Make your holiday sarkle with a centerpiece of fresh fruit and flowers.
In addition to a beautiful centerpiece of flowers & seasonal fruit, fall brings us a bounty of squashes, pears, apples, persimmons, & pomegranets for our dining pleasure! We can enjoy this harvest during the cooler months paired with beans, meats & nuts to complete a well rounded diet. Look for recipes to add to your fall & winter fare.
Happy Cooking and Happy Decorating.
 Try "Brining" Your Holiday Turkey.One way to prepare a turkey for roasting is to "brine" it. It helps to maintain moisture as well as improving texture & flavor.
Brining
The verb "brine" means to treat with or steep in brine. Brine is a strong solution of water and salt. A sweetener such as sugar, molasses, honey, or corn syrup may be added to the solution for flavor and to improve browning.
The salt has two effects on poultry, reports Dr. Alan Sams, a professor of poultry science at Texas A & M University. "It dissolves protein in muscle, and the salt and protein reduce moisture loss during cooking. This makes the meat juicer, more tender, and improves the flavor. The low levels of salt enhance the other natural flavors of poultry."
Brining. To prepare a brine solution for poultry, add one cup salt to 1 gallon of water, or 3 tablespoons of salt per quart of water. For best flavor, use sodium chloride table salt. Add sweetener if desired. Place brining solution in food-grade plastic, stainless steel, or glass containers. Totally submerge poultry in solution and store covered in the refrigerator. For best results, refrigerate at least overnight. Poultry may be left in the refrigerator up to 2 days after thawed or purchased fresh. Remove poultry from brine. Discard brine after use. If stuffing poultry, brine the poultry first. Cook immediately after stuffing.
Voila... a Succulent, Beautifully Browned Turkey
 Pomegranates are in season now. This beautiful fruit is a perfect addition to salads, pork & chicken dishes as well as just a tasty after school treat!
Mexican Salad with Pomegranate LimeDressing
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. fresh pomegranate juice
1 t. sugar
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cumin
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 t. olive oil
2 cups arugula leaves
1 1/2 cups (3-inch)julienne-cut peeled jicama
1/2 cup vertically slicedred onion
1/2 cup diced peeledavocado
2 T. chopped freshcilantro
1/4 cup fresh pomegranateseeds
4 t. pine nuts, toasted
Preparation
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add olive oil, andstir with a whisk. Add arugula and the next 4 ingredients (through cilantro),and toss gently. Place 1 cup salad on each of 4 salad plates. Top each with 1tablespoon seeds and 1 teaspoon pine nuts. Serve immediately.
Yield
4 servings
Nutritional Information
Calories:
126 (44% from fat)
Fat:
6.1g (sat 0.8g,mono 3.1g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:
1.8g
Carbohydrate:
18.7g
Fiber:
4g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
1mg
Sodium:
444mg
What about sugar?
Many students ask me about sugar. "According to the World Health Organization, no more than 10% of calories should come from added sweetners. This advice is in line with the long-standing recommendations of the US Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid, which called for a maximum of 12 teaspoons of sugar (48 grams) in a 2,200 calorie diet--or roughly 9% of daily calories. Current USDA guidelines, revised in 2005, simply say to limit these calories." (Chris Woolston, Consumer Health at www.ahealthyme.com)
Just in case you are wondering exactly how much added sugar there is in a 12 oz. soft drink, it has the equivalent of 10-12 teaspoons of sugar. Soft drinks aren't the only culprits in the sugar category, pancake syrup, just 2 oz. (1/8th cup or 2 TBS.) has just over 5 teaspoons of sugar. A McDonald's McFlurry with Butterfingers, (10 oz.) has almost 14 teaspoons of sugar & a McDonalds Vanilla Shake, 20 oz, has 12!
Try eating fresh fruits or vegetables. You will avoid those empty calories that the "added sugar" foods contain. Stay away from fruit juices if you are trying to watch the waistline, they are high in sugar, but offer little to contain those hunger pangs! Read your labels, it can make a difference.
 Thanksgiving is over, if your turkey was a bit on the dry side, read below, it helps explain why "Pink" could be ok!The color pink in cooked turkey meat raises a "red flag" to many diners and cooks. Conditioned to be wary of cooked fresh pork that looks pink, they question the safety of cooked poultry and other meats that have a rosy blush.
