Lunch Date Newsletter #31

Hi friends! It’s lunch date time! Pull up a chair and check out the latest news and best recipes, summarized into bite-size bits. (An “*” indicates I either wrote or was quoted in that article).

News to Know:

Food, Nutrition & Health:

• *The Cheap and Easy Way to Start Planning Your Meals in Advance – Greatist // Making a meal plan sounds helpful, but how do you actually start doing it, and stick with it? Push past overwhelm with this list of six strategies to get you going. My advice is featured in strategies 4 & 5.

• Salt affects organs, even in absence of high blood pressure – Science Daily via University of Delaware // A review paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found evidence that excess sodium in your diet may negatively affect your blood vessels, heart, kidneys and brain – even if you don’t have high blood pressure. If you like to sprinkle sea salt on your eggs (like I do), don’t panic; Most of the salt in our diet comes from highly processed and refined foods, not the salt shaker. The takeaway? Cook more at home, eat out less, and check the salt content on packaged foods. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1,500 milligrams a day.

Exercise:

• 25 Ways to Be More Active in Your Day – Nutritious Eats // 25 common sense, simple strategies to move more. I love her suggestions, which range from putting away laundry in small batches (something I personally do to get more steps!) to going for a walk any time you have a work break, no matter how short.

• What Are the Benefits of Tai Chi? – The New York Times // Tai Chi combines deep breathing and dancelike poses, and has been found to improve balance, leg strength, endurance, pulse rate, flexibility, the immune system, sleep, happiness, self-esteem, and the ability to concentrate and multitask. It may also help the brain stay healthy and functional as we age. Find a Tai Chi class near you.

Living / Home: 

• Glass vs. Plastic Containers: Which is a Safer Bet? – Jackie Newgent, RDN for Home Food Safety // I’ve been transitioning all of my plastic containers to glass, and I’ve never looked back. Bottom Line: Glass is the safest choice for all types of food, and better for the environment. If you like plastic, Newgent shows how to pick safer choices, but avoid using plastic for hot storage.

Parenting:

• Wish Your Family Ate More Veggies? Try These 7 Moves – Real Mom Nutrition // Sally’s top 7 common sense strategies include creating a veggie appetizer platter for hungry kids and tossing vegetables into stir fry. And “don’t be afraid of a little ranch dressing.”

Recipes Worth Making:

St. Patrick’s Day:

• I’ve created a whole Pinterest board of healthy St Patrick’s Day recipes for you

• 16 Healthy, Naturally Green St. Patrick’s Day Recipes – my roundup last week

Breakfast

• 34 Healthy Breakfasts for Busy Mornings – Greatist

• Easy Kale Feta Egg Toast – Well Plated by Erin

• Egg and Hummus Breakfast Wrap – Sabra

• Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes – Sally’s Baking Addiction

Smoothies:

• Almond Butter Spinach Smoothie – Almond Board of California

• 10 Healthy Green Smoothies* – Mom to Mom Nutrition

Work Lunch:

• How to Build the Perfect Mason Jar Salad – MJ and Hungryman // Also see my post on canning jar salads for more recipe ideas!

Main Course:

• Easy, Healthy Egg Salad – To Live and Diet in L.A. // Forget the mayo, and sub in greek yogurt, olive oil and white vinegar.

• A Week of Quick, Healthy Meals – The Lean Green Bean

• Thirty 30-Minute Meals by Registered Dietitians – Enjoy Every Bite

• Vegetarian Paella with Red Peppers and Chickpeas – The Kitchn

Dessert:

• Homemade Peanut Butter Cups – Glamorous Bite // Yes, please!

For ALL of my pinned recipes (this is just a sampling here), follow me on Pinterest.

I’d like to take a moment to wish all of my amazing colleagues a happy Registered Dietitian Nutritionist day! For a list of great dietitian blogs worth following, check out this compilation from Lindsay, one of my favorite bloggers, over at The Lean Green Bean.

And my “last word” video: After you watch this, you’ll never wash your raw chicken again (and you don’t need to!):

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