Having diabetes or pre-diabetes doesn't mean you can't have pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. It does mean that you have to be a little more mindful of your desert choices. Here are 2 ways to make any dessert recipe a little bit healthier. Cut back on the sugar Slow the absorption of sugar by adding fiber, protein and healthy fats #1 How to cut back on sugar in recipes You can often decrease the sugar in a recipe by 1/4 without changing the texture. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you would only add 3/4 cup. It will taste less sweet, but overtime you'll enjoy desserts that aren't as sweet. I made this cookie recipe yesterday with only 1/2 cup sugar instead of 3/4 cup. Everyone still loved them! You might be thinking that 1/4 cup won't make a difference in sugar content, but it totally does. In some cases, it can save you 1-2 teaspoons of sugar per cookie! How does 1 teaspoon compare to your daily limit? The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to 6 teaspoons per day for kids and women. So 1 teaspoon is a big deal! Little changes add up over time! Here's an example of a lower sugar pumpkin cake I frequently make. The original recipe had 2 cups of sugar and I cut it back to 1 + 1/3 cup. https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/pumpkin-cake #2 How to slow the absorption of sugar One way to help the body handle extra sugar is to slow down digestion so that the sugar in food doesn't all enter into the bloodstream at once. Protein, fat and fiber slow down digestion. Look for dessert recipes with the following ingredients: Nuts & nut butters: high in protein, fiber and healthy fats Whole Grain Flours: Whole wheat flour is high in protein and fiber. I keep whole wheat pastry flour on hand for making cookies (I buy it in bulk at WinCo). You usually can't tell the difference between this flour and white flour in cookie recipes. Fruits & Vegetables: bananas, apples, applesauce and pumpkin are in fiber. They also add natural sweetness, which helps you to decrease the amount of added sugar. Blended Beans: I know this sounds weird, but beans add fiber and protein. My kids love these black bean brownies (I just use butter and regular sugar instead of those fancy ingredients): https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/fudgy-maple-flourless-black-bean-brownies/#wprm-recipe-container-33779 These are my favorite sites for healthier dessert recipes: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/category/meal-type/dessert/ https://cookieandkate.com/category/food-recipes/dessert/ What dessert will I be bringing for Thanksgiving? image source: food52 (link below) Pumpkin Pudding. I follow this recipe , but decrease the sugar to a little bit more than 1/2 cup. I don't want to waste my calories on the crust because I only like the filling anyway. image source: ambitious kitchen (link below) Apple Crisp . I follow this recipe , but decrease the sugar in the apples to 2 Tablespoons. I'll use sugar, not maple syrup. Maple syrup is way too expensive. Remember, just because you have diabetes doesn't mean you can't have sweets. It does mean you need to be careful how much you eat, and adapting recipes to be a little healthier can make a difference in the long run. What will you be cooking for Thanksgiving? Leave a comment or send me an email, I want to know!

Why wait for the new year to start healthy habits? Jumpstart your healthy eating goals now with these delicious fruit and veggie side dishes. Whether you are hosting a Thanksgiving crowd, or just bringing something to share, these yummy recipes are sure to please your "peeps" and your palate. #1 Roasted Brussel Sprouts At my family's thanksgiving get togethers, someone is always ASSIGNED the brussels sprouts, just like someone is ASSIGNED the rolls and apple pie. They are that good. Unlike boiled brussels sprouts (gag and cringe), roasted sprouts are crispy, sweet and delicious. Don't believe me? Check out all the positive reviews in the Allrecipes link below; while you are there, be sure to watch the how-to video. image source: allrecipes.com (link above) How much will this recipe cost? All you have to buy is the brussels sprouts ($5.49 @ Smiths - serves 8-10 people) and top them with a bit of oil and salt. That's it! To cut on costs, you can use frozen brussels sprouts. The texture isn't as good, so I recommend using fresh sprouts your first time, and trying frozen later. Bulk sprouts at Winco or other markets might also be cheaper. Want to know more about how to pick out and store brussels sprouts? Click here . #2 Fresh Fruit Salad Skip the coolwhip/pudding mix and serve your fruit salad naked! It will save you money and calories. My favorite fall fruit salad is: apples, pomegranates and a little bit or orange. Simply peel and chop 2-3 apples, separate the pomegranate seeds and peel the clementines. Mix them together in a bowl and voila, you've got a fancy fruit salad. For a bit more flavor, squeeze juice from a