Numerous callers to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline report being alarmed when seeing "pink." To them, it means "unsafe" or "under-done."
"I cooked my turkey until done according to the directions, but when I sliced the breast meat, it was still pink near the bone," said an Oklahoma caller. "Is it safe?"
"We had a big family argument at Thanksgiving dinner. Aunt Mildred wouldn't eat the turkey because it looked pink," reported the beleaguered cook from a Wisconsin family.
The color of cooked poultry is not always a sure sign of its safety. Only by using a food thermometer can one accurately determine that poultry has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 ∞F throughout the product. Turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 ∞F. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink.
To understand some of the causes of "pinking" or "pinkening" in fresh turkey, itís important to know first what gives meat its natural color.
Why is Poultry Lighter in Color Than Beef?
The protein myoglobin is the major pigment found in all vertebrates and can exist in various forms which determine the resulting meat color. The major reason that poultry meat is much lighter in color than beef is that it is dramatically lower in myoglobin. Also, as an animal becomes older, its myoglobin content usually increases. Turkeys today are young ó 4 to 5 months old at the time of slaughter.
Why Are White & Dark Meat of Poultry Different Colors?
The pink, red or white coloration of meat is due primarily to oxygen-storing myoglobin which is located in the muscle cells and retains the oxygen brought by the blood until the cells need it. To some extent, oxygen use can be related to the birdís general level of activity: muscles that are exercised frequently and strenuously ó such as the legs ó need more oxygen, and they have a greater storage capacity than muscles needing little oxygen. Turkeys do a lot of standing around, but little if any flying, so their wing and breast muscles are white; their legs, dark.
What Causes Well-Done Meat to Be Pink?
- Chemical Changes During Cooking.Scientists have found that pinkness occurs when gases in the atmosphere of a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give poultry a pink tinge. They are the same substances that give red color to smoked hams and other cured meats.The presence of high levels of myoglobin, or some of its redder forms due to incomplete denaturation during heat processing, can account for poultry having a pink to red color similar to that of an undercooked product.
- Natural Presence of Nitrites.Nitrites are commonly used to produce a desired pink color in traditionally cured meats such as ham or bologna. So it follows that the natural presence of nitrates and nitrites, either in the feed or water supply, used in the production of poultry are a factor in nitrite levels in the birds.
- One study found that during 40 hours of storage at 40 ∞F, naturally occurring microorganisms converted nitrate to nitrite. It also found that the local water supply had nitrate and, thus, it could serve as a nitrate source during processing.
- Young Age of Meat.Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh. The amount of fat in the skin also affects the amount of pink color. Young birds or animals also lack the shield of a fat covering.
- Grilling.Meat and poultry grilled or smoked outdoors can also look pink, even when well done. There may be a pink-colored rim about one-half inch wide around the outside of the cooked meat. The meat of commercially smoked turkeys is usually pink because it is prepared with natural smoke and liquid smoke flavor.
 Interested in food science? or.. just curious.... read on!
What is Cellulose Gum? We think of food additives as something from modern times, but actually, cellulose gum, a popular food additive, has been under investigation for over a century! In the 1800's, German scientists discovered that the cellulose from trees could be used in color film. It is those same trees and cotton plants that celluose gum is produced, then used to enhance the texture & shelf life of baked products, salad dressings, syrups, ice cream, and toothpaste, just to name a few. In addition to helping to create the texture in foods, and richness, the food industry uses cellulose gum because it is not digested in the human body, hence, adds no calories. Cellulose gum, when added to some foods helps to keep the feel of the food on the tongue longer, so it seems "richer" than
products without it. The Twinkie contains cellulose gum in order to help the cake stay lighter and the creamy filling creamier! Next time you grab a container from the pantry, check out the label for cellulose gum. To learn more about cellulose gum, I suggest reading the fascinating book Twinkie, Deconstructed by Steve Ettinger, Hudson Street Press, March 2007. Happy reading!
National Breakfast Week Creative Writing Competition took place in November 2007.
Today we announce the winners and congratulate all of the participants.
Beginning Monday, March 17, 2008 special breakfasts' will be served in our classrooms and cafeterias throughout the elementary and middle schools.
