More kudos for the Mediterranean diet

A new study came out showing the Mediterranean diet prevents numerous diseases, like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and even Parkinson's. While the Mediterranean diet is not new and we've known that it's a healthy eating pattern, this study analyzed the diets of more than 1.5 million people - so it's conclusive.

Eating like our Greek and Italian friends means loading up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish and even olive oil and cutting back on red meat, dairy products and processed foods. The good news is that most of the those foods will also help you to lose weight since they are rich in nutrients and fiber so they fill you up without filling you out. The diet is really about eating whole foods that are either naturally low in all fats or high in only healthy fats, which keep your blood flowing smoothly.

To get yourself started on a Mediterranean style of eating, cut back your red meat intake to only once or twice a week and replace with a nice, healthy piece of fish, like tilapia or salmon, and a side of lentils. Get rid of the butter from your fridge and replace with olive and canola oil. You can order pre-filled olive and canola oil spray bottles that make portion control easy from Gourme Mist. This ensures you're not overdoing it on the added fat because even if it's the healthy kind, too much fat means too many calories.

Teach your kids rather than deceive them

After seeing Jessica Seinfeld's book called "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food," we, as nutrition educators and moms, felt compelled to post on the importance of teaching your kids about nutritious food rather than just hiding it in their treats. While brownies made with pureed spinach and carrots mixed in sounds like an interesting way to work some veggies into your child's diet, teaching your children that vegetables and fruits are delicious and healthy on their own is the best way to foster a love of produce as they get older. My 4 year old talks about how he eats his vegetables so he'll grow big and strong and feel good everyday to do all the things he loves to do. And, no he doesn't always eat every bite, but I'm glad he knows the value of eating his veggies rather than just sneaking it into the dessert he may get as a treat. For my 18 month old, I put vegetables or fruit on his tray every meal and I would encourage you to do the same. Even if they aren't always eaten, fostering the idea that produce is part of every meal will stick with him as he gets older. This is a critical time for developing healthy eating habits, not only for him but the whole family.
Bottomline: If you want to use veggie or fruit purees in recipes to boost your child's intake, go ahead. Just make sure you also give him fruits and vegetables that he can see, smell, taste and appreciate for all they do to make him a strong and healthy individual.

The kid-vegetable challenge

Every night I face the same challenge: getting my kids to eat something green (that grew from the ground). Well, I just found a new product that has made getting my kids to eat veggies easier and the prep time much quicker for me. Birds Eye Steamfresh veggies are ready-to-go, in bite size pieces, frozen vegetables that you pop in the microwave for 5 minutes to steam. Tear open the bag and you're done. Tonight the kids ate the green beans as is and had the mixed vegetables last night. For the broccoli or cauliflower I've thrown a slice of American cheese on top to melt and both my kids gobbled it up. Not only is the prep so much cleaner and easier, since they are steamed right in the bag, they taste just as good as fresh. No worries about freezer burn or ice in a half used bag. What products have you found that make the "kid-vegetable challenge" easier? (Not to mention the "husband-vegetable challenge" I've faced as well. I'll save that for another posting.)