Jerry the Blogger

We all have those favorite recipes that we know are "bad" for us.

I happen to love a chili cheese dip that contains more fat in one serving than I "should" have in a whole day. And then there's my mom's famous pumpkin bars. Oh, and my wife's grandma's goetta, which is a regional German breakfast food that you have to taste to appreciate.

So if you're making an effort to eat more nutritiously, do you give up these beloved recipes? Start Making Choices says you don't have to sacrifice love for health. You can have both!

One of the coolest parts of the program is the monthly Recipe Makeover. More than once, I've checked out the latest madeover recipe and discovered a new tasty, better-for-you way to enjoy "bad-for-you" foods. Take for example this Baked Doughnuts recipe, which trims out 75% of the original doughnut's fat. By using a few substitute ingredients and different way of cooking (baking instead of frying), you can enjoy a doughnut that's actually somewhat good for you. How's that for a makeover?

Other recipes they've transformed include trail mix, potato salad and the all-American burger. It's amazing what a little healthy ingenuity can do in the kitchen! If you have a favorite recipe that could use a little work, submit it for an upcoming Recipe Makeover. Then check your monthly newsletter to see if you got your nutritious wish.

Humans thrive on routine, but when it comes to our diets, routines can easily become ruts. At least, that's been the case for me.

I truly enjoy digging into a healthy, nutritious dish if it tastes good. I'm not one of those people who complain "If it tastes good, it must be bad for you." Fresh selections, interesting spice combinations, flavors from different parts of the world -- any of these can make a typical weekday meal something to look forward to. However, if I start eating the same four or five dishes over and over again (no matter how much I like them), I get bored and start craving less healthy options.

To help get myself out of a food rut, I turn to the web to find new ideas and recipes that sound like something I'd enjoy and don't seem to difficult or expensive to make. In some cases, I might just look for a twist to my favorite chicken dish or a different way to prepare the frozen fish I already have in my freezer. No need to go to chef school or spend hours experimenting in the kitchen -- I can simply make a few tweaks to the weekly menu and instantly get more interested in upcoming meals.

Discovering new recipes is easy. I often begin with Start Making Choices because the recipe database is huge and I've liked a lot of the recipes I found on there. But there are millions of other places to look, from your local TV news website to cooking show websites. Or simply search for the type of recipe you want, such as "chicken and rice recipes," and check out the top results.

Once you shake up your dining routine a bit, I think you'll find it's much easier to stick with a more nutritious lifestyle. And you'll have a lot more fun doing it!

Anyone who's had a child knows the meaning of the word "hectic."

I'm thrilled to say my wife and I just had our second baby a few days ago -- and that means double hectic. Once we arrived home from the hospital, we not only had a newborn child to care for (no easy feat), but also a very busy, active toddler who wanted just as much attention for herself.

When you're struggling with weight gain and trying to eat more nutritiously, such major life changes can really throw you for a loop. There's just so precious little time to shop for groceries, plan and prepare healthy meals, and still be able to get a few hours of sleep.

While I admit we have relied on a few fast-food meals to get us through the past few days, we are also trying to find ways to eat as nutritiously as possible, given the circumstances. For instance, we got a pre-cut fruit tray from the grocery store -- one simple way to work in extra servings of fruit between midnight feedings. Healthy Choice meals have also helped us out. Sometimes all we have time for is a Fresh Mixer for lunch or a Naturals meal for dinner. At least they're good for us -- and they taste good, too.

I also searched for some recipes on Start Making Choices that involved only 10 minutes or less of hands-on time. A few that look promising are Breakfast Burritos with Tomato-Basil Topping, Chicken Rotini Toss and Hearty Beef and Bean Chili. The recipes may take longer than 10 minutes to cook (like the chili, which takes 8 hours in a slow cooker, but only 5 minutes of hands-on time). But as long as neither my wife or I need to stand over the stove stirring or the cutting board chopping, these quick and easy recipes beat yet another pizza delivered to our door.