Hot tip - Sodium Intake

Do you or a family member need to watch your sodium intake? Here are some tips on what the label information on products means.
http://sm.eatright.org/sodiumlabel

Start your own website!

I started a website as a class requirement in Careers in Nutrition and Dietetics.  I’ve continued to add to it since the class ended.  I never, ever would have started a website on my own.  I am not tech savvy at all and would be afraid to even attempt it.  However, I must say that it was not difficult and am so happy that this was a class requirement.  There are many free websites available that are extremely user friendly. As we all know, volunteer and work experience related to the field is extremely important.  What I like best is that it’s allowed me to keep my volunteer experiences very organized with categories and dates.   It’s given me a better picture of the experiences I’ve had since starting the program and I can easily send the link to anyone that is interested.  I highly recommend having a website while a student.  Not only is it a great way to keep track of experiences but makes you more visible and showcases your interest in the field. You can visit my website at:  http://eatsensibly.weebly.com/

 

Recipe of the week - Apple cinnamon baked oatmeal

Try this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal for a weekend family breakfast. It's not only healthy but also a delicious treat!
http://sm.eatright.org/applecinnoat

Featured video- Food Rules

It's important to have food rules. For example, Mom is the Executive Chef and not the short-order cook.
http://sm.eatright.org/famfoodrules

One week down!

My classes started last week!  I am excited and nervous at the same time.  I think that they will be a lot of work but I am ready after an almost two month break.  I think that I am going to enjoy my Human Nutrition class!  While it's a lot of information, it's everything that every aspiring dietitian should know so bring it on!  My Environmental Issues in Hospitality class should be fine.  A large part of the course is getting ready for the SafeServ exam.  I actually took this exam about 20 years ago but obviously need to take it again.  It's a lot of common sense but a lot of information.  Accounting..not so excited about this class but hopefully the time will fly and all three courses will be overwith before I know it!  Stay tuned....

Recipe of the week: Quinoa

Move over rice! Try quinoa for your family meals. It’s a complete protein, full of vitamins and fiber and can be served either hot or cold.
http://sm.eatright.org/quinoastirfry

Planning meals for the week

I really try to cook as much as possible. Let’s face it, it’s the only way to know exactly what’s in your food in addition to it being healthier and hopefully, just as delicious!  I have two kids and don’t want them to think that eating out all the time is good for you or normal (even though that is what most people do these days).  Cooking for the week involves a little planning in advance.  I plan on Sunday what we are going to eat for the week and then go to the grocery store.  I try to pick 4 entrée dishes, usually, a pasta, chicken, vegetarian and fish dish or sometimes I will swap one of these with a beef recipe.  We eat leftovers at our house and then will normally eat out once a week.  It becomes easy to incorporate this into your weekend routine once you make it a habit.  Every once in a while I won’t get to making a list or go to the store and I have to figure out what we are eating every day which makes for a very stressful week.  Planning meals is  always healthier than eating out and will save you time, money and reduce mealtime stress!

 

Article of the week - Chicken Soup!

In spite of all your efforts to stay healthy, your child has caught the bug – a mild cold, but nonetheless a nagging one. Chicken soup can help!
http://sm.eatright.org/babycold

Hot tip - Eat Breakfast!

Want to help your kids perform better at school as well as promote a healthy weight and good behavior? Have them eat breakfast!
http://sm.eatright.org/smrtbkfst

Article of the week - Food Allergies

Kids have a food allergy or intolerance? Talk with your school’s food service and nutrition staff to find safe and nutritious options.
http://sm.eatright.org/kidallergies

Get involved!

Get involved!

There are so many different ways to get involved within the field of dietetics.  Whether it be for a class requirement, volunteering or personal interest, the opportunities are great.  I will continue to post different opportunities as I find out about them.  I am always looking for new ones!   Some ideas include:

Food Banks- I volunteer at two different food banks.  One is solely a distribution center while the other is similar to a grocery store where clients come in to do their shopping on designated days.  Food Banks always need volunteers and are normally flexible in terms of scheduling.  I’ve met great people through volunteering at the food banks and have enjoyed the work very much.

Community Garden- These can often be found through schools or county organizations.  I volunteer during the spring and summer months at the county community garden. They harvest fresh fruits and vegetables for the local food bank.  This is both fun and rewarding!

Hospital dietary aide or volunteer- I volunteered at my local hospital even though they didn’t normally have volunteers in the dietary department. I told the volunteer coordinator that I was a student and was willing to do anything within the department and they made a spot for me.  It’s great experience working in a hospital setting and learning about all of the different members that make up the medical team in addition to an RD’s role.

Go to ihirenutrition.com- You can find dietary aide positions here close to where you live. 

Kids Eat Right Campaign Volunteer- I just signed up for this (January, 2013).  This is another great way to get involved.  The goal is to educate families and communities on the importance of quality nutrition.  You can find out more about this opportunity through http://www.eatright.org/

Nutrition Assistant at a Community College- Call your local community college and ask if any of the nutrition instructors could use an assistant!

Meals on Wheels- Meals on Wheels are always looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to those in need. 

Food kitchens- Food kitchens love volunteers, whether it’s to help cook a meal, make lunches, dinners or just chat with