a good sauce, one that you make or your favorite store bought. Remember that the sodium level varies significantly so be a label sleuth. I like Eden’s organic pizza and pasta sauce. Nice taste and moderate sodium level.

It’s easy to find fresh mozzarella in most grocery stores and the flavor beats shreds in a bag. Add your favorite toppings and slide into a 425-degree over for about 17 minutes. We vary toppings from turkey sausage, kalamata olives, spinach and a little Parmesan cheese to the more traditional veggie pizza with fresh mozzarella and onions, peppers and spinach.

Remember, cooking times will vary with your oven as well as placement in the oven. We’ve tried various ways but usually do one pie at a time on the top shelf. Experiment and see what works best for you.

I want to hear about your best pizza recipe. Share your dough recipe or favorite toppings. What sauce does your family like best?

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

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February 12, 2012

From Snack Attack to a new Pant Size

Are your kids always asking for a snack? What snacks do they beg for? Is it for foods that were once considered to be treats? Get this: data from the journal Health Affairs says that kids today consume almost 600 calories every day from snacks. They’re eating snacks on average three times a day and these snacks include higher sugar, higher fat items such as sodas, chips and cookies…items that use to be considered treats.

Kids eat about 170 more calories every day from snacks as compared to the 1970s. Snacks are now another leisure activity…you eat because food is everywhere and you think you’re suppose to eat it. For many kids, it’s a free-for-all. They snack steadily from after school well into the evening on less-than-healthy foods.

Think about this…many kids have grown up in the era of ‘supersizes’ and have no idea what a reasonable portion looks like. Cookies have always been the size of a small pizza…who knew they were once the size of a vanilla wafer? The foods du jour for snacking are everything from fast food and sodas to chips, cookies, candy…in portions that more than equal the calories in a meal.

This week on the podcast, Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine joins me to talk about smart snacking strategies. Her number one strategy is to eat breakfast and make sure it contains protein, carbs with fiber and some fat so that kids stay satisfied until lunch.

Breakfast can be as simple as Slow Cooker Oatmeal (see recipe below) or a hard-boiled egg, whole wheat pita and banana or orange for the road when time is tight.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Makes 6 servings Prep 15 minutes

Slow cook on LOW for 10 hours Cook 5 minutes

3 cups 1% milk

11/2 cups steel cut oats

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

2 apples (such as Gala or Granny Smith), cored and diced

2 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar

3 tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries or raisins

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1. Oatmeal. Coat a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine milk, 3 cups water, the oats, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and the salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook overnight on LOW for 9 1/2 to 10 hours.

2. Uncover and stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Set aside.

Topping. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add apples and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water and dried cranberries. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nuts.

3. Stir oatmeal in slow cooker until smooth. Spoon about a cupinto a bowl and add a few tablespoons of the topping.

Serve warm.

Per serving: 335 CAL; 6g FAT (2g SAT); 11g PRO; 65g CARB; 5g FIBER; 644mg SODIUM; 6mg CHOL

Regina says that smart snacks can prevent that period of time after school from becoming a snacking free-for-all. She suggests a small whole-wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce and tomatoes; sliced apples or whole-wheat bread with nut butter or whole grain tortilla chips with bean dip or salsa.

We both agree that managing your children’s diet is about consistently providing healthy options and by being a good role model yourself the majority of the time. What do you think?

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Links:

Slow cooker oatmeal: http://www.susanmitchell.org/blog

Add picture of Regina plus FC cover

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.
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September 8, 2011

Times are a Changin’ for School Lunches

When I was in school, we referred to the unknown meat items on our lunch tray as mystery meat. Did you? What other names do you recall? Remember when ketchup was considered a vegetable? School lunches have been blasted routinely over the years…sometimes fairly and sometimes not.

No wonder many of you Moms and Dads doubt if your child can get a decent, nutritious lunch at school. But times, they are changing and for the better when it comes to our school cafeterias.

Joining me this week on my podcast is Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine. Many of you may not know that Regina is a former school lunch manager. She recently attended the Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids Leadership Summit at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonia and feels that we all need to be part of the solution when it comes to school lunches. Regina shared various specific ways that you can easily get involved:

1. Educate yourself about your school’s food-service program by checking the district’s or school’s website. For details about the federal National School Lunch Program, click on the Program Fact Sheet.