fresh lemon over the top. How much will it cost? About $6. Sometimes you can get apples for less, I like to buy a few different kinds for different flavors. Got new eaters? Serve up some applesauce instead. This recipe is a choking hazard for new eaters! Wait until your child is good a chewing before serving hard apples, pomegranate seeds and orange chunks. #3 Bagged Salad Mix Making your own salad can get expensive, especially if you don't already have dressing ingredients and fancy cheeses on hand. I have fallen in LOVE with bagged salad mixes. The sweet kale and apple feta mixes are the perfect accompaniment to fall meals. My kids love the "Everything Bagel" salad mix from Taylor Farms. The little crunchy bits in these salads also get kids (and wary adults!) interested in eating their greens. The portion size is small to prevent having leftovers rotting in the bottom of your fridge. Smith's often clearances the salads out for $1.50, so keep an eye out for discount tags! Make sure the greens aren't slimy before purchasing and eat them within a day; discount produce is usually at the end of it's life. BONUS RECIPE: This one isn't as easy , but I want you to know about it because it's a family favorite: Roasted Butternut Squash image source: allrecipes.com An alternative to roasted brussels sprouts is roasted butternut squash. It's more difficult to prepare (you have to peel and chop it, which is hard if you don't have sharp knife and a good peeler). When roasted, these little squares of butternut squash taste like french-fries. My family often can't wait for these to get off the pan before they start snitching on them. Check out the recipe and how-to video here: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229733/simple-roasted-butternut-squash/ How much will a butternut cost? About $5 for a whole squash. Pre-cut squash is significantly more expensive per ounce , and frozen is the least expensive, but if you don't want to do the chopping, pre-chopped is a good option. Those are my go-to side dishes for holiday meals. Do you have a favorite holiday side? If so, send me an email nicolebuhlerRD@gmail.com or put a comment on this post. I reply to all comments and emails! Next week I will share some of my favorite sources for healthier thanksgiving desserts! Happy Cooking!

Last weeks blog compared the cost of healthy choices vs. less healthy choices. While the healthy choice isn't ALWAYS less expensive, it often can be. Check out these money saving healthy food swaps: Hot Dog vs. Peanut Butter Cost: peanut butter wins by 3 cents per oz Peanut butter = 10 cents per oz Bar-S Hot Dog = 13 cents per oz Nutrition: Peanut butter wins! More protein and more healthy nutrients per serving! 2 TABLESPOONS PEANUT BUTTER 1 BAR-S HOT DOG 7 grams protein 3 grams protein 3 grams fiber 0 grams fiber 2 grams saturated fat (bad fat) 3 grams saturated fat (bad fat) 150 mg sodium 430 mg sodium 6% iron needs for the day 2% iron needs for the day 150 mg sodium 430 mg sodium I almost never buy hot dogs, but my family eats a jar of peanut butter a week! If you are looking for a quick healthy protein food for your kids, a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread can't be beat in cost or nutrition. Frozen Burrito vs. Tortilla with Cheese & Beans Cost: Tortilla with cheese wins by 5 cents per ounce (not much) tortilla with cheese & beans = 57 cents each frozen burrito = 62 cents each Nutrition: I never buy frozen burritos, but we eat a lot of quesadillas at our house! They are healthier because you can use corn or whole wheat tortillas to increase the fiber! A homemade quesadilla can also have more beans and less cheese! Tuna Sandwich vs. Homemade Hamburger Cost: Tuna Sandwich wins tuna sandwich = $1.37 each energy drink on average = $2.32 each Nutrition: tuna sandwich wins! More protein plus more omega-3 fats and vitamin D! Hamburgers are nutritious! They are high in iron, which is important for young children! But tuna is healthier, less expensive and EASIER TO MAKE. I eat tuna twice a week for lunch. It is one of the healthiest things I eat every week! tuna burger 17 grams protein 12 grams protein 370 mg salt depends on how much you add 12% daily need iron 15% daily need iron 20% daily need omega 3 0% daily need omega 3 15% daily need vitamin D 0% daily need vitamin D Homemade Green Smoothie vs. Store Bought Energy Drink Cost: Green Smoothie wins! green smoothie = $0.87 cents each energy drink on average = $2.50 each Nutrition: green smoothie of course! You may think I'm crazy, but if you want to feel good, drinking a green smoothie will help you so much more than anything in a can. Green smoothies are loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. They are also hydrating and help your body function at it's best. Here's the recipe I use for a green smoothie every day: https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-smoothie That's it for the cost comparisons today! I'll be back next week talking about foods for thanksgiving!

