Choosing Healthy Foods

As the holidays approach, so do all of the holiday food traditions. From cookie exchanges to holiday parties, many of the season’s festivities focus on food. Despite the fact that we usually follow up the holidays with New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, many of us hold on to the extra pounds we pick up. Research suggests that prevention may be the best strategy. It appears that in an attempt to keep things consistent, our bodies may actually resist changes in our weight even when we eat less and exercise more. Unfortunately though, our bodies seem to be less resistant to weight gain than to weight loss. With this in mind, you may be more successful if you take a few small steps to maintain your weight instead of focusing on losing weight after the parties are over. Choose Strategically. Start your plate with nutrient-dense choices such as fruits and vegetables that can help fill you up on fewer calories. Stick with small portions for foods with added sugars and fats, which can quic...

The American Heart Association advises eating 2 servings of fish per week to maintain good health. Each serving should be 3.5 oz cooked, which is about the size of a deck of cards Fish is a great source of high quality protein as well as many vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and some even contain vitamin D. It may reduce the risk of stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic conditions. Fish consumption has also been linked to boosting memory and reducing stress hormones. Fatty fish, such as salmon, lake trout, herring, sardines and tuna, contain the most omega-3 fatty acids and therefore provide the greatest benefit, but most types of seafood contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Depending on how the fish you choose to eat is cooked, will determine how healthy that choice turns out to be. For example, broiling or baking fish is a healthier option than deep-frying. It is important to note that mercury is a toxin that accumulates and, for that reason,...

Depending on who you talk to, juice is either part of the latest health trend or on the list of things to avoid. Understanding what juice does and doesn’t offer can help you decide if it is right for you. The Up Side: Fruits and vegetables offer a variety of health-promoting nutrients, many of which are still available in the juice squeezed from them. Juices can be a convenient and tasty way to get those nutrients. Juices also offer a way to get fruits and vegetables that you may not usually eat in the whole form. For example, cranberry juice is a popular alternative to whole cranberries and a great way to get some important antioxidants. People who don’t normally eat spinach may find that when juiced with other vegetables and fruit, they enjoy it. The Down Side: With about 50-115 calories per cup, fruit and vegetable juices are not low calorie drinks. For that reason, drinking a lot of juice could potentially make weight management more difficult. Research suggests that people who dri...

Choosing beverages that contain lots of added sugar are not the best choice! Sugar-sweetened beverages contain a lot of extra calories and almost no nutrients.  If you are consuming high-sugar drinks (i.e., soda or juice) regularly, over time it can lead to weight gain, which in turn will increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease as well as other medical issues. As of now, there are no federal guidelines regarding the amount of sugar you should consume. However, the American Heart Association recommends that we consume less sugar – no more than 6 teaspoons (tsp.) or 100 calories a day of sugar for most women and no more than 9 teaspoons or 150 calories a day for most men. There is no nutritional need or benefit that comes from sugar that is added to beverages. Here is something to consider: a can of regular soda contains about 9-10 tsp. of sugar and a 12 oz. bottle of apple or cranberry juice contains about 10-11 tsp. of sugar, which provides about 150 calories...

with Northeastern campus executive chef Tom Barton I would like to welcome everyone back to campus. Hope everyone had a great summer and hope everyone is settling in. We have received a few questions about some of our local products that we serve so I thought I would take this opportunity to talk a little more about the products that we do purchase locally. Right now is a GREAT time to buying local. What we buy changes from week to week based on our menus and what items the farmers feel is in peak condition to send to us. The past few weeks have been filled with potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, kale, chard, lettuces, squashes of all sorts, tomatoes, corn, and, of course, apples. Keep an eye out at Stetson for Chef Sam's fresh corn station – if you like Mexican street corn you'll love this! Many of the items listed above fit perfectly into our "root to tip" vegetable program. In short, we use as much of the vegetable as possible – including the peel and the tops. Many...

