CHOOSE MINDFUL EATING OVER MINDLESS EATING

 

Life has truly changed as we know it. While continuing to navigate through the global pandemic and adapt to the new norm, it is important that health remains a priority.  Working from home and attending school remotely has become commonplace for ourselves and many of our loved ones. Managing stress properly and maintaining other healthy behaviors are important, especially as we are role models for those we care for. Whether it be our little ones, our teens, or our students – they all look up to us in some way. Providing a safe environment will support them to want to make healthy lifestyle choices. 

In this post-COVID-19 era, it’s likely to expect that your child or teen will have anywhere from 4-7 hours of screen time a day solely for school. Aside from this, the younger generation has also become consumed by social media apps, TV, and video games. These considerations, along with the fact that most people simply aren’t leaving their houses, make it easy to become mindless with eating habits.

Mindless eating is a real thing. And most people aren’t aware that they do it because the majority of food-related decisions that are made daily are dictated by our unconscious mind. Food is what fuels our brain and our body. So, it would only make sense that when our brain is distracted, it’s more difficult to make mindful choices. Distractions can result from various factors that include, but are not limited to: 

·       Eating when we aren’t even hungry, such as when we’re bored

·       Eating when we’re watching TV or a movie, or in a social setting with friends and family

·       Eating when we’re emotional

·       Eating when we see an advertisement/commercial that causes a craving that wasn’t there before

Mindless eating is directly related to overeating/undereating, stress, increased anxiety levels, and unintentional weight loss/gain. For this reason, it is beneficial to practice mindful eating rather than mindless eating.

Mindful eating is based on the concept of mindfulness, which, most simply put, is recognizing our physical, cognitive and emotional state in the present moment. It allows us to become more in tune with our emotions, feelings, and hunger/fullness cues when eating. Learning to become a mindful eater is important because it allows us to gain control over our eating habits and have a better relationship with food. Here are some tips and tricks that you can use to combat mindless eating and help you and your loved ones take on a more intuitive approach in your everyday lives:

1.     Eliminate screens and other distractions. Avoid watching TV or being on the computer and phone while eating. Focus on the actual act of eating by being in the present.

2.     Make family mealtimes special. Preparing dinner and cleaning up can be fun by including all family members! Have positive conversation at the table to promote a safe, healthy eating environment.

3.     Slow down. Allow yourself to enjoy your meal by taking your time. Pay attention to what you’re eating and how it makes you feel. Research shows that it takes your body 20-30 minutes to realize that you are actually feeling full. By learning to go slowly and to truly appreciate your food, you'll have a more pleasant eating experience. 

4.     Don’t forbid foods or use food as a reward. Forbidding certain foods will only make you or your child want those foods even more. This can cause an unhealthy relationship with food. Limit the portion size instead as this promotes a balanced eating pattern.

5.     Listen to your hunger cues. Learn to recognize and understand the difference between actual hunger and the non-hunger eating triggers. Are you stressed, bored, angry, or sad? Are you lonely? Or are you physically hungry? Asking yourself questions like these allows you to be mindful of how you feel in making a decision.

Learning to eat mindfully takes time and commitment, especially under the given circumstances our world is facing; these general tips can help guide you and your family in the right direction!

Written by Leila Ghaemi, UNH Dietetic Intern

References:

https://www.nchpad.org/1693/6799/Mindful~vs~~Mindless~Eating      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-steps-to-mindful-eating https://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/baby-care/mindful-eating-for-familieshttps://www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/your-health-and-your-weight/helping-kids-maintain-a-healthy-body-weight-a-cheat-sheet-for-success 

 

A QUICK GUIDE TO MAKING THE MOST OF LAST NIGHT'S DINNER

Variety is important in our diet and keeps us interested in our food. It is especially important as we try to stay healthy and safe during this pandemic. This may be the reason designated leftover nights are dreaded by children and parents alike. Leftovers have gotten a bad rap, and the word “leftover” itself makes foods sound dull and unappealing; however, they can be used as ingredients to create exciting new meals! Cooking once for multiple meals can save us time, stretch our food budget, and combat food waste to save the environment.  If you’re stuck in a rut with your leftovers, don’t just reheat and eat. Liven up your grain, protein, and veggie leftovers with the following tips: 

1. Make soup by adding beans from Tuesday’s tacos to broth. Sick of soup? Switch it up and serve leftover soup over rice or a baked potato.

2. Just add eggs to transform your leftovers. Toss barley or broccoli into an omelet, quiche, or frittata.

3. Make a melt or sandwich using yesterday’s meat, veggies, and bread. Add fun sauces or spreads like Sriracha or avocado mayo to change up the flavor!

4. Stuff peppers, squash, or pasta to make a new meal. Fill them up with last night’s quinoa and ground turkey.

5. Spruce up your pasta with Sunday’s ingredients.  Experiment with extra chicken and add pesto!

6. Repurpose your rice into a stir-fry or fried rice dish. Add peppers, protein, and sauce. Try teriyaki, peanut or curry sauce!

7. Make loaded nachos or quesadillas with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Top them with beans, brown rice, avocado, chopped fresh veggies, and Greek yogurt.

Think “ingredients”, not leftovers, and get creative! Be sure to store your leftovers safely- rotate the oldest foods to the front of the fridge where they are easy to see and label them with the date they were made. Most leftovers can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator, but check foodsafety.gov for the safe storage of each ingredient, and make sure to reheat to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remember, you can always freeze for a later date!

 

“Leftover” Barley, Black Bean, and Corn Frittata

Servings: 8                                          Prep Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

            2 tsp olive oil

            2 cups leftover barley (or other grain of your choice) 

            1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed 

            1 cup corn (can use fresh, frozen, or canned)

            1 green bell pepper, chopped

            ½ medium red onion, chopped

            1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

            7 eggs

            ¼ cup milk

            1 pinch salt

            1 tsp pepper

            Salsa (optional, for serving)

            Greek yogurt (optional, for serving)

1.        Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a skillet or casserole dish with olive oil.

2.        Layer barley, beans, vegetables, and ½ cup cheddar cheese in the baking dish.

3.        Whisk eggs with milk, salt, and pepper.

4.        Pour egg mixture into baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes or until set in the middle.

5.        Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top and bake for 5 minutes longer.

6.        Top with salsa and Greek yogurt to serve.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 325 calories, 39.5g carbohydrate, 11g fat, 18g protein, 236mg sodium

February is Heart Month

A "heart healthy" diet means lowering dietary intake of unhealthy fats such as saturated and

trans fats while increasing healthy fats such as monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega 3 fats according to the American Heart Association.

Saturated fat is typically found in animal foods such as butter, high fat dairy products (whole milk, creams, cheeses), and meats (especially beef, prime rib, poultry skin, sausages, bacon). Trans fats are the same as hydrogenated fats and may be found in almost any prepared food so it is important to read food labels (crackers, chips, ice cream, cookies, cakes, frozen foods, bread crumbs).

“Healthy” Unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and omega 3 fats are usually found in plant foods and fish. Some examples of unsaturated fats include, nuts, all natural peanut butter, vegetable oils such as olive oil and canola oil, avocadoes, and omega 3 fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, tuna or sardines.

Parents can help their children now by consistently serving them vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods, nuts, seeds, avocado, omega 3 fish. Also, parents can be role models by engaging kids in physical activity. Weight control and regular exercise are associated with an overall reduced risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses. For more information on keeping you heart healthy, visit www.heart.org.