Decorate Your Plate with Dairy

Dairy products decorate your diet with calcium-rich foods! Dairy products include milk, cheese, and yogurt! These products provide protein, calcium, vitamins A and D, and potassium! You should aim to have 2-3 cups of fat-free or low-fat dairy daily. To maximize the nutrients while reducing the fat, you should always select the fat-free and low-fat dairy products.

Check out some more dashing dairy tips here: http://ow.ly/uf36H

Vary Your Vegetables

Vegetables of all varieties have a vast amount of benefits! They provide a ton of great nutrients including carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, and phytonutrients. It is recommended that you and your family consume 2.5-3 cups of vegetables daily. To get the maximum amount of nutrients, it is always best to VARY YOUR VEGETABLES! Here are some great tips to help with your vegetable intake:
- Try new, different vegetables each week
- Select different colored vegetables to get more nutrients
- Choose fresh and frozen over canned to reduce sodium intake

Check out some great tips for selecting and preparing vegetables here: http://ow.ly/uf28a and http://ow.ly/uf292

Grab Grains for Greatness

Grab grains for greatness! Grain products include whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, and pasta. These foods provide carbohydrates for energy, fiber for a healthy digestive system, B-vitamins for energy release, and iron for a healthy immune system! You should sneak in 3-8 ounces of grains daily. When selecting grains, MAKE HALF YOUR GRAINS WHOLE by selecting whole grain items with wheat, rice, oats, or corn that is referred to as "whole" on the ingredient label!

Check out more great grain tips here: http://ow.ly/uf2Dz and http://ow.ly/uf2FV

Fruit of the Month: Tangerine (March 21)

Tangerine

Known for their loose and easy-to-peel skin, you can zip one open and enjoy the very sweet sections for a delicious snack. Tangerines are a delicious snack that are low in calories, cholesterol and fat-free, and high in vitamin C! Enjoy a tasty tangerine on March 21!

Enjoy tasty tangerine recipes here: http://www.sunkist.com/recipes/tangerine-recipes.aspx

Fun-Filled Fruits for Nutrients

Fruits are a fabulous way to fill up your plate with valuable nutrients! These healthy nutrients include carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins A and C, and potassium and help maintain your heart health, keep your skin and eyes healthy, manage your blood pressure, and reduce risk of chronic diseases. It is recommended that you have 1-2 cups of fruit daily from a variety of fruits! You and your family should EAT THE RAINBOW!

Check out some great ways to incorporate fruits into your family's daily diet here: http://ow.ly/uf1gU and http://ow.ly/uf1n2!!

Food Explorer of the Month: Red Cabbage (March 17)

 
Red Cabbage

The red cabbage is a sort of cabbage, also known as purple cabbage, red kraut, or blue kraut after preparation.   Its leaves are colored dark red/purple.  Red cabbage is often used for salads and coleslaw.   This vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked. It is the traditional accompanying side dish paired with many German meals—most notably, Sauerbraten. Red cabbage is packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamin K and B6, and potassium. Red cabbage, similarly to most cabbages, helps to keep cholesterol in check and decrease the risk of many different types of disease. Discover red cabbage on March 17^th!

Check out some tasty red cabbage recipes here: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/red_cabbage/index.html

 

 

Protein Packs a Powerful Punch!

Protein packs a powerful punch! Protein includes meats, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, soy products, nuts, and seeds. It is recommended that you eat ~4-6 ounces per day, get your protein from a variety of the sources listed above, and GO LEAN WITH PROTEIN! You can keep your protein choices lean by:
- Choosing skinless chicken, turkey, fish, and lean cuts of beef
- Removing extra fat
- Choosing a healthier cooking method such as grilling, baking, and broiling
Check out more great tips for protein here: http://ow.ly/ueZVT

Whole-Food Snacking?

Do you feed your kids "whole-food snacks"? Whole-food snacks are offerings that provide valuable nutrients, incorporate multiple food groups, and encourage healthy habits in children. Check out some examples of whole-food snacks that your children can help you create here: http://ow.ly/tZhRx
You can also check out our Superb Snacking page on Pinterest for more ideas: http://ow.ly/tZii1

March into National Nutrition Month

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? March is an entire month that we get to celebrate the importance of nutrition in our own and our family's lives! To celebrate, we will be dedicating each of the next 5 weeks to a food group! This week will be proteins! Keep an eye out for our Powerful Protein posts!