Healthy Snacks for Children

Healthy Snacks for Children

When it comes to the health of children, it is vital for them to eat properly. Children are more vulnerable than adults to sicknesses, but eating healthy helps their immune system fight off harmful germs.

When children come home from school, they often don’t wait until dinner to indulge in eating. A healthy, light snack is perfect for situations such as this. Here’s a list of healthy snacks to feed children:

• Veggie Platter- An inexpensive yet favorite dish for many youngsters. Simply cut up celery, carrots, brocolli, and any other preferred vegetables. Including a vegetable dip such as ranch or bleu cheese completes the dish.

• Fruit Dish- Fruit is a great after school hours snack. Almost all children love a variety of fruit. Cut up a mixture of fruit such as cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, bananas, grapes.. etc. into a bowl and chill in the fridge. It’s as simple as that and ready to go!
• Crackers and Cheese
• Yogurt – Instead of ice cream, a low-fat yogurt is a good snack choice.
• Applesauce – While applesauce is not a very filling food, it is something good to have on the side.
• Granola Bars
• Healthy Trail Mix

Last but not least don’t forget to include a healthy beverage. My suggestions include water (of course), low-fat milk and 100% fruit juice.

All of the above options are tremendously better than providing cookies, ice cream, and soda.

Don’t Let Your Salad Turn Unhealthy

Don’t Let Your Salad Turn Unhealthy

For those trying to eat healthy, salads are often the perfect option. A nice mix of greens, some carrots, onions, and tomatoes along with a light dressing usually make for a quite healthy dish. But, do realize there are many popular salad toppings that can turn a healthy dish into an unhealthy one?

The first, and one of the most important tips is to be wary of which salad dressing you use. Processed salad dressings from the grocery store usually contain high amounts of sugar, preservatives, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and artificial flavoring. A simple fix for this problem is to create your own dressing. Combining olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic or a combination between balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard can often make a tasty, healthy dressing. If your not into the homemade dressing options, there are some healthier dressings on the market. Just be aware of the ingredients.

Meat is a very popular salad topping but it can be a salad killer. Not all meat is bad, but it certainly depends on what type of meat and how it is cooked. Bacon bits are a big no-no. They contain lots of bad fats and sodium along with harmful preservatives. Salami and ham are some of the most processed meats which also means they contain many preservatives. Bacon, salami and ham should all be avoided as they will add a good amount of saturated fat to your salad.

There are great meat alternatives to the ones already listed. Chicken and turkey are both lower fat meats which can make for a perfect salad topping. Be sure to stay away from fried (or breaded meats) because these add many empty calories. Instead, bake or grill the meat to gain the healthiest advantage.

Cheese is a very popular salad topper. Cheese, when used in moderation, is perfectly fine because it adds calcium and protein. Too much cheese can lead to many extra calories. Feta cheese or parmesan cheese are better options than processed options like American cheese.

Romain lettuce, green leaf lettuce and spinach are three great lettuce options that contain more nutrients than the standard iceberg lettuce. Darker greens will add nutrients along with more flavor.

A few more quick tips include avoiding croutons as they only add extra carbs and avoid adding candied nuts as well. A few substitutes include dried cranberries, fresh veggies and raw nuts. These can add a little crunch and flavor to complete a perfect healthy salad.

Remember to keep all healthy toppings in moderation for the greatest benefit.

Healthiest Ways to Cook Meat

Healthiest Ways to Cook Meat

Meat is an excellent source of protein which our body needs for growth and development. Meat also provides essential amino acids and vitamins for maintaining good health. Although meat provides plenty of benefits, it also contains saturated fats which increase total cholesterol. Thankfully there are healthy ways of cooking meat to help reduce the amount of “bad cholesterol.”

In order to reduce cholesterol in your favorite foods it is important to remember a few simple guidelines. When cooking meats such as hamburgers or pork chops, it is important to broil them instead of pan frying them. Broiling also works great for poultry and fish. A rack can be used when broiling to catch the excess fat and grease from the meat.

Grilling offers many advantages to cooking meat as well. Grilling doesn’t sear fats into the food it cooks, instead the fat drips off the bottom. Grilling meats and vegetables will preserve their intended flavor without sacrificing nutrients.

Avoid breading meat as this adds many extra calories to your meal. Use fresh herbs and lemon juice to marinate and add flavor instead of salt and butter.

Of course the serving size of the meat is also critical. It’s not healthy or necessary to eat an excessively large steak or too much chicken. Keeping everything in moderation is just as important as cooking it properly.

The Correct Temperatures for Cooking Meat

The Correct Temperatures for Cooking Meat

Food safety is a very important part of food preparation. It’s extremely important to cook meat to the proper temperature to avoid harmful parasites and bacteria.

Depending on the cut of meat, different temperatures need to be reached to ensure a healthy meal. It’s important to have a good, working meat thermometer to check meat temperatures. When checking the meat temperature, be sure to stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Follow the instructions for your meat thermometer, but usually allow atleast 15 seconds for the temperature to register.

Here’s the follow temperature table for cooking meat:

Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures:

• Ground beef, pork, veal, lamb: 160°F
• Ground turkey, chicken: 165°F

Fresh Pork:

• Medium: 160°F
• Well Done: 170°F

Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb:

• Medium Rare: 145°F
• Medium: 160°F
• Well Done: 170°F

Poultry:

• Whole Chicken & Turkey: 180°F
• Roasted Poultry Breasts: 170°F
• Poultry Thighs, Wings, Legs: 180°F
• Duck & Goose: 180°F

These figures are from The Nutrition and Food Web Archive.

How Long Are Leftovers Good For?

How Long Are Leftovers Good For?

Depending on the type of leftover, the length of time that they maintain being edible differ. One important aspect for all leftovers is to get the food into refridgeration as soon as possible. It’s recommended that food does not sit out for anymore than two hours before being cooled in the fridge. When food is inbetween a temperature of 40°F and 140°F bacteria multiply rapidly, and the food becomes contaminated.

Proper storing techniques are important for keeping leftovers safe. It’s suggested to not store leftovers in their original cookware to avoid contamination. A good practice is to mark the date of initial storage to keep track of the leftovers age. Some experts suggest that all leftovers be eaten within 2 days. Others say that meat should be eaten within 1 to 3 days, and that vegetables by themselves can last up to 5 days. It’s a debatable topic due to different circumstances almost everytime.

When reheating the food, it is important to heat it to atleast 165°F. If you notice any odors or signs of spoiling, the food should be disposed of right away.

How Healthy is Sushi for you?

How Healthy is Sushi for you?

The first thing that many people think of when it comes to sushi is that it is a raw food. But in truth, not all foods at the sushi bar are raw. The sushi that is raw needs to be well-controlled in order to prevent bacterial growth. As long as raw sushi is cared for properly, there is nothing to worry about.

Sushi is naturally very lean and healthy due to it’s low-fat content. Sushi is generally made of rice, fish, and vegetables. All ingredients in sushi should be exceptionally fresh for best quality.

Although sush is known as being very healthy, it can often be turned into an unhealthy meal. One such way is due to sushi often being wrapped in a white rice roll. White rice is a starch which the body converts into sugar quickly. This type of sushi preparations adds very little nutrients. In terms of healthiness, it is important to have a greater amount of sushi and a lesser amount of roll.

Overall benefits from sushi:

• If rolled in Nori (seaweed), it is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin B-complex, Niacin, and Vitamin C.
• Fish is a great source of protein and minerals.
• Vegetables provide vitamins and nutrients for a healthy diet.
• It tastes great!

Healthy Weight Chart

Healthy Weight Chart

An understanding of your weight relative to your height may be important for some people. Certainly, obesity is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. The following two healthy weight chart tables are based on data from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The tables are based on ages 25-59 to indicate individuals with the lowest mortality rate.

Weight is displayed in pounds