While I was preparing dinner at a family reunion this summer, my cousin said "wow!, you must spend a lot of money on food, look at all that healthy stuff!, I can't eat like that because it's too expensive." I wasn't sure how to respond. I had made tabbouleh, hummus and tzatziki wraps. I served baby carrots and chopped watermelon on the side. (this is an AI generated photo...but it gives you an idea of what that looks like) She was making sandwiches on grandma sycamore's white bread with sliced cheddar cheese and deli ham. For sides she served chips, soda and store bought cookies. (another AI generated photo). Most people think that healthy eating costs a fortune. I disagree. Let's compare the cost of my cousin's ham and cheese sandwich lunch with my tabbouleh wrap lunch. Ham + cheese Sandwich with chips and soda = $2.45 Cost of tabbouleh/hummus wrap with carrots + watermelon = $1.10 It really only cost me 80 cents because I got all the veggies out of my garden for free. Want to know where I got those numbers? Check out the details at the end of the post. You also get "more bang for your buck" with healthy food, because it's loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fats. Look at how nutritious the cheaper lunch is in this table: sandwich with chips, cookie and soda tabbouleh meal fiber 1 gram 6 grams vitamin C 0% 100% daily value vitamin A 0% 100% daily value vitamin K 0% 100% daily value Healthy food also has less added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. sandwich with chips, cookie and soda tabbouleh meal added sugar 40 grams (cookie + soda) 0 grams added salt 210 mg Doritos + 260 mg ham + 120 cheese + 160 mg Oreos (total 750mg) 230 mg from tzatiki + tabbouleh + hummus + 340 tortilla (total 570mg) unhealthy saturated fats 4.5 grams saturated 1 gram saturated fat Yes, eating healthy does require some planning, preparation and know-how. But it certainly doesn't cost more! I know Tzatziki and Hummus is too weird and complicated for many people, so let's compare something easier: chicken nuggets + fries vs black beans with rice and salsa Great value Chicken Nuggets + great value french fries = 18.7 cent/oz + 9.3 cents/oz Canned black beans + brown rice + salsa = 5.7 cents/oz + 5 cents/oz + 3 cents/oz 1 serving for a toddler is 2 oz protein (beans or chicken) and 2 oz starch, so Nuggets + fries = 50 cents beans, rice, salsa = 25 cents Beans and Rice have less sodium plus more fiber and nutrients! Look at this table below: nuggets beans + rice 1 grams saturated fat 0 grams saturated fat 225 mg sodium 65 mg sodium 1 gram fiber 4.5 grams fiber 0 mg calcium 25 mg calcium 1 mg iron 1.25 mg iron Still not convinced that healthy eating is going to save you money? Stay tuned. Next week I will compare a few more meals. If you want more to read until then read this post I wrote about how cooking at home will save you money. Nicole Detailed cost analysis of ham sandwich vs. tabbouleh meal: Cost of Ham + cheese Sandwich with chips and soda: $2.45 grandma sycamore's bread: 2.98 for 19 slices (16 cents/slice) 16 oz container great value deli ham: 5.97 for 16 oz (75 cents for 2 oz serving) sliced cheddar cheese: 2.24 for 12 slices (19 cents per slice) Doritos 3.00 for 9 servings (50 cents per serving) Great Value Twist Up soda can: 4.46 for 12 cans (37 cents per can) package of Oreos: $4.88 (32 cents per serving) total: $2.45 for one serving of a sandwich, chips, soda and cookie Cost of tabbouleh + hummus + baby carrots + watermelon: $0.80 ($1.10 if you don't get free veggies) Tabbouleh: total: 7 cents per serving (71 cents per recipe) bulgur wheat from winco bins: 9 cents for 1 cup for the whole recipe, so maybe 1 cent per serving cucumber: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets red bell pepper: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets parsley: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets olive oil: 50 cents per 1/4 cup, so maybe 5 cents lemon juice: from a lemon I bought on discount as smiths (10 cents) cumin, salt, pepper: maybe 2 cents Tazatziki:   8 cents per serving (78 cents for the entire recipe) yogurt: 2.56 for the container which is 25 cents per cup sour cream: 50 cents per half cup cucumber: (free from my garden), if you don't garden and are receiving SNAP, free from farmers markets dill, salt, pepper: maybe 2 cents per recipe Hummus:   15 cents per serving (1.40 for the entire recipe) garbanzo beans: 86 cents per can (17 cents per serving) olive oil: 50 cents per 1/4 cup lemon juice: from a lemon I bought on discount as smiths (10 cents) garlic powder: less than 1 cent Tortillas: 1.98 for 10 tortillas (20 cents each) baby carrots: 12 cents per serving watermelon: 4.58 each (about 20 cents per serving) total: $0.80 for one hummus, tazatziki, tabbouleh wrap with carrots and watermelon add .30 cents for cuke, bell pepper and parsley per serving if you don't grow your own, so $1.10

