Diabetes Triple Play

Three simple diet strategies can help control blood sugar, enhancing diabetes management and reducing your risk for development of diabetes:

1.  Reduce intake of simple sugars and refined flours.  Healthier options include:

            -Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Oats

            -Barilla Pasta Plus

            -Splenda in place of sugar or honey

            -Sugar Free Jello

2.  Focus on health promoting fats, such as Omega-3’s found in:

            -Smart Balance spreads and peanut butter

            -Planters nuts, especially walnuts and pistachios

            -Fish like salmon and Meijer can tuna in water

3.   Pile-up Plant Foods which supply abundant fiber and protective antioxidant nutrients:

            -Simply Juice with pulp

            -Silk Soy Milk

            -Plenty of Meijer vegetables and whole fruit

            -Old Orchard Healthy Balance Juice

Nutrient rich foods, or those that pack a lot of nutrition for a small amount of calories, are the best foods to emphasize for any diet, especially a diet for those with diabetes.  Read on to learn more about foods to include in your healthy eating plan:

Beans:  An excellent source of both insoluble fiber—essential for bowel health and regularity, and soluble fiber–a gummy substance that helps regulate blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol.  Beans are a low fat, high fiber protein source that's rich in folate, iron and potassium.  The versatile bean is inexpensive and is great in just about everything: salads, stews, soups, and sandwiches.  Eat beans often (four or more times weekly), as a side dish or as a meatless main dish entrée.

Oats:  Truly the breakfast of champions!  Oats are loaded with soluble fiber that reduces cholesterol and aids in maintaining steady blood sugar levels.  Oats are a good source of arginine, a nutrient that helps maintain healthy blood pressure.  Quaker quick cooking oats or old-fashioned oats are excellent mixed in quick breads, cookies, meatloaf, or used as a dessert topping.  Oats are a low sodium, low sugar food.  Instant oats are more processed and often flavored, increasing sodium and sugar content (sometimes dramatically!).  Make oats part of your diet 3 or 4 times each week.

Colorful Vegetables: Deep green, red, orange and yellow vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which protect your body from harmful substances that promote heart disease, cancer, diabetes complications, and immune system disorders.  Meijer fresh, frozen or canned (without added sauce or salt) are excellent choices.  Eat five or more servings of vegetables each day, including one cruciferous vegetable as part of your daily intake (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc).

Healthy Fats: Emphasize healthy fats in your diet, while decreasing your intake of saturated fats from animal sources and Trans fats from processed foods.  Healthy fats include:

            Monounsaturated Fats:  Olive oil and Canola oil or Pompeian Olive-Canola Oil blend

            Most polyunsaturated Fats:  Planters Nuts, seeds and plant foods such as avocado

            Omega-3 Fats:  Fish and flax seed products

These healthier fats support brain function including memory, decrease inflammation, regulate hormone action, aid the immune system, and keep cell walls flexible—helping cells to function and communicate effectively. 

Diabetes Friendly Recipes

Cheddar and Ham Muffins

Makes: 9 Servings

Ingredients:

·         3/4 cup Kraft 2% milk sharp Cheddar cheese

·         1/4 cup fresh grated Meijer Parmesan cheese

·         1 3/4 cup reduced fat all-purpose baking mix (such as Bisquick)

·         1 cup Meijer low-fat milk

·         1/2 tsp black pepper

·         1/4 cup low fat ham, finely chopped

Method:

Mix cheeses, milk and baking mix together; add pepper and ham. Mix well and spoon into lined muffin pans 1/2 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Approximate Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories: 140, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 470 mg, Protein: 8 g, Carbohydrates: 18 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g

Diabetic exchanges:  1 Lean Meat/Protein, 1 Carbohydrate

Recipe adapted from: United Dairy Industry of Michigan, www.3aday.org/recipes

Mango Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

·         2 1/4 cups (1/2-inch pieces) grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts (make it easy by using Meijer Rotisserie Chicken)

·         3/4 cup Meijer plain, nonfat yogurt

·         1 teaspoon McCormick curry

·         1/4 cup cubed mango (fresh or Meijer frozen-thaw and pat dry before using)

·         1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

·         1/4 cup Planters walnuts, coarsely chopped

·         1/3 cup Kraft Mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Method:

Cut cooked chicken breast meat into small pieces and set aside. In a medium bowl, blend yogurt and curry with a whisk and stir in chicken, mango, cranberries, walnuts and Mozzarella. Mix well and serve on a bed of lettuce or flat spinach leaves.

