Eat This, Not That
Posted by Stephanie | Filed under Dish It!
Most of us started the New Year with resolutions so lofty and vague they were bound to be broken by spring. Make your changes stick this year by making them attainable. Instead of resolving to “eat healthier”, zero-in on specific behaviors you know you can stick with. For example: I will eat fruit and a handful of nuts instead of a candy bar or diet soda as an afternoon snack. Or I will start each day with a healthy breakfast. Now these are changes with some staying power.
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A great way to get started is to re-stock your kitchen with healthy, delicious foods. However, many times, labels can be confusing and misleading. If you need a little help in this department, we recommend the book Eat This, Not That: The Supermarket Survival Guide. This simple illustrated guide to thousands of foods provides you with all of the insider tips and savvy tricks you need to cut calories, save cash, and ensure that your kitchen is stocked with best possible foods your grocery store has to offer. We promise you will be shocked at some of the finds!
Until then, here are some healthy staples of what I have in my home:
In the Freezer
1. Frozen veggies: I recommend keeping a variety, corn, peas and shelled edamame. They are rich in protein, iron, fiber and calcium. You will always have veggies on hand even if you didn’t make it to the grocery store all week. Each night at dinner, try filling half your plate with vegetables. Serving up salads, stir fry, or other vegetable-rich fare makes it easier to reach this goal. After all, didn’t your mama always tell you to eat your vegetables?
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2. Frozen Berries. Whatever your family favorite is, these little jewels are bursting with antioxidants and are a good source of dietary fiber. Food and Nutrition Editor Frances Largeman-Roth, RD states, “The chilly fruit is just as good for you as the fresh stuff!” They are so easy to grab and add to a smoothie, plop in your yogurt or cereal or top off a slice of fat free angel food.
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3. Frozen Shrimp. Choose the raw cleaned version. These are a great go-to source of protein, quick to cook and so versatile. Add these guys to a salad, grill them in your grill pan or outside in less than 10 minutes or make a delicious shrimp scampi with whole wheat pasta.
Here’s a tip you may not know: To defrost shrimp, place it in a bowl of cold water or in the refrigerator. Do not thaw the shrimp at room temperature or in a microwave since this can lead to a loss of moisture and nutrients.
In the pantry:
1. Whole wheat/whole grain pasta. Pasta is a great way to get the family extra protein and fiber, and always a kid fav. Though people have grown accustomed to the mellow taste and texture of refined pasta, whole-wheat pasta is higher in protein, and tends to be more filling, so you actually eat less. Can you say BONUS?!
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2. Tomatoes. Crushed, diced etc … I use the crushed tomatoes for my go-to pasta meal, penne with a Spicy Sausage and Tomato Basil Sauce; the Italian style diced tomatoes for my Quick and Delicious Soup Dinner, Spinach Tortellini (both posted under Dish It). Though raw tomatoes are great for you, cooking them releases even more of the benefits. Lycopene, the red pigment that acts as an antioxidant, is located in the cell wall of the tomato, so by cooking in a bit of oil, this healing compound is more fully released.
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3. Dried Fruits and Nuts. Chose the ones your family likes and mix up some homemade granola for the kids lunch box. Almonds, cranberries, and dried pineapple are my son’s favorite. A great source of vitamins, protein, and antioxidants. Keep your snack to 1 serving, about a 1/4 cup.
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4. Brown Rice. Yes, it is time to make the switch. Nutrition magazines call brown rice “every weight watcher’s dream food.” I’ll admit it, my husband didn’t like it at first, but now he can’t tell the difference. Topped with his favorite stirfry mix of chicken and veggies, I know I have made a healthier choice to serve the family. It is easy, inexpensive, comes in a boil-in-bag version and is ready in 7 minutes!
So there you have it! Rid your kitchen of those sneaky calories & enjoy!
2 Responses to “Eat This, Not That”
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March 9th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Another good alternative to regular pasta … just discovered organic brown rice penna pasta at Trader Joe’s. It’s really good!
March 9th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
I’ve read ‘Eat This, Not That’ and thought the book was great. This is a reminder to get the book back out and re-read it. I need a boost to get off these winter pounds I have accumulated. I love this site by the way. Thanks SoMo!