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Archives for September 2020

What’s for Dinner?

September 30, 2020 by Kelly Devine Rickert

The age-old question…. what’s for dinner? (or the question most mom’s dread!)

In the last 13 years as a Registered Dietitian, I have noticed that the one meal a day people struggle with the most is dinner. Why?
Here are some of the common responses I receive:
– no time
– too busy rushing around with work/kids/extracurricular’s
– don’t want to just cook for 1 or 2 people
– don’t know how to cook/I am not good at cooking
– too many picky eaters at home… and many more.

But the fact is, it is MUCH LESS expensive and MORE healthy to eat at home than anywhere else. If you sit down once a week and plan your dinner meals, you are more likely to stick to your menu decreasing any chance of you ordering last-minute take out food.

Not only is it less expensive to eat at home but it also has some other great benefits as well!

– You consume less sodium, fat, sugar and overall calories when eating at home.
– Family dinners are more important than play, story time and other family events in the development of vocabulary of younger children.
– Frequent family meals are associated with a lower risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs in preteens and teens ages 11 to 18.
– Adolescent girls who have frequent family meals and a positive atmosphere during those meals are less likely to develop eating disorders.
– Children who eat most often with their parents are 40 percent more likely to say they get mainly As and Bs in school than children who have two or fewer family dinners a week.
– Dinner with family can be a stress reliever. Believe it or not, if you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may actually leave you feeling less stressed.

Tips for dinner meal planning:

  1. Sit down once a week with your calendar to see what nights you will be at home to make dinner and what evenings you need to have something quick and easy to go (grilled chicken wraps with fruit)!
  2. Shop the sale ads on the weekends to plan which protein’s you will have that week with dinner.
  3. Start with your protein first, then figure out your sides (add a whole grain starch and some veggies to each dinner).
  4. Prep ahead when you can. Example: When making kids lunches at night, I boil my noodles and brown my ground turkey to make a pasta bake for the next night. All I have to do is throw in the oven when I get home from work!
  5. Cook once, eat twice! This is my motto! Example from earlier. If I brown my turkey tonight, I may season some turkey and make into patties for the next night. Make your life as easy as you can!

Do you have any time-saving tips in the kitchen for dinner? Do Share!

~Happy planning!

~Kelly Devine Rickert MS RD CSSD LDN

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Dinner

Apple, Apples, and More Apples. It’s Apple Season!

September 3, 2020 by Kelly Devine Rickert

The 10 Best Orchards To Pick Apples Near Chicago - Care.com

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Although this common saying may not be entirely true, it is true that apples are healthy for you.

Fun apple facts:
– Apples really pack a vitamin C punch. The antioxidant power of that apple is equal to more than 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.
– Apples also contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lower blood cholesterol. Since apples are high in fiber, they help to feel that full sensation in your stomach.
– Fruit consumption has also been linked to cancer prevention and lower weights.
– There are about 2,500 known varieties of apples grown in the United States alone! (Who knew?!?)
– Apples are best stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Ways to add some apples into your diet:
-Apple & peanut butter
-Chopped apple in green salads or fruit salads.
-My Favorite! Bake apples with cinnamon,a small amount of brown sugar and a sprinkle of oats (Heat in oven for 20-30 min at 350 degrees).
-Cooked apples with vegetables such as carrots, winter squash and sweet potatoes can make vegetables a bit sweeter.

Where can you find apples?
Apples go out of season by early winter, so pick some today!

County Line Orchard in Hobart

Garwood Orchard in LaPorte, IN

Prairie Sky Orchard, Union IL

Apple Holler, WI

Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard

Filed Under: Health, Nutrition Tagged With: apple, fall, fruit

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