When my teenage kids' friends find out that I'm a dietitian, they immediately start asking if my kids are allowed to eat candy. They think that because I'm a dietitian, I don't allow ANY sweets or treats in our house. The opposite is true. I love treats. I love candy and baking, and I love Halloween! Eating healthy is all about moderation and balance . I'm planning a Halloween party for my 3rd grader. We will be making Frankenstein toast, mummy toast, apple teeth and mummy dogs. We will also eat donuts off of a string and have some candy corn. What's my opinion on Halloween candy? My opinion aligns 100% with my fellow Dietitian Ellyn Satter. I think that every parent should read this article she wrote about Halloween candy: https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/family-meals-focus/30-halloween-candy/ I've been following her advice since my kids were little, it works well! Now that my kids are older, it's common for me to find old Halloween candy in the pantry during our April spring cleaning. Some parents like to do the "switch witch" where they switch Halloween candy for books and toys. I've never tried this....mostly because I'm lazy and it requires some forethought. But here's an excellent way to think about the switch witch from a Registered Dietitian's perspective: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/switch-witch/ Happy Halloween! Looking for fun recipes to make? Here's a few of our Halloween favorite recipes: https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/mummy-toast https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/frankenstein-avocado-toast https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/ghost-toast https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/pumpkin-black-bean-soup Last year I tried this recipe from the blog tastes better from scratch , it was delicious and fun! https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/dinner-in-a-pumpkin-2/ See you next week!

“Why do you have to be a dietitian, Mom?, it ruins all of our fun !” my 5 year old pouted. I had just finished telling him that we couldn't have only Halloween candy for lunch. As I served him up a tuna sandwich with a Milky Way on the side, I thought to myself “Why does all fun have to involve candy?' ' I don't like setting limits around treats and candy. I worry: " Am I too strict? Am I ruining all of my kids' fun? Am I making my kids crazy about treats?" But I still set limits because I know it's important. ( read more about how to do it here ) I wanted to argue and defend my fun-mom-ness, but I knew arguing wouldn't help. Arguing is not something fun-moms do. Instead, I got creative and came up with something fun and healthy to do together later in the day: Halloween food crafts FUN HALLOWEEN FOOD CRAFTS Using my friend google, I found fun Halloween lunch ideas: Frankenstein-avocado toast , mummy pizza and ghost toast . I’ve since re-created them and posted them here , here and here . These recipes are FUN, healthy and within-my-food-crafting-abilities (meaning that they require ZERO skill). The recipes also taste really good. I love peanut butter and banana ghost toast, and my son loves the mummy toast. This toast is a great way to have Halloween fun without candy. Candy isn't evil. I like candy! I just like it in limited doses, and it's always good to find ways to have fun without added sugar. Let me know if you try any of these recipes! Watch your email for next week's post, I'll be discussing the "Sticky Topic of Halloween Candy." Happy Eating! Nicole My Menu for this week: Monday: Nachos topped with cheese, beans, fresh salsa and avocado Tuesday: Elk and potato stew + whole wheat bread + apples Wednesday: Bean Soup + whole wheat cheese sandwiches + honeydew melon Thursday: kasha salad with mushrooms + sweet potatoes Friday: pbj + apples (we will be traveling) Saturday: eggs and pancakes