I encourage staff, parents and students to try the special items prepared by our food service staff.
Below are the essays of our 6 district wide winners of the Creative Writing Contest.
Join me in congratulating all participants as well as the authors of the top essays.
Apache Elementary receives honors for
Dustin, 5th grade, Miss Acosta; Sherrilyn, 4th grade, Ms Gregori; & Terell, 2nd grade Ms Frost
Animas Elementary receives honors for
Nestor, 3rd grade, Mrs. Gorgina
Country Club Elementary
Jarod, 4th grade, Ms Dutton
Heights Middle School
Faith, 6th Grade, Mrs. Mitchell
Congratulations Dustin from Apache Elementary
"The Hero of Cereal Planet"
On Cereal Planet nobody will eat breakfast. They are mean, grumpy, and have bad attitudes. People from neighboring planets don't want to visit Cereal Planet. The people on Cereal Planet are miserable and have no energy.
A twelve year old superhero named Scott prepared to go to Cereal Planet and help them. Scott was really healthy and happy because he ate a good breakfast everyday. He wanted to help the people of Cereal Planet by explaining the bevefits of a good breakfast.
Scott loaded his spaceship top to bottom with breakfast foods. It took Scott days to get to Cereal Planet, but he wanted to complete his mission. Upon landing on Cereal Planet, he handed out his breakfast food. The people who ate his breakfast food noticed mre energy and they felt better. they cheered their thanks to Scott. He was a hero.
Scott said he would return. Someday he would go to the Snack Galaxy to help them with their weight problems.
Congratulations Sherrilyn Apache Elementary
"How Breakfast Helps"
Eating school breakfast can help kids fuel their imagination to be their best to achieve their dreams. To begin with, breakfast brings grades up. Eating breakfast helps me learn. I think before answering problems. I think breakfast helps me by not getting F's in math, reading, and language arts. Breakfast helps me by not failing any school work. I always will love good grades.
Also breakfast helps me think about school work. Breakfast gives me energy by eating. Eating school breakfast keeps me from falling asleep. I like to eat breakfast because it makes your bones stronger. I like to eat breakfast.
My favorite breakfast is a piggle stick and cinnamon toasters. I like them because they have proteins in them and nutrients. So as you can see, breakfast helps you bring your grades up.
Congratulations Terrell Apache Elementary
Terrell's Mad Lib
Once upon a time on the plant of Mars, there was a space-chimp named Zack. Every day, when Zack awoke, he jumped out of bed, ran to school and immediately went to practice football. The problem was that more often than not he couldn't concentrate on football and felt tired and lacking in energy. He only felt like sleeping.
One night when Zack was sitting in his gravity lounge at home watching a T.V. show about space rockets, it hit him; maybe I'm like the space rocket, I cant' rech my dream because my body doesn't have the proper fuel to get me through the day. My dream of becoming a football player requires my body and mind to be up to the challenge, but I've been running on empty and can't run and jump required to become a football player. Tomorrow, before I practice, I'm going to eat a good breakfast. I like to eat pancakes and milk for breakfast. Mabye if I eat school breakfast, it will help my body and mind perform at their best and i can reach my dream too.
So, Zack started eating school breakfast and noticed that he bagan to have much more energy in the morning, and his mind was alert too. His football skills and knowledge of football improved and caused jump. He achieved his dream of a football player.
Congratulations Nestor, Animas Elementary
One day on Health Planet, there was a boy named Bob Health. Bob woke up and got ready for school. His mom asked Bob if he wanted to eat breakfast. Bob said no, so he went to school. Bob fell asleep in class. His friends Reavy and Tubby told him to eat breakfast every day in the morning. Bob said OK, I will eat breakfast every day in the morning. I will try it tomorrow. So Bob tried it. Bob never fell asleep again. Bob thanks Reavy and Tubby. Now Bob eats breakfast all the time, even healthy food, drinks water and exercises everyday. Now Bob's dad has problems at work. Then Bob told his dad to eat breakfast every day in the morning. So his dad said OK I will try that. So his dad tried it and never fell asleep.
His dad thanked Bob, Reavy, Tubby. So dad exercises , eats a healthy breakfast now. Everybody lives happy ever after by eating healthy food and exercises.
