7 Foods the Health Experts Won't Eat

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-7-foods-experts-wont-eat-547963/

Happy Hanukkah!

I have received requests in the past for a way to lighten traditional Jewish foods.  Here is an idea to lighten your latkes!  : )

http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2008/12/22/lighter-latkes/?nl=EATS_120909_13

Halloween candy info from Hungry Girl

No stats on the back of your bite-sized Halloween goodies? Don't stress! Check out our new HUGE guide to the calorie counts and fat contents of your favorite candies, and then forward this to all your hungry pals!


Guilt-Free Classics!



Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Laffy Taffy Miniature - 32 calories, 0.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Tootsie Roll Midgee (About 1-Inch Long) - 23 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (0.5 oz., About 3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Twizzlers Strawberry Twists, Snack Size (3 Minis) or Individually Wrapped Twist - 30 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Chocolate 101: Size Matters!



Before you chew, know the difference between Snack Size, Fun Size, and Miniatures...



Miniatures/Minis are the square-shaped morsels -- those babies are each about a quarter-ounce in weight.



A Snack Size or Fun Size chocolate treat weighs in at a little more than a half-ounce and is usually about 2 inches long.


Not all size-categorized treats are created equal. We've found seemingly identical Fun Size bars on shelves -- same brand, same flavor -- with varying weights and calorie counts. If you want to be extra-careful, we recommend going by the higher set of stats listed below.

Choc-O-Licious



3 Musketeers Mini Bar - 24 calories, 0.7g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



3 Musketeers Fun Size Bar - 63 - 70 calories, 2 - 2.25g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)



Almond Joy Snack Size Bar - 80 - 85 calories, 4.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Butterfinger Miniature - 45 calories, 1.75g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Butterfinger Fun Size Bar - 100 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Hershey's Kiss, Milk Chocolate - 25 calories, 1.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Hershey's Kiss, Pumpkin Spice or Candy Corn Flavor - 23 calories, 1.3g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Hershey's Miniature Bar, Any Flavor - 42 calories, 2.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Hershey's Milk Chocolate Snack Size Bar - 67 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Milky Way Mini - 40 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Milky Way Fun Size Snack Bar - 75 - 80 calories, 3g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Nestle Crunch Miniature - 30 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Nestle Crunch Fun Size Bar - 60 - 70 calories, 3 - 3.3g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)



Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup - 44 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Reese's Snack Size Peanut Butter Cup - 90 - 110 calories, 5 - 6.5g fat (POINTS® value 2 - 3*)



SHOCKER! Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin - 170 calories, 10g fat (POINTS® value 4*)



Snickers Miniature - 45 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Snickers Fun Size Bar - 80 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Twix Mini Caramel Cookie Bar - 50 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Twix Fun Size Peanut Butter Cookie or Caramel Cookie Bar - 80 calories, 4 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Pattie Pumpkin - 60 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)


Goodie Bag (or Box)!



Dots Mini Box - 75 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Junior Mints Snack Size Box - 80 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Life-Savers Gummies Pouch - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



M&M's Fun Size Bag - 63 - 83 calories, 2.6 - 4g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)



Peanut M&M's Fun Size Bag - 67 - 90 calories, 3.3 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)



Mike and Ike Snack Size Pack - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Milk Duds Snack Size Box - 53 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Nerds Mini Box - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Runts Mini Package - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Skittles Fun Size Pack, Original - 53 - 80 calories, 0.5g - 1g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)



Sour Patch Kids Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Starburst Original Fruit Chews Fun Size Package (2 Chews) - 40 calories, 0.8g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Swedish Fish Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)



Sweetarts Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Is the label on that food you are eating correct?

According to this article, it may not be.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/22/use-food-labels-to-know-what-youre-eating-theres-a-1-in-4-cha/

100 Cal packs not as popular!

http://health.msn.com/blogs/daily-dose-post.aspx?post=1127656&Gt1=31036

Good article on freezing foods to help you save $$$ and waste

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/dining/06mini.html?_r=1&8dpc

This is an AMAZING website

www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

HBO Documentary - please consider watching!