No matter how many times we’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, many of us still don’t give breakfast much thought. Whether we choose fast over healthy while on the run or skip breakfast all together, much of the time we are not providing our bodies with the proper fuel to start the day. Is breakfast really that important? Recent research says yes. People who eat a healthy breakfast tend to get more of the important nutrients we need. Traditional breakfast foods tend to be good sources of key nutrients like fiber, calcium, vitamin D and others that we may not otherwise be getting enough of. Healthy breakfast eaters may also be better at managing their weight. What’s for breakfast? While simply eating breakfast is a good thing, it is what we eat that is most important. Try these suggestions for a healthy breakfast: Whole grain cereal with low fat milk and fresh fruit Low fat yogurt with granola and dried fruit Whole wheat pancakes or muffin with fresh berries ...

We’ve all heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but a recent study suggests that apples may keep the scale from tipping too. Can apples really help with weight management? A recent study found that children ages 2-18 who ate apples were less likely to be obese and had better diets overall than children who didn’t eat apples. The relationship between having a healthier weight was seen with whole apples and total apple products, but not with apple sauce or apple juice individually. The researchers suggest that this may be because whole apples tend to be more filling than apple juice or sauce. It is important to note that while eating fruit overall has been associated with being healthier, this single study doesn’t necessarily mean that an apple a day is the key to weight loss or management. It may in fact be that children who eat apples tend to have other healthy habits too. Is it just apples? How about other fruit? Fruit overall offers a lot of beneficial nutrients fo...

Getting outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather is one of the perks of this time of year. If picnics are part of your plans, take caution with time and temperature to make sure nothing spoils your fun. Eating outdoors can be a great way to get some fresh air during your lunch break. Unfortunately, many of us tend to forget some of the basics of food safety when it comes to eating outdoors. To make sure that foodborne illness doesn’t spoil your outdoor eating, follow these simple rules. Wash your hands This effective step isn’t always so easy when you are outside. Consider washing your hands right before you head out or bring some hand wipes with you. Maintain food temperature Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. The bacteria that can make us sick enjoy the warm weather as much as we do. To keep your food safe from unwanted bacteria, keep food below 40°F or above 140°F. Consider ice packs or hot food containers if you don’t plan to eat your food right away. If you can’t do this, reme...

If news that the FDA recently asked KIND to stop referring to their bars as “healthy” has you confused, you are not alone. With ingredients like nuts and fruit that nutrition experts consistently encourage, it may seem odd that they wouldn’t be healthy. So, what is the FDA saying? Why is the FDA involved? The FDA, or Food and Drug Administration, is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring that foods (except for meat from livestock, poultry and some egg products which are regulated by the USDA) are safe, wholesome, sanitary and properly labeled. Under its role to ensure that foods are properly labeled, FDA regulates the use of health claims on foods, including the term “healthy.” What does “healthy” mean to the FDA? Most nutrition experts will tell you that being healthy is about eating a variety of good foods. Defining one food as healthy or not within the context of an overall diet can be complicated. To make sure that the term is applied to foods consistently, th...

Every five years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated to reflect the latest in nutrition research. With the 2015 guidelines expected later this year, will we see any big changes? What are the Dietary Guidelines? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) include advice about nutrition and physical activity for Americans ages 2 years and over. Recommendations from the DGAs are based on a review of the current science and provide the basis for federal food and nutrition policy and education initiatives. The DGAs are updated every five years by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Will we see anything new? The expert committee selected to review the latest research and make recommendations for this year’s guidelines recently submitted their report. Many of the committee’s recommendations are ones we have heard before – eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, seafood, legumes and nuts; eat les...

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, so it seems logical to  ask – Is coffee good for us? Some studies show benefit and others don’t. So what is  the bottom line with coffee? Coffee Benefits: Studies have found evidence that coffee can help protect us from a variety of illnesses. Aside  from the obvious caffeine boost, which we like for the pick-me-up, coffee contains other  beneficial compounds. A recent study found that people who drank four or more cups of  coffee per day may lower their risk of melanoma as much as 20%, possibly due to protection  from sun damage. Other studies have found that coffee drinkers have lower risk for other  cancers, heart disease and even live longer overall. Coffee Risks: While the overall research suggests that coffee has benefits, not everyone responds to coffee  or the caffeine it contains in the same way. People with high blood pressure and pregnant  women should consider limiting the...

It is almost that time of year again. Educate Your Palate , our end-of-the-year culinary extravaganza, is now less than one week away! On Thursday, April 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, International Village Dining will be transformed into a completely redesigned dining space for a culinary adventure circling the globe! We can't divulge too many details – we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise after all – but we hope that you'll be able to take some time on your reading day to join us for a dinner that you won't soon forget. If you weren't able to come to last year's Educate Your Palate, dubbed A Spoonful of Spring (or just want to relive the event again), take a look at our photos from the event and check out the menu that was served, including locally harvested oysters, freshly pan-fried kimchi and tofu dumplings, and a carving station with grilled leg of lamb. We hope to see you there!

We all know that getting more exercise is good for us, but that may not be enough. While moving more is good, being sedentary less often is also important. Some health experts are even calling sitting the new smoking. So, if you went to the gym this morning, don't use that as an excuse to sit around the rest of the day. What's wrong with sitting? New evidence suggests that too much sitting, such as working at a desk, watching television and  other low energy activities, is a risk factor by itself for poor health. While the research is still in the early phases and the exact reasons why sitting isn't good for us aren't fully known yet, there is almost no downside to moving more. So for now, even if the only benefit you get from sitting less is feeling less stiffness at the end of the day, it is worth giving it a try. How much do we need to move? Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. Spe...

If you've heard the recommendation that we should eat less salt, then you've also probably heard the counter-argument that salt is not a problem. With conflicting reports, it may be hard to decide what you should do with the salt shaker. Salt or Sodium Salt and sodium are often used interchangeably, but they do in fact mean different things. When it comes to health, sodium is what we are concerned with. What we typically refer to as salt, is actually a mix of sodium and chloride. Sodium is found in a variety of the foods we eat, and even in some drinks both as part of the food’s natural make up or from salt that is added during preparation or processing. How much is too much? Despite the appearance of a controversy about sodium intake and health, there is strong evidence, with widespread agreement, that most of us are taking in too much sodium. The average American takes in about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. The recommended limit for healthy adults is 2,300 mg per day. There is ...

Campus Executive Chef Tom Barton here with a behind the scenes look at the Hungry Hungry Husky's new menu for this spring. The food truck is a great place for us to have a little fun and experiment with emerging food trends and with the international theme of the truck we are especially interested in exciting menu items from around the world. This spring's menu features your favorite H3 items – our Famous Mac & Cheese and the Thai Basil Bowl (now with chicken or new sriracha glazed tofu) – as well as two unique tastes from two different sides of the globe: Mexican tortas and Korean chicken wings . Latin food, and especially Mexican food, has always been popular but with the explosion of places such as Chipotle, more and more attention is being brought to these types of foods. While not as widely accepted as the burrito or quesadilla, the torta is a staple of Mexican cuisine. The sandwiches are made with freshly prepared ingredients served on sliced telera , the tradition...

There are only a few days left of Spring Break which means it is almost time for the final stretch of spring semester. With final papers and group projects looming, it is bound to be a stressful time of the year. But even if you have just an hour, don't forget to take some time to have fun! Here are five upcoming dining services events to relieve some stress from the end of your semester. Wednesday, March 18 Global Eats with Northeastern Global Officer Caitlin Morelli As one of President Aoun's first Global Officers , Caitlin Morelli is currently traveling the world for her co-op and building opportunities for the Northeastern community. Besides her love for travel, Caitlin is passionate about trying new foods and varieties of tea. She learned how to cook a variety of traditional dishes after taking a class in Chiang Mai, Thailand and during her one week back on campus she wants to share her culinary experience with you! She is excited to tell her story, share new foods, and t...