Approximate Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories: 320, Total Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 70 mg, Sodium: 160 mg, Protein: 30 g, Carbohydrates: 31 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean Meat/Protein, 2 Carbohydrate (1 fruit, 1 starch), 1 Fat

Recipe adapted from: United Dairy Industry of Michigan, www.3aday.org/recipes

Pork Tenderloin with Fall Vegetables

Serves: 4   

Ingredients:

1  pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4  pound)
3 medium white potatoes, peeled, cut into 2” pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
1 medium onions, peeled and sliced thick
1 tart baking apple, peeled and core removed, cut into thick slices
Meijer Canola oil (about 1 Tbls)

1 tsp. McCormick dried, crushed Rosemary
Coarse Salt and Freshly ground pepper
 
Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350^oF.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all vegetables with enough oil to lightly coat, mixing with hands. Add meat, and turn until also coated.   Place vegetables into a 13 x 9 x 2 casserole dish, place 1 pork tenderloin on top the bed of vegetables.   Sprinkle mixture and meat with crushed Rosemary, 1-2 tsp of salt, and grind pepper over top to taste.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check vegetables for doneness. Remove cover and let roast for another 10-15 minutes to crisp potatoes.

Remove from oven; re-cover, let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving tenderloin.

Approximate Nutrition Info per Serving:   Calories 405, Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 100mg, Carbohydrate 32g, Fiber 5g, Protein 34g, Sodium: 265mg

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean Meat/Protein, 2 Carbohydrate, 1Fat

Expand your breakfast options. Try breakfast burritos, wraps, berry crepes, fruit smoothie, chicken-veggie quesadilla or pita bread with hummus.

Keep it simple. Kellogg’s Smart Start Healthy Heart cereal with Meijer Fat Free Milk and a banana or an apple with a carton of yogurt takes no time to prepare at all, and will give you a head-start in getting your 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables and a boost of protein and calcium.

Choose healthy breakfast foods. Even if you think you don’t have time to eat breakfast, there are grab-and-go options that fill the bill. Some quick and healthy choices include:

• Meijer whole wheat tortilla rolled up with scrambled Meijer egg substitute and salsa
• Half a Meijer wheat pita stuffed with ½ c. Meijer low fat cottage cheese and sliced peaches, pears or banana
• Fresh fruit or Kellogg’s Special K Blueberry cereal added to plain Meijer light yogurt
• Smoothie made with fresh fruit or Meijer frozen fruit and Meijer light yogurt
• Kashi Heart to Heart Instant Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal made with Meijer reduced fat milk and walnuts
• Yogurt smoothie and Bear Naked Fruit & Nut Granola bar
• Whole wheat bagel with Meijer Naturals creamy peanut butter and a banana

Health Benefits of Eating Breakfast
Eating breakfast is linked to many health benefits, including weight control and improved performance. Just make sure your morning meal includes whole grains, low fat dairy, lean protein and fruit or juice.

Balance your diet. Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast can help give you a more nutritionally complete diet that is higher in important nutrients. It can also improve concentration and performance in the classroom or the boardroom and provide more energy to engage in physical activities. Choosing whole grains and high fiber breakfast foods like Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch can also help manage blood cholesterol levels.

Improve your performance. Eating breakfast is important for everyone, but is especially so for children and adolescents. According to the American Dietetic Association, children who eat breakfast have better concentration, problem-solving skills, and eye-hand coordination

Control your hunger. Research shows that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers. While it might seem you could save calories by skipping breakfast, this is not an effective strategy. Typically, hunger gets the best of breakfast-skippers, and they eat more at lunch and throughout the day. Eating fiber rich breakfast foods will help you feel full longer, lower your cholesterol and lower your risk of cancer. Boost your fiber intake by trying Kellogg’s bite size Mini Wheats little bites honey nut cereal mixed with dried fruits and nuts for an easy trail mix to go.