Hello all. I hope you do not mind this forward, but I want to let you know of a documentary with much importance being aired on HBO, starting today. It was a news report, about such animals, that was the catalyst for me to choose a vegetarian lifestyle, almost 6 years ago. I try not to preach about my veggie lifestyle, and I hope you do not feel I am asking or telling you to give up meat. I believe it works for me, and I understand it isn't for everyone. But I urge you to watch this (I haven't seen it and can't attest to it's quality) with an open mind and heart. Please think about where your meat is coming from and what that animal has endured for you to receive nutritional and gastronomic satisfaction. And, if after watching this, you feel compelled to reduce the meat you consume or even choose a vegetarian lifestyle, please ask and I will guide you to websites and resources that will help make the transition easy and painless, for you and the animals!

I know there exist beliefs on both sides about vegetarian eating and living, and whether it is good for the environment and whether we could live in a fully vegetarian world. While I do not believe we can all be veggies, I do believe that we can certainly use more and that we need more compassionate people that are willing to not eat animals to stop the suffering. I like meat. I still desire it from time to time. But, I choose not to eat it (with a few slips in 6 yrs) because I do not need to kill an animal to be satisfied. And going veggie has lowered my cholesterol to amazing levels, and I rarely get sick. I haven't had a true cold in 3 years, and I am not even the healthiest vegetarian. I still like junk food, a lot of which is vegetarian! The best part of it all, I feel much more spiritually in tune with animals and nature. I truly feel the animals know that I am on their side, in every way.

Again, I do not mean to preach, just to enlighten. If this is for you, it is for you. If not, it isn't. I will still love you and respect you, no matter what you eat, or watch. Just consider watching this, and maybe giving up pork, or more.

Sincerely, Meg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is stunning news in the animal advocacy world, particularly for those of us who have been working in the field for years and remember the days when it was hard to find a news story that even touched on the cruelty to animals being documented by activists. This coming Monday, March 16, HBO will premier a documentary called "Death on a Factory Farm." According to the HBO synopsis, "'Death on a Factory Farm' follows the undercover investigation of Wiles Hog Farm by the animal rights group The Humane Farming Association (HFA), and the resulting court case against it." The industry magazine, "Pork," reports with apprehension that the documentary will run on HBO twenty times through till April 1.

You'll find the full schedule at http://www.hbo.com/apps/schedule/ScheduleServlet -- just enter the documentary title into the search line on that page.

The Time Magazine web site currently has a terrific story on the issue -- an interview with, and photo of, 'Pete,' the undercover investigator and animal advocacy hero, who worked at the farm and videotaped the horrors. Many of us already know him from his previous undercover work that formed the basis of an earlier HBO documentary, "Dealing Dogs." The interview with Pete is on line at http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1883742,00.htmlNews outlets pay close attention to which stories get the most clicks and forwards, so please check it out and then go the bottom of the page where it says "Connect to this Time Story" and click on "Email," and email the page to all of your friends. You can also leave a comment on that page. Please do.

The HBO home page for this documentary is:http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/deathfactoryfarm/index.htmlIt includes links to pages where you can watch a brief preview video, read an interview with the multi award winning producers of the documentary, and read a synopsis of the film. The opening lines of the synopsis make the point that the film apparently drives home beautifully:

"Each year, ten billion animals are raised for consumption in the U.S., mostly on sprawling, industrialized farms, where virtually no federal laws mandate how the animals are treated - though guidelines exist - and state laws are ineffective. As a result, animals are frequently subjected to what many consider cruel treatment and inhumane conditions in the interest of economic efficiency.

"We learn about the undercover video:" Over the course of six weeks, Pete secretly filmed numerous disturbing scenes, including piglets being tossed into crates from across a room, impregnated sows held in pens that don't allow them to move, an unhealthy piglet being slammed against a wall to euthanize it, and a sick sow being hung by a chain from a forklift until it choked to death."

