Category: Blog

by Katy Bowen, MS, RDN, LD
Director Community Outreach, CHEF

Enjoying food with family and friends is one of the highlights of the holiday season. Everyone wants to help, but too many cooks in the kitchen can result in an increased risk of foodborne illness. This is especially true when people who rarely prepare food at other times of the year are suddenly in front of the stove.

By taking precautions, you can prevent most cases of foodborne illness. Review the simple tips below and share them with all the helpers in your kitchen. Then, eat, drink and be merry.

Soap Up

• Make sure everyone handling food washes their hands before, during, and after food preparation.
• Keep kitchen surfaces — such as appliances, countertops, cutting board, and utensils — clean with hot, soapy water throughout meal preparation.
• Use two cutting boards: one for raw meat, poultry, and fish and the other for ready-to-eat foods like fruits and vegetables.
• Use separate spoons and forks to stir, taste, and serve food.

Take Care When Thawing

• To prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, thaw frozen turkey and other meats in a refrigerator set below 40°F or in the microwave. Never thaw meats on the kitchen counter, in the oven, or under hot water in the sink.
• When defrosting food in the refrigerator, cover raw meat and place it on the bottom shelf so juices don’t drip onto other foods.
• After defrosting food in the microwave, cook it immediately afterward.
• If you are pressed for time, thaw a wrapped frozen turkey (breast-side down) in a sink filled with cold tap water. Be sure to change the water every 30 minutes.

Know When Your Turkey Is Done

• Use a meat thermometer to make sure meats reach a safe internal temperature. This is the only reliable way to determine the doneness of your food.
• Cook whole turkeys to 165°F. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer at the innermost part of the thigh. If you’re cooking a stuffed turkey, be sure stuffing reaches 165°F before serving.
• Cook holiday hams and pork roasts to 145°F.*

* Allow to rest 3 minutes before carving or consuming.

Boil Your Gravy

• To kill harmful bacteria, bring gravy to a steady boil on the stove before serving.
• This rule also applies to leftover gravy. Simply microwaving leftover gravy until it is hot is not sufficient to kill harmful bacteria.

Follow the Two-Hour Rule

• Whether served family-style or as a buffet, festive feasts often last for hours. After more than two hours, bacteria rapidly begin to multiply on perishable food items. For longer gatherings, keep some fresh food in the fridge to bring out at the two-hour mark.

Chill Dishes Right Away

• It’s a common mistake to let cooked foods cool before they go into the refrigerator. To chill a dish for serving or storage, promptly place it in the refrigerator after cooking. This ensures freshness and safety.
• Set your refrigerator below 40°F and your freezer below 0°F.
• Store leftovers in airtight, shallow containers (two inches deep or less).
• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of cooking the food. Remove turkey from the bone and store it separately from the stuffing and gravy. You can leave sliced breast meat, legs, and wings whole.

Use It or Lose It

• Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Bring leftover gravy to a steady boil on the stove before serving it a second time.
• Use refrigerated cooked turkey within three to four days. Use stuffing and gravy within one to two days.
• Eat leftover casseroles and cooked vegetables within three to four days.
• Finish fruit, cream pies, and cheesecake within two to three days. Regardless of how many days have passed: If in doubt, throw it out!

Reviewed December 2012

by Katy Bowen, MS, RDN, LD
Director of Community Outreach, CHEF

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—and for most of us, the busiest! Between office parties, family events, and social gatherings, there are plenty of opportunities to put our healthy eating habits to the test. If you’re wondering how to navigate your way through the holiday season, while still prioritizing your health goals, we’re here to help!

Incorporate our tips into your routine and you can enjoy the holidays while staying on track.