Stock up your shelves with grab and go breakfast items
• Bear Naked Apple Cinnamon Granola Bar
• Kashi Blackberry Graham Cereal Bar
• Meijer light yogurt
• Meijer reduced fat or fat free milk
• Kashi Trail Mix Granola Bar
• Whole wheat bagels
• Meijer wheat pita bread
• Meijer whole wheat tortillas
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch Almond Flax Cereal
• Kashi Original 7 Grain Crackers
• Kashi Oatmeal Raisin Flax Cookie
• Meijer string cheese
• Whole wheat toaster waffles
• Kellogg’s Smart Start Healthy Heart Cereal
• Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Cookie
• Fresh fruit or Meijer frozen fruit

Creating healthy mealtime habits with your kids now can lead to a lifetime of healthy choices. As a parent, the best ways to improve your child’s food intake and encourage healthy eating habits is to:

Have regular family meals. Family meals provide an opportunity for families to reconnect and enjoy a healthy meal together. They can also provide a time for parents to introduce their children to new foods and be a role model for them. Children like the regular schedule of a family meal and, though teenagers may not initially show they like the idea of meals together with their family, studies find that they still look for their parents’ advice and guidance.

Be a good role model. Teach your children to eat well by following a healthy diet yourself. Kids watch what their parents do every day. Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy products in meals and snacks. Serve appropriate portions and try not to overeat. Also, try to keep a positive approach about food. Sometimes the best messages we give to our children are ones that we do not say.

Get your children involved. Encourage your children to help you plan the meals for the family. Talk to them about the importance of planning a balanced meal. Include them in the shopping, preparation and clean up of the meal too. While shopping at Meijer have your children use NuVal, Meijer's new nutrition scoring system, to make healthier food choices with your guidance. To get more information on NuVal, visit www.meijerhealthyliving.com or www.NuVal.com.

Don’t battle over food. Try to give your child some control and try not to bribe or bargain with them to try to eat healthy foods. Children decide when they are hungry, what they will eat from the foods that they are given and how much of the food they will eat. Parents have control over the foods that are offered to their child. Establish a schedule for meals and snacks and don’t force your children to clean their plates. Instead of giving your child food as a reward, give them a hug, praise or some of your time.

Busy Day Dinner Recipe: School Night Chicken Rice Taco Toss

Serves: 6, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (6.9 oz) package Rice-a-Roni 1/3 Less Sodium Chicken Flavor

1 1/2 Tbls. Country Crock Light Margarine

1 (16 oz) Jar Meijer Salsa

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped

1 cup Meijer frozen corn

4 cups shredded lettuce

1/2 cup shredded Meijer cheddar cheese

2 cups Meijer tortilla chips, coarsely broken

1 medium tomato, diced

Method:

In a large skillet, sauté rice in margarine over medium-high heat until golden brown.  Slowly stir in 2 cups water, salsa, chicken and special seasonings (from rice mix).  Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes.  Stir in corn; cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is no longer pink.  Arrange lettuce on a large serving platter.  Top with chicken-rice mixture and tortilla chips.  Garnish with diced tomato and enjoy!

Approximate Nutrition Analysis per Serving:  275 calories, 23g Protein, 7.5g fat, 1.5g Saturated fat, 42 mg Cholesterol, 640mg Sodium, 32g Carbohydrate, 3g Fiber

Recipe adapted from: www.ricearoni.com

Makes 4 servings

1 can (14½ oz) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes with Sweet Onions

2 c      uncooked Barilla Plus Spaghetti

8 oz    shredded cooked rotisserie chicken

1        (12 oz) Meijer Chicken Gravy

1. Combine tomatoes and 1½ cups water in a large skillet. Bring to a boil. Add noodles; stir. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in prepared gravy and chicken. Heat until warmed through and gravy has thickened.

Liven up your lunch box!

When it comes to packing lunches, get the kids involved and think outside the (lunch) box!  For more great recipes and lunch ideas, visit meijerhealthyliving.com.

