Time Crunch

"Make a cooking binder. Organize your favorite recipes from cookbooks, friends, websites, and magazines in a binder. Look through it every week before grocery shoppng to inspire your weekly meal planning."

~Dawn Jackson Blatner, The Flexitarian Diet, page 235

Soup Anyone?

Start your meal with a of bowl of broth based soup with veggies to cut down on the number of calories you eat in a meal.

Sensible Diet Tip

Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Snacks

Make a list of all the snacks you eat throughout a typical day. You may be surprised at how much you eat without realizing it.

Quick Cook

Cook veggies quickly to avoid nutrient loss or eat them fresh.

Eat Slowly

"Enjoy meals for twenty-nine minutes. Eating slowly can reduce your intake by 70 calories per meal, which translates into a savings of more than 200 calories per day."

~ p. 25 quoted from the Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner

Exchange...

In Dawn Jackson Blatner's book, The Flexitarian Diet she suggests that you swap out 1 slice of cheddar cheese for 1/4 avocado. That's a swap I could handle since I absolutely love avocados and they are packed with nutrients and healthy fats unlike sharp cheeses which are jammed with saturated fat.

Fact Stack

"Eat an apple a day to keep hunger at bay. Eating an apple about 15 minutes before a meal can help you eat about 190 calories less at the meal."

~ Dawn Jackson Blatner, The Flexitarian Diet p. 85

Eat This Not That! by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding

This is the second book in the series that I reserved from my library and I have one more on hold. I've enjoyed flipping through the pages and finding out that some of my favorite foods are not so good. Many are common sense, but others are tricky - for instance you might think eating a Lean Cuisine dinner is a good option (although you'd still be hungry when you are done - just my opinion) but the authors on pages 230 and 231 suggest that it would be better to eat Birds Eye Pasta Primavera instead. The Lean Cuisine meal actually has more fat, sodium and calories than the Birds Eye meal.

One thing I noticed is that sometimes there is no great option listed because they are comparing two items that aren't necessarily good for you. BUT if you are planning on eating at XYZ restaurant anyhow it's best to know your options.

Check your local library or bookstore for a copy of this useful book. For more info check out the book's website.

ISBN - 1-59486-854-9

Time Crunch

Design a dinner deck of cards. Write down five to seven family-favorite dinners on index cards - the front has the recipe name and the back has the ingredients. Keep this deck of dinner ideas in your purse or car, and refer to it when grocery shopping so you don't forget key ingredients.

~ Dawn Jackson Blatner, The Flexitarian Diet p. 83

Eat Smart at Home and Away

The following is taken from my 2008 Women's Monthly Planner for March 2008. It's from last year, but still good info. The planner is published by The Positive Line.

You're never too busy to eat healthfully. Enjoy nutritious meals built around whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy. For protein, focus on beans, fish, and lean meat and poultry. When eating out, practice portion control by ordering the smallest size, splitting an entree with a friend, or taking part of it home. Avoid eating food products directly out of their packages; you'll eat more without realizing it.

American Red Cross Month

March is American Red Cross Month. The American Red Cross is made up of 720 chapters and 36 blood services regions which fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross in your community. Through your local Red Cross you can learn more about services and opportunities in your community such as:

Donating blood
Taking classes
Volunteering
Hosting a blood drive
And much more...

For information on preparing for emergencies - go here. To find a blood drive in your area go here. Blood Eligibility Guidelines