1. Add more veggies! Mushrooms, beans, and onions make great additions to just about any dish. Not only do they add valuable vitamins and minerals to your recipe, but they also add heart-healthy fiber!
2. Try oven fried chicken instead of deep fried. Oven fried chicken can be just as tasty and so much healthier! Start by dredging boneless, skinless chicken breast in a mix of bread crumbs, a pinch of pepper, and 2 teaspoons of paprika. Bake the chicken at 400°F for 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165°
3. Add flavor without adding salt! Use herbs, spices, garlic, onions, and peppers to enhance your food.
4. Use less cheese by cooking with bold cheeses such as sharp cheddar, goat cheese, or parmigiano-reggiano for more flavor with less fat!
5. Sometimes it’s not what you take out, but what you add in to make a recipe healthier. Add more Omega 3 fatty acids to your diet by substituting fish for chicken or by adding heart healthy oils, nuts, and seeds to your recipe.
6. Use whole grain flour for baking. When eaten regularly, whole grains can lessen your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
7. Skip the fat! Choose low-fat options. Substitute yogurt when a recipe calls for sour cream, mayo, or cream cheese for more protein with less fat.
8. Try making a recipe meatless. Add nuts, beans, tofu, or a protein-rich grain like quinoa instead.
9. Use healthy oils such as olive oil, canola oil, or soybean oil instead of solid fats like butter that are much higher in saturated fat.
10. Enjoy in moderation. Sometimes there is just no substitute for that delicious pie! So instead of eating a huge slice with regular whipped cream, eat a smaller slice or share with a friend.

For more healthy eating inspiration, check out our recipes here! 

by Celina Parás, MSc, RDN, LD
Nutrition Education Specialist, CHEF

Experiment with Herbs & Spices: herbs and spices enhance the taste of food with their unique aromas and bright colors. Fresh or dried, they all provide great flavor to meals without having to rely too much on sodium. When cooking with herbs, there is a general rule to the ratio of fresh to dry herbs when substituting them in a recipe. Because dried herbs provide a more concentrated flavor you’ll need to use less. The ratio is three to one, for every one teaspoon of dried herbs you’ll need three tablespoons of fresh herbs. Examples of herbs and spices include curry powder, onion powder, basil, mint, rosemary, and oregano. Store dried herbs and spices in an airtight container out of the light and in a cool, dry place. To store fresh herbs, wrap on a paper towel and refrigerate in a resealable plastic bag.

Explore using Aromatics: aromatic vegetables not only bring color and flavor to meals but they also add nutritional value. They are so versatile and each provides a unique flavor and health benefits. You can add aromatics to sauces, stews, stir-fries and many other dishes. Vegetables classified as aromatics include carrots, celery, chili peppers, garlic, ginger, leeks, onions, parsnips, shallots, and scallions.

Cook more at Home: most of our sodium intake comes from highly processed foods such as ready-to-eat meals, restaurant meals, canned soups, cured meats, sauces and salad dressings. By preparing your own meals at home, you have more control over the amount of sodium that goes in your food. Try cooking with fresh ingredients and adding to your plate more wholesome foods fresh or frozen fruits & vegetables, whole grains, unsalted nuts & seeds, beans & legumes, and unprocessed meats.

Check out our fun & delicious CHEF Approved Recipes to prepare at home!

by Celina Parás, MSc, RDN, LD.
Nutrition Education Specialist, CHEF

Fruits and veggies are an important component of everyday meals. They are low in fat and calories, and packed with essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fruits and veggies are also a source of phytonutrients, which are components that are responsible for giving plant foods their bright colors and may also promote health. To ensure you get all of the essential nutrients, try choosing from a variety of fruits & vegetables from different colors, aim for at least 5-colors a day from the many types available including:

RED: Apples, cherries, cranberries, guava, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon, beets, red bell peppers, radishes, tomatoes.

ORANGE/YELLOW: Apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruits, lemons, mangos, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pineapples, butternut squash, carrots, corn, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, yellow bell peppers, yellow squash.

GREEN: Avocados, green apples, green grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, green bell peppers, kale, leeks, okra, spinach, zucchini.

BLUE/PURPLE: Blackberries, blueberries, figs, grapes, plums, eggplant, purple cabbage, purple tomatoes.

WHITE/BEIGE: Bananas, pears, cauliflower, garlic, jicama, mushrooms, potatoes, turnips.