I can't believe how much the price of food has gone up lately. I made a quick trip to the store last week for a camping trip thinking that I would only spend about 100$. Nope. A few days of groceries cost me $200! If the cost of groceries is killing you too, here's a few guaranteed ways to make your grocery budget go further. #1 Drink Water Cost of a 12 pack of soda: about 8$ Cost of water from the tap: FREE Soda can be fun treat, but if you drink 1 can every day this summer (90 days), you will spend 60$ a person on soda. For my family of 5, that equates to 300$! If you are looking to save money on your grocery bill, save soda for special occasions. Don't buy it every week at the store. #2 Cut your own watermelon An average sized watermelon contains about 20 cups of watermelon and costs $4.68 A precut container of watermelon contains 4-6 cups and costs $4.58 Cutting your own watermelon saves SO MUCH MONEY! This advice holds true for any cut and packaged fruit. If you wash and cut your own fruit you'll save so much money! Worried that you'll buy a bad melon? Most stores will exchange a bad melon for a good one. If you choose bad watermelon, just ask if you can exchange it, most stores will say yes! Click here for the best way to cut watermelon and more info on watermelon yields. #3 Buy fresh veggies instead of chips It's a common misconception that junk food costs less than fresh vegetables. In the image below, notice the cost per ounce of chips. It ranges from 22 cents/oz to 60 cents/oz bag of Doritos = 41 cents per ounce. bag of carrots = 4.9 cents per ounce cucumbers = 12.3 center per ounce bag of celery = 7 cents per ounce Want to cut back on your grocery bill? Buy fruits and vegetables! Not only are they less expensive than chips + treats, but your family isn't going to eat them as fast....so they will last longer. Save chips for special occasions. Conclusion: Simple healthy foods are NOT more expensive than chips and soda If you drink water instead of soda, veggies instead of chips and cut your own fruit, you'll save a ton of money at the store. Want more idea on how to save money at the grocery store? Check out these previous blog posts: The #1 Most Effective way to Eat Healthy and Save Money How to make the most of your freezer to eat well and save money How cooking dinner at home saves you money THE most important meal planning advice How to feed your kids for free this summer Another way to get free food this summer Thanks for reading!

It's possible that 50% of my 7 year old body was created from otter pops. I remember slurping up the juice from one otter pop after another after another on hot summer days. I thought I was making a healthy choice! I thought popsicles were made from blended fruit and were thus healthy! Now that I'm a mom, I know better. Each otter pop has 5 grams of sugar. As a kid, I never ate one pop. On a really hot day I'd eat at least 10. That equates to 50 grams of sugar. The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association both recommend limiting added sugar intake to less than 25 grams per day. 50 grams of sugar is way over the daily limit! Does this mean I never buy popsicles? Of course not. Does this mean I set limits on how many my kids eat? Yes. It's okay to set limits! Here are 2 ways to choose healthier popsicles this summer: #1: Make your kids ask before having a popsicle. I think popsicles are a sometimes food, not a free for all. Try to limit to one per day. #2: Choose a popsicle that's actually made from blended fruit, and look for one with a lower amount of added sugar. (or make your own, see the end of the blog for more info) To help you choose a lower sugar variety, here's a list of popsicles and their sugar content. If you enjoy the high sugar varieties, just try to limit how much you eat! I was disheartened to see that the twin popsicles have so much sugar. I loved breaking those things in half on my kitchen counter as a kid....especially the banana ones! Twin Pops $3.00 for 18 popsicles 22 grams of sugar per pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Great Value Freedom Pops $2.48 for 12 9 grams of sugar per pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Monster Pops $3.00 16grams of sugar per pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Popsicle $5.64 for 18 7 grams added sugar per pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Outshine popsicles $5.64 for 12 9 grams added sugar per pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Otter Pops $5.88 for 80 popsicles 5 grams added sugar per otter pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Junior Pops $2.50 for 20 9 grams added sugar per pop (limit is 25g/day for kids) Outshine made with real fruit! $3.98 for 6 bars (expensive) still has 14 grams added sugar! (remember the daily limit is 25 grams) Helado's MINIs (these are small) $4.77 for 12 4-9 grams added sugar per pop (remember the daily limit is 25 grams) La Michoacana $7.78 for 12 18-26 grams added sugar per pop (yikes!) (remember, the daily limit for sugar is 25 grams) Pace Bars 5.99 for 12 19 grams added sugar per pop (remember, the daily limit for sugar is 25 grams) Minion Popsicles 5.99 for 6 (expensive!) 