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An easier way to stay on track

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Keeping a record of everything you eat–whether you jot it down in a notebook or use a mobile app like My Fitness Pal–can be a very effective tool for improving your eating habits. Part of it is increased awareness and part of it is the accountability. Even if no one ever sees your diet log but you, you may decide to pass on that random cookie or doughnut hole if you know it’s going on your “permanent record.”

On the other hand, it’s kind of a pain. Even with the convenience of a smart phone app, logging every bite you eat every day quickly becomes tedious. Most people start to drift away from the habit after a week or two–often, when they have a day they’d just as soon be “off the record.” And the benefits of that increased awareness and accountability gradually slip way.

A simpler way to stay on track

Continue reading “An easier way to stay on track” >

What’s the optimal timing for meals and exercise?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Every week, there seems to be a new study or analysis on these questions, such as the one I reviewed in last week’s Nutrition Diva podcast, and others that I’ve tackled in countless other posts and podcasts over the years.

Having spent so much time reviewing all this evidence, I thought I’d share with you my typical eating/exercise schedule. Continue reading “What’s the optimal timing for meals and exercise?” >

Is fruit more nutritious when it’s ripe?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Evie asks: “Is fruit more nutritious when ripe than unripe? For example, would a green banana have less potassium than a yellow one?”

The nutritional content of fruits (including those fruits we think of as vegetables) absolutely changes as the fruit ripens. Whether you would consider it more or less nutritious might depend on your definition, though! Continue reading “Is fruit more nutritious when it’s ripe?” >

How to Start a Healthy Lunch Club

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Bringing your own lunch to work can help you eat healthier and spend less money.  But with all the other demands on you, it can be really challenging to find the time and energy to plan and prepare healthy lunches every day. That’s why I love this new trend that’s been catching on in workplaces around the country: Healthy lunch clubs.

This article is also available as a podcast. Click to listen.

Coworkers take turn bringing in healthy lunches for each other. You get a healthy, home-cooked lunch every day but only need to plan and prepare lunch once every week or two. Instead of eating the same old yogurt and protein bar at your desk every day, participating in a lunch club brings some welcome variety to your lunch menus and a chance to connect socially.

And if you think you can’t afford to take an actual lunch break, studies have found that workers who step away from their desks for lunch are actually more productive than those who eat hunched in front of their computers.

It’s genius!

Six Tips for a Successful Lunch Club

If all that sounds like something you’d like to try, here are some tips for setting up a successful lunch club.

1.  Keep it small. The ideal size for a lunch club is 4-8 members. Although a bigger group means you’ll be on the hook to cook less often, it also means you’ll have to cook for a crowd. If you have 30 people interested, consider setting up several smaller groups.

2. Do some match-making. Lunch clubs can be a fun way to get out of your food rut and try new things. At the same time, your club will be more successful when members have compatible dietary styles and goals. If you have a vegan in the group, for example, everyone would need to be willing to stick to vegan lunch menus. If someone has Celiac disease, all the meals must be gluten-free or have a gluten-free option. Those who are trying to lose weight might find it easier to team up with others who are also restricting calories—but those following a strict low-carb approach and those doing Weight Watchers may want to set up separate clubs.

3. Talk through the details. Your club can set any rules it wants to, as long as everyone is on board.  You can set guidelines on how much members should spend on meals or how the schedule will be managed, or agree that all animal products will be organic, or that no raw garlic will be used, or that meals will include at least 2 servings of vegetables, or whatever other priorities the group agrees on. A group trying to support weight loss, for example, might stipulate that members select recipes that provide nutrition information, which can then be shared.  Some clubs make it a practice to share all the recipes—some even start Pinterest boards, Instagram feeds, or Facebook groups to share and archive photos and recipes for future inspiration. This is also a good time to figure out a back-up plan in case someone is unable to deliver lunch on their appointed day.  Because that will happen.