Tips for parents:

• Mix it up: fresh, frozen and canned all fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients. Frozen & canned fruits and vegetables are usually budget-friendly and practical. Select frozen fruits and vegetables closest to their natural state (i.e. no added sugars and sauces). Try rinsing and draining canned vegetables to remove excess sodium.
• Keep it simple: sometimes fresh fruits and vegetables can be forgotten in the fridge. Try rinsing them as soon as you are back from the store and place it in a nice bowl that is easy to reach in your fridge or kitchen. Precut fruits & veggies and place them in resealable snack size bags for grab-and-go snacks.
• Roast away: roasting vegetables caramelizes the natural sugars and enhances their flavor. Try roasting cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes.
• Homemade dips: try making yogurt-based dips to combine with fruits and veggies. Try out the following CHEF-approved recipes!

Try these amazing CHEF-approved recipes!

Rainbow Fruit Skewers with Cinnamon Dip Yogurt

Ranchy Dip with Veggies

by Katy Bowen, MS, RDN, LD
Community Outreach Director, CHEF

Looking for a way to add flavor to your food without adding salt? Try starting an herb garden this spring! You can grow your herbs in containers or plant them in the ground. Start by purchasing seedlings or full-grown plants at your local nursery or garden center. Herbs such as Rosemary, Basil, Oregano, Mint, and Thyme have a wonderful aroma and great flavor. Feeling crafty? Liven up your garden with herb markers by painting the name of each herb on a rock, so you don’t forget which herb is which. Garden Tip: To preserve water during our hot Texas summers, add compost around your plantings to help keep in moisture, so you don’t have to water as often.

Once your herb garden is planted, you can add fresh or dried Rosemary to baked chicken for added flavor. Instead of adding sugar to your tea, try grinding a few mint leaves in the bottom of your tea glass for a delicious cool mint tea. Oregano and Thyme are two herbs that work wonderfully together and can be added to chicken or fish, along with a squeeze of lemon. Add fresh Basil to your salad along with tomatoes and CHEF Italian Style Dressing.

Dry or freeze your herbs so that they can be used later this year. Frozen herbs are perfect to add to stews and soups. Check out these great CHEF Recipes for fun ways to spice up your meals without increasing the amount of sodium!

CHEF Recipes with dried and fresh herbs:

Mint

Tropical Fruit Salad: https://www.chefsa.org/project/tropical-fruit-salad/

Parsley

Roasted Vegetables with Parsley: https://www.chefsa.org/project/roasted-root-vegetables-parsley/

Cilantro

Arroz Con Pollo: https://www.chefsa.org/project/arroz-con-pollo/

Confetti Corn: https://www.chefsa.org/project/confetti-corn-2/

Celebrating American Heart Health Month

by Celina Paras, MSc, RDN, LD

Choose Fruits, Nature’s Sweet Treat

Fruits are naturally sweet and offer vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. On the other hand, the sweetness in most candies comes from lots of added sugars. These added sugars provide empty calories, meaning they don’t add any nutritional value. Some examples of fun and healthful options include: rainbow fruit skewers, heart-shaped fruit pops, and fruit smoothies.

Snack on Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds provide many nutrients including heart-healthy fats and protein. The protein and dietary fats from nuts and seeds make us feel full faster. Choose trail mix, cocoa powder dusted almonds, or apple slices with peanut butter.

Swap Milk Chocolate for Dark Chocolate

Chocolate comes from cacao seeds, which have flavonoids with antioxidant properties. Dark chocolate has more cocoa and much less added sugar than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate containing 70 percent cocoa or higher provides the most health benefits. Dark chocolate may be a bit bitter for children, try choosing one with dried fruits for natural sweetness, or make chocolate covered strawberries.

Like with all Foods, Moderation is Key

Enjoying all foods in moderation is the key to maintaining a healthful balance. Not all foods provide the same calories and nutritional value. Focusing on eating more whole foods such as fruits, nuts, and seeds, and less on highly processed foods such as sweets, baked goods, and sugar-sweetened beverages, are ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while providing nutritionally dense foods.