Beyond Bread: 

Bumble Bee Tuna Pasta Salad:  Mix 8 oz. cooked Barilla Plus Pasta (Penne, Rotini, or Elbow) with 1 (5 oz.) can Bumble Tuna, 1/2 cup Hellmann’s reduced fat mayo, 1 cup frozen peas, thawed, 1/2 cup diced carrots, and season with 1/2 tsp. McCormick Lemon Pepper.

Simple Chicken Salad: Mix 1 (4 oz) can Bumble Bee Chicken Breast, 1/3 cup red grapes halved, 1/4 cup walnut pieces, and 2-3 Tbls. Poppy seed salad dressing. Scoop into Meijer Pita halves lined with washed Leaf or Romaine lettuce.

Peanut Butter Grahams: Use Honey Maid Graham Crackers and Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter to make grahamwiches.  Make it even more fun by adding a banana slice or a few Meijer mini marshmallows!

Use a Thermos:

          Blend a smoothie for warm fall days:  1 Cup Meijer frozen berries, 1/2 cup Northland light cranberry juice, 1 cup Dannon® light vanilla yogurt, and a dash of McCormick ground cinnamon.

          Soup it up on cooler days:  warm up Meijer reduced sodium Tomato or Chicken Noodle soup.

Easy Add-ins with a health bonus: 

Mott’s Plus Harvest Apple Sauce with Calcium, SouthBeach cereal bars, or use snack size zipper-lock bags to pack Baby carrots, cucumber slices and red bell pepper strips (1/8 of a red bell pepper provides 100% of the DV for vitamin C!)

Satisfying snacks for after school: 

          Fresh Fruit always get high NuVal marks!

          Cereal and low fat Milk

          Moderate portions of sweets:

1 cup Breyer’s vanilla ice cream topped with Planters Dry Roasted Nuts, and a touch of Meijer chocolate syrup

Popsicles are a sweet treat that are relatively low in calories and naturally fat free

                     100 Calorie cookie packs such as Oreo Thin Crisps

Learning Begins with Breakfast

Did you know that children who skip breakfast are more likely to have lower math scores, and experience more behavioral problems and school absenteeism?  A simple and nutritious breakfast can be the key to your child’s school success.  Alternatives to cold cereal:

1.    Quick cooking oats prepared with milk (to increase protein) topped with a touch of brown sugar and fresh berries or dried fruit

2.    A breakfast parfait with fresh or frozen (thawed) berries, Meijer light Vanilla yogurt, and topped with granola or crushed graham crackers.  Sprinkle lightly with McCormick ground cinnamon.

3.    Skippy Natural Peanut Butter and banana sandwich with a glass of Simply Orange Juice

4.    Out the door trail mix:  Kellogg mini wheat cereal mixed Planters Lightly Salted Nuts and Meijer Raisins.  Wash down with a cold glass of milk or Lipton decaf green tea.

5.    Keep hard-cooked eggs on hand and serve sliced on a piece of whole grain toast with Hellman’s Light Mayonnaise.  Add low fat milk or Northland juice.

Lunch Box Tips:

·       Most children have 15 to 20 minutes to eat lunch.  Pack foods that are easy to eat, easy to open, and include foods that don't require peeling or special tools.

·       Keep food safety in mind: include an ice pack, a frozen Meijer yogurt tube, or a frozen Vitamin Water to keep foods cold

·       Include hand wipes or a mini-bottle of hand sanitizer

·       Think food groups when packing: Include protein, fruit and / or vegetable, grain and dairy for a balanced lunch

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue!  Drinking water helps boost your energy levels.  Don't like the taste of water?  Drink nutrient rich beverages to hydrate such as smoothies made with Silk Soymilk for calcium and protein, Ocean Spray 100% Premium Cranberry juice and V8 V Fusion for Vitamin C and antioxidants.

Drink for Weight Management

If you're trying to lose weight and have uncontrollable food cravings, your body might be thirsty rather than hungry.  In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.  Drink a glass of water an hour before every meal and an hour after every meal.  Water is an appetite suppressant and drinking before and after a meal keeps you from munching.  Try drinking Fruit2 O for a zero calorie drink and Aquafina water.  Fill your diet with foods that naturally contain high water content.  These consist mostly of fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, watermelon, tomato, apples, carrots and celery.  Eating fruits and vegetables hydrates you and some of them can cure a sweet craving.  Switch caffeinated drinks for water-based juices such as Crystal Light because caffeine speeds up dehydration.

