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Portion Control Tips for a Healthier Holiday

portion control tips

We all know how easy it is to overindulge during the holiday season. There are plenty of office parties and family gatherings to attend and so it’s important to make sure you are making the most healthy decisions that you can in order to make sure you don’t get to January and wonder what happened. To help out, we are sharing a few simple portion control tips to make it easier during these fun events.

First, here are portion control tips for a healthier holiday:

Tip 1: Eat Breakfast

It sounds simple, but eating a healthy breakfast is a great way to start off your day before heading to a holiday party or eating a holiday meal. You won’t be starving by the time the party starts. “Saving up” for a big meal usually leads to overeating!

Tip 2: Savor the Meal

Eat slowly! Holiday meals are times when we tend to indulge in more than one helping. Rather than going for seconds or thirds, eat slowly and leave the table feeling comfortable.

Tip 3: Check the label

Portion size differs from serving size. For example, a snack size bag of pretzels may contain up to 4 servings, so you’d need to quadruple the nutrition information on the label to see how much you are eating! Especially around the holidays when travel is more frequent, be sure to check the labels on prepackaged snack foods to avoid overeating.

Next, watch as the Pirates of the Carrot and Bean teach kids about healthy portions:

 

 

Now, make sure and download this fun activity sheet kids:

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Here’s to keeping the portions small over the holidays!

Practice Portion Control in December

practice portion control

Practice portion control all month long as we round out our series tracking healthy behaviors for an entire month (and hopefully beyond). With all of the holiday parties and gatherings that will take place this month, you and the kids will be tempted by lots of tasty foods. Try taking just a little sample of the not-so-healthy items so you will be less likely to overindulge. Sometimes all we need is a little taste! As another little tip, try loading up on some fruits and veggies before you head out to a holiday party so you aren’t as hungry going in. You can help teach kids about the importance of portion control with the help of this free calendar. So make sure to download and print your December Behavior Tracking Sheet and use in your home or other setting to encourage and track behavior change.

 

Watch as The Pirates of the Carrot and Bean practice portion control … Argh!

Here’s to eating healthy portions all month long and beyond!

Practice portion control all month long with this #free behavior tracking calendar! #healthyportions Click To Tweet

Video: Celebrate Healthy Lung Month

healthy lung month

October is Healthy Lung Month and nobody is more excited about this than Windy, the Lungs. We, along with our friends over at the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center, are offering up some helpful tips for healthy lungs and to help prevent toxins from affecting your health:

  • Get plenty of exercise, which is good for your lungs AND the rest of your body, too. (Think of it like “working out” for your lungs.)
  • Do not smoke! It’s dangerous to your lungs, entire body and everyone around you.
  • Switch up your cleaning supplies to more natural ones. Some of them contain harmful chemicals that pollute the air you breathe.
  • To diminish some of the toxins in the air, use an air purifier.
  • Before doing any major home renovations, be sure to have your house checked for dangerous fibers, such as asbestos. They can be found in walls, ceilings, or insulation. If the fibers break apart they can be easily inhaled which can later cause serious lung illnesses or cancer like mesothelioma

MAAC-HLM-checklist

 

In honor of Healthy Lung Month, watch as Windy, the Lungs talks about the importance of not smoking and getting plenty of fresh air:

MAAC-HLM-facts

Winter Squash Facts and Video Recipe

Split Spaghetti Squash

Winter squash is an October Foods of the Month, and we love all of the varieties and versatility of this great food!

Here are some interesting facts about winter squash:

  • Have a hard shell and thus not eaten (unlike their sister “summer squash” varieties)
  • Come in a variety of shapes and sizes with flesh that ranges in color from golden-yellow to brilliant orange
  • Varieties include pumpkins, acorn, butternut, hubbard, turban and “spaghetti” squash
  • Most grow on a vine and are picked when fully mature.
  • Take longer to mature than summer squash (about 3 months or more) and are best harvested once the cool weather of fall sets in
  • Can be stored for months in a cool place, hence the name “winter” squash

Now that you are all informed about winter squash, watch this video featuring Peri Stolic and Pepto, the stomach, sharing how to make a spaghetti squash surprise recipe:

Here’s to getting creative with your winter squash this month!

Tomato Facts and Bruschetta Video Recipe

Tomato Facts and Bruschetta Video Recipe

We love that tomatoes are a September foods of the month. There are so many dishes to be made with this versatile fruit!

Here are some interesting tomato facts:

  • One of the most popular types of “vegetables” eaten by Americans, however, they are really members of the fruits family
  • High in vitamins C, A, and K and contain large amounts of an antioxidant called lycopene, which may help guard against certain cancers
  • Tomato paste and sauces, which contain highly-concentrated, cooked tomatoes, have greater amount of healthy lycopene than raw tomatoes.
  • Varieties – There are thousands of types of tomatoes! The most popular are classified into three groups: cherry, plum, and slicing tomatoes. Grape and cherry ones are fun, sweet, and really delicious to eat alone or in a salad.
  • Selection – Cold temperatures can damage tomatoes, so avoid buying ones that are stored in a cold area, and try not to put them in your refrigerator unless you cannot eat them soon. Pick plump tomatoes that have smooth skin with no bruises, cracks or blemishes.

Now that you are all excited about tomatoes, make sure and watch this video featuring Peri Stolic and Pepto, the stomach, sharing how to make their favorite tomato basil bruschetta recipe:

 

What is your favorite way to eat tomatoes?