5 grams added sugar per pop (they are tiny) Mighty Ice Pops 2.89 for 9 pops 20 grams added sugar per pop (remember the limit is 25 grams of sugar per day) This isn't a complete list. I'm not saying that you should or should not buy any of these popsicles. I just want you to be AWARE of how much sugar is in popsicles, just in case you are like me and thought that they were full of fruit! When you are shopping, take a minute to compare labels and choose an option with less sugar. Healthy eating is about balance. It's okay to enjoy popsicles, and it's also okay to skip going out for sodas and cookies at swig if you already had a popsicle that day. Looking for a healthier way to cool down? Here's a few ideas: Keep cut watermelon on hand! no added sugars! Fresh fruit is an anytime food at my house! Make your own popsicles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoQe-9joguQ https://minimalistbaker.com/tropical-fruit-popsicles-no-added-sugar/ look for recipes that have no added sugar or honey, stick with whole fruit and 100% fruit juices Banana "nice" cream (no added sugar) https://youtu.be/1HKMAk3LPw4?si=IMufOouEJ7Js2qDB My Favorite Smoothies (no added sugar)! (you could turn any of these into popsicles, but it's not worth the hassle in my opinion) Peanut butter green smoothie https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-smoothie Tropical Smoothie https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/tropical-green-smoothie Beet smoothie https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/raspberry-cottage-cheese-smoothie Happy summer!

Did you know that you can get free food at farmers markets this summer? If you participate in SNAP, "you can get up to $30 of FREE Utah-grown fruits and veggies - per market day - when using your SNAP (food stamp) EBT Horizon card at participating farmers markets. The program works by matching SNAP benefits, dollar-for-dollar, up to thirty dollars at participating markets."(quote from https://uah.org/get-help/snap-farmers-market) So if you spend 30$ at the farmers market, you get 30 MORE dollars to spend on fruits and veggies at the farmers market! Think of all the fresh corn, watermelon and basil you could buy with that!! Fresh cherry season, here we come! Don't let this opportunity pass you by! Check out this website to find a participating farmers market near you: https://uah.org/get-help/snap-farmers-market Here's a list of the farmers markets in Salt Lake County, for all counties, click the link above! Happy Shopping! Next time I'll share my favorite recipes for fresh summer produce!

Tomorrow is the last day of school for my kids. I feel so free! Free from homework struggles Free from early bedtimes Free from early wake up times Free from the daily scramble for everyone's shoes (why are they always outside? Isn't that why we have shoes....to protect our feet outside?) But there's one burden of parenting that I'm not free from in the summer: feeding my kids lunch. School lunch can be a life saver during the school year. Now that school's out, I'm in charge of lunch. Every day. For the next 3 months. If you are also dreading the extra work that summer meal prep brings, I've got just the thing for you: FREE SUMMER MEALS. Nutrition programs offer free meals for all kids under 18, Monday through Friday at a park near you. The meals require ZERO paper work. Just show up, play at the park, and grab some lunch. Use this website to find a summer meal site near you: https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder?cid=fea6e71a684f86c6e3506c894511ea34 After clicking the link, put in your address and all these blue dots will appear. Every blue dot indicates a summer meal site. (below is an image from the webpage, click link about to access the meal site finder) If you click a blue dot, it gives you more information about the summer meal site, including what days and times the meal site operates. (image from meal site finder website) After that, you just show up, play at the park, and get some free healthy food for your child. Meals for adults are not free. For help locating food for adults click here: https://www.fns.usda.gov/national-hunger-hotline Now that we've found a solution to the worst part of summer, I feel like I can honestly say: HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! I'll be back next week with more tips for feeding your kids when school is out.

Do you feel like everyone is going crazy over protein lately? It seems like all the food blogs I follow are shouting this message: "YOU AREN'T EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN". And everyone wants to fix that problem by selling (really expensive) protein powder. I disagree. And I never buy protein powder. Why? I learned in my college nutrition classes that the ideal protein level for most adults is .8 grams per kg of body weight. I weigh 145 pounds, so my ideal protein intake is 52 grams per day. To find your own protein needs, multiply your weight (in pounds) by 0.358 Most adults need between 50 and 70 grams per day. It's really easy to get eat 50 grams protein. It's especially easy if you eat meat, which has about 20 grams protein per serving. Check out the protein content of foods I ate yesterday: breakfast: oats with berries total (22 grams protein): 7 grams = 1/4 cup almonds 8 grams = 1 cup milk 5 grams = 1/2 cup oats 2 grams = 1 cup berries lunch: green smoothie + tuna on crackers (45 grams protein): 8 grams = 1 cup milk 7 grams = 2 Tablespoons peanut butter 1.5 grams = 1 cup collard greens 1.5 grams = 1 banana 24 grams = 1 can tuna 3 grams = 6 triscuit crackers snack: raspberry smoothie (17 grams protein): 8 grams = 1/2 cup cottage cheese 8 grams = 1 cup milk 1 gram = 1/2 cup raspberries 1 gram = 1 banana dinner: soup + salad (28 grams protein): 8 grams = sausage kale soup 6 grams = whole wheat bread 14 grams = 1 cup beans 2 grams = green salad 0.5 grams = 1 apple My total protein intake for the day = 112 grams protein (which equates to 1.69 g/kg....double what I need for the day) See, it's really easy to get enough protein. It's also really easy for toddlers to get enough protein. Toddlers (age 1-3) only need 13 grams of protein each day. Here's an estimated 3 year old's daily intake: breakfast (10.5 grams protein) 8 grams = 1 cup milk 2.5 grams = 1/2 cup cheerios snack (9 grams protein) 7 grams = 1 cheese stick 2 grams = handful of crackers lunch (6 grams protein) 5 grams = 2 chicken nuggets 1 gram = 2 pieces of broccoli 0 grams = apple sauce snack (6 grams protein) 3 grams = 1 slice toast 3 grams = 1 Tablespoon peanut butter dinner (5 grams protein) 1.5 grams = 1/2 tortilla 3.5 grams = 1/2 oz cheese total for the day = 36 grams protein Remember, a toddler only needs 13 grams protein per day This is about 3 times what they need in a day. So if you feel like you aren't getting enough protein, don't worry. You probably are. And your toddler is too. That being said, it's important to eat protein at breakfast. Eating a good source of protein at breakfast keeps you (and your little people) full longer, so you don't have to worry about feeding people again for at least a few hours. Eating protein with breakfast also keeps your blood sugars from going up too fast, which can help you feel your best the rest of the day. While it's good to aim for about 15 grams of protein at each meal (for adults) and 5 grams (for kids age 1-3), I never count protein grams. In fact, I had to look up how much protein is in the foods I ate yesterday to make this post. I simply make sure to include at least 1 protein source in every meal + snack I eat, and by the end of the day I know it will add up to enough. So at breakfast, I usually eat one of the following high protein foods: milk nuts (or nut butter) eggs beans cottage cheese yogurt Things like bread and oatmeal have a little bit too, but not as much as animal foods and nuts. Here are a few of my favorite breakfasts and their protein content (which I had to look up). Eggs in a Mug (18 grams protein, 2 minutes to make) Ingredients: 2 eggs, 1/4 cup cottage cheese Directions: wisk eggs + cheese in a mug. Microwave 1 minute, stir with a fork. Microwave 1 more minute. stir with a fork and eat. 2 Minute Microwave Oats (16 grams protein, 2 minutes to make) Ingredients: 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons peanut butter How: put all in bowl, microwave for 2 minutes, stir and eat Cottage Cheese Pancakes (20 grams for the entire batch, 6 minutes to make) Ingredients: 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 3/4 cup milk How: wisk all ingrdients in a bowl, cook in a skillet 2.5 minutes each side Raspberry Smoothie (21 grams protein, 2 minutes to make) Ingredients: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1 frozen banana How: blend all ingredients in a blender Looking for more healthy breakfast ideas that don't include protein powder? Check out the breakfast section on my website: https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes Thanks for reading! I'll be back in 2 weeks with a new nutrition topic! If you want to be sure to get all my blog posts to your email, click here to subscribe: https://www.ddinutrition.com/subscribe-to-blog

My favorite breakfast as child was deep pocketed Belgian waffles. I loved to fill every square to the top with maple syrup and watch it soak into the bread. Then I'd top the entire thing with whipped cream. Yum. As an adult, I still love a syrup soaked waffle covered in whipped cream. But I save that type of waffle for special occasions. Why? Eating too much sugar makes me feel yucky, especially at breakfast when the rush of sugar can give me a headache. I also know that eating too much sugar causes heart disease, cancer and diabetes, so I try to limit how much sugar I eat every day. Don't get me wrong, I still love sweet treats. But I treat them as just that: treats. Not something I eat every day for breakfast. The American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend limiting ADDED sugar to 25 grams/day for kids. Added sugars are listed on food labels as "added sugars." Natural sugars in milk and fruit are not "added sugars" and don't count toward the 25 grams. Don't limit the amount of fresh fruit your child eats! image source: npr.org https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/05/20/478837157/the-added-sugar-label-is-coming-to-a-packaged-food-near-you It's important to pay attention to how much added sugar you have at breakfast so you can balance it out the rest of the day. So if you really love to eat a syrup soaked waffle for breakfast, you should probably avoid packing dessert in your lunch too. Here's a list of the added sugar content of common breakfast foods. Remember, the limit is 25 grams per day 2 Pop Tarts = 30 grams sugar 1 Blueberry muffin = 25 grams sugar 1 packet hot coco = 23 grams sugar 2 Tablespoons maple syrup = 22 grams sugar 1 Tablespoon Nutella = 19 grams sugar 1 cup chocolate milk = 16 grams sugar 1 glazed donut = 15 grams sugar 1 container strawberry yogurt (6oz) = 13 grams sugar 1 cup Lucky Charms = 12 grams sugar 1 cup Honey Nut Cherrios = 12 grams sugar 1 cup Frosted Flakes = 12 grams sugar 1 capri sun juice pouch = 12 grams sugar 1 Tablespoon grape jelly = 12 grams sugar 1 packet sweetened applesauce = 9 grams sugar 1 cup honey bunches of oats = 9 grams sugar 1 Tablespoon strawberry jam = 9 grams sugar rice chex, rice crispies, corn flakes = 2 grams sugar 1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter = 2 grams sugar Plain Cherrios = 1 gram sugar Eggs, plain milk, plain oatmeal, plain yogurt, fruit = 0 grams added sugar! My childhood waffle probably had at least 1/4 syrup, which equates to 60 grams of added sugar! Remember, the limit is 25 grams per day. See how easy it is to go overboard with sugar at breakfast? I really hate counting calories or sugar grams, but I do think it's important to be aware of what you are eating. I still buy syrup and jam, but I almost never buy pop tarts, boxed cereal, or chocolate milk. They are just too concentrated with sugar, so we save them for special treats. So if we don't we cold cereal for breakfast, what do we eat? Here are my top 4 family breakfasts: #1 Peanut Butter Oatmeal 2 grams added sugar from the peanut butter 2 minutes to make in the microwave https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/peanut-butter-oatmeal #2 Green Smoothie 2g added sugar from the peanut butter 3 minutes to make in a blender https://www.ddinutrition.com/recipes-2/green-smoothie #3 Raspberry Smoothie 0 grams added sugar 2 minutes in a blender https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/raspberry-smoothie/#wprm-recipe-container-118220 #4 Scrambled Eggs 0 grams added sugar 5 minutes in a frying pan Want more healthy breakfast ideas? Join me for a virtual healthy breakfast cooking class next Tuesday March 26th @ 5:30. Send me an email (nicolebuhlerRD@gmail.com) if you want to join and I'll send you the shopping list. Thanks for reading, I'll be back next week to talk about more healthy breakfast ideas!