Try this CHEF-Approved recipe and enjoy it with your loved ones!

by Katy Bowen, MS, RDN, LD
Get your game face on! It’s almost time for the Super Bowl! Traditional Super Bowl foods tend to be loaded with calories, fat, and sodium. Instead, try these delicious and nutritious Game Day recipes that are sure to please:

Deconstructed Mini Cheeseburger Bites

Serving Size: 5 Mini Cheeseburger Bites

1. Skewer Grape tomato
2. Add Romaine Lettuce
3. Add 1 pickle slice
4. Add cube of cheddar cheese
5. Add mini meatball

Mini Meatball Recipe

½ lb lean ground beef
¼ cup whole grain bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp dried parsley
Pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Roll mixture into small balls, about the size of a grape.
4. Place on a nonstick baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 155°F.

Veggie Shooters

Assorted veggies:
Carrot Sticks
Cucumber Slices
Red or Green Bell Pepper Sticks
2 Grape tomatoes on toothpick
Celery Sticks
CHEF Ranchy Dip [view recipe]
Assemble in a small plastic cup

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Serving size: 2 sliders
2 Whole wheat buns
3 ounces of Shredded chicken
1 tsp Buffalo Sauce
Top with lettuce and tomato (optional)

Fruit Kabobs with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

1. Skewer assorted fruit such as pineapple, grapes, strawberries, melon
2. Lightly drizzle with melted dark chocolate
3. Enjoy!

Salad in a Mason Jar

Layer romaine lettuce with your favorite veggies
Suggestions: Cucumbers, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes
Top with CHEF Italian Style Dressing [view recipe]

7 Layer Dip

Layers from bottom to top:

1. Mashed pinto beans
2. Mashed Avocado
3. Low Fat Greek Yogurt
4. Chunky Salsa
5. Low-fat shredded cheese
6. Tomatoes, diced
7. Green onions

Julie La Barba, MD, FAAP

PEDIATRICIANS’ UNIQUE POSITION TO IDENTIFY FOOD INSECURITY

As CHEF shines the spotlight on stocking the pantry this month, food insecurity lurks in the background. This widespread problem overshadows the quality of life of 16 million US children, and as a provider, you can do something about it.

Keep in mind, this is not an isolated inner-city issue; people in suburbs and non-traditional areas experience food insecurity too. Pediatricians in particular, who may encounter a child a whopping 20 times for well child checks alone between birth and 5 years-old,  can significantly impact families’ lives through this practical 2-item screen:

1. Within the past 12 months, we worried whether out food would run out before we got money to buy more. (Yes or No)
2. Within the past 12 months, the food we bought just didn’t last and we didn’t have money to get more. (Yes or No)

Answering “Yes” to either of these identifies food insecurity with a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 83% (as compared with the full 18-item Household Food Security Scale).

NEXT STEPS: YOU IDENTIFY A FAMILY AS FOOD-INSECURE, THEN WHAT?:

After a positive screen, and  a little homework, your office can refer patients to WIC, SNAP, school nutrition programs, local food pantries and summer feeding programs. Take particular care with new moms living in food-insecure households so they are connected to community resources ideally during their pregnancy, or as early as possible in the postpartum period to encourage breastfeeding.

Here are some local resources which can be extrapolated to equivalents anywhere in the US:

http://www.chofsa.org/wic

http://www.breastmilkcounts.com/

http://www.sanantonio.gov/Health/HealthServices/WIC

http://www.dshs.texas.gov/wichd/default.shtm

http://safoodbank.org/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/

http://safoodbank.org/backpack-program/

THE NEXUS BETWEEN POVERTY, FOOD INSECURITY AND OBESITY

And here’s the real travesty of justice: food-insecure populations are more vulnerable to obesity. How can those who are constantly hungry also be overweight? Very easily, unfortunately. Factors include lack of access to healthy affordable foods, low-cost ubiquitous unhealthy foods, minority targeted media messages to promote nutrient-poor food and drink, the role of physiologic stress associated with economic hardship in decision-making related to food, not to mention the fact that concepts of satiety and self-control don’t apply when you’re not sure if you’ll eat again the next day.

Although a deep dive into the world food system, Raj Patel’s Stuffed and Starved, offers a credible explanation to the complexities of this paradox:

“Today when we produce more food than ever before, more than one in seven people on Earth are hungry. The hunger of around one billion happens at the same time as another historical first: that they are outnumbered by the one and a half billion people on this planet who are overweight.

The alternative to eating the way we do today promises to solve hunger and diet-related disease, by offering a way of eating and growing food that is environmentally sustainable and socially just. Understanding the ills of the way food is grown and eaten also offers the key to greater freedom and a way of reclaiming the joy of eating. The task is as urgent as the prize is great….The contradictions of obesity, hunger, poverty and wealth are becoming more acute. ”

WHAT CAN INDIVIDUAL PEDIATRICIANS DO AT THE SYSTEM LEVEL?

• Incorporate food insecurity screening tools and community-specific resource guides into education of medical students and residents
• Advocate for protecting and increasing access to and funding for SNAP, WIC, school nutrition and summer feeding programs at the local, state and national levels
• Support interdisciplinary research that elucidates:
  – relationship between stress, food insecurity, and chronic disease
  – barriers to breastfeeding for women in food-insecure households
  – evidence-based strategies to increase access to nutritious food for food insecure families

THAT’S A WRAP

Food insecurity is complicated and a great burden on children and their families. Remember, there is no particular “sine qua non” to this condition which may affect those patients you least expect. Because of their unique positon and frequency of contact with young children and their parents, pediatricians have the chance to play an essential role in identifying food insecure families, intervene at the practice-level, and advocate on a larger stage to create more food secure communities.

---

Resources: 

Promoting Food Security for All Children

COUNCIL ON COMMUNITY PEDIATRICS, COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION

Pediatrics Oct 2015, peds.2015-3301; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2015-3301

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/10/20/peds.2015-3301

An Essential Role for Pediatricians: Becoming Child Poverty Change Agents for a Lifetime Plax, Katie et al. Academic Pediatrics , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , S147 – S154

Patel, Rajeev Charles. Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Melville House Pub., 2007.

Identifying food insecurity: Two-question screening tool has 97% sensitivity, Lori O’Keefe, Correspondent, AAP News October 2015 http://www.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/10/23/aapnews.20151023-1

Eating away from home has become a daily part of our American lifestyle.  According to the National Restaurant Association, Americans are eating out 5.8 times per week. Turn your awareness into action using mindful strategies and the abundant amount of nutrition information available to you.

As you may know, eating out exposes you to some nutritional challenges; larger portions, distraction to mindfulness, larger amounts of calories, dietary fat and dietary sodium, less fiber, and more processing of natural foods are just a few.

Mindful strategies are an important key to your success:

• Plan Ahead by reviewing the menu ahead of time
• Watch for the 3 B’s: bread, butter, and beverage. These can easily add up to over 600 calories before you even begin your meal.
• Look for healthy cooking techniques: plank roasted, grilled, seared, stir fry, en papillote, nut crusted, grain medley, and poached with white wine, herbs, or broth.
• Build a smarter salad: dark greens, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, small amounts of flavorful cheese, dry fruits, plant oils, vinegars
• Feast on vegetables: colorful seasonal varieties
• Go for the Grain: choose whole grain options such as quinoa, all rices, farro, whole wheat, amaranth, and oats
• Visualize the components of your healthy plate: 75% plant based fruits, vegetables, and grains with 25% lean protein or approximately 4-5 ounces. Keep in mind that a plate would be approximately 9-10 inches in diameter. Add more color on your plate for a wide variety of protective nutrients. Consider plant sources of protein such as nuts, seeds, soy, beans, and legumes.

Planning is a key element to your success.

The FDA has issued the long awaited final rule on nutrition labeling of standard menu items in restaurants and similar food establishments. Effective December 2, 2016 you will be able to make informed and healthful dietary choices when dining out. Nutrition information will be placed on menu boards next to menu choices or directly on the menu. It will include a statement for context about daily calories and the nutrient summary per serving.

Here are some tips to keep in mind while dining out:

• Be mindful when dining out
• Visualize your healthy plate
• Inquire about ingredients and preparations of different menu items
• Feast on colorful vegetables and whole grains
• Plant to share an entrée or dessert
• Take advantage of the abundant resources for nutrition information available to you
• Eating out can be a healthy indulgence, Enjoy.