Fun in the Sun with Fruits and Veggies!

Summer is just around the corner, and with that comes picnicking, bonfires, graduation parties, and more opportunities to eat fruits and vegetables!  Here are some ideas on how WES can help you this summer in every situation to eat smarter!

Picnics: Picnics are great opportunities to not only get the family together, but to eat smart!  Plan a picnic that includes lots of fruits and vegetables! Pre-cut watermelon, make a fruit salad, or get creative and try the WES apple veggie salad featured in the WES recipe tab above.  Instead of egg salad sandwiches, try lean turkey wraps stuffed with seasonal veggies to lighten up the entrée while still keeping you satisfied and energized for Frisbee and family football.  Finally, everyone knows a picnic isn’t a picnic without lemonade, but instead of all the added sugar, try a lighter alternative and make your own flavored water!  Water with cucumber and basil or sliced lemon and lime with some fresh mint turns into a seriously refreshing summer beverage!

Bonfires: Hot dogs, s’mores and marshmallows over a fire are always a go-to when gathering around the fire.  What about switching things up this summer?  Believe it or not, but it can even be easy to get some fruits and veggies into your bonfire snacks!  Instead of a s’more, try a cored, roasted apple over the fire! Check out our WES participating stores to get some info on apples and which one would suit your taste best! Sprinkle with a little cinnamon, wrap in foil, roast for 10-15 minutes and you are in business.  Make sure to let it cool a bit before taking that first delightful bite!  Ever think about adding some banana to that s’more? Or even some berries instead of the chocolate bar?  It is delicious!   Don’t forget about the entrée.  Make a “hobo” dinner!  Throw potatoes, carrots, onions, salt, pepper, and any other veggie you desire into a tinfoil sack and set it over the fire until the potatoes are fully cooked.  ENJOY!

Graduation Parties:  Parties seem to always revolve around food; so instead of focusing on the food, focus on getting to know some new people, and socialize!  But when you finally do get around to eating, there are a few tips to follow:  fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables.  Pot luck’s always have veggie and fruit trays with plenty of options, so there is no excuse!  Also, if you bring your own dish, you can find great shopping tips and ideas for recipes, by checking out the ‘tips for shopping smart-stores’ to the right, and by checking out WES recipes to get some great ideas to incorporate fruits and vegetables.  Bring a dish that will not only wow everyone, but will also be smart and healthy.  Finally, when deciding to go back for seconds, because we know we all do, make ¾ of your plate fruits and vegetables and don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed with all the choices.  You do not need to try everything, no matter how much you try to convince yourself that you do. 

Keep these tips handy and don’t forget to have fun in the sun while eating smart with WES!

Why Do YOU Eat Out?

Some people say that if you order something healthy when you dine out you ruin the whole point in going out. Is it possible to eat healthy and also enjoy yourself while dining out?  The good news is…YES!  The first step is changing your attitude and understanding why you dine out to begin with.  Take this easy quiz to see why it is YOU eat out.

1)      What are your first thoughts when entering a restaurant?

1. Hopefully I can get in and out quickly!
2. This looks like a great place to chat; I love the ambiance!
3. I am ready to get my usual.
4. I hope they have something for me that will hit the spot.
5. I am in the mood for a big steak!

2)      How do you choose an entrée?

1. It does not matter; I just need something in my stomach fast!
2. I choose the first thing I see on the menu because I am too distracted by my friends and family that I don’t really care what I eat.
3. I know exactly what I want because I am a seasoned customer.
4. I choose exactly what I am craving.
5. Anything but vegetables or leaves!

3)      How do you feel after you are done eating?

1. I don’t know, I think I am full. I am too busy to think about how I am feeling.
2. I feel happy because I am with my family and friends.
3. I feel tired and full.
4. I feel guilty, but satisfied of my craving.
5. Happy that I got my steak.

If you chose mostly A’s:  You are the busy –bee! You have no time to prepare food or go home for lunch. It can be really easy to eat out with WES helping you along the way.  Just remember to look for the WES approval sticker on your entrée choice.  For really fast food, check out the Waupaca Culver’s WES- approved “mindful choices” to eat healthy on the go!

