Are Fruit Snacks Good Snacks?

Fruit snacks are handy—they come in individual packages and seem ideal for the family on the run. Of course, kids like them. "Fruit" appears in the name, making these snacks appear to be a good option, but are they any more than just candy?

Single serving packages of fruit snacks are low in calories and typically contain no fat, no cholesterol and low amounts of sodium. Many do contain vitamin C. But fruit snacks are also primarily SUGAR. Each pouch contains an average of 5 teaspoons of sugar (20 grams)! That nearly surpasses all the added sugar and empty calories a child should have in an entire day. And 100 calories that are empty calories aren't worth it!

As I like to tell my clients, “It’s not about what you shouldn’t be eating; it’s about what you should be eating.” In that convenient little pouch, where’s the stuff we should be eating? Fruit snacks don’t have fiber nor a mix of vitamins and antioxidants—things we should find in our fruit “snacks.” They also don’t have healthy fat or protein, other important components of nutritious and sustaining snacks.

If you break it down, fruit snacks are just fruit wannabes. They don’t make the grade! Why not go for the real thing? There are a variety of fruits that come in single-serving packages too, so they’re just as easy to grab when you need something quick. Fruit contains carbohydrates too, but it's the naturally-occurring type of sugar; that's not the same as the sugars found in fruit snacks. Some dried fruits do contain added sugars, so keep an eye out and purchase the unsweetened options as often as you can.

Next time you're looking for a fruity snack on-the-go, try these real fruit “snacks” instead. They'll give your kids (or you) the sweet taste they like with the nutrition they need.

• Packaged apple slices
• Grapes
• Box of raisins
• Single serving trail mix
• Dried cranberries, cherries, apricots or banana slices
• Dried strawberries (I have found them at Trader Joes. Mr. Patton says, "They taste like fruit roll-ups.")
• Medjool dates--they're as sweet as candy! Higher in natural sugars, you only need two at a time.

Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My Fall Project: Damage Control

I have to admit failure when it happens--and my first attempt at growing vegetable seedlings was a complete failure! It was either the fungus that killed them or lack of light; I'm not sure which. But I'm not giving up. Since I'm quickly running out of time (and it may in fact be too late already), this time I sowed the seeds directly into my garden. I cleaned it up about a week ago, removing the dead squash and cucumber plants to make space for the fall plants. My cherry tomatoes are still growing like wild and my Better Boys have more tomatoes on them now than they have all summer! [Darned heat.] So I let them be for now.

I planted seeds for kale, lettuce, spinach and radishes in the garden. Since all of these seeds should be planted at a depth of about one inch, I simply created one-inch deep rows in my garden, dropped the seeds in and covered them lightly with soil. Since these are all cool weather crops, they shouldn't be planted until high temperatures are less than 90 degrees. Again, I over-did the seeds a little out of fear they wouldn't grow and it looks like I'll be thinning them quite a bit if they continue to grow. But look!

Just one week later, here are my radishes in the haze of last night's sunset. The kale, spinach and lettuce are popping up too. So cross your fingers that this trial will be more successful. I'll have to try the seedling adventure again next spring.

I love gardening and feel both great pride and pleasure in growing my own food. I have learned, though, that with gardening you must be patient and learn a little more each time. Maybe in ten years I'll have it mastered :)

Did you plant seedlings this year? Do you have a fall garden? Any masterful advice for us beginners?

Becoming a "Lessmeatatarian"

Lessmeatatarian? Huh? I guess I would call myself one, in fact, although I've never heard it named before. What is it? Simply a person who eats less meat than is traditional here in the U.S.--a nation made up primarily of carnivores.

Why eat less meat? Here are my top three reasons:

1. Health
Consuming too much meat and too many animal products can have a negative impact on health. Animal products, unless they have been reduced in fat (think skim milk) are natural sources of saturated fat. Over-consumption of saturated fat increases the risk of high cholesterol, which in turn increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. The higher fat content of meats, when compared to vegetables and grains, also equates to more calories. So why were our meat-eating ancestors--think farmers and other manual laborers in the early 1900s--able to survive and stay thin on high fat diets including bacon, sausage, eggs, biscuits, gravy and lard? One HUGE difference: activity. Since we're not as active a population as we once were, what we're eating has a bigger impact on our health. Some of the healthiest, longest-living populations in the world eat primarily vegetarian diets.

2. Cost
No doubt about it--one of the costliest items you can add to your grocery cart is meat. Reducing the amount of meat you eat will certainly save you some dough. That's money you can turn around and spend on whole grains (one of the least costly items you can buy) and produce. Did you know a bag of brown rice costs less than $2.00 and serves 10? Boxes of whole grain pasta go for $1.00 at my grocery store almost all the time.

3. Feel better!
Watch this news video from ABC. Chef Angelo Sosa (major meat lover) tried the less meat approach for three days. What does he say after that? That he felt better. "Like I'm running on high-octane fuel." Could it be because he was taking in less fat? More vitamins and nutrients? Possibly both. Either way, who doesn't want to feel better?

Is full-on vegetarianism better? Not necessarily. Consuming some meat, in my book, is harmless--so you don't have to feel like you have to go all the way to reap some major benefits. Meat is a great source of complete protein, B12 and iron; and fish is a good source of omega-3s. Those nutrients are important! Needs can be met on a vegetarian diet too, or course, with some attention. To each their own. I do believe in a more plant-based diet and consume many a vegetarian meal. But I love, I mean LOVE, a great steak, a salmon fillet, my Dijon-Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin and a variety of cheeses (I'm sure you've noticed I'm just about obsessed with goat cheese). I'm not about to give up meat completely and don't think you have to either! The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (MyPlate) also emphasize a diet rich in plant-based foods for optimal health.