Will you forgive my turn of phrase if I write that the factory farming industry folks are crapping themselves in anticipation of this movie? (I did edit myself slightly.) The industry's general position is that the cruelty on this farm was an aberration. But while we don't yet have video from other farms of pigs being hung to death or slammed against concrete floors, some of the chronic cruelty, such as keeping the huge and intelligent animals in tiny individual pens too small to let them turn around or even lie down with their legs outstretched, is standard industry practice. Such cruelty is not limited to the pork industry -- most of us know about battery cages and veal crates, for example. Beef Magazine therefore reports at http://tinyurl.com/d3cfbc (my thanks to Mary Finelli for that link):"

For any of us the agriculture industry, this documentary sends shivers down our spines.... To put things into perspective, HBO has an estimated 35 million subscribers, and a premier program on HBO can reach between 1 to 3 percent of that audience, or about 500 thousand to 1.5 million people."

Woohoo!

The Beef Magazine writer recommends to readers:"I encourage all of you to tune in to this documentary, and follow up with letters of response to the producers and to HBO."

I always stress the importance of letting media outlets know how much we, the audience, appreciate their animal friendly content. With the meat industry calling for mobilization against HBO on this one, appreciative feedback from the audience becomes doubly important. Please send HBO a supersized thank you. Comments on HBO documentaries should be submitted at http://tinyurl.com/d6og4

You can also make sure that everybody who reads your local paper knows about the show. Some of the smaller papers publish close to 100% of letters they receive. The five minutes it takes you to send a quick note could help teach thousands of people in your area about the horrors of the modern food production system. As the show will air through the rest of the month you still have time to write now. Why not?

Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn

(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You may forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts if you do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this parenthesized tag line. If somebody forwards DawnWatch alerts to you, which you enjoy, please help the list grow by signing up. It is free.)

Please go to www.ThankingtheMonkey.com to read reviews and see a fun celeb-studded video and an NBC news piece on Karen Dawn's new book, "Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way we Treat Animals," which was chosen by the Washington Post as one of the "Best Books of 2008."

Very interesting talk Wednesday night

http://www.journeysfire.org/docs/Oceanflyer.pdf

I just thought I'd share this, for anyone interested in progressive thought, action, and way of life.

Ways to cut back fat and sugar

Instead of 1 C whipping cream, try:

1 C half and half and save 48 g fat
1 C evaporated whole milk and save 53 g fat
1 C evaporated skim milk and save 72 g fat

Instead of 1 C sour cream, try:
1 C reduced fat sour cream and save 12 g fat
1 C fat free sour cream and save 40 g fat

Instead of 1 C low-fat flavored yogurt, try:
1 C yogurt, unflavored or with non-sugar sweetener and save 22 g sugar

Instead of 1 pound lean ground beef, try:
1 pound ground turkey breast and save 78 g fat

Instead of 1 C nuts, try:
1/2 C toasted nuts and save 21 g fat

Instead of 2 slices bacon, cooked, try:
1 slice Canadian Bacon and save 4 g fat

Instead of 1 oz. hard cheese like cheddar, try:
1 oz. reduced fat cheese and save 4 g fat
or
2 T grated Parmesan Cheese and save 6 g fat

American Cancer Society handout

Portion Sized Cutting Boards make serving yourself right sized portions easy!

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=181503&catid=79637&brand=53483&trx=PLST-0-BRAND&trxp1=79637&trxp2=181503&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-BRAND

Very, very interesting!

Need to spay or neuter a pet or even a stray in your neighborhood?

Hello - hope everyone is doing well! In case you know of anyone who needs to get a pet spay or neutered...October is the month! Check out the discounted rates available with this certificate from Spay Neuter Services of Indiana. Please pass along and encourage friends, family, coworker, neighbors to take advantage.

http://www.spayneuterservices.org/popcert.pdf

Pretty good breakfast option

Bob Evans Frozen Oatmeal Bowls. I had the apple cinnamon variety today for breakfast. The first bite seemed a bit salty. But, it got better as I went on. 5 pts. So that is a bit high. But, it has brown sugar and apples and if I had made this I would have felt I needed more, thus more pts. Not bad in a pinch!

