Ancient & Alternative Grains

Whole grains have become a priority for health conscious consumers due to the 2010 USDA Guidelines and the MyPlate program that emphasizes the importance of eating at least 3 servings of whole grains (48 g) each day. Wheat, corn, rice, and oats represent the largest market share of whole grain food sales. However, various ancient and alternative grains are gaining the attention of savvy
consumers and the food industry. These include amaranth, buckwheat, flax, Indian rice grass, millet, teff, quinoa, and sorghum.

Several of these ancient grains have become common on grocery store shelves in the form of flours and flakes although few consumers know how to prepare and incorporate these grains into their diet. More of these ancient grains are showing up in prepared foods such as bread, cereal, crackers, chips, and side dishes.

This month’s SUPERMARKET SAVVY Newsletter searched the grocery shelves for foods that contain these ancient and alternative grains and provides information on buying, preparing, and eating all types of whole grains. Read reviews of Nature’s Path Ancient Grains Granola, Progresso Barley Soups, Kashi 7 Whole Grains and more. Enjoy recipes for 10 Grain Yogurt Quickbread and Tangy Quinoa Salad among others. Find a Whole Grain Tip Sheet and Comparison Chart. Read more about the current issue.

Let me know your favorite whole grain product or give me a tip on how you get your family to eat whole grains and you will be entered into a contest for a free Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook: Whole and Healthy Grains for Every Meal of the Day.

Last Minute Tips for a Healthy & Blessed Thanksgiving

As the count down to the Thanksgiving meal evolves, take a deep breath and focus on the company rather than the food. Think of fun ways to interact that don’t involve food–take a walk, play a game, do a craft, etc.

When food is the focus, think about cutting the fat and sodium where possible:

• Try a fat free and reduced sodium stock or broth–try Swanson.
• Use a fat skimmer to rid the turkey drippings of fat and make a low fat gravy.
• Try a Soy Nog rather than regular Egg Nog to cut calories and fat.
• Use a low fat and sodium canned cream or mushroom soup for casseroles.
• Prepare stuffing with whole grain bread for added fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Substitute egg whites for whole eggs and evaporated skim milk for cream in your pumpkin pie recipe.
• Serve cut up raw veggies with a low fat dip for an appetizer.

Enjoy your holiday! Count your blessings!

For more thoughts on Healthy Holiday Foods and to access a Tip Sheet on 10 Healthy Holiday Foods go to www.supermarketsavvy.com.

Healthy Holloween Treats

Halloween and health may seem like an oxymoron but there are some healthier options for Halloween treats–popcorn balls, dried fruit products, trail mix and even reduced sugar candies are just a few suggestions.

Just as our latest newsletter focused on eliminating ‘Added Sugars,’ the focus on Halloween treats should be on lowering the sugar content. Some popular small sized candies with lower amounts of added sugar include Wonka Mini Laffy Taffy (4.2 grams), Hershey’s Assorted Miniatures (4.4 grams), Hershey’s Nuggets Dark Chocolate with Almonds (4 grams), Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (8 grams), and Skinny Cow Dreamy Clusters Candy (8 grams).

Dried fruit snacks come in lots of shapes and flavors and are like candy to kids. Since fruit is a natural source of sugar, the focus should be on finding those with no or little added sugar. Also check the ingredients for ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ and ‘artificial food colors.’ Some of our favorites are Betty Crocker Simply Fruit Roll-Ups (10 grams sugar), Sensible Foods Crunch Organic Dried Fruit Snacks (16 grams sugar) and Annie’s Homegrown Bunny Fruit Snacks (10 grams sugar).

Find more Healthy Halloween Tips on www.SupermarketSavvy.com.

Savvy Kids at the Supermarket

Would you like to serve up a health portion of food and nutrition to your kids? Do you need a new idea for a party

one that is fun and informative? Are your kids picky about foods and you would like to get them to try new fruits or vegetables? Give Savvy Kids at the Supermarket a try! Cindy Silver, a registered dietitian has spent the past 15 years entertaining and educating kid-focused activities in the supermarket in her role as a supermarket nutrition educator for Lowe’s Foods in North Carolina.