4.  Consider the logistics. Take into account the resources at your workplace and plan your menus accordingly. Is there enough refrigerator space to store the food until lunch? How will you heat it up? Where will the group eat? What will you serve the food on and with?  Some clubs make good use of slow-cookers or counter-top pressure cookers  to prepare hot food onsite but be sure to always follow safe food handling procedures. For example, it’s not safe to reheat cooked food in a slow cooker on the low setting because it takes the food too long to reach a safe temperature.

When it’s your turn to prepare lunch, do your best to serve up something that’s tasty, wholesome, and satisfying.

5.  It’s OK to keep it simple. When it’s your turn to prepare lunch, do your best to serve up something that’s tasty, wholesome, and satisfying—bonus points if it’s unusual and/or Instagram-worthy. But you needn’t feel pressured to spend hours on complicated recipes. A meal also doesn’t have to be full of expensive ingredients to be a winner.  If you’re someone who enjoys fancy cooking, there’s no reason to hide your light under a barrel—as long as everyone (including you) is clear that such above-and-beyond efforts are completely optional and do not mean that everyone else must reciprocate in kind.  Alternatively, you could form a lunch club with other more ambitious culinarians.

(Here’s a fantastic Pinterest board dedicated to Lunch Club inspiration.)

6.  Feed your family while you’re at it. Finally, why not get even more return on your effort by making enough to feed your family as well as your club members? Once you’ve found your recipe and made your shopping list, doubling the quantities is easy. Take half to work for your lunch club and put the other half in the fridge or freezer to enjoy with your family another night.

Originally published at QuickandDirtyTips.com

Can an anti-inflammatory diet ease aches and pains?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Q. “My physical therapist suggested I go on an anti-inflammatory diet to help with joint pain. From what I can find on the Internet, this is a diet that limits saturated fat and simple carbohydrates (white flour, sugars) and concentrates on fruits, veggies, fish, olive oil and whole grains. Is there evidence that an anti-inflammatory diet can help with pain?” Continue reading “Can an anti-inflammatory diet ease aches and pains?” >

What to look for when choosing an infant formula

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

What to look for when choosing a baby formula

Kelly writes:

“I recently gave birth and despite my best efforts, breastfeeding did not work out for us. Can you provide some kind of framework to make a good choice of formula? I’m sad I can’t give my son breastmilk and I want to give him the next best thing. Are there certain ingredients to look for or to avoid ? Is organic worth it? 

Although breast-feeding is considered to be ideal, there are many for whom this is not possible.  (As a side note, my sympathy goes out to those who are made to feel guilty or inferior for feeding their infants formula. Promoting the benefits of breast-feeding is one thing; demonizing or criticizing women who cannot or do not breast-feed is another.)

I also sympathize with parents faced with the daunting prospect of choosing the “right” formula from an overwhelming array of options.  Let me start by ratcheting down the angst: Babies are remarkably resilient. Like larger humans, they have the ability to thrive even when they do not always have perfect diets. That said, of course we want to do the best we can for them.

Although this should not take the place of the advice of your pediatrician, here are a few thoughts on what to look for and/or avoid in a baby formula. Continue reading “What to look for when choosing an infant formula” >

Are there nutritional benefits to dehydrating fruits and veggies?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

“I read that dehydrators are the in thing this year. Clearly dried fruits are going to contain more sugars per handful than the original fruit but might there be nutritional benefits from drying foods?”

Food dehydrators can be a great way to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables and to create portable, nutritious snacks. Although dried fruits are ever-popular, you can also dry vegetables and herbs.

So, when fresh garden tomatoes are overflowing your counter-tops in September, you can load them into your dehydrator and dry them to use through the winter. Green beans or kale leaves can be lightly salted and turned into addictive crunchy snacks. With a little extra prep, you can make your own homemade fruit leathers, crackers, and jerky! More ideas here. Continue reading “Are there nutritional benefits to dehydrating fruits and veggies?” >