Drink for Hydration

Thirst is a poor indicator of whether or not you've had enough to drink.  To prevent yourself from being dehydrated, drink lots of liquids before, during and after strenous exercise.  To tell if you've had adequate fluids, monitor your urine.  It should be pale yellow, not dark like apple juice.  If you've become dehydrated you may need 24 to 48 hours to totally replace this fluid.  Water is a great source of fluid for most work outs, but for activity over 60-90 minutes a sports drink like Powerade may be beneficial because it contains electrolytes and carbohydrates.

Cool & Refreshing Tips

Quench your thirst- coof off, keep your body hydrated and boost your energy with:

• A Tropical Smoothie made with 1c. Silk Soymilk, 1/3 c. pineapple chunks, 1 banana, 1/2 c. canned mandarin orange segments, drained and 5 ice cubes mixed in blender until smooth.  Serve this smoothie that is packed with antioxidants and fiber.
• For a refreshing drink packed with antioxidants try Crystal Light Raspberry Green Tea
• Drink Powerade after being in the sun playing volleyball to replenish your electrolytes and stay hydrated
• Make your kids frozen fruit juice pops to cool off by mixing in a blender 2 c. of Welch's 100% White Grape juice, 1c. pineapple tidbits and 1 can Dole mandarin oranges.  Pour into molds or small plastic cups, insert sticks and freeze
• Enjoy all the taste of the low-calorie Crystal Light Peach Iced Tea and Fruit2 O without the calories

Meijer wants to celebrate its 75 years of service by providing you with a variety of resources and tools to help you make healthier choices for you and your family.  Let Meijer help you understand MyPyramid. In addition to NuVal, MyPyramid is a tool that can help assist you in getting the most nutrition out of your shopping trips. MyPyramid is based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and the Dietary Reference Intakes. It takes a personal approach to healthy eating and physical activity.

MyPyramid illustrates four main themes:

Activity: The steps on the side of the pyramid represent activity. Try to include physical activity each day. Wear a pedometer to keep track of your progress. It is also important to stay refreshed during exercise. To keep your body cool, drink plenty of water or Fruit 2 0 to stay hydrated. For more intense physical activity, try Gatorade Fruit Punch or Propel Peach Mango fitness water to stay energized.

Moderation: The narrowing of each food group from bottom to top represents moderation. The wide base represents foods that contain little or no solid fats or added sugars (foods with higher NuVal scores), while the narrow top stands for foods that contain added sugars and solid fats (foods with lower NuVal scores). To help reduce your added sugar intake, cook with Splenda or sprinkle it on top of fruit or drinks. Or try diet version of sodas in moderation, including Diet Canada Dry Ginger Ale.

Variety: The different colors in the pyramid stand for variety. We need foods from all of the food groups in our meal plan every day for good health. Look below for more specific information on healthier choices in each food group.

Proportionality: The different widths of the food groups represent different proportions. This is a general guide that shows us how much food we should be getting from each group. Try to include more foods from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

Let The Colors Help

In addition to the in-store NuVal guidance system, use MyPyramid to help you make healthier choices from each food group. Both programs emphasize nutrient-rich foods. Use these tips when shopping at your local Meijer:

Grains (orange)

·         Eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. Meijer has a variety of choices – 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and Nabisco Triscuits.

·         Look for “whole” before the grain name on the list of ingredients on a food product.

Vegetables (green)

·         Eat more dark green vegetables. These nutrition-packed, colorful choices may help lower the risk of some cancers, improve vision health and help make stronger bones and teeth. Toss organic broccoli into pasta dishes or enjoy salads made with Dole Family Greener & Classic Romaine Salad.

·         Eat more orange vegetables to help with heart health, vision health, a healthy immune system and possibly lower the risk of some cancers.

·         Eat more dry beans and peas. These delicious choices are great sources of protein and fiber with very little fat.

Fruits (red)

·         Eat a variety of fruit. Pick up a new fruit each week to include in your meals and snacks.

·         Choose fresh, frozen, dried or canned fruit. The different forms “count” to help you get your nutrition each day.

·         Choose 100% fruit juices, such as Simply Orange Orange Juice.

Oils (yellow)

·         Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Canola oil and Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive oils are great choices.

·         Limit solid fats such butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard.

Milk (blue) 

·         Go low-fat or fat-free. Milk, yogurt and cheese are all delicious and provide our bodies with protein and calcium. Some products, such as the Dannon Activia yogurts, have an additional benefit of improving your digestive system.

·         If you don’t or can’t consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources.

Meat and Beans (purple) 

·         Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Try pork tenderloin, Valley Fresh White Chicken, or lean ground beef. 

·         Bake it, broil it or grill it. Experiment with different techniques for different food items. The variety will keep your tastebuds engaged.

·         Vary your choices – with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, such as Planters NUTrition Heart Healthy Light Salt mix, and seeds.

Health Tidbits

Other “bites” of health knowledge to help you make healthier choices to improve your health:

Consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (approximately 1 teaspoon of salt).

o   Choose and prepare foods with little salt. Look for low sodium or reduced sodium products such as Low Sodium Ritz Crackers. When cooking or grilling, try Mrs. Dash to season your food without adding additional sodium.

o   Consume potassium-rich foods including fruits and vegetables.

Eat Like Einstein

Making the right food choices will increase your ability to learn, focus, problem solve, and even improve your memory!  To boost your brain power:

1. Eat regular meals and snacks every day to fuel your brain.  It’s tough to concentrate when you’re hungry so don’t skip meals, especially breakfast!

2. Healthy fats build healthy brain cells.  The best brain fats are the Omega-3’s (n-3) found in fish, nuts and fortified products.

3. Chow down on Antioxidants (Ax) found in foods like fruit and vegetables.  These warrior-like nutrients destroy substances that can damage brain and other cells in your body.

4. To keep up your energy eat less sugary foods and salty snack foods.  Whole grain foods are great sources of energy and essential B-vitamins (B) which boost energy and brain power.

Brain-Power Sample Menu

Breakfast:  Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal (B) with Meijer low fat milk, Fresh Strawberries    (Ax) and 100% Juicy Juice

Snack:  Rold Gold BAKED-in Cinnamon Twists, dip in Smart Balance Creamy Peanut Butter (n-3)

Lunch:  Kraft Whole-grain (B) Macaroni and Cheese, Baby Carrots and Bell Pepper strips (Ax), Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding Cup, and Meijer low fat milk.

Snack:  Campbell’s Select Harvest Chicken Noodle Soup, Fresh apple (Ax)

Dinner: Tossed green salad

Grilled Salmon (n-3) seasoned with Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper,

Barilla Plus Pasta (n-3, B) with Freshlike Peas (Ax) mixed with a touch of olive oil and McCormick Gourmet Seasoning (Herbes De Provence Blend),

           Meijer fresh or frozen blueberries (Ax) topped with Meijer vanilla yogurt.

Establishing healthy eating habits and providing good nutrition will support your child’s growth and development.  Here are some tips to keep in mind when feeding your child:

Start Early.  Offer a variety of foods in small portions to expand your child’s taste and help them get a range of nutrients.  Create well-balanced meals by serving foods from all the food groups such as whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables.   Introduce new foods with old favorites to improve acceptance.  

Be Consistent.   Set a schedule or specific time for each meal and try to stick to it.  This will train kids to be hungry at a regular time and can help make mealtimes more relaxed.  Make sure your kitchen is stocked up with wholesome ingredients and during meals be a role model by eating a variety of healthy foods in appropriate portion sizes.   Round out meals with kid-sized portions of fruits and veggies. 

Family Focus.  Set aside time to eat meals together as a family.  Bonding with your kids during meals will promote or encourage your kids to eat better.  Get the kids involved in preparing the meal or setting up the table.  Make family dinnertime special by developing rituals such as Friday night is pizza and movie night, play word games, ask fun questions or simply just chill out.  Do what works best for your family!

