Choosing Healthy Foods

With end of year holiday parties popping up all around you it may seem like sticking to your health goals will be impossible. We asked some of our Registered Dietitians (RDs) to share their tips for enjoying party season without sacrificing your well-being. Before the Party Set yourself up for success with good preparation. Don’t skip meals before the party. It might seem like a good idea to allow room for party food, but skipping meals could leave you hungry and more likely to overeat during the party. Bring something you will feel good about eating. Salads, veggie platters and other plant forward dishes are great options that fill you up without overdoing it. During the Party Focus on the fun. Engage in conversations and activities that keep you from mindlessly snacking. Step away from the table. After you have gotten your food, find a spot away from the buffet so that you aren’t tempted to eat things simply because they are in front of you. Watch the liquid calories. Try making ever...

Thanksgiving kicks off holiday party season where we gather with friends and family for delicious meals. Following a few key rules can help to keep you and your guests feeling good. Thaw Turkey is the main attraction at many Thanksgiving meals. Whether you buy your turkey fresh or frozen, keeping it at the right temperature in the days leading up to cooking is important for preventing foodborne illness. If you plan to thaw in the refrigerator remember that it can take up to six days for a large turkey to thaw. Thawing in cold water is a faster option, but you need to change the water every 30 minutes to make sure it stays cold enough. Turkey and other meats should never be thawed or left on the counter at room temperature. Cook Roasting to the right temperature can mean the difference between a delicious turkey and one that is either undercooked or dried out. While many turkeys come with a pop up thermometer, it is a good idea to invest in a separate meat thermometer. You want the inte...

Many of you may have gotten some chocolates or yummy desserts for Valentine's Day. You might have a birthday coming up or a friend's or family's birthday celebration to attend, what about the cake? How about St. Patrick's Day around the corner with corned beef and hash? With special occasions, come special treats and, sometimes, less healthy meal options. Consider this: most special occasions are not all that frequent and only come around but once a year. When celebrating friend and family birthdays this comes about more often so what to do!? Think moderation! Making healthier choices, choosing smaller portions of less healthy food options and choosing desserts that are lower in fat and calories- that is a good idea. When you start to restrict and depriving yourself of foods that you want and enjoy you tend to want them even more. Again, think moderation when it comes to desserts in a healthy diet! There is nothing wrong with occasionally enjoying a calorie dense piece...

All of us belong to a cultural group and one’s culture most often influences daily food choices. Unfortunately, sometimes our favorite cultural dishes contain a great deal of fat and calories. One way to reduce fat and calories in these dishes is to swap out ingredients for ones that are lower in fat in calories. For example, if a recipe calls for cream or whole milk, choose low fat or skim milk instead. You can always use a little less of ingredients such as shredded cheese to cut back on calories and fat. Foods from various cultures can be healthy or unhealthy. To balance things out, some cultures choose their large meal early in the day and have a light meal at night. Other cultures may include foods that are high in calories but were brought up practicing portion control and not overindulging on these foods. There are many cultural cuisines that contain lots of healthy foods including fiber-rich grains, protein-rich legumes along with a variety of vegetables. When you make your fav...

with campus executive chef Tom Barton Our latest Menus of Change principle is "Celebrating Cultural Diversity and Discovery" and over the next few weeks our residential dining halls will be featuring menu items that celebrate the cultural diversity of our associates. As I was reviewing recipes in preparation for these events at both International Village and Stetson, it occurred to me that some of the ingredients in the traditional recipes could be swapped out for healthier alternatives while also remaining faithful to tradition. Here are some examples of ways to make recipes even a little bit healthier (which means you can enjoy them even more often!): Instead of using butter why not use a fat free margarine? Canola, safflower or olive oils could also be substituted Rather than using whole milk try a skim, evaporated skim or even plain nonfat yogurt can be used Instead of using whole milk cheeses, look for ones that are made with part skim Low fat or fat free sour cream can ...

By Meghann McMillan The holidays are quickly approaching and the motto tends to be “eat, drink, and be merry”. Thanksgiving with the family, friendsgiving with the friends, Christmas parties, Hanukah celebrations, New Years Eve...the next month is loaded with evens that tend to revolve around lots of food and drink. Many people surrender to the fact that they are going to gain some holiday weight, and simply over indulge in it all. This year, don’t surrender to overeating during the holidays. You can have your pumpkin pie and eat it too, if you pay attention to your intake and portion sizes. Lets start with appetizers, the typical first course that no one can pass up as the hunger of the main course starts to set in. No need to shy away from the wonderful app table, just make sure you keep it to just a taste. Use a napkin or a small plate to place your food on. If it doesn’t fit on it, you don’t need it. Try just one of the appetizers you like. If there are too many to chose from, cut ...

The holiday season is right around the corner which means lots of celebrating with parties and gatherings accompanied by much to eat and drink, not all being "healthy." First up is Thanksgiving, a time to give thanks, centered around a huge feast. So how do we keep it happy and healthy without weight gain during this joyous season of eating? Here are a few tips on how to have your feast and eat it too without the weight gain. Think About Portion Control Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs when we look at the Thanksgiving spread in front of us. It is important to consume proper portion sizes of our favorite holiday foods versus stacking our plates high with everything. Keep these visual markers in mind as you fill your plate to make sure you’re not over consuming. 1 serving of turkey is 3 oz, about the same size as a deck of playing cards A serving of gravy is 1/4 of a cup, about the size of a golf ball A serving of mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes is 1/2 cup, abo...

For the twelve consecutive year, Northeastern Dining provided students with a much needed respite from studying for their upcoming week of final exams with the Gingerbread House Construction Contest. More than 300 student teams entered online via nudining.com for the chance to be one of the lucky teams chosen to participate in this year's contest. After the success of the previous eleven years, the number of teams swelled to sixty-four this year leading to the decision to move this year’s contest from Stetson East to the Stetson West Eatery. The change comes after many students ran out of room to decorate their houses in the atrium of Levine Marketplace. While Northeastern Dining provided more than 700 pounds of gingerbread, 1,200 pounds of icing, and 2,000 pounds of candy to students, some teams took it upon themselves to bring their own edible supplies to make their house unique. This year's designs featured everything from Rice Krispies Treats to potatoes built into and ont...

With the holiday eating season in full swing, now is a time that a lot of us are looking at what we're eating and how to maintain a healthy diet. When people try to eat healthy the first thing that usually goes is dessert. This can be a good and bad idea. Cutting back on high fat, high sugar, and high calorie desserts is a good idea. However, desserts do not need to be cut out all together. Making healthier choices, choosing smaller portions, and choosing desserts that are lower in fat and calories is a great idea. When you start to restrict and deprive yourself of foods that you want and enjoy you tend to want them even more. Think moderation when it comes to desserts in a healthy diet! Consider the portion of the dessert - when possible, look at the serving size listed on the package and use that as a guide. Try to choose treats that have about 100-200 calories per serving. Choose dark chocolates instead of milk chocolate. Use fruit as a base or add some to a sweat treat. Top ice...