2. Visit healthykids.ciachef.edu/ for resources, interactive tools and doable advice for assisting your school in implementing positive changes in the lunchroom.

3. Emphasize activity along with food choices. Fuel Up to Play 60, fueluptoplay60.com, an in-school program sponsored by the National Dairy Council, encourages a one-two punch of good nutrition and at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Thanks to student ambassadors helping spread the word, this program reaches two-thirds of the schools in the U.S.

Each month Family Circle shares a recipe from their kitchen. Be sure and try this month’s recipe: Rainbow Chard and White Bean Casserole

*** Don’t forget: register to win a BBQ Roll-Up Tool Set ***

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

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August 25, 2011

Are Germs Lurking in Your Lunch?

Did you hear that a study from the University of Texas published in the journal Pediatrics tested over 700 lunches belonging to preschoolers and found that 98% of the perishable products such as meats, vegetables and dairy products were in the unsafe temperature zone or rather the zone for growing bacteria? This danger zone is from 40-140 degrees so room temperature falls in this range.

What does this mean? If you’re packing lunches and they remain at room temperature for over two hours the food may become a breeding ground for bacteria. It’s a must-do to include a couple of cold packs and freeze items such as grapes, juice packs or bottles of water that will thaw as the day wears on. All of these tricks matter when it comes to keeping food safe.

Let’s scrub up on food safety:

1. If your children or you take a packed lunch, first find out if there is an option to put the lunch in a refrigerator. If not, the best lunch box choice is one that’s insulated plus will hold several cold packs. Cold packs tucked around the perishable items sounds like overkill but it’s the safe way to go. Freezing items such as grapes and juice boxes also helps keep perishable items cold. What items do you freeze?

2. What about preventing food poisoning at home with produce you purchase for lunches? Wash fruit and veggies when you bring them home BEFORE they go in the refrigerator or fruit bowl. Why? Salmonella and other bacteria can be on the outside of your cantaloupe or kiwi and will contaminate the fruit when you bite or cut into it.

3. When you walk in your kitchen to make lunch for the kids or yourself or when you eat lunch at work for that matter, the first thing to do is wash your hands. You would think washing hands is a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people use their computer keyboard, cell phone, TV remote or other items known to be covered with bacteria and then touch food. This is a very easy way to cross contaminate or spread germs from one item to something else. Use a hand sanitizer if a sink isn’t available. No need to become germ phobic just be smart about what you do and you lower the risk that anyone gets sick.

As we’re getting ready for fall schedules, last weekend I made a batch of Banana, Date & Walnut Muffins and put them in the freezer. Some of my college roommates are coming for a visit and I want to have some breakfast and snack muffins on hand. The muffins are naturally sweet from the dates and bananas and make a nice lunch box treat.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

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August 10, 2011

Got Lunch? It’s Back to School Time

It’s back to school time, which means daily lunch duty. My girlfriend Petra is taking her two young girls to choose lunch boxes and buying small sizes in bulk of items such as energy bars, raisins, yogurt, cheese sticks…foods she includes in their lunch almost daily. This saves her time, money and lowers her stress level.

This week on my podcast, Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine brainstorms with me on ideas for lunch duty. And… don’t forget you can now find our podcasts at familycircle.com, keyword ‘podcast’.

Regina’s first piece of advice: getting the kids involved significantly ups the odds that they’ll eat what you send. Brainstorm some options together before school starts.

I agree…starting with input on the lunchbox, whether you shop online or in a store, let your children have a say. But remember Mom and Dad select a lunch box with room for food plus a drink container and cold packs.

Some lunch boxes have a built in option for the cold pack. You can find cool lunch boxes everywhere from big box stores to your grocery, Office Depot, Sports Authority, Target and endless places online.

Regina suggests PlanetBox for an eco-friendly way to pack a variety of healthy bites and says that older kids will like the Go Green Bento Lunchbox or Easy Lunchboxes.

For quick prep, sandwiches are a given. Choose a whole-grain bread, which helps keep blood sugar remain stable throughout the afternoon. Try whole-wheat wraps or bagels to mix things up. Multigrain or whole-corn tortillas are also fun options (we like LaTortilla Factory) as are the popular whole-wheat sandwich rounds/thins. Have you seen the Pepperidge Farm whole-wheat sandwich bread shaped like goldfish? Kids love these. Watch for a sale, buy a couple of packs and freeze them. They will keep in the freezer up to about 3 months.