Savvy Kids at the Supermarket (SKS) is a series of 9 modules for parties, family dinners and tasting new foods. For instance, the SKS Mini-Kits focus on family meals and snacks with 3 themes–Power Breakfast, Sugar-Buster Snacks, and Fun Family Dinners. Each Mini-Kit includes 8 to 12 kid-friendly recipes, a colorful step-by-step guide of 5 pages and a fun activity sheet. Mini Kits sell for $11.99 each or al 3 for $29.99 (a $6 savings).

SKS Party Planners make birthday parties easy on parents and fun for kids. You guessed it…every party begins at the supermarket where kids prowl around to find ingredients for a simple party or meal and/or snacks. Afterwards, they head home for some fun in the kitchen and a party that serves up healthy choices. Choose from 3 themes–Pizza Party, Picnic Party, and Sleepover Party. Each Party Planner Kit includes 3 kid-friendly recipes, 3 party meal solutions, party favor suggestions, a colorful step-by-step guide of 3 pages, and a fun activity sheet. SKS Party Planners are $6.99 each or 3 for $17.99 (a savings of $3).

To encourage young children to try new fruits and vegetables, Cindy has 3 Kids’ Cards Themes–Tasting Apples, Tasting Vegetables, and A Supermarket Garden. Every card set starts with a hunt for one special food in the produce aisle. Kids learn by seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting. After checkout, they return home to think about how the food grows. Then, they help cook up a tasty and nutritious recipe. The Kids’ Cards are $6.99 each or all 3 for $17.99 ($3 savings).

Visit me at the American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference this weekend in San Diego. You can find me at the Member Product Marketplace on Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm. I will have sample SKS modules for you to preview.

Frozen Fruit Bars Can Count as a Fruit Serving

Are you one of the people who average under 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day when 5 to 6 cups is recommended by the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines? On average only 8% of Americans consume the recommended servings of fruit per day.

Many frozen fruit bars can be counted as a serving of fruit because they contain real fruit, fruit juice, or fruit concentrate. But some only contain fruit flavors and sugar. Read our reviews of frozen fruit bars in the July SUPERMARKET SAVVY Newsletter and access a comparison chart of 4o Frozen Fruit Bars with SUPERMARKET SAVVY Picks for the healthiest bars. Here are some of the healthiest and our favorites–Jolly Llama Whole Fruit Squeezups, Del Monte Fruit Chillers, and  Jamba Sorbet Bars.  

Learn more about Frozen Fruit Bars with tips on purchasing and making your own.

MyPlate Shopping Savvy

The Choose MyPlate program based on the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines can help you with shopping for health.  The spiffy new portioned plate graphic that allocates half the plate to fruits and vegetables and the other half split between proteins and grains can assist you in putting your shopping and eating in perspective.

Keep the MyPlate graphic in your thoughts as you travel the aisles of the supermarket. Visualize your shopping cart half full of fruits and vegetables–this means that you need to spend half your time in the produce section picking out the best fruits and vegetables.

• Think a rainbow of colors—including white when choosing produce. Variety is key!
• Celebrate the season. Buy fresh in season and canned or frozen when not in season. Choose fruit canned in 100% fruit juice and vegetables with “no salt added” on the label.  
• Buy small amounts frequently to assure you can eat them before they spoil.
• Buy in bulk when produce is on sale and you have plans to use it all. If you can’t use it all, cut up and freeze.

On the other half of the plate, grains should dominate and half of your grains should be whole grains.

• Purchase popcorn for a whole grain snack.
• Read the ingredients list and choose products that name a whole-grain ingredient first on the list. Look for “whole wheat,” ‘brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “whole oats,” or “wild or brown rice”.
• Substitute whole grain flour for half of the flour in baking recipes.

The smallest section of MyPlate is for Protein. Start at the meat department for some lean proteins.

• Vary your protein choices. Besides lean meat include beans, nuts, soy and seafood. 
• Choose seafood twice a week. Include varieties that are higher in oils and low in mercury, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
• Have an egg. One egg a day won’t increase your risk of heart disease.
• Eat plant protein foods more often. Try beans and peas, soy products, nuts and seeds. Plan to include a couple of meatless meals a week.