October is...

...National Eat Better, Eat Together Month.

You can go to the the College Ave Indianapolis Marion County Public Library each week for menus to use throughout the week. Combine this with the Lose for Good campaign to help earn more pounds lost and more food distributed to those in need!

I imagine the recipes would have to be WW friendly since it says Eat Better.

Here is a link to the website!

http://nutrition.wsu.edu/ebet/

Starbucks New Food Pt. Values

Power Protein Plate, Starbucks (w/ pb) 7 16g protein
Power Protein Plate, Starbucks (no pb) 5 13g protein
Perfect Oatmeal, Starbucks (oatmeal only) 2 5g protein
Chewy Fruit and Nut Bar, Starbucks 5 5g protein
Spinach Feta Wrap, Starbucks 5 13g protein
Apple Bran Muffin, Starbucks 6 7g protein
Multigrain Roll, Starbucks (roll only) 6* 7g protein
Berry Stella, Starbucks 6 6g protein

*If multigrain roll has 4g fiber, which is possible, it's only 5 points, but they don't list the fiber.

Rumor has it that the Oatmeal is disappointing and you're better off with a good McCanns. I've had the spinach wrap... not bad, actually, esp. in an emergency, but if you get it, make it a regular coffee, not one with points!

posted on the WW message boards

Calories in burgers! hOLY COW!

Keep in mind that the rough guideline is 50 cals/pt. These are even more due to the fat content! Holy moley. Or as an high school friend used to say, Lordy in the morning!

Restaurant and Burger Name
Calories

McDonald's
Hamburger
250

Cheeseburger
300

Double Cheeseburger
440

Quarter Pounder
410

Quarter Pounder with Cheese
510

Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
740

Big Mac
540

Big N' Tasty
460

Big N' Tasty with Cheese
510

Burger King
Whopper
670

Whopper w/o mayo
510

Whopper with cheese
760

Whopper with cheese w/o mayo
600

Double Whopper
900

Double Whopper w/o mayo
740

Double Whopper with cheese
990

Double Whopper with cheese w/o mayo
830

Triple Whopper
1,130

Triple Whopper w/o mayo
980

Triple Whopper with cheese
1,230

Triple Whopper with cheese w/o mayo
1,070

Whopper Jr.
370

Whopper Jr. w/o mayo
290

Whopper Jr. with cheese
410

Whopper Jr. with cheese w/o mayo
330

Hamburger
290

Cheeseburger
330

Double Hamburger
410

Double Cheeseburger
500

BK Double Stacker
610

BK Triple Stacker
800

BK Quad Stacker
1,000

The Angus Steak Burger
640

Wendy's
Jr. Hamburger
230

Jr. Cheeseburger
270

Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe
300

Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
320

Stack Attack
380

Single w/Everything
430

Double w/Everything and Cheese
710

Triple w/Everything and Cheese
980

Baconator
840

Carl's Jr.
Famous Star with Cheese
660

Super Star with Cheese
930

Western Bacon Cheeseburger
710

Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger
970

Chili Cheeseburger
830

Jalapeno Burger
720

The Original Six Dollar Burger
1,010

The Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger
1,140

The Low Carb Six Dollar Burger
1,130

The Jalapeno Six Dollar Burger


Hardee's
1/3 lb Thickburger
910

1/3 lb Cheeseburger
680

1/3 lb Mushroom N Swiss Thickburger
720

1/3 lb Bacon Cheese Thickburger
910

1/3 lb Low Carb Thickburger
420

1/2 lb Six Dollar Burger
1,060

1/2 lb Grilled Sourdough Thickburger
1,030

2/3 Double Thickburger
1,250

2/3 lb Double Bacon Cheese Thickburger
1,300

2/3 lb Monster Thickburger
1,420

Sonic
SONIC Burger (w/ Mayonnaise)
650

SONIC Burger (w/ Mustard)
560

SONIC Burger (w/ Ketchup)
560

SONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mayonnaise)
720

SONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mustard)
620

SONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Ketchup)
630

SONIC Bacon Cheeseburger
780

SuperSONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mayonnaise)
980

SuperSONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mustard)
890

SuperSONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Ketchup)
900

Jr. Burger
310

Jr. Cheeseburger
380

Dixie Burger
660

Dixie Cheeseburger
720

Thousand Island Jr. Cheeseburger
430

California Cheeseburger
690

SuperSONIC Jalapeno Cheeseburger
890

Thousand Island Cheeseburger
680

Jalapeno Cheeseburger
610

Jalapeno Burger
550

Green Chili Cheeseburger
630

Chili Cheeseburger
660

Hickory Cheeseburger
640

Jr. Double Cheeseburger
570

Ruby Tuesday
Triple Prime Burger
933

Triple Prime Cheddar Burger
1,093

Triple Prime Bacon Cheddar Burger
1,183

Jumbo Lump Crab Burger
1,068

The Ultimate Chicken
1,068

Blackened Fish Burger
839

Bacon Cheeseburger
1,193

Classic Cheeseburger
1,103

Ruby's Classic Burger
1,013

Smokehouse Burger
1,382

Alpine Swiss Burger
1,257

Ruby Minis (4)
1,271

Turkey Minis (4)
973

Mini Trio
836

Turkey Burger
813

Avocado Turkey Burger
1,026

Bella Turkey Burger
1,057

Bison Bacon Cheeseburger
1,072

Veggie Burger
945

Chicken BLT
972

Buffalo Chicken Burger
1,033

Big Hamburger
1,070

Fatburger
Fatburger
520

Baby Fat
300

Turkeyburger
550

Veggieburger
430

Kingburger
820

In N Out Burger
Hamburger w/Onion
390

•With Mustard & Ketchup Instead of Spread
310

•Protein Style (Bun replaced with Lettuce)
240

Cheeseburger w/Onion
480

• With Mustard & Ketchup Instead of Spread
400

•Protein Style (Bun replaced with Lettuce)
330

Double-Double w/Onion
670

•With Mustard & Ketchup Instead of Spread
590

•Protein Style (Bun replaced with Lettuce)
520

White Castle
White Castle
140

Cheeseburger
170

Jalapeno Cheeseburger
180

Bacon Cheeseburger
200

Double White Castle
250

Double Cheeseburger
300

Double Jalapeno Cheeseburger
320

Double Bacon Cheeseburger
370

Whataburger
Whataburger
620

Whataburger, Double Meat
870

Whataburger Jr.
300

Whataburger, Triple Meat
1,120

Whataburger with bacon & cheese
780

TGI Friday's

Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger
1,590

Bacon Cheeseburger
1,340

Jack Daniel's Burger
1,540

Friday's Burger
1,290

California Turkey Burger
950

Ahi Tuna Ciabatta Burgers
800

Chili's

Big Mouth Bites
850

Big Mouth Bun only (with butter)
460

Burger Patty only (w/o bun or toppings)
360

Bacon Burger
1,090

Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger
1,090

Jalapeño Smokehouse Bacon Big Mouth Burger w/ out side of Jalapeño-Ranch Dressing
1,530

Mushroom-Swiss Burger
1,100

Oldtimer Burger
800

Oldtimer Burger w/ Cheese
880

Smokehouse Bacon Triple-The-Cheese Big Mouth Burger w/ out side of Jalapeño-Ranch Dressing
1,840

Southern Smokehouse Bacon Big Mouth Burger w/ out side of Ancho-Chile BBQ Sauce
1,560

