Jerry the Blogger

Mission: Nutrition

Follow Jerry as he starts making healthier nutrition choices using the Balanced Life™ Plan.

view expert blog

October 06, 2009

View Comments Add Comment

Lunching at the Office

posted by: Jerry

As the weather cools off here and often gets rainy and gross, I am more likely to stay in for lunch.

But what to eat? Ordering food in for delivery limits me to pretty much just pizza, so that's not the most nutritious option. And with the mornings at home so crazy (getting two little kids out the door is no easy feat!), I often don't have time to grab a healthy lunch.

Instead, I've become a fan of stocking my desk and the office fridge with tasty, appealing, and yes, nutritious foods to get me through those days when the weather makes me want to stay inside.

I'm lucky that my office building is less than a five-minute drive to a huge, well-stocked grocery store. At the beginning of the week, I can take my lunch hour to shop for my "office groceries," completely separate from a home shopping trip. I look for mostly frozen and canned or boxed foods that will last a while, along with a few fresh fruits that stay good in the fridge. Here are some typical items you'll find on my office shopping list:

Healthy Choice frozen entrees, as well as soups and Fresh Mixers (which I can keep in my desk drawer)
Apples and oranges
Nuts, raisins, and seeds, such as DAVID sunflower seeds
Frozen veggies in single-serving bags (I steam these in the microwave)
Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop! popcorn
Low-fat yogurt
Whole-grain crackers
Low-fat cheese sticks

With all this good food close at hand, it's easy for me to make good choices when I'm lunching at the office.

Topic: Eating Out and About

May 11, 2009

View Comments Add Comment

Picnic Nutrition

posted by: Jerry

As we start to move into picnic season here in the US, it's worth remembering that healthy foods don't have to lack flavor. Your next picnic can be loaded with menu items that can be just as tasty as they are nutritious.

For starters, let's begin with the starters. Appetizers at a picnic need to be simple to keep people occupied while the main course is cooking on the grill or being unpacked. Healthy appetizers can be as simple as pre-cut veggies and light veggie dip or fat-free bean dip. If you decide to make the dip from scratch, use ranch seasoning mix and low fat sour cream to cut down on calories.

To go with your vegetables and dip, it's worth considering some salty baked snacks as well. This could be as easy as buying 100-calorie snack bags of baked potato chips, or you can make baked tortilla chips at home from whole-grain tortillas and pack them in advance.

Of course, snacks alone don't make a great picnic, so remember to pick up some low-fat burgers or hot dog franks for the grill. Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Franks are a fantastic source of protein and contain only 45 calories per frank. Skinless chicken breast or seafood kabobs mixed with onions and peppers can be a healthy main course as well. A side dish of brown whole-grain rice is as filling as mashed potatoes and a lot healthier for you at the same time.

Although most picnic desserts usually involve cake or pie, fruit salad combined with coconut makes a fantastic sweet alternative to processed sugar. Also, consider grilling fresh fruit for a new twist on dessert.

As far as beverages are concerned, stick to bottled water (plain or flavored) instead of soda or fruit drinks made from concentrate.

After everything is said and done, your next picnic doesn't have to be an excuse for unhealthy eating. In fact, a picnic might be a great way to introduce new menu options that are nutritious and delicious.

Topic: Eating Out and About

January 05, 2009

View Comments Add Comment

Eating Right On The Road

posted by: Jerry

This week will offer the first true test of my commitment to nutrition in 2009: I have to attend the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for my work. Attending one of the biggest trade shows in the nation might not sound like fun, but the truth is that any break from your regular eating habits can be a serious hurdle to staying healthy. Business trips can sometimes be even worse than a vacation in terms of diet because it means working long hours, and having breakfast, lunch, and dinner in between meetings. And let's face it, often times the only "convenient" food you have access to while you're on the go tends to be fattening fast food or possibly even snacks out of a vending machine.

If you find yourself away from your regular routine what can you do to keep that New Year's resolution to get fit? One solution is to be prepared and bring your own healthy snacks. Traveling means your will power is going to be tested more than usual. Just eating 10 corn tortilla chips and two tablespoons of cheese dip as an appetizer means eating as much fat and as many calories as a single healthy meal ... without the fiber or other nutritional value.

To help me resist the temptation of eating fast food or appetizers loaded with fat and empty calories I'm traveling with an assortment of healthy snacks. Some of my favorites include:

Freeze dried fruits
Low calorie/low sugar energy bars
Home-made trail mix
DAVID Sunflower Seeds

Of course, it's also important to stay hydrated so I also drink as much bottled water as possible when traveling. On the bright side, I know I'll be getting more exercise than usual because this business trip involves walking to multiple meeting locations at a dozen different hotels and conference rooms. That's another important trick to staying healthy on the road: getting exercise whenever possible. Thank goodness I'm bringing some comfortable shoes.

Overall, I'm looking forward to this business trip ... and I hope my will power is stronger than my appetite.

Topic: Eating Out and About

previous | next

Jerry
My name is Jerry, and I'm a father, editor, and photographer. I've gained too much weight recently, and in 2006, my wonderful daughter was born... Read More