Also on Regina’s list is Aladdin’s Collapsible Salad Set which comes with individual containers, so it’s like a salad bar to go. Build a health salad with a base of greens and add toppings like nuts, tofu, beans and cheese. Leftovers plus salads prepped ahead on the weekend come in handy…especially pasta, tuna, chicken or egg salads, all of which are good salad toppers. I like to include fresh or dried fruit too.

Be sure to include a lean protein source, which will help keep your child feeling full and focused. Look for processed deli meats that are lower in sodium and have no nitrites added from companies like Applegate, Wellshire Farms, Dietz & Watson, and Boar’s Heads.

I keep baskets in my pantry filled with healthy selections including whole-grain cereal bars or nut bars, dried fruit such as cherries or blueberries, nuts, whole-grain crackers, peanut or almond butter, and pop-top cans or pouches of tuna. Every week I refill the fridge with cups of Greek yogurt, string-cheese, cut up fresh fruit and small pieces of whole fruit such as plums, pears, and apples….I buy what’s in season…says me time during the week and money on my grocery bill.

For a new spin on whole grains, try this month’s recipe for Wheat Berry Salad.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast

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April 19, 2011

Screen Time Making Couch Potatoes of Your Kids?

Are you concerned that your children have way too much face time with a screen…TV, computer, cell phone, and video games? You’re probably right on target. According to the National Institutes of Health, children and teens spend more than four hours watching TV every day and more than seven hours using some type of entertainment media.

Needless to say, physical activity just isn’t happening which means that inactive children are more likely to be overweight. WeCan! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) is a science-based national education program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and helps children ages 8-13 stay at a healthy weight.

This week is Screen-Free Week, a great reason to scroll down screen time and replace it with physical activity.

So whether you’re a parent or health professional or both, try some of these easy ways to reduce screen time plus check out these tips for getting active that include ideas such as:

• Walk your children to school

• Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV

• Play with your kids at least 30 minutes per day

• Dance to music with your kids

Do you have tips that work in your family to stay active and cut face time with a screen? Tell me.

Win a Copy of “7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies“! Register for a chance to win a copy of “7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies”! We’ve got delicious, nutritious meals for your family… so register now to get cookin’!

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

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March 9, 2011

Fast-Food That Won’t Fill You Out

Do you have days when your life is spinning like you’re on a tilt-a-whirl ride? You have way too much to do and not near enough time to do it in. You’re starving, need to feed your family and fast-food is looking better and better. But how do you make smart choices?

Joining me this week on the podcast to talk about smart fast-food selections from their April 1sgt issue is tilt-a-whirl rider Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle magazine. You can now find our monthly podcast with Family Circle on their website at familycircle.com keyword ‘podcast’.

1. If you want to watch your portion size, check out the children’s menu—you’ll get the smallest size possible, plus healthier sides like apple slices.

2. Hold the mayo to eliminate more than 100 calories or order it on the side. Otherwise, it’s usually slathered on your sandwich.

3. Give the boot to those packages of crispy noodles and croutons that come with salads. They add calories and fat and that’s about it.

4. Use half the packet of salad dressing. Just because you receive that portion size doesn’t mean you must use it all.

5. Make sure you order chicken grilled—not “crispy” which means fried—on sandwiches and salads.

6. Opt for leaner breakfast meats like ham or Canadian bacon instead of sausage and bacon.

7. Request your burger prepared without added salt. At McDonald’s you can order one minus the “grill seasoning,” a mix of salt and pepper.

We now have calorie labeling in fast-food restaurants. But is it working? What do you think? According to a small study recently published in the International Journal of Obesity, calorie labeling is not working so well. Researchers surveyed low-income communities in New York City and Newark, NJ, both before and after mandatory labeling begin in New York City.

In this population they found no statistically significant difference in calories purchased before or after labeling was introduced. Many of the adolescents reported that they noticed the calorie labels but few considered the information when they ordered their food.

