Smarter Lunches & Healthy Snacking/Beverages

SMARTER LUNCHES GOAL Brown Bag Lunches: The benefits of brown bagging Tips to make brown bagging easier Ideas to kick your lunch up a notch Choose healthier options for snacks on-the-go

Dining Out: Identify menu items that are lower in fat, sugar, and sodium, or

higher in fiber Choose healthy portion sizes when dining out Request menu items served in a manner that meets your

personal health goals.

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• According to the National Restaurant Association… • Almost 60% of individuals eat lunch out once a week • Close to one quarter eat lunch out 5 or more times a week

• The typical person (age 8 and older) consumes about 218 meals away from home in a year.

• Fast Food Restaurants report that businessmen and women are important to their business.

Benefits of Brown Bagging #1 Health #2 Time #3 Money

Health Compare a typical fast food lunch • Less fat and calories • More control over portion sizes • Better choices

Time • Travel time to go get food • Have time for yourself • Have time to walk or just recharge

Money • Eating out is EXPENSIVE

• Average cost per meal is $7

• Do the math!

• $7 once a week = $28 a month • $7 every day for a month = $210 a month

Brown Bagging Tips • Plan ahead • Pack the night before • Remember it • Keep the right temperature • Watch the nutrition facts • Freeze some items

Plan Ahead • Have a lunch pattern

• Carbohydrate • Protein • Fruit • Vegetable • Small treat (K.I.S.S.)

Choose MyPlate

Pack the night before • Pre-package • Make sure you have everything • Keep a list • Check out convenience packs

Don’t Forget It!!! • Have a set reminder

• Note • Ribbon or string • Alarm • Electronic reminder

Watch the Temperature • Keep cold foods cold • Keep hot foods hot • Use cold packs or thermos containers • Check if your workplace has a fridge or microwave to use

Read the Nutrition Facts • Check the Nutrition Facts Label for…

• Calories • Fat • Sodium • Serving size

Freeze Some Items

Sandwich bread Water bottle or juice box Small treats

Kick It Up • Take leftovers • Try different breads • Don’t forget salads and soups • Use reusable containers

Use Leftovers • Plan ahead when preparing

meals at home • Prepare extra • Take a serving or two out before

serving the meal

Try Different Breads • Whole Wheat Breads • Multi-grain buns • Pita bread • Wraps

Take Salads and Soups • Greens are great • Watch the dressing • Use a thermos for soups • Lots of soup choices

Reusable containers • The disposables have a place • Invest in a thermal lunch bag • Check out lunch containers • Look for different types

• According to the Food and Drug Administration, Americans…

• Spend about 46% of their food budget on food prepared away from home • Eat 32% of their calories from restaurant or takeout foods

• Supersized portions, added salt and sugar, thick sauces, deep-fried preparation methods, and rich desserts tempt diners to add calories.

What do you do to make wise choices

when dining out?

Choose MyPlate

Fill Half Your Plate with Fruits and Veggies

Make at least Half of Your Grains Whole

Switch to Skim or 1% Milk Whole 2% 1% Fat-free

165 calories 125 calories 100 calories 85 calories Calories saved 40 65 80

Vary Your Protein Food Choices

Cut Back on Fats, Sugars, and Salt Limit foods

high in sodium,

added sugars,

and refined grains

Don’t Fall Victim to Portion Distortion 1 cup = Baseball

¾ cup = Tennis Ball

½ cup = Computer Mouse

¼ cup = Egg

3 oz = Deck of Cards

2 tablespoons = Ping Pong Ball

Hold Off the “Health Halo Effect” • Researchers have shown that people who eat lunch at a “healthy” submarine sandwich shop tend to eat 111 calories more than those who eat at a fast food burger restaurant People who think they “sacrificed” by eating the healthier meal reward

themselves with a special treat, such as a cookie, chips, or a regular soda.

Smart Choice Meals – Choose Smart

Smart Choice Meals – Entrées • Choose an entrée that is less than 700 calories • Try to avoid fatty meats and foods

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Chicken and Fish • Beware of breading • Deep-fried chicken is highest in calories • Choose regular coating over extra crispy • Peel off skin and coatings • Tarter sauce adds 200 calories • Lemon juice, zero (0) calories • Mayo-based dressing doubles or triples calories

Smart Choices – Side Dishes • Choose lower-fat side dishes, such as vegetables, whole grain bread, side soups and salads, and select salad dressings with less than 5 grams of fat

Smart Choice Meals – Potatoes • Nourishing, filling, and virtually free of fat and sodium • Go easy on French fries • Choose French fries over onion rings • Cheese, bacon, and sour cream can add as many as 700 calories

Smart Choice Meals – Salads • Choose salad bar selections and condiments that contain less than 3 grams of fat

Smart Choice Meals – Dessserts • Choose desserts that have less than 250 calories

Smart Choices, Smart Meal • Women

• 500-700 calories • 20-25 grams of fat

• Men • 700-900 calories • 30-35 grams of fat

• Watching your sodium? Limit your intake to 1,000 milligrams or less per fast food meal

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Sandwiches • Beef, turkey, and ham are best choices • Regular and junior versions are best • Skip mayo dressings • Whole grain breads • Vegetable toppings add crunch • Croissants are very high in fat, averaging 600 calories

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Hamburgers • Single patty burger • Cheese adds 100 calories per slice • Pile on lettuce and tomatoes • Limit special sauces

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Pizza • Extra toppings, extra calories • Not a low-calorie food • Choose thin crust • Choose vegetable toppings • Extra cheese, pepperoni, and sausage mean 170 extra calories per slice

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Southwestern Fare • Choose soft flour tortillas • Choose chicken, bean, or beef burritos • Skip guacamole and sour cream • Pile on tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa • Chili is a good choice • Avoid fried entrées

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Salads • Request dressings served on the side • Go heavy on raw vegetables • Stick with reduced-fat and and reduced-calorie dressings • 1 tablespoon regular dressing or bacon bits, and ¼ cup macaroni salad or potato salad add calories

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Beverages • Choose skim or reduced-fat milk, fruit juice, unsweetened tea, or water

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Beverages • Best choice is water • OK choices

• Diet beverages • Reduced-fat or low-fat milk • Fruit juice • Plain coffee • Sugar-free or regular iced tea

• 12-oz regular soda has about 9 teaspoons of sugar

Smart Choices, Smart Meals – Dessert • The simpler, the better • Eat “dessert fruit” first to curb your appetite • Smart choices

• Frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbets • Fresh fruit • Use chocolate sprinkles to spark plain flavors

Fast Food Tips – Health to GO! • Eating three meals a day is just as important as making healthy food choices • Skipping meals can lead to overeating • Try to eat at a regular mealtime and limit yourself to 700 calories per meal • Choose small portions • Limit high-fat condiments • Share with someone

Let the Menu Be Your Guide

Look for… steamed in its own juice garden fresh broiled roasted poached

Let the Menu Be Your Guide

Avoid… buttery, buttered, in butter

sauce sauteed, fried, pan-fried, crisp,

braised creamed, in cream sauce, in its

own gravy, hollandaise au gratin, Parmesan, in cheese

sauce, escallaped marinated in oil, basted casserole, prime, hash, pot pie

Remember Your Restaurants

Know which restaurants offer

your food choices, and make them “regulars” in your eating routine

Request skim milk, broiled meats, whole grain breads, or whatever fits your personal dietary needs

Express appreciation for changes

Health-conscious options are only helpful if you choose one

When ordering a meal at a restaurant (fast food or sit down), do you… • Order your favorite food without regard to fat,

sugar, or salt content? • Ask for dressings served on the side? • Ask for how food is prepared and order the food

with the least calories and sodium? • Frequent restaurants that feature healthier food

options? • Order a “to go” container served with the meal?

Hints for Limiting the Quantity You Eat • Put fork down between each bite • Order take home container with meal • Share • Order appetizer as entrée • Buy small • Limit high fat condiments • Eat three equal meals a day

Food for Thought & Action How will you use the information from today to make healthier choices for lunch this week (brown bag and/or dining out)?

Challenge: • Prepare healthier brown bag lunches and bring smarter

snacks to the office • When dining out, make healthier choices to reduce

calorie, sodium, and fat consumption

HEALTHY SNACKING/BEVERAGES GOAL Healthier Snacks: Identify healthy snacking tips and ideas Fit healthy snacks into meetings and daily food plans Identify healthy snacks from the MyPlate food groups

Healthier Beverages: Recognize the importance of selecting nutritious beverages Be able to identify and make healthier beverage choices

Creating Healthier Food Environments at Work = Being Healthy Together!

When “I” is replaced by “we”, even illness becomes wellness. (Swami Satchidananda, Integral Yoga Founder)

Healthy Food Environments: • Meetings • Vending machines • Cafeteria choices • Office environments

The Healthy Meeting Checklist • Have you included enough variety in healthy food choices throughout each meeting day? • Are fruits and vegetables included with meals and snacks? Whole-grains? • Have you asked for smaller portion sizes of bagels, muffins, cookies, etc.? • Have you build some form of physical activity into the meeting?

Ideas for Meeting Refreshments: • Smaller portions • Water, coffee, tea, and other unsweetened beverages • 100% fruit and vegetable juices • Whole fruits • Fruits and vegetables with dips • Fresh fruit and cheese kabobs • Hard or soft pretzels with mustard • Popcorn or trail mix • Consider not having food at every break or meeting

What’s in Your Vending Machine? • Are perishable items an option? • Sunflower seeds • Nuts or peanuts • Baked/popped chips • Pita chips • Granola bars • Pretzels • Whole grain crackers • Oatmeal cups • Water

Vending Machine Hints • Choose water • Pretzels give more quantity for calories • Request healthy options • Nuts give protein and antioxidants • Read label carefully • Follow serving size • Nutrition bars can be heavy in fat, sugar and/or salt

Challenges to a Healthy Office

• Office potluck • The break room • Co-worker’s candy dish • Celebrations with food

The Office Potluck

• Sign-up sheet • “Salad” potluck • Bring something healthy

HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHIER

SNACKS & BEVERAGES AT WORK

What is a healthy snack? • Nutrient dense: high in vitamins and minerals • Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low- fat dairy • Includes foods from at least 2 food groups • How much should I eat?

• 200 calories or less is sufficient for a snack for most people • For very active adults, teens, and athletes, 200- 300 calories might be more suitable for a snack

Less than 200 calorie snacks: • Apple with 1 TBSP of peanut butter • 49 kernels of pistachios • Tri-colored veggie snack:

• 6 baby carrots, 10 sugar green pepper strips, 6 cherry tomatoes, with 2 TBSP of light ranch dressing

• Six-inch flour tortilla with ¼ cup black beans and 2 TBSP fresh salsa

How many snacks should we have? • Three healthy meals and two healthy snacks is a great plan for most people • About 60% of Americans consume three meals with two or three snacks • Top five most consumed snacks: cookies, candy/gum, ice cream, and chips • Key word: HEALTHY!

Plan AHEAD for Healthy Snacks! • Bring a healthy snack from home!

• Pack some extra fruits and vegetables with your lunch to eat as a snack

• Limit sugary snacks

Low-perishable healthy snacks to keep on-hand • Nuts (keep to 1 oz. portion size) • Dried fruit (apples, apricots, raisins) • Peanut butter • Trail mix of nuts, dried fruit, and pretzels • Instant oatmeal packets • 100% whole grain crackers • Granola bars (with less than 10g of sugar) • Apples

Healthy Snacks from the Grains Group

• Popcorn, whole grain crackers, whole grain cereal with skim milk, bagel with cream cheese

Healthy Snacks from the Vegetable Group

• Celery with peanut butter • Carrot sticks and dip

Healthy Snacks from the Fruit Group

• Banana and peanut butter • Frozen grapes • Canned, dried, or frozen fruit • Fruit and yogurt parfait

Healthy Snacks from the Dairy Group

• Fruit and yogurt smoothie • String cheese • Yogurt • Cheese and crackers

Healthy Snacks from the Protein Group

• Peanut butter on crackers, celery, or apples • Trail mix

Adults consume an average of how many calories per day as beverages? A. About 800 calories/day B. About 250 calories/day C. About 400 calories/day D. About 600 calories/day

Adults consume an average of how many calories per day as beverages? C. About 400 calories/day 100 extra calories per day = 10 extra pounds per year!

Imagine Eating 26 Teaspoons of Sugar

Imagine Eating 26 Teaspoons of Sugar

One 32-ounce

soda

Major sources of added sugars in the diets of Americans:

Choosing Healthier Beverages Water Low-fat or 100% Juice fat-free milk

Limit Beverages with Added Sugars Sodas Energy Drinks Fruit Drinks Sports Drinks

Remember to stay healthy, even while on the job! • Plan ahead to bring healthy snacks to work • Sip on water throughout the day to keep hydrated • Avoid feeling sluggish in the afternoons by eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, and being active.

Food for Thought & Action How will you use the information from today to modify your work environment to promote healthier snack and beverage consumption?

Challenge: • Choose healthier snacks and beverages for you personally

and at work-related events/meetings.