Congratulations Jarod , Country Club Elementary
"A Day Without Breakfast"
Once upon a time....wait a minute, I don't want to tell you that story. That story is a story about a little girl that discovers a new world, but anyway, to the story. Once there lived a Chubb-Chubb in a Chubb-Chubb family in a Chubb-Chubb house in a Chubb-Chubb city in a Chubb-Chubb state in a Chubb-chubb world. And, that Chubb-Chubb's name was Wolly, Wolly Willy Sear, Hoopscoch. Now you're probably thinking that's a weird name, but in the world of Chubb-Chubbs that would be considered a very honorable name.
Wolly looked like any other Chubb-Chubb, but he never ate breakfast. And when he did he ate a cookie or two. The main reason he never ate breakfast, was that he was always late for schoolatra (school-la-tra) it's the Chubb-Chubb school. And Wolly didn't really do good in schoolatra. But one day after schoolatra when he was walking home, he realized he was changing colors like a rainbow. And so was his fur! His teeth fell out, his claws dulled and he grew purple pimples with eyes on them. It stayed that way for days. And word spread.
And one day about a week later, a little old lady came to see Wolly, She said "Here," and handed him a bowl of Jaca, (saw-can). (Chubb-Chubb cereal) and the second Wolly ate, he turned right back to normal. And after that, everything was the way it was.
Congratulations Faith , Heights Middle School
"Jenny's Hunger Crisis"
Jenny woke up late with her alarm clock blinking and realised she was late! Rushing to get to school, her mind slipped and she never ate breakfast. In school that morning, Jenny felt sluggish and unaware! The next morning Jenny did the same thing. This time Jenny had a HUGE test to take and flunked because of her missed-attempt to eat breakfast. Later her art teacher asked if she was okay because her pieces weren't as creative as usual. After deciding to make a change and eat at school, Jenny's grades increased ten fold. Then she won the best picture of the month award for her drawing. As you can see, eating breakfast helped Jenny's grades and artistic ability improved.
 Survey Finds Sack Lunches Fail Nutrition Requirements
According to a survey conducted by Q&A Research for Smart Food Healthy Kids, a newsletter for parents about kids' nutrition and well-being, sack lunches from home fail to provide balanced, nutritious meals. Parents of K - 5th graders were asked about ingredients in typical homemade lunches during an average school week. Foods containing partially hydrogenated oils, sugars and salt were most commonly packed, while vegetables; sources of fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants were included less. Findings on sack lunches from home included:
• Sandwiches are the most frequent main dish, eaten by 88% of kids once a week. Two-thirds of those sandwiches are made on white bread.
• Meat sandwiches like bologna are the most common, followed by peanut butter & jelly. • Girls get vegetables in their lunchboxes 2.5 times a week, whereas boys get them only 1.9 times. At the same age, girls start bringing more salads (3rd to 5th grade), boys up their cake intake.
•
alty snacks are included more than vegetables or fruit, a mean 2.7 times per week. Chips are the most frequent lunchbox snack (55%), followed by fish crackers (28%).
• Sweet snacks are present in 82% of children's homemade lunches at least once a week, with cookies strongly surpassing all other sweets. Sugar also creeps in via salty snacks, peanut butter and juice.
• Just 19% of parents feel their children's behavior is related to the food they eat.
• 86% see their children as healthy, yet just 65% said their child exercises at least 3 times a week
Our nutritious school lunches provide 1/3 the daily requirements recommended by the USDA. Over a 7 day period, lunches may not exceed recommended daily allowances of saturated fats and sugar. Additionally, daily we serve a variety of fruits and vegetables that are required for protein & fiber. Low fat milk is always served. The only fruit juices served are 100% juice. All bread products are whole grain, thus maximizing the fiber contents need for healthy living. School lunches make the grade! If you haven't tried them, maybe it's
time. March is National Nutrition Month. Why not make eating in the school cafeteria a priority. Parents, you can join your child for lunch, don't let all the activity scare you away! Just be sure to check in at the office before you proceed to the cafeteria.
February is not just for Valentines!
It's "National Potato Month!"
Can I interest you in a potato?
It's quite amazing what an unassuming tuber can contain. Within its red, yellow, white or brown protective exterior, a potato can provide much of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of a number of vitamins and minerals.