Other studies have found some reduction in the total calories of the items ordered. I do think there is a percentage of the population who wants this data and finds it helpful. But whether you have access to the calories or not, knowing how to make wise choices is key.

Check out this month’s recipe for Scallop-Quinoa Paella

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

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February 9, 2011

Three Smart Eating Tips for Time-Starved Moms

Hi Everyone! It’s almost Valentine’s Day and we’ve posted an easy recipe from Family Circle magazine for Fruity Chocolate Clusters in case you want to make treats for someone special. Made in the microwave with fewer than 75 calories per cluster, what’s not to love?

But first, my girlfriends with children (regardless of their ages) are always time-starved. Guess whose healthy eating habits often get ignored? Moms!

Joining me on the podcast this week is a time-starved Mom…. Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle magazine. Many moms worry about their children’s eating habits while letting their own slide. Busy moms…try these smart-eating tips:

Healthy Kid Habit for Mom: Drinking milk

Calcium is crucial for maintaining a strong skeleton as you age and preventing potentially debilitating fractures. Until age 50, you need 1,000 mg per day, which in real food is about three servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese. Then your recommended intake jumps by nearly another serving.

There is also a tie to dairy consumption and fat loss. Research conducted by Zemel at The University of Tennessee indicated that consuming calcium-rich foods as part of a healthy weight loss diet actually increased the loss of that dreaded belly fat or muffin top (the mid-section fat that is tied to increased risk of heart disease.)

Add milk to smoothies, use it in pudding, or drink it warm with a little hot chocolate mix or vanilla flavoring. Use cheese in omelets, on sandwiches or with whole grain crackers for a power snack.

Healthy Kid Habit for Mom: Eating Vegetables

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report on trends in fruit and vegetable consumption stated that only 26.3% of adults ate vegetables three or more times a day. Besides being loaded with vitamins and minerals, the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods could interact in ways that boost their individual anti-cancer effects.

I admit it…I struggle to eat enough vegetables. Do you? So I add them to a variety of dishes. For example, we make pizza on the weekends and it’s loaded with veggies; I add them to omelets and to scrambled eggs, dip them in hummus for a snack or slice peppers and cucumbers to go on top of a sandwich. Last week I made split pea and barley soup and added chopped spinach, carrots and onion.

To hear more smart eating tips for time-starved Moms…listen to this week’s podcast below.

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January 26, 2011

My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus

In an interview with EatingWell.com, “The Naked Chef” Jamie Oliver talked about encouraging his daughters to try all types of foods plus be involved in selecting and preparing these foods so that ultimately they expand their knowledge of flavors and make better choices.

Joining me on the Straight Talk about Eating Smart podcast this week is author Nancy Tringali Piho who is also raising her boys to love to eat everything.

With almost twenty years in the food industry as a public relations and marketing consultant and mother of two young boys, Nancy developed a keen interest in relating her professional work to the question that millions of people ask themselves every day: What am I going to feed my family for dinner tonight?

Her book, “My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus: Raising Children Who Love to Eat Everything“ addresses this issue from a food-lover’s point of view looking at taste and flavor.

Nancy says that thoughts and messages about food start at a young age and that it’s important to introduce variety, texture, flavors and food combinations early on.

Register to win a copy of ”My Two-Year-Old eats Octopus” at the WDBO.com Nutrition & Health Center or on my FaceBook page.

In a recent “Letter of the Month” to Cooking Light magazine, the reader wrote that a ‘kid-friendly’ designation to a recipe gives the idea that certain foods are for grown-ups only and by avoiding this label, you can nourish better and healthier eating habits in children.

Nancy agrees that giving your kids so-called “kiddie foods” on a regular basis is detrimental to them becoming “good” eaters because it sends the message that some foods are designated for children and some for adults. Typically these “kiddie foods” are not the foods you want your children to eat.

When the toddler social scene begins with birthday parties, play dates and daycare, parents realize that many of their child’s food choices are out of parental control. Nancy says that when good rules are maintained at home, children learn to make good decisions and choices as they grow.

To hear my entire interview with Nancy Tringali Piho…listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast

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June 16, 2012

Tag Index

April 1, 2012

February 12, 2012

September 8, 2011

August 25, 2011

August 10, 2011

April 19, 2011

March 9, 2011

February 9, 2011

January 26, 2011