Jack in the Box

Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger
1,090

Big Cheeseburger
640

Double Bacon & Cheese Ciabatta Burger
1,120

Hamburger
280

Hamburger deluxe
350

Hamburger deluxe with Cheese
440

Hamburger with Cheese
330

Jumbo Jack
600

Jumbo Jack with Cheese
690

Junior Bacon Cheeseburger
400

Single Bacon & Cheese Ciabatta Burger
870

Sirloin Steak & Cheddar Ciabatta
770

Sirloin Steak Melt
880

Sourdough Jack
710

Sourdough Ultimate Cheeseburger
950

Ultimate Cheeseburger
1,010

Dairy Queen

DQ Original Burger
350

DQ Original Cheeseburger
400

DQ Original Double Cheeseburger
640

DQ Original Bacon Double Cheeseburger
730

DQ Ultimate Burger
780

1/4 lb FlameThrower GrillBurger
840

1/4 lb Chili Meltdown GrillBurger
600

Bacon Cheddar GrillBruger
710

Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger
680

Red Robin

5 Alarm Burger
907

Banzai Burger
1,054

A1 Peppercorn Burger
1,440

Blackened Bayou Burger
858

Blue Ribbon Burger
1,062

Guacamole Bacon Burger
1,151

Monster Burger
1,030

Red Robin Bacon Cheeseburger
1,030

Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger
850

Royal Red Robin Burger
1,178

Santa Fe Burger
1,036

Sauteed 'Shroom Burger
971

Sicilian Burger
1,070

Whiskey River BBQ Burger
1,129

Applebee's
Brewtus Steak Burger
1,390

Mini Bacon Cheeseburgers (3)
1,030

Johnny Rockets
Rocket Single
710

Rocket Double
1,020

The Original
820

#12
900

Route 66
920

Smoke House Single
950

Smoke House Double
1,260

Bacon Cheddar Single
860

Bacon Cheddar Double
1,400

St. Louis
991

Patty Melt
690

Chili Size
1,290

Streamliner (100-percent soy Bocca patty)
410

Making you produce last

Fresh fruits and vegetables aren't the only way to meet your daily fruit and veggie requirements, but during the summer, who can't resist the fresh stuff? To avoid the frustration of fresh produce going bad quickly, there are a few strategies you can follow.

Reduce waste by buying only as much as you can eat (or prepare) until your next shopping trip. That may require a trip to the market once a week to pick up fresh produce, but it's more cost effective in the long run.
Go straight home after the market so your food won't be in the heat very long and can be stored properly.

Wash produce with clean hands when you are ready to eat it, not when you bring it home. Unless of course you're chopping it up and preparing it for future meals and snacks.

Refrigerate all cut-up fruit and veggies (fresh OR cooked) within two hours.

Different fruits and vegetables require different temperature and humidity levels for optimal shelf life and food safety. Here are some additional tips to keep all your produce as fresh as possible.

Counter tops: Many fruits do best when they are ripened on the counter, then stored in the refrigerator once ripe. Items in this category include melons, peaches, plums and nectarines, as well as avocados and tomatoes. It also works for more tropical fruits such as bananas, papayas and mangoes. Do not leave fruit in plastic bags on counters as this can slow the ripening process and may lead to rotten spots; paper bags allow better airflow and are fine for most fruits.

Refrigerator: Most other fresh fruits and vegetables are best stored in a clean refrigerator at 40°F or below in plastic bags with holes to allow for air flow. Use crisper drawers for whole produce, being sure to store fruits separately from vegetables. Fruits give off a gas (ethylene) that can shorten the storage life of other items, while vegetables (such as broccoli) give off odors that can affect the taste and quality of fruits.

Cupboards: Some produce items are stored best in a clean, dry, well-ventilated space with no direct light; like a cupboard. Foods that do well in cupboards include potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squash, as well as garlic and onions.

If you want more detailed information on storing specific fruits and vegetables, visit www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

Info from InShapeIN

Grocery Shoppin on a budget!

From the InShape Indiana website:

Gas prices aren't the only thing rising, the cost of food is as well. It can be difficult to make healthy choices when you're on a budget. The following tips are some ways to help make your grocery trip a little easier and lighter on your wallet!

Plan ahead by making menus and a list. If you're wandering down each aisle of the store without a plan of action, you will surely overspend on foods that aren't necessary.

