Breakfast Around the World – What’s on “Their Plates”

By Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN

March 23rd, 2012

I recently read a Today’s Dietitian article that discussed Best Breakfasts From Around the World and loved to see that eggs are a common breakfast food in other countries. One key difference is the foods the people in other countries eat with the eggs- the eggs have great company-healthy and colorful plates in many instances.

Interestingly enough many of these breakfasts around the world follow MyPlate concepts, but appear to be more balanced than the US breakfast. I could envision many of these “plates” to easily be half full of vegetables, with a great protein source like eggs, along with fruit, dairy and whole grains.

Breakfast around the world tends to include foods that we, in the US, may not see as common breakfast foods, but are overall quite healthy! Thanks for the RDs who gave their first hand experiences of the most important meal of the day across the world. We could learn much from these other countries. As I leave you today, I challenge you with the phrase: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” Adelle Davis

Tags: breakfast, healthy eating, MyPlate

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The Fast Food and the Furious

By Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN

November 16th, 2011

By: Kasia Ciaston

Today’s blog post is from guest writer Kasia Ciaston. Kasia is a Dietetic Intern at Loyola University and is ENC’s first intern!

Today is National Fast Food Day. Should we be celebrating or criticizing this day of readily prepared foods? The assortment of additives, preservatives and fat contents make these energy-dense foods controversial, but there’s no debating their popular reputation here in the United States. Whether you’re a supporter of the $110 billion fast food industry or a fan of foods with more pronounceable ingredients (monosodium gluta-what?) today is the day to observe and maybe even take part in a fast-food meal at your favorite hot spot.

For those of you frequent-fast-foodies out there who are always on-the-go or don’t have time to cook – there are ways to make healthier choices at the fast food establishments you enjoy. Share my top 10 savory fast food swaps and your clients will see a savings….in their waistlines!

Instead of the jumbo double-decker cheeseburger (440 calories, 25 grams of protein), opt for grilled chicken (300 calories, 28 grams of protein) instead - lean protein may lead to a lean body!
Drink water or unsweetened iced tea instead of sugar-sweetened sodas or juices for caloric savings in the hundreds. A large Coke contains about 310 calories and 86 grams of sugar – that’s almost half a cup of pure sugar!
With salads or subs – choose an oil based vinaigrette dressing instead of anything with the word ‘creamy’ in the name. Using less dressing than you usually do adds to the caloric savings.
Mayonnaise on the side please! – Approximately 2 tablespoons of mayo adds up to 200 added calories or more. Use ketchup or mustard, which have zero grams of fat.
Instead of fries, onion rings, or tater tots – go for a side salad, baked potato, fruit parfait, or even pack your own healthy snack!
Blended or iced coffee drinks are calorie and sugar bombs! Ask for no whipped cream, non-fat milk, or sugar-free syrup to ease the blow to your insulin levels.
Watch out for higher fat toppings like processed cheese and bacon.
When possible ask for extra vegetable toppings! The added fiber will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Choose brown over white (whole wheat) bread that is. The USDA recommends making half of your grains whole grains. Don’t forget to stay active!
Walking for only 20 minutes a day may add up to a pound of weight loss per month!

Tags: fast food, healthy eating, nutrition

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CFBAI Releases its Uniform Nutrition Standards

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD

July 20th, 2011

I think it’s a natural instinct to want to give your child a good start to life. In doing so, one tries to select and prepare healthy foods which will start the child on a path toward becoming a strong and healthy adult. However, the days of preparing foods from scratch are gone. Today’s parents are challenged to balance the benefits of convenience with those of nutrition and cost. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more difficult to make an informed selection in a marketplace that is stocked with foods screaming healthy claims but are not really nutrient dense.

In this regard, the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) has made a first attempt to establish uniform standards for marketing and advertising to kids by member companies. Previously all member companies had their own standards so this move toward uniform standards will give parents some assurance that the food they choose is not packed with unnecessary excesses in sodium, sugar, saturated and trans- fats. The standards affect foods in the following categories: dairy; grains; fruits and vegetables; soups and meal sauces; seeds; nuts, nut butters and spreads; meat, fish and poultry; mixed dishes; and prepared main dishes and meals, such as macaroni and cheese, with each category having its own criteria. If approved, the new CFBAI standards, will affect at least 1/3 of the products now advertised as food for children requiring them to improve their nutrient profile.

Since taste sells, prepared foods have often increased their appeal at the expense of health. This has led to a backlash against prepared foods, which have been blamed for many of our societies’ ills. In fact, it is not the technology but the competitive need to attract the largest market that is the problem. By instituting the agreement, foods designed for children will be more like the food that we would have made if we had had the time and skill to prepare them. This agreement, although not as strict as those recommended by the Interagency Working Group earlier this year, can help children to appreciate the taste of nutrient dense foods so they can grow up to be adults who appreciate the taste of simple flavors and voluntarily limit excessive intake.

Take a look at these other articles on the recent news:

ABC News: Companies Propose Curbing Junk Food Ads for Kids
US News & World Report: Food Industry Sets Standards for Advertising to Kids
LA Times: Consumer Confidential: New limit on food ads, ‘cramming’ is costly, Spotify arrives

Tags: childhood nutrition, healthy eating

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Eight Ideas for Making Family Mealtime a Success

By Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD

May 4th, 2011

Hi Readers! Today we have one of our Registered Dietitian Advisors, Eileen Behan, blogging. Enjoy!

~Marcia

It’s after 6 pm; you just walked in and have a hungry family to feed. Many American families solve the nightly dinner dilemma by grabbing drive-through, eating pizza or fending for themselves before splitting up to spend the evening doing homework, answering e-mails, or watching television. Most families recognize the family meal to be important they just need some help making it work. I have found preplanning and keeping the refrigerator or freezer stocked with ready- to cook food is one important strategy.

The importance of the family meal is not a new idea. A 2000 White House Report by the Council of Economic Advisors, found that children who eat with an adult five times in a week are less likely to be involved in high risk behaviors such as smoking, taking drugs and using alcohol.

Food historian Margaret Visser considers eating together to be so important she writes in her book The Rituals of Dinner: the Origins, Evolution, Eccentricities and Meaning of Table Manners that one definition of family is “those who eat together.”

Keep in mind perfection is not the goal -the real goal is spending time together and reconnecting. It won’t be a surprise to any of us to hear time constraints, and “picky eaters” are common obstacles to the family meal. To make family meals happen turn off the television, cell phones and computers. Reducing screen time and eating family meals has a secondary benefit of reducing the risk of obesity

Here are some meal planning ideas I suggest for busy families:

Preplan meals and cook on the weekend so you have a ready-to-heat meal during the week.
Buy something pre-made a rotisserie chicken for example then balance the meal with a side dish, and a salad.
You can do the same with fast food too, buy a sandwich or burger on the way home and serve it with a fruit plate and cooked frozen or fresh vegetables.
Keep ingredients for “emergency meals” on hand, have eggs for a quick omelet, frozen meat, poultry, or fish and an assortment of vegetables canned, fresh or frozen.
To keep the meal balanced always serve a fruit or vegetable or both with every menu.
Involve the whole family in meal planning, ask children to grade vegetables, A-F, to determine those they like.
For the picky eaters always serve something you know they will eat that might be bread and butter or pasta and cheese. If you know the vegetable won’t be popular put out a bunch of grapes or a bowl of sliced fruit.
For ideas on incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your menu visit the For the Love of Food Project at www.fortheloveoffood.org
If dinner doesn’t work try breakfast as the family meal. To make breakfast successful preplan the night before, have the ingredients for scrambled eggs and toast ready to go and serve with a fruit salad, a sliced grapefruit or frozen fruit defrosted in the refrigerator overnight or try the recipe for my family’s favorite called Blueberry Puff below

Once dinner is on the table sit down, and ignore the dishes or laundry until after the meal. Mealtime presents a good way to catch up, but sometimes that’s easier said then done. To find out how the day went ask everyone to list their high and low points as a conversation starter. To keep meals pleasant don’t focus on who is eating what, focus on basic manners and good behavior. Then enjoy your meal and your family.

Blueberry Puff

I prepare this when I want a hot breakfast but don’t have time to flip pancakes or tend eggs. If extra servings are needed, don’t double the recipe, make two separate batches instead.

Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the butter or oil in a 1-quart baking dish and put it in the hot oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until the butter melts and the dish is hot. Remove the hot dish from the oven and swirl the butter or oil so that it evenly coats the bottom of the sides of the dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and flour and beat well, using a wire whisk or a fork, Pour the batter into the warm dish and scatter the fruit over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Nutrients per serving using butter: 287 calories, 12.4 g fat, 6.0 g saturated fat, cholesterol 206 mg,137 mg sodium, 32.3 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g fiber.

Tags: family, healthy eating, obesity

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About

Nutrition Unscrambled is written by nutrition experts with the Egg Nutrition Center, which is funded by the American Egg Board. It is monitored and maintained by the public relations agency of record. The mission of the Egg Nutrition Center is to be a credible source of nutrition and health science information and the acknowledged leader in research and education related to eggs. For more information, click here.

About the Bloggers

	Mitch Kanter, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Egg Nutrition Center. For more information about Mitch, click here.

	Marcia Greenblum, MS, RD is the Senior Director, Nutrition Education at the Egg Nutrition Center. For more information about Marcia, click here.

	Anna Shlachter, MS, RD, LDN is the Program Manager, Nutrition Research and Communications at the Egg Nutrition Center. For more information about Anna, click here.

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Disclaimer

All information provided within this blog is for informational and educational purposes only and it is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or before making changes to your diet or health behaviors.