If you chose mostly B’s: You are the social butterfly! You get so distracted by your surroundings that you forget about your own health and well-being. WES can help you make healthy choices without having to think twice about it! You can focus on your friends while being able to eat healthy, easily.  Check out Sisters Fine Deli and Cronies Café for some great lunch chatter and delicious WES approved entrees! 

If you chose mostly C’s: You are the frequent-outer. You enjoy eating out often and struggle to find a balance in your diet. If you go to the same place often enough, but are struggling to find healthy options or do not know what healthy options are even offered there, talk to the owners about WES and encourage them to jump on board with WES! Otherwise, check out the participating WES restaurants to find a place that can accommodate your outing needs. Go to the tab that says “WES Restaurants” to see which restaurants have choices for you.

If you chose mostly D’s: You are the impulse-eater.  You eat exactly what you are craving, exactly when you are craving it.  If you like to eat whatever it is you are craving, try ordering a small side or a dessert, but pair it with a WES entrée.  This way, you are getting all of the fruits and vegetables you need, but you won’t have to sacrifice your craving completely. Maybe even wrap up and take home half of your entrée! Check out T.W. Martins Irish Pub and Waupaca Woods for some great WES entrees that would work wonderfully with a little dessert!

If you chose mostly E’s: You are the manly-man! You never want to be seen eating vegetables or “rabbit food”.  Steaks, big burgers, and tenderloins are the only options when you go out. You have the mindset that vegetables are for girls and steaks are for you!  Good thing you can still enjoy manly entrees, but one’s that include fruit and vegetables also!  Check out the WES-approved Waupaca Ale House’s 6 oz. Tenderloin, and Weasel’s Lamb chops!

WES can help you to change your eating habits when dining out. With WES, you can eat healthy no matter if you are a busy bee, a seasoned customer, someone who needs to satisfy their cravings, a manly man, or if you just want to socialize. 

From the Grocery Store to Your Plate

How many of you have gone grocery shopping, bought an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and then a week later, half of them are rotten because you did not know what to do with them?  Having fruits and vegetables in your home is useless unless you eat them.  Here is a guide on the 4 P’s on how to make your fruits and vegetables more available and appealing to eat.

1)      PLAN:  Use WES recipes available at participating grocery stores’ deli section and fruit and vegetable information sheets at the grocery store to help plan your meals.  If you want to plan before you head to the grocery store, check out the ‘Community Recipes’ tab and the ‘WES Recipes’ tab for more recipe ideas. If you buy a fruit or vegetable with a recipe or idea in mind, you are more likely to eat that fruit or vegetables.

2)      PRE-CUT:  Pre-cutting your fruits and vegetables will not only reduce the amount of time and effort that it takes you to prepare meals, but it will also increase your likelihood to snack on fruits and vegetables, add them to sandwiches, or throw them in your breakfast.  Think pre-cut mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes and celery. 

3)      PLACE OUT:  Keep fresh fruit like oranges, apples, and bananas out on your counter or kitchen table.  Keeping them visible and readily available will encourage you to eat more fruit, and grab healthy snacks for on-the-go.  If you are constantly on the go, keeping fruit in your car is a good idea too! This will prevent you from stopping for fast food when you get a hunger pang while running errands.  Just make sure to keep them in a cool place and to park in the shade. 

4)      PLAY:  Trying new seasonings, recipes and combinations can be fun and a learning experience!  Vegetables can be perceived as boring if you continue to eat them the same way week after week.  Do not be afraid to try new cooking methods and even try different and exotic fruits and vegetables.  Try a new fruit or vegetable that you maybe would not normally eat once per month.  Like star fruit, plantains, chickpeas, tomatillos, rutabaga, and bok choy; to name just a few examples.

So keep in mind the 4 P’s when working to increase your fruit and vegetable intake.  Don’t forget to let us know about new recipes that you have tried!  Make sure to submit them under the ‘Community Recipes’ tab.

Kids CAN eat fruits and vegetables!

Getting children to eat fruits and vegetables have been a struggle for parents everywhere.   Children are fussy, and sometimes it is difficult enough to get them to eat anything. Do not lose heart or give up that quickly. Thankfully, fruits and vegetables do not need to be the enemy!   Here are some ideas to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your child’s diet to improve their nutrition, growth, and overall quality of life.