The smallest part of the MyPlate graphic is Dairy.  

• Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese.
• Check the amount of calcium and make sure your dairy selection contains at least 10% Daily Value of Calcium and Vitamin D.
• If you can’t drink milk because you are lactose-intolerant, try lactose-free dairy products, soymilk, or other dairy alternatives.

Teach your clients how to shop for health using the MyPlate Presentation Kit that includes a 50 Power Point slides, 4 SUPERMARKET SAVVY Tip Sheets, 20 MyPlate Tip Sheets, 15 MyPlate recipes, a sample Daily Food Plan, Sample Menus, and a Dietary Guideliens Brochure.

Click here to learn more and purchase.

Click here for a FREE MyPlate Shopping List.

My Sicilian Culinary Adventure

Chef Peppe Buffa, Chef Paolo Monti & Suzanne Kordish with my foodie friends

 This May I had the opportunity to travel with Suzanne Kordesh, MPH, RD, Chef Paolo Monti with Cucina Italiana in Lucca, Italy, and 12 friendly foodies on a culinary tour that exposed me to the unique culinary characteristics of Sicily. With its diverse history of  Turkish, Roman, North African, Spanish, Norman and Greek rule, Sicily is a paradise of citrus, almond, pistachio, and olive trees. Currants, grapes, pine nuts, honey, and aromatic herbs are also part of Sicily’s culinary heritage.

Capo Market in Palermo

 We started with a tour of historic Palermo and the “Capo” food market with its cacophony of sights and smells, and a tradition that dates back to the 9^th century. 

Then we travelled west to San Vito lo Capo stopping along the way to visit Segesta, a well-preserved pre Greek temple. On a visit to the fish markets of Trapani I experienced the vast array of Mediterranean seafood and the Sicilian emphasis on fresh (as in still breathing). We visited the famous Trapani Salt Flats where sea salt has been harvested for centuries, and wineries in Marsala.

Taking a gondola, we arrived in the medieval town of Erice where Maria Grammatico has a Pasticceria , world-renowned for marzipan and pastries, a trade she learned as an orphan raised by Sicilian nuns. Her experiences and recipes are described in the book “Bitter Almonds” by Mary Taylor Simeti and Mari Grammatico.

Maria's Marzipan and Sicilian Pastries

Maria Grammatico in her Pasticceria

In addition to all the touring, we enjoyed Sicilian cooking classes led by Chef Paolo Monti and Chef Peppe Buffa where we learned how to make couscous, Caponata, pasta dishes, fish and seafood (tuna, octopus, anchovies, sardines, swordfish, etc.). Throughout the trip we experienced the traditional family meals and friendship of the Sicilian people. 

You can learn more about shopping for and preapring healthy Sicilian foods in this months SUPERMARKET SAVVY Newsletter. Check it out!

Lunch in Erice

San Vito Lo Capo

Sauteed Wild Greens

Seafood Couscous

 

5 Healthiest Margarine/Spreads

Remember when all you needed to decide was whether to buy butter or margarine and then it was stick or tub. Now the decisions in this category are mind boggling. There are margarines and butters filled with functional ingredients such as omega-3s, plant sterols, calcium, and vitamin D. And now that all margarines say “0 gram Trans fats”, the question is are they hiding the Trans fats below the 0.5 gram limit with partially hydrogenated oils or have they substituted saturted fats for Trans fats. Or they may brag about their healthy oils–canola, olive, or flaxseed–though it may be too little to matter. In addition, the distinction between butter and margarine is muddled with butters that contain added canola, olive, or flaxseed oils and margarines that include buttermilk and yogurt as ingredients.

Here are the SUPERMARKET SAVVY Picks for the healthiest margarines and/or spreads. Our basic criteria is that they contain no more than 1.5 gram of saturated fat and do not list partially hydrogenated oils as an ingredient.
Read more

Omega-3s and My Brain

2011 Food & Health Trends & Predictions–Not a Sweet Future