As you get ready to leave for Spring Break, you should also think about how you can make healthy choices while you are away and on the go. Making healthy choices will help you feel better, boost your immune system, and increase your chances of staying healthy while you are away. Keep in mind that planning ahead is one of the keys to making healthy choices! TRAVEL WITH SNACKS It is wise to plan ahead and pack snacks and beverages to take on a trip. This will help you make healthy choices and stay hydrated while you are away. There are many healthier options available at convenience stores that you may encounter on the road, such as: Trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds Almonds Fresh fruit and veggies A bagel or crackers with peanut butter or another nut butter  Dry cereal Cereal and/or granola bars String cheese and yogurt (if you are taking along a cooler) Hydrating beverages such as water, sports drinks, or 100% fruit juice EATING ON THE ROAD It is important to choose foods...

Snacking is on the rise and becoming a more significant part of our overall diets. At first glance, this might seem like a bad thing, but it doesn't have to be. Defining Snacks You've probably seen headlines that we are snacking more or even heard the term "snackification." Does this mean we are eating more chips? Not necessarily. Most studies that look at how we eat classify eating occasions into two groups – meals and snacks. Meals include breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks are any other time we eat. So a dessert eaten after dinner or a granola bar while on a hike would both be considered snacks. Is Snacking Good or Bad? Snacking itself isn't necessarily good or bad. What and how much we eat is key. If the snacks you choose always come in a bag or a box, you may be getting more sugar and salt than you need. If you snack on fresh fruit, unsalted nuts or yogurt, on the other hand, snacking could be helping you get important nutrients. If you start adding two ...

Our all-you-care-to-eat residential dining locations – International Village, Levine Marketplace, and Stetson West Eatery – are a great place to find just about any type of cuisine you are looking for. While our rotating menus allow for different flavors at each meal, if there is a specific taste you are looking for sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. Below are seven simple dining hall hacks that will change the way you eat in the dining halls. 1) Breakfast Parfait Let's start with the first, and most important , meal of the day. Yogurt is a great way to start your day but you can easily upgrade it by layering in some sliced fresh fruit, granola, or cereal. Using a clear beverage glass will also allow you to marvel at the beautiful layers you create in your breakfast masterpiece. 2) Thai-Style Peanut Sauce You waited for your grilled chicken from the grill so why not make the most of it? Combine peanut butter and soy sauce with a splash of sriracha for a spicy T...

They aren't lying when they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! When you skip breakfast you are missing out on some valuable nutrients to help start off your day. There are many good reasons to make sure you eat breakfast: It can help you include more vitamins and minerals into your daily intake. You will have better focus and concentration during your early morning classes. It has been shown to help with weight control as it can decrease hunger later in the day and help to avoid overeating. It helps to refuel your body and replenish the stores that provide your body with energy during the day. Even if you are in a rush and feel that you don’t have to time for breakfast you can grab something on the go! Thinking ahead is one way to help you make healthy choices in the morning. Pack a healthy option in your backpack the night before (cereal bar, granola bar, dry cereal or a piece of fruit) or stop at Outtakes in the morning to grab a healthy on-the-go opt...

Hard to believe that it's already the middle of February – although it sure feels like the middle of winter with the recent (and upcoming) weather – but that means it is almost time for our first signature event of the spring semester. The event, our 14th annual Mardi Gras Celebration , is this Tuesday, February 17 from 8:00 to 10:00 pm in Levine Marketplace. We have lots of fun planning and executing this event but just what goes into transforming Stetson East into a miniature Bourbon Street? Well... Our main goal of the event is authenticity. When choosing menu items for the event, we look for recipes that we can produce in our kitchen both effectively – to honor the traditional Cajun recipes of New Orleans – and efficiently – since more than 600 guests are served in just two hours. We love serving classic New Orleans favorites including jambalaya, shrimp étouffée, and catfish po' boys but we also look for creative opportunities such as last year's pairing of traditional ...

College life can be extremely busy between classes, work, co-op, friends, and family. Although you may be very busy, you should still find time to include exercise into your daily routine. While you are in college you tend to spend a great deal of time sitting - during class, studying, and researching and typing papers. Whenever possible, you should get up and move! Take a study break and take a 10-15 minute brisk walk. This is also a better idea than reaching for a high calorie snack. During the winter months, it can be especially difficult to stay motivated to continue to exercise. If you are looking for ways to stay active on-campus, be sure to check out the Northeastern University Campus Recreation website. This website includes information on group fitness classes, intramural leagues, and club sports. There are many barriers as to why people are not physically active. Below are some suggestions from the Mayo Clinic as to how to avoid continuing to let these barriers get in your...