Dealing with Picky Eaters

As many kids grow they may be resistant to change by refusing to try new foods.  Kids have sensitive taste buds and may prefer bland foods.  Follow these tips to help you deal with your picky eater:

Finger Foods

Finger foods can be a fun way for kids to get some healthy food into their day.  Try Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack Trail Mix Bears & Cheese, Wheat Thin Minis, diced fruit, baby carrots, diced turkey or chicken for easy finger foods.

Banish Boredom

Serve different texture foods like pasta with interesting shapes and add chopped vegetables.  Use Arnolds Soft Natural 100% Whole Wheat Bread for sandwiches and use a cookie cutter to create stars or flowers.  Spread a thick layer of Breakstone’s low-fat cottage cheese on a small dish and place broccoli florets so they stand in the cottage cheese, resembling trees in the snow.  Make bunny pears by placing drained canned pear halves rounded side up on a plate.  Use raisins for the eyes, almonds for the ears, blueberry for the nose and Cool Whip Lite for the tail.

Balance Fluids

Beverages are important for hydration, but too many fluids at meals may make children too full to eat.  Keeps drinks like Ice Mountain Spring Water, V8 V-Fusion Strawberry Banana, Fruit2 O Natural Grape drink or Sunkist Diet Orange for between meal hydration.

Sneak in more nutrients

Add chopped, grated or pureed fruits and vegetables in familiar foods to add more nutrients.  Applesauce and pureed banana can be mixed in pancake or muffin batter to boost your child’s fiber intake.  Mix veggies in with soup, rice, eggs, or pasta for more vitamins and antioxidants.  

Let your child play chef

Have each child plan the menu for the week and make simple recipes together. Even the smallest child can help toss a salad. Keep kid-friendly cooking tools like a hand chopper for pieces of firm food for carrots, celery, or onion, a blender to make smoothies, soups, and sauces or a mini scoop for making oatmeal cookies.   

Kid-Friendly Snacks

Snacks make up a significant part of a kid’s diet so keep them healthy and simple.  Provide your kids with snacks to keep them going.  Try these easy kid-friendly snacks.

·         Nabisco Trail Mix Bears & Cheese

·         Meijer String Cheese

·         Breakstone’s Low-Fat Cottage Cheese with Meijer sliced peaches

·         Jell-O Gelatin Sugar Free with diced fruit

·         Dannon Danimals Strawberry/Banana Crush Cup topped with crunchy granola

·         Yogurt dip, salsa dip, low-fat dressing dip, for vegetables, fruits, crackers

·         Whole grain crackers

·         Fruit and vegetable kabobs

·         Top cereal with fruit

·         Wraps- use Dole Salad & turkey

·         Cereal with Silk Soymilk

·         Fruit kabob with yogurt dip

Steps for a Healthier Heart

            The good news:  Death rates from heart disease have declined over the past 50 years.  The bad news: Still, one in three American adults has some form of heart disease.  Coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and risk for stroke can all be reduced with some simple, but effective, lifestyle modifications.

Move it: As little as 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease.  Make time for a brisk walk, bike riding, or time at the gym.  You can break up your 30-60 minutes of exercise into 10 or 15 minute intervals throughout the day and still get those valuable health benefits.

Mold It:  Your mindset, and the mindset of your family as well.  Children as young as seven are developing artery clogging plaque from excess body weight, poor diet and lack of physical activity.  Healthy habits need to begin early and include a balanced diet, physical activity, and prevention of teen smoking.

Make It:  What is the cost of our food choices?  In terms of heart disease alone, more than $33 billion in medical costs can be attributed to poor nutrition*.  Make it a smart food choice. Simply increasing your vegetable and fruit consumption is one easy step to a healthier diet. 

            Plan your day to get your plant foods with a goal of 2-4 fruit servings and 3-5 servings of vegetables every day.  What will you have at breakfast? Lunch? Dinner? At the end of the day, did your achieve your goal?  If not, how will you do better tomorrow.   And, don’t forget to use the ultimate meal planning resource, Meijer Mealbox which appears to the right of this article.

*Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2008 Update, American Heart Association