• Cook with the kids. – Allowing the kids to get involved during meal time can give them a sense of accomplishment and pride for the food they have helped prepare.  They want to believe that whatever they helped prepare is delicious, so they will be a fan of their dish, no matter what it is.
• Let them choose their vegetables. – When grocery shopping, suggest that the kids pick out whichever vegetable they want in the store. This can be fun and can also be a good way to try new vegetables. The WES displays can be helpful in educating you and your kids about what to do with the vegetables and can help you decide which ones to choose!
• Give them vegetables when they are hungry. – Before dinner, when they are ready to eat, a quick appetizer of bell peppers, carrots, or celery sticks with hummus or light salad dressing is a great way to incorporate vegetables.  Before you know it, they will be completely content with eating celery and peppers.
• Let them get creative! – Sometimes, letting your kids play with their food can be the very thing that gets them to eat it.  Making fun creations out of fruits and vegetables can be a great activity for the family and a great way to eat fruits and vegetables!  Give the kids cut up fruit like star fruit, orange slices, blueberries, and strawberries, yogurt, a paintbrush and a paper plate.  Let them use the fruits and vegetables to create a fruit and vegetable collage.  Use the yogurt as “glue”. Let their imagination wander and their taste buds increase!
• Serve only veggies and fruit for dinner – every now and then. This way, there is no way that the kids can avoid vegetables!  A good example dinner would be: veggie burgers, pineapple and carrot salad, roasted vegetables, and fresh fruit.
• Pack fun fruit and vegetable lunches! – Make fruits and vegetables fun to eat at lunch when you are not there to supervise them.  Writing messages on their oranges and bananas, or making fruit and vegetable kabobs are creative ways to entertain and feed your little ones. 
• Reward their vegetable and fruit intake. – Create a chart that rewards fruit and vegetable intake.  Do not reward your children with food, however.  This can be detrimental to their relationship with food in the future.  Instead, reward them with sleepover parties, a night at the movies with the family, or a small prize.

Hopefully these ideas can contribute positively to your child’s experiences with fruits and vegetables, and that you are encouraged to test these ideas out! Check out this website below for more great information on fruits and veggies.

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/get-kids-involved-top-10

Eating Nutritious and Affordable Food Away from Home

Waupaca, Wis.—Keeping track of the nutritional value of food you eat away from home will be easier due to the recent passage of the Health Care Bill. Federal law now requires businesses to provide nutrition information to consumers upon request and to display calorie counts on all chain restaurant menus, drive-through billboards and vending machines.

Access to nutrition information about food away from home will be helpful to many people. A United States Department of Agriculture publication reveals that, compared to eating at home, Americans take in more sodium, fat, alcohol, sugar and total calories when they dine out. They also eat fewer fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and drink less milk when they eat away from home. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, consumers also spend more (77 percent on average) when they eat out than when they prepare meals at home.

Researchers recently developed a model based on the government’s Thrifty Food Plan that includes food eaten away from home and follows the nutrition recommendations of MyPyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

“Incorporating information about choosing economical and nutritious food away from home is much more realistic than assuming that Americans following the Thrifty Food Plan are preparing all of their meals at home,” says Alyson Luchini, Waupaca County UW-Extension Nutrition Education Program Coordinator.

The key to including foods eaten away from home into a healthful and inexpensive eating plan is moderation. As long as foods are carefully selected, consumers can watch both their food and calorie budgets at once.

When eating out, one way to save money and cut sugar intake is to order water, which is free. Fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea or coffee or other drinks without added sugars are also good beverage choices.

Other pointers include choosing whole-grain bread or noodles and opting for low-fat or fat-free cheeses and sauces. “Remember that steamed, grilled and broiled meals have fewer calories than fried or sautéed ones,” says Luchini. “Look for menu items that are made with vegetables; for example, a sub sandwich with lots of veggies; a stir-fried dish; or spaghetti with marinara sauce.”

For more suggestions on eating well away from home, see MyPyramid’s “Tips for eating healthy when eating out” at http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/eating_out.html or contact Alyson Luchini at the Waupaca County UW-Extension office (715) 258-6479.

Adapted with permission from UW-Extension

Thanks for Visiting us at Piggy Wiggly on November 7th!