Eating less meat is quite a change for many Americans. And the key to creating change is going about it slowly. Here are some ways you can start easing towards "lessmeatatarianism" if you're accustomed to the carnivorous lifestyle:

1. Try having a "Meatless Monday" meal. This has been a trend for about the last year promoting a more plant-based diet. If you can't go a whole day without meat, try at least one meal. You could build an entire Meatless Monday menu by selecting three of these recipes:

• Muesli
• Creamy Golden Oatmeal
• Chocolate Banana Shake
• Bulgur Salad
• Spring Asparagus and Penne Salad
• Hearty Vegetable Soup
• Eggplant Parmesan Bake

2. Double your veggies. If you reduce the amount of meat on your plate, you have to fill that space with something else, or else our brains tend to tell us that we're not satisfied. Fill it with veggies! Prepare two vegetables at dinner instead of just one. Use the Plate Method: fill 1/4 of your plate with meat, 1/4 with starch and 1/2 with vegetables.

3. Use "meaty" vegetables to replace half the meat in a dish. Mushrooms and beans are terrific replacements for meat because of there "meaty" texture. You'll cut half the fat and a lot of calories.

• Chop mushrooms to replace half the meat in meat sauce
• Use beans  to replace meat in chili and soups.
• Grill Portobello mushrooms for meat and veggie skewers or to top off a smaller hamburger.
• Layer eggplant and/or zucchini in between layers of lasagna.

4. Swap breakfast meats for filling, healthy fats. We all want a breakfast that will stick with us longer than an hour. But you don't have to have meat to do the trick! Instead of eggs, bacon or sausage try avocado, nuts, peanut butter or almond butter.

5. Switch to leaner meats and start cutting down. Still a little leery of the "less meat" way of life? Even if you switch to leaner meats and reduce your portion size to the recommended 3-ounce portion size per meal, you'll be doing yourself some favors. For many Americans, this is still an adjustment. If you can reduce your meat intake some, you'll still be your own version of a "lessmeatatarian" and healthier to boot.

Could you become a lessmeatatarian?


See the ABC news story here.
Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

Stuffed Shells with Kale

Did you have any Meat Marinara Sauce leftover from a couple weeks ago? I hope so! Thaw it out because here's one of my newest faves: Stuffed Shells. It's great with leftover or frozen sauce and is very quickly prepared. For some extra oomph, I like to stir some fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese into the sauce before stuffing the shells (it's a ricotta stand-in). I didn't in this case because we've been flying by the seats of our pants for the last few weeks (actually aalllll summer long) so we just didn't have it. And no way was I making an extra trip to the store. This is a meal that can be created strictly from what's on hand in your pantry and freezer.

After you get the shells in the oven, prepare the Sauteed Kale. If you aren't big on kale, you could saute spinach in its place, steam broccoli (that should be in your freezer too) or have a salad. Just don't forget your vegetable!

Stuffed Shells
Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 4 oz (10 pieces) jumbo pasta shells (like Barilla)
• 2 cups frozen Meat Marinara Sauce, thawed
• 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese (optional)
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (such as Kraft made with 2% milk or full-flavored Sargento light)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add shells and gently boil until al dente (just starting to soften). Don't cook them too long--they'll fall apart when you fill them.
3. Gently drain shells and allow to cool until you're able to handle them. Place the shells in your baking dish.
4. Scoop meat sauce/cottage cheese mixture into each shell, filling shells evenly.
5. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until sauce is hot.
7. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Believe it or not, this is another healthy dish--even though it looks indulgent and might sound like something that's a treat. I especially love the "broth" that results from thawing the sauce and baking the shells in the oven. Talk about comfort food (made healthy)! Bon appetit.

Nutrition Facts (per 1/2 recipe shells, not including kale): Calories 284 | Total fat 7g | Saturated fat 4g | Cholesterol 39mg | Sodium 433mg | Carb 30g | Fiber 3g | Protein 24g.

Download the recipe here.

New York Imposes Soda Ban...What?!

Last Thursday, the New York Board of Health voted in favor of imposing a ban on sugar-sweetened beverages sized over 16 ounces. The ban, proposed by Mayor Bloomberg last May, will outlaw the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces everywhere they are sold except grocery and convenient stores. The law is set to take effect next March, providing it isn't overturned by opponents in court first.

This is quite a controversial subject. Many (myself included) feel that it infringes on personal freedom. The single Board member who abstained from voting, a physician, said he was not convinced a ban would make a difference in fighting obesity. Supporters, including Bloomberg, note that it "will help save lives" by curbing obesity. Will a government-imposed nutritional restriction force people to make the right choice?

I guess it could. Restricting to 16 ounces versus 20 ounces of a sugary beverage would cut calorie intake by about 60. It might cause some restaurant-goers to choose a diet soft drink instead of regular so they can get a larger one. Or maybe they'll just go to the supermarket and get what they want. In some states, mandated laws forced restaurants to cut trans fat; that's not necessarily a bad thing. This was a step that forced restaurants to improve the quality of their products. Government is now forcing restaurants to post nutritional information on menus, which gives consumers the power to make a choice--a much better strategy in my book. The bottom line is, we should be promoting wellness with positive, not negative reinforcement, and providing access to education so that consumers are knowledgeable when it comes time to make a choice. Sugar-sweetened beverages can certainly be included in a healthy, balanced diet, as can other occasional indulgences.

With an epidemic of obesity contributing significantly to many of the health issues that plague our nation, there is no doubt that we need to do something. Healthcare costs are rising; and sometimes individual decisions affect the masses. But does that mean that nutritional restrictions should be government-imposed? Will that really cure what ails us? I'm not convinced.

Are you? What's your take on the mandate?

Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net