Try to plan menus for the upcoming week and make a list of food that is needed for those meals and snacks.

Don't go hungry! If you're hungry while you're grocery shopping, that hunger will influence what you buy and you may end up with less healthy choices.

Stick to the perimeter. Choose foods from the outer perimeter of your grocery store as they are mostly fresh produce, meats, dairy and breads. Load up your cart with these foods before hitting the middle aisles. These interior aisles typically contain more processed and convenience foods.

Use coupons and reward cards. You can certainly save some money by clipping coupons but make sure you're not buying foods only because there is a coupon, especially if it's something you don't need. Use coupons as well as your store's reward card for extra savings that are not offered to 'non-members.'

Buy store brands. These brands, also known as 'private labels' are usually identical to the brand name but much cheaper. Most name brand products are stocked at eye level but the products stocked lower or higher on the shelves are just as good.

Buy on sale and in bulk. Look for sales on shelf-stable items and other products you use regularly. Buying in bulk is cheaper, but only if you have the storage space and will be using it before it spoils and has to be thrown out.

Compare unit prices. Use the 'unit price' to compare brands and see which is really cheaper. Most stores show the unit price on the shelf tag, so check that out to get more for your money!

Keep your food safe and prevent waste. Use the dates to select the freshest items at the store.
Visit the cold/frozen food section last so those items aren't in your cart as long. Put them away first when you get home.

When stocking foods at home, use the older items first.

Shop seasonally and locally. Fresh produce is usually much cheaper when it's in season. Go to a local farmer's market to get fruits and vegetables that are fresh and haven't traveled a long distance.

Indiana State Fair Pts. Preparedness!

Estimated POINTS Values for
Fair Food Favorites: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Belgian Waffle with whipped cream, 9
Caramel Apple, 9
Cheese Fries, 14
Chili Dog, 7
Chocolate frozen banana, 4
Corn Dog, 1 regular or 4 mini, 5
Corn Dog, foot long, 8
Corn on Cob, plain (large), 2 (And it’s CORE!)
Corn on Cob, with 2 Tbsp. Butter, 7
Cotton Candy, 1 ½ oz., 3
Elephant Ear, whole, 26
Fried Cheesecake, 17
Fried Mixed Veggies 1 cup, 10
Fried Oreo, 3
Fried Snickers, 11
Fried Twinkie, 11
Fried Tenderloin Sandwich, 16
Fudge, 1 piece, 3
Funnel Cake (1/2 of 8” diameter), 12
Grilled Cheese, 13
Gyro Sandwich, 17
Kebabs, 2 small skewers, 8
Kettle Corn, 10 oz., 12
Milkshake, 13
Nachos with Cheese, 9
Potato Pancakes, 2
Roasted Almonds 1 oz., 4
Sno Cone with 6 oz. Syrup, 11
Soft Pretzel, small 4 ½ oz., 8
Tenderloin, 12 Turkey Leg, 28

Heading out to an amusement park this summer? Or thinking about what to do as far as travels? While the gas is expensive, there are some good buys at some amusement park restaurants that won't hurt your pt. budget.

Here is a list from www.healthydiningfinder.com


Healthy Choices at Amusement Parks
When hunger hits at an amusement park, options are often limited to cheese pizza, chicken fingers or grilled cheese. Nutrition is pushed aside in favor of quick bites with short lines. Not anymore. Rather than depend on fried foods, popcorn with extra butter or fat-laden ice cream bars, today’s amusement park lover can fill up with Healthy Dining meals that keep hunger at bay throughout the day.

One example: SeaWorld Orlando. Last year the park launched a new restaurant, trans fat- free frying, and an array of healthy choices throughout the park for kids and adults. The park’s newest approach to healthier dining includes Mama’s Kitchen Healthy Alternatives, a quick-service restaurant offering an assortment of foods prepared with fresh ingredients and substitutes such as non-fat mayonnaise and dressing, whole wheat bread and pasta, zero trans fat frying oil and no preservatives.

