Tag Archives: Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Tips to Get You On Your Way to Healthy Eating

19 Thursday Jul 2012

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Tips to Get You on Your Way to Healthier EatingIt can be difficult to want to eat healthier and not have the habits developed yet, so here are some suggestions to get you on your way. Choose one or two to practice this week. Start from where you are and ease into any changes gradually so that they will become lasting new habits.

1. Decrease portions of unhealthy foods as you develop a new healthy eating lifestyle. For example, eat one less slice of pizza than usual or don’t have seconds.

2. Add vegetables to what you already eat. Have vegetables washed, cut into pieces and ready to eat in the refrigerator. They will be easy to snack on with a dip like hummus or put into a salad.

3. Have a side salad with lunch and or dinner.

4. Plan your snacks, especially when on-the-go. Have a piece of fruit and a small handful of almonds or some raw vegetables.

5. Buy fresh fruit to eat daily when you want something sweet, for a snack or with a meal.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Family Fun Friday – Visit a Farmer’s Market

13 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by in Family Fun, Healthy Eating

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Eating local has become the trend, and what better way to get your produce than at a neighborhood farmer’s market.

Last week, while looking at the supermarket ads, I was excited to see that peaches were on sale for only 77 cents a pound!  What a great price.  So I went, expecting to take advantage of this great deal.  What I found were peaches that had no scent and could have been used as baseballs, they were that hard.  What a disappointment.

On Saturday, I went to our neighborhood farmer’s market and sampled many varieties of fresh, ripe and sweet peaches and nectarines.  What a difference compared to what I saw at the grocery store. The main difference between the two is that the fruit for the supermarket was picked before it was ripe, so it wouldn’t spoil by the time it was trucked there, while the farmer’s market fruit was picked ripe the day before.

I was reminded of why I like and appreciate shopping at the farmer’s market:

1.  The fruits and vegetables, organic or not, are picked fresh and has more flavor than most store-bought.

2.  Many of the vendors offer samples of their fruit so you can taste the difference between the yellow and white peaches or yellow and white nectarines. By sampling, you know what you are getting, and whether the melons are ripe and sweet or the strawberries are as delicious as they look.

3. It’s a family atmosphere and a great place for a family outing, where kids and adults can find new fruits and vegetables to try.  When children are involved in the process of picking out their food, they are more likely to eat it!

4. Often at farmer’s markets, they have a table with recipes, or you can ask the growers questions about different methods of preparing produce you are unfamiliar with. You can also inquire about how and where the food you see there is grown.

5. I enjoy the beauty of the booths with their attractively displayed produce, and fresh flowers!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Healthy “On-The-Go” Snack Ideas

12 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in Healthy Eating

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Healthy "On-the-go" Snack IdeasTo limit the temptation of getting food on the go, plan ahead and always carry snacks!

A serving of almonds or whole grain crackers may tide you over until you get home if you are out longer than expected and find yourself getting hungry or just wanting to eat something.  Almost anything you make in your own kitchen is going to be healthier, and lower in fat and calories than anything you can get at a fast food restaurant or coffee establishment.

Here are food items that travel well:

1. Almonds, whole grain crackers and whole wheat pretzels, in single serving containers, can be kept in your car or in a purse or backpack.

2. Most other snacks are perishable and will need to be stored in an insulated lunch bag or mini ice chest.

– Whole Fruit: apple, banana, peach, pear, nectarine, plum, apricot, blueberries, pack some napkins too!

– Cut up Fruit: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, or a mini fruit salad, remember to bring a fork!

– Raw vegetables: carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced red bell peppers, jicama sticks, and napkins!

– Dairy: string cheese, yogurt and a spoon!

3.  Water is always a great choice.  Sometimes when we feel hungry, we are actually dehydrated and drinking water may be just what we need instead of food.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis