Navigating the Cereal Aisle

  

NAVIGATING THE CEREAL AISLE

Do you ever feel overwhelmed when you walk down the cereal aisle? There are so many different products and brands to choose from, which all have different nutrient contents, it can make your head spin. But, there are key things to look for in the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list that will help you pick the best breakfast.

SUGAR 

Cereals can have hidden sources of sugar, so look at the Nutrition Facts to see how much total sugar and added sugar is in each serving. For cereal, the goal is 7 grams or less per serving (Under 16 grams if there is dried fruit in the cereal). For less added sugar, buy unsweetened cereals and sweeten them with fruit; you’ll get that great sweet taste while adding more nutrients to your breakfast!

WHOLE GRAINS

Half of the grains we eat each day should be whole grains. If you look at the ingredients list, whole grains should be the first ingredient. This means that along with getting part of your whole grain recommendation for the day, you will also be getting fiber, extra protein, and even more vitamins and minerals that are found in the whole grain. Multigrain does not mean that it is whole grain, some manufacturers use this to entice shoppers to buy their cereal by seeing nuts and seeds on the product, when it is actually not whole grain at all.

FIBER

Fiber is what helps make us feel full and stay full between meals, as well as acts as a digestive aid. Fiber is found in the bran portion of a grain, making it commonly found in whole grain items. Strive for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving in your cereal. In order for the cereal to be marketed as high in fiber, it has to have at least 5 grams of fiber per servings. Most cereals will advertise on the box that it is high in fiber, too!

Remember to use low-fat or fat free milk on your cereal, too! You'll get the 9 essential nutrients that milk has to offer as well as the benefits of the cereal in one breakfast!

Arugula-Mint Pesto

Pesto has always been one of my favorite sauces. You can put it on pasta, throw it on a bun for a burger, top steak with it, or even make a pizza with it!  This weekend, I was flipping through Cooking Light Magazine and saw a sauce page dedicated to versatile, easy to make sauces, and Arugula Mint Pesto was one of them! I whipped it up last night after dinner and tried it on pasta tonight, and it was so good! The peppery taste from the arugula was evenly balanced with the lemon zest and juice. Here's the recipe, give it a try!

Ingredients

• 5 cups loosely packed arugula
• 1/2 cup fresh mint
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 1/2 ounce grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 Tbsp.)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons warm water

Pulse loosely packed arugula, fresh mint, toasted almonds, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 Tbsp.), garlic cloves, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and kosher salt in a food processor until finely chopped. With processor running, slowly drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil. Add warm water; process until blended.

Go Further with Food

March is National Nutrition Month and this year's theme is "Go Further with Food". The message with this theme is to get the most out of your food and to reduce food waste. There are several ways we can go further with food, let's learn more!

Prep Meals in Advance
Prepping a weeks worth of meals on the weekend is one way you can reduce food waste and help you save time during the week! You can make a large batch of a recipe on Sunday afternoon for lunch for the week. Separate and portion out each serving, reheat and eat! If you like to make a new meal every night for dinner, plan a leftover night once a week to clean out the fridge and have the leftovers to stop food waste.

Store Food Correctly
Storing your food correctly can help reduce food waste, as well as promote food safety! Some ideas you can do are: label and date all food in the freezer and eat the oldest first, freezing fruits or vegetables that you aren't going to use right away to prevent them from spoiling, and check what you have hiding in your fridge or pantry before you go buying more food. Having your fridge and freezer at the right temperature can help your food last longer too! Your fridge should be between 36-40 degrees and the freezer should be between -10-0 degrees.

Shop Locally and In-Season
Buy your fruits and vegetables from a farmers market for locally grown, and in season options. If you buy fruits or vegetables out of season, they travel a long way to get to the store and there's no guarantee that the are fresh! Buying fresh and local fruits and vegetables will be cheaper and tend to last longer too! Buying locally keeps your money in the area too!


Last week, at my Clinical rotation, the other intern and I set up a table in the cafeteria during lunch time for National Nutrition Month! We sampled a heart healthy kale salad, gave out nutrition tip cards, and talked to employees and visitors about the importance of nutrition. Here's our table!!