For example, potatoes have about 620 mg of potassium-that's more than a banana. Potassium is essential to the body because of its role in attaining optimal muscle performance and improving the nerves' response to stimulation. Iron, essential in helping the body convert food to energy as well as resist infection, is also present.
One would expect potatoes to have minerals, as they spend their life underground. But potatoes are also a great source of vitamins, even supplying vitamin C, the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin C is essential to help maintain healthy connective tissue and heal wounds. The many varieties of Washington potatoes are also good sources of B vitamins, helping the body make healthy red blood cells and amino acids.
Potatoes contain no fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium. What they do have is natural fiber in the skins, all those vitamins and minerals and great flavor. And a six-ounce potato contains 3 grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk, making it a great foundation for a whole meal.
Because of the variety of potato colors, shapes, sizes and textures and their versatility as recipe ingredients, you can have potatoes for breakfast, lunch or dinner (or all three) and support the daily fruit and vegetable servings recommended for good health and nutrition.
CARBO FACTS
One of the most popular nutritional myths today concerns the dietary evils of carbohydrates. Despite the media hype, scientific evidence indicates that when consumed in normal amounts.
Carbohydrates DO NOT cause weight gain and obesity
Carbohydrates DO NOT automatically cause blood sugar "spikes" and insulin "surges"
Carbohydrates DO NOT cause diabetes, heart disease or cancer.Carbohydrates are the body's primary fuel source. Muscles prefer them and the brain relies on them. In fact, carbohydrates are so crucial to the body that if you severely cut them from your diet, your body will begin to breakdown muscle and other protein-containing tissues-your heart and other vital organs-in order to make them.
Reprinted from the Washington Potato web site.
From January 2008 Welcome to 2008!
Following tradition, I expect you have made a few new year's resolutions. If losing weight, exercising or getting healthy is part of the new and improved you, read this article.
Think Water...
Water is a simple and essential element for your body. Did you know that drinking enough water benefits your health? Water is essential to regulate body temperature, provide lubrication for joints, help blood flow, regulate blood pressure, keep body systems functioning properly and keep skin elastic. Nearly every cell in our body requires water for proper function. Water is also necessary for digestion and the removal of toxins. Water keeps the liver and kidneys functioning well. Inadequate hydration can also cause sluggishness and headache due to a decreased flow of blood to the brain.
How can you incorporate more water in your daily life?
Start slowly; do not feel you need to drink 70 ounces of water right away. Gradually increase the amount of water you drink, and soon you will be consuming more without noticing. Several types of containers are available that you can purchase. Then you can carry water with you to sip throughout the day. Drink at least a cup of water with each meal rather than soda or juice. That would provide 24 ounces right there. You can also cut back on your salt intake, as salt promotes water retention. Once you are properly hydrated, you will notice you feel thirsty more often, prompting you to drink more. You can also count otherr beverages toward your goal, but stay away from sugary drinks or those with caffeine. check lebels, many juices are actually juice drinks and contain little juice & lots of sugar. Sugar causes fluid retention.
To aid in taste, you can add a twist of lemon to your water, or drink pure juices that have been watered down. For many, ice water is more palatable.
How much water?
A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you live in an arid climate, you should add another two servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.
Twenty percent of your water need will come from the foods you eat. The rest of your water need should come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice. Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so if you drink sodas, you may take in more calories than you need. Herbal teas that aren't diuretic are fine. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial, just look out for added sugar and calories that you don't need. Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients.
Caffeinated beverages will also add to your daily water need. Even though caffeine is a diuretic, if you regularly consume caffeine, your body will regulate itself to that diuretic effect.
December 2007
Alternatives to Using Food as a Reward
Teachers, administration, parents, and the community often offer kids food as a reward for “good” behavior. Typically “food rewards” have little or no nutritional value but are used because they are easy, inexpensive treats that are thought to bring about short-term behavior change. Teachers and staff are encouraged to reward students with non-food items.
Disadvantages of Using Food as a Reward
It sends a mixed message between nutrition education taught in the classroom and the school environment.
It encourages over consumption of foods high in processed sugars & fats.
It may displace more nutritious foods offered in the school meal program.
It teaches kids to eat when they are not hungry .
It models using food as a reward.
Zero Cost Alternatives
Verbal praise
Recognize over announcements
eit by friends
Take a walk with teacher/principal
Make a delivery to the office
No homework pass
Read or eat lunch outside
Read to a younger class
Extra recess time
Class walking break
Listen/Dance to music
Free choice time
Game day
Listen to a book on tape
Extra computer time
Teacher performs special skill (i.e. sing, dance)
Teacher reads a special book to the class
Read morning announcements
Go to library to select a book to read
Design a class/school bulletin board
Take care of class animal
Play a game
Walking field trip
Photo recognition board
Low Cost Alternatives
Books, bookmarks, sit at teachers desk
pencils, pens, and erasers
notepads/notebooks
trophy, plaque, ribbon, certificate, Eat lunch with the teacher/principal
sidewalk chalk, be classroom helper
trading cards, teach class or help teacher teach
stencils, stamps, trip to the teasure box
coloring books, art supplies, note of recognition from teacher or principal
glitter, gift certificate to school store or book fair
paddleballs, frisbees, hula hoops
water bottles, toys/trinkets, yo-yos
playing cards, key chains, plants, seeds 7 a pot for growing, rulers
points/ token system, privileges or prizes
November 2007
Curb Your Cravings... the holidays are especially difficult I know, so read on !
Even the health-minded can fall victim to temptation, reaching for cheese puffs as the antidote to stress, boredom, or plummeting energy. The ensuing cycle of craving leaves guilt and dissatisfaction in its wake -- not to mention less room in the belly for healthier fare come mealtime.
What's the attraction? "When people have cravings, it's usually for simple carbs," explains Rena Greenberg, author of "The Craving Cure." That's partly because carbohydrate consumption increases the release of serotonin, the brain chemical responsible for calming us down, she says. To compound the issue, food cravings can get deeply ingrained in memory. "When you experience a craving, you're essentially remembering how good it felt to eat that particular food," explains food psychologist Marcia Pelchat, Ph.D. Her own study revealed that during food cravings, areas of the brain that govern memory become more active than areas associated with reward. Basically, you may crave that doughnut not only because it's delicious but because eating one in the past lifted you to sensory nirvana.
Fortunately, conquering cravings isn't about willing yourself to deflect each one. By establishing simple changes to your diet, you'll arm yourself with an all-day resistance plan.
Dawn-to-Dusk Defense Cracking down on cravings, even if they occur late in the afternoon, starts with a balanced breakfast. "Often cravings occur because we're not nourished enough," Greenberg says. Meals high in simple carbs and sugars -- like waffles, white toast, and many cereals and breakfast bars -- cause your blood sugar to surge and then crash, requiring another infusion of carbs. If you have something too sweet for breakfast, often you'll be hungry again soon, warns Barbara Olendzki, R.D., M.P.H., nutrition program director at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
To curb the cycle, start the day with a mix of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs, says Jennifer Workman, R.D., author of "Stop Your Cravings!" "If you include an egg, cottage cheese, or some nut butter in your breakfast, you should feel full or at least satiated for the next three hours." Findings from a 2005 study from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition support this approach: After eating eggs for breakfast, a group of overweight women felt fuller, had fewer cravings, and consumed fewer calories later on than those who ate bagels for breakfast.
For extra protection from a blood-sugar crash, keep healthy snacks at the ready -- again, with a mix of complex carbs, protein, and fat. A few of Workman's favorites? Edamame and a cup of miso soup, hummus with feta cheese and olives wrapped in pita bread, and energy bars made from whole foods like nuts, seeds, and fruit.
Lunch should be your biggest meal of the day, says Workman. "People usually start craving carbs and sugar to keep them going between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.," she says. "But if you eat a big lunch and have a protein snack (like nuts or tuna) sometime around 4, you probably won't have those cravings." Dinner, on the other hand, should be your smallest meal, with dishes like soups and stir-fries offering an easy way to balance protein, fat, and carbs.
Fill Up on Flavor Your next step might sound counterintuitive: Get the most flavor out of every bite. As Workman explains it, going bland in an effort to be healthy -- baked chicken and steamed broccoli, hold the salt -- can backfire. "You'll compensate by bingeing on chips or cookies," she cautions.
Part of the problem, Workman suggests, is that we're used to sweet and salty, since American cuisine focuses on these two flavors. But it's also too easy to forget that food is supposed to taste good. The solution: Use spices liberally, and broaden your palate by exploring Japanese, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Play around with peanut satay sauce and ginger-mango chutney, or round out your meal with a spicy cup of chai. Incorporate more sour and bitter foods as well.
Target any lingering sweet and salty hankerings with healthier alternatives, like tamari almonds or dried cranberries. A hunger for salt may signal that your body needs more minerals, and loading up on leafy greens can help replenish them, says Olendzki.
Let yourself indulge once in a while, too. A study published in the journal Appetite found that a group of female dieters craved chocolate with more intensity than did nondieters. What's more, the study's authors noted that denying such richly flavored, pleasure-giving foods may induce feelings of guilt, anxiety, and depression.
Get to the Heart of It Finally, work to untangle the association of food and comfort -- sometimes easier said than done. Many of us grew up eating carbs as a way to placate feelings of unhappiness or unease. "When we got upset over something as children, our caretakers would tell us, 'Have a cookie, have some candy,'" says Greenberg. "So we learned to soothe ourselves with food, and the pattern became deeply ingrained."
Although carbs can be effective as quick tension-melters, start learning to unwind in healthier ways. Workman suggests looking to exercise and practices like yoga, deep breathing, and meditation as ways to relax. And keep in mind that "your cravings may be trying to tell you something," she says. Perhaps that chocolate you eat after each and every staff meeting is a sign that you need a change at work. Whatever the underlying message, says Workman, facing it directly -- rather than placating it with Cheez-Its -- will be healthier in the long run.
When Cravings Strike Even with careful plotting against the allure of coffee, ice cream, and cupcakes, you might still feel inspired, on occasion, to pull an Augustus Gloop at the Wonka factory. How to deal?
1. Distract yourself. "If you can ride out a craving, it will usually fade after 20 or 30 minutes," says Olendzki. To make that time pass faster, phone a friend or pick up a crossword puzzle. "There's an obsessive component to cravings" says Maria Pelchat, Ph.D. "But sometimes you can silence them by focusing on something else."
2. Make a swap. Selecting a healthier version of the food you want -- choosing whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter over peanut butter cookies, for instance -- can satisfy your cravings and leave you feeling guilt-free.
3. Find a new obsession. "Cravings seem to be learned; they have a lot in common with habit," explains Pelchat. Although opening a bag of candy when 3 p.m. comes around can quickly become a workday ritual, so can reaching for a handful of grapes and cashews. "It is possible to crave foods that are good for you," she says. "Some cravings might never go away completely, but if you can develop new habits, over time the probability of triggering those old cravings will be diminished."
Elizabeth Barker is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles.First Published: October~2007
To Staff, Students, Parents & Community, November 2007
I welcome you to the district nutrition web site. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 included a requirement that local education agencies participating in National school Lunch Programs have a local wellness policy in place. As our district developed its wellness policy, it became evident that a strong nutrition component was important to include in its efforts to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity, diabetes and related health problems.
As your new nutrition coordinator, I am happy to be part of this effort to "raise the bar" in providing quality food service and nutrition education. Promoting the health and well being of our school children is part of the equation to creating "healthy schools." As a member of the National School Nutrition Association (SNA), and the local affiliate, I will be using as many resources available to further the committment to healthful meals and nutrition education for all of our children.
Because healthy school meals play such a vital role in children's health, I will be promoting some activities sponsored by SNA that create awareness for the general public as well as school children & their families. Look for press releases & activities on this site and in our local paper.
The 2007-2008 school year will feature National School Breakfast Week (March 3-7). Our actual blast-off began November 1st , when participating students launched the " Fuel Your Imagination" creative writing contest. Rocket scientist or not, we can all appreciate how important a good breakfast is in improved readiness to learn, academic achievement and student success. Here is a fun "factoid" "According to the food Research and Action center, children who have school breakfast eat more fruits, drink more milk and consume less saturated fat than those who don't eat breakfast or have breakfast at home." www.sna.org Hooray for school breakfast & lunch! That's all for now, but stay tuned for more and don't forget to visit this web site frequently.
Please email me if you have any questions,
Sincerely,
Suzanne Savage,
Nutrition Coordinator
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