Looking for even more choices? Read on. All Busch Gardens’ locations are offering to help park-goers avoid the greasy spoons and dine on food that not only tastes good, but is good for their health, too.

Adventure Island Water Park (Tampa, FL):

Turkey Wrap with Side of Fruit Tender turkey, fresh lettuce, and tomato wrapped in a spinach tortilla and served with a side of grapes and strawberries (included in analysis).

Calories 450; Fat 6 g; Sat Fat 0 g; Chol 40 mg; Sod 1150* mg; Carb 74 g; Fiber 5 g; Sugar 16 g; Pro 28 g; Fruit/Veg 1.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Discovery Cove (Orlando, FL):

Salmon Salad Fillet of salmon with fresh tropical fruits over a bed of greens and finished with our famous Budweiser Guava Sauce. Budweiser Guava Sauce is served on the side and not included in analysis.

Calories 565; Fat 27 g; Sat Fat 5 g; Chol 335 mg; Sod 175* mg; Carb 27 g; Fiber 6 g; Sugar 18 g; Pro 54 g; Fruit/Veg 3 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA):

Carved Turkey Sandwich Carved turkey breast with Muenster cheese, lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat sub roll. Served with potato salad (included in analysis).

Calories 695; Fat 23 g; Sat Fat 8.5 g; Chol 70 mg; Sod 1720* mg; Carb 84 g; Fiber 7 g; Sugar 21 g; Pro 40 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Busch Gardens, Africa (Tampa, FL):

Grilled Salmon with Grilled Vegetables at Zambia Smokehouse

Calories 430; Fat 24 g; Sat Fat 5 g; Chol 135 mg; Sod 130* mg; Carb 6 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugar 3 g; Pro 46 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Busch Gardens, Europe (Williamsburg, VA):

Brisket Sandwich Platter at Trappers Smokehouse Smoked brisket with American cheese, sliced tomatoes and lettuce on focaccia bread with barbecue sauce. Served with coleslaw (not included in analysis).

Calories 515; Fat 20 g; Sat Fat 8 g; Chol 70 mg; Sod 1225* mg; Carb 34 g; Fiber 3 g; Sugar 6 g; Pro 47 g; Fruit/Veg 0.25 cupView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

SeaWorld (Orlando, FL):

Seafood Salad Sandwich at Mama's Kitchen Shrimp, crabmeat and spinach with fat free mayonnaise served with a whole wheat baguette and whole wheat pasta salad (both included in analysis).

Calories 515; Fat 9 g; Sat Fat 2 g; Chol 85 mg; Sod 1280* mg; Carb 80 g; Fiber 7 g; Sugar12 g; Pro 27 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cupView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

SeaWorld (San Antonio, TX):

Deli Turkey Sandwich at Sea Star MarketWith lettuce, tomato, low-fat Swiss cheese and low-fat honey mustard on a wheat roll. Served with Original Baked Lay's Potato Chips (included in analysis).

Calories 740; Fat 11 g; Sat Fat 3 g; Chol 65 mg; Sod 1840* mg; Carb 111 g; Fiber 8 g; Sugar 16 g; Pro 53 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cup
View other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

SeaWorld (San Diego, CA):

Vegetarian Wrap at Rocky Point Café
Crisp bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, olives, and fresh greens wrapped in a tomato basil tortilla served with pasta salad. Analysis does not include side packet of Italian Dressing.

Calories 525; Fat 16 g; Sat Fat 3 g; Chol 0 mg; Sod 1530* mg; Carb 83 g; Fiber 7 g; Sugar 5 g; Pro 14 g; Fruit/Veg 1.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Sesame Place (Langhorne, PA):

Wheat Cheese Pizza at Elmo’s Eatery
Freshly prepared individual pizza made with a whole-wheat crust, a blend of mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and a zesty tomato sauce.

Calories 545; Fat 18 g; Sat Fat 8.5 g; Chol 40 mg; Sod 1405* mg; Carb 76 g; Fiber 9 g; Sugar 9 g; Pro 31 g; Fruit/Veg 0.25 cupView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant