a colorful way to a healthier you
Kelly Whitfield, Special to the Gazette
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Kelly Whitfield
Age: 46
Occupation: Clinical dietitian at Newman Regional Health
Certifications: Registered dietitian, licensed dietitian, certified diabetes educator
Tip for getting kids to eat vegetables: Get kids involved by having them select a fruit or vegetable at the store and then let them assist in preparing the item for a meal or snack.
Make a colorful diet common
Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are definitely not boring! Many are portable and require little preparation, making them natural “convenience foods.” Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables makes meals look and taste great and improves the immune system, slows aging and reduces risk for heart disease, cancer and other illnesses
• Select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables and other vegetables) several times a week.
• Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. The amount you need to eat depends on age, sex and level of physical activity.
• Fruit and vegetable recommendations are now listed as cups instead servings for people to relate to amounts in household measurements rather than as servings only. Serving sizes are adjusted for toddlers and preschoolers depending on their age.
Add more fruits and vegetables the easy way
Meals:
• Plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir-fry, soup or pasta sauce.
• Shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf, casseroles, quick breads and muffins. .
• Top your cereal with fruit; add blueberries to pancakes; drink 100 percent juice.
• Try a fruit mixed with low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
• Add crushed pineapple to coleslaw or include mandarin oranges or grapes in a tossed salad.
• For dessert, have baked apples, pears or a fruit salad.
Snacks:
• Cut-up fruit makes a great snack. Or, try whole fresh berries or grapes.
• Dried fruits also make a great snack. They are easy to carry and store well.
Tips for shopping at a farmers’ market
• Check when the market is open. The Emporia Farmer’s Market had its first day of the year May 2. It will be open every Saturday through October. Hours begin at 8 a.m. until sellout. Beginning in mid-June it will also have Wednesday evening hours. Produce for sale included: asparagus, rhubarb, spinach, lettuce, radishes, carrots, green onions, garlic greens, morel mushrooms and apples. Also available were live plants — many kinds, especially peppers and tomatoes according to Tracey Graham, Emporia Farmers’ Market manager.
• Bring your own bag or basket.
• Keep an inexpensive cooler in your car to keep produce fresh and safe during hot weather.
• Shop early.
• Browse before buying.
• Try new foods.
• Go straight home. Plan on bringing your purchases home before running any more errands — leaving fresh produce sitting in a hot car can wilt it.
• Enjoy the market!
Remember, handle produce safely
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water. Before you cut or peel the outer skin, you may want to scrub it with a clean dish brush. Do not use soap.
• Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage.
• Store cut, peeled fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator.
• Avoid eating fruits and vegetables that look brownish, slimy or dried out.
• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh fruits or vegetables.
Sources:
FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov.
“Color Me Healthy”, Mary L. Meck Higgins, Kansas State University Extension
Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
MyPyramid.gov
Mary L. Meck Higgins, “Nutrition PAGE”, Kansas State University.