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+ Nutrition
and More
By Kate Fisher
Kate Fischer, MS, RD, LD owns Alameda Fitness
Center in Northeast
Portland, OR
503-548-4011
getfit@alamedafitness.
www.alamedafitness.com
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Spring Cleaning Your Eating Habits
By Kate Fischer and Ian Rubin
Below are a few staple foods that are easier on the budget but provide for flavorful meals:
Staple
Non-Perishable Foods |
Rice
Beans/lentils
Canned tomatoes, any style
Broth
Frozen fruits and vegetables
Oats
Mild green chilies
Sundried tomatoes
Roasted red peppers |
Staple
Perishable Foods |
Skim milk
Eggs
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Parsley, Cilantro
Fruit
Whole grain bread
Yogurt/cottage cheese |
Staple
Flavor Enhancers |
Oils
Vinegars
Soy sauce
Hoisin sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Fresh lemons or limes or juices
Pre-ground ginger or garlic |
Staple
Spiceas and Herbs* |
Garlic Powder
Basil
Oregano
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves
Thyme
Cumin, Coriander
Rosemary
Sea salt and pepper
Paprika |
| * Spices and herbs – don’t worry about buying fancy mixes, unless you really love them. These tend to be overpriced, or contain significant amounts of sodium. Stick to the fundamentals. |
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When spring arrives, we thinkabout airing out the house, opening the windows, freshening up the yard. This year, we challenge you to think about spring-cleaning in a different light — spring-cleaning your eating, your kitchen, and your food attitude.
Your fridge, freezer, and cupboards might need the same attention as your yard or those corners of your house. Freezer-burned meat from that extra special sale at the store, or that three kernel bag of frozen corn in the back left corner of the freezer, or perhaps the pickle jar buried in the back of the fridge, or that dried up teaspoon of mustard; all of these scream spring cleaning. We know it is difficult to throw these items out because they represent money, however, rather than concentrating on the loss of money, focus on the idea of a clean start, a fresh start, making room for your cooking and eating goals for 2009.
Think about that same idea with food when you think of cutlery, appliances, storage containers, pots, and pans. What do you use? Get rid of mismatched and damaged items. Let’s be honest, if you haven’t used the item since Christmas
back in 1982, you probably aren’t going to. A gift re-gifted to someone who will use it is a perfect, economical way to share with others.
There are some things, however, you may want to hold on to, even if you haven’t used them recently. These would be items that can help you stretch your food budget, something that’s on everyone’s mind. Recommit to using your slow cooker, food dehydrator, juicer, vacuum sealer, or your bulk containers. These can help you cook inexpensively, save some of your summer produce for the winter months, and create healthy, tasty meals.
Now that you have made space by getting rid of things you don’t use, take this opportunity to restock the house with foods, condiments, spices, and staples that are healthy, tasty, fresh, convenient to make, and easier on the budget. In addition to the cost benefits, these foods are nutrient dense and allow for infinite combinations for meals, snacks and more.
The flip side of spring cleaning is cleaning up your eating. This spring, consider food choices that are better for you, better for the planet, and better for the local economy. Think about FLOSSing your eating: choose Fresh, Local, Organic, Sustainable, and Seasonal items.
Cleaning up your eating, eating sustainably, and choosing local, fresh foods, is “easier than you think,” states Barb Greiner, Alameda Fitness Center member. “It’s just about establishing the routine. I found it is easier to do with friends who have done it before. Have a friend come over and clean up your cabinets — they will have an easier time throwing things away.”
Many find this switch to be an empowering experience. Greiner states, “I didn’t think I would ever be doing some of the things I am doing now, like making my own bread. It just calls for planning ahead of time, which I wasn’t used to doing. I made a deal with myself not to buy processed and prepared foods — the less hands the better.”
Aside from empowering yourself, you will also reward your body with your efforts. Clean eating (fresh, local, flavorful, minimally processed foods) will fill you up faster and satisfy you more. Fresh food often tastes better and it also provides more fiber and nutrients over processed foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are natural packages of nutrients whereas nutrients in processed foods are often broken down, removed, or replaced in processed foods. Lastly, choosing whole foods also eliminates processed ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and trans fat, which we have all heard so much about.
As we move toward spring, we encourage you not to bite off more than you can chew, but consider small steps you can make to spring clean your eating and move toward improving your health and vitality.
RESOURCES:
New Seasons Market
www.newseasonsmarket.com
World’s Healthiest Foods
www.whfoods.com
Oldways
www.oldwayspt.org
Cooking Light
www.cookinglight.com
Kate Fischer, MS, RD, LD, is a dietitian at, and owner of, Alameda Fitness Center (AFC) in Northeast Portland, OR. For more information on nutrition services or AFC,
visit www.alamedafitness.com or call 503-548-4011.
Ian Rubin, MA, CPT, LWMC, is a wellness coach and personal trainer with AFC. For more information, visit www.wholeselfwellness.com or call 503-260-0473. |