Beginning in December 2015, restaurant menus will have a new look. Along with price  and description, you’ll now see calories listed on menus at restaurants, coffee shops,  movie theaters and bakeries, among others. Why put calories on menus? Most of us eat about a third of our meals away from home. With that in mind, legislation was  passed as part of the Affordable Care Act requiring calorie posting on restaurant menus. The  of the legislation was to make it easier for us to make informed choices about what and  how much we eat while we are out. Where you will and won’t see calories: The final rules about which foods in which restaurants will need to display calorie information  were released by the FDA recently. In general, we can expect to see calories on foods and  drinks that are served regularly at 20 or more locations under the same brand. This includes  just about anywhere that serves food ready to eat, such as movie theaters, sports stad...

After 2+ days of unrelenting snow, winter storm Juno has finally subsided and a sense of normalcy should return to campus tomorrow. We were happy to be able to keep all the hungry students fed – more than 6,300 of you on Tuesday alone(!) – but what exactly goes in to keeping dining locations open during a major snowstorm? First, we are always looking ahead at weather forecasts for any potential major disruptions, be it snowstorms in the winter or hurricanes in the summer. Once the predictions for 24-30 inches of snow began last weekend, we started loading up on certain items in our daily deliveries from our suppliers. This is the first key to staying open as we were able to continue operating during the storm with all the essential food items we needed, even as our typical daily deliveries were unable to reach us due to the traffic ban. Secondly, our incredible staff members that were able to reach campus during the storm, either by walking from their homes or staying in local hotels,...

Hello Huskies! Hope you've been staying safe and warm while enjoying your snow day. Changes to our hours of operation are being posted to our website as well as our Twitter and Facebook pages so be sure to check those out for updates throughout this snowy Tuesday. With the serious info out of the way, we're here to have some fun too. In between Netflix binge-watching sessions, how about some interesting snow-related food facts? 1. Hostess Sno Balls are actually upside-down Hostess CupCakes You know them as those pink or white shredded coconut and marshmallow delicacies, but since the 1950s, the inner cakes have been manufactured exactly the same way as their chocolate icing-covered CupCake counterparts. 1 2. Canada is much more than snow Our snowy neighbor to the north is actually the 5th largest agricultural exporter in the world. Canada also produces 85% of the world's maple syrup so whether you enjoy it on French toast at brunch or spaghetti during Christmas, there...

Happy New Year Huskies! John from the Northeastern Dining marketing team here with an update on some of the exciting things we have planned for you this year. If this is your first time visiting our blog – welcome! – but if you are a repeat reader, you may have noticed this fancy new layout that not only looks great but is adaptive to any device size. This is just one example of our marketing team trying to stay on the cutting edge of technology. From designing unique, eye-catching advertisements for our digital screens across campus to introducing new social media channels to our portfolio, we are always looking to stay in touch with you in new ways. And speaking of new social media, you can now follow "nudining" on Snapchat ! We’ll be having some fun showing you emoji-filled exclusive looks at Northeastern Dining – and maybe throwing in a contest here and there (…but you didn’t hear that from me). When it comes to events, spring semester is always a busy one for us. We are...

While any time is a good time to start a new healthy habit, the start of the New Year seems to be one of the most popular. If one of your goals for 2015 is to become a healthier version of yourself, some well-planned resolutions can help you get there. Top Healthy Habits Changing our habits can seem like a big undertaking, but there are many small things that together can add up to big results. Some of the most popular strategies to improve overall health include getting enough sleep, starting off the day with breakfast and eating foods that have been prepared from fresh, whole ingredients. If we look at strategies used by those who have successfully improved their health, these trends may be headed in the right direction. Of people who have successfully lost and kept weight off, almost all made changes in both their eating and exercise habits, with eating breakfast, daily exercise and minimizing television viewing being among the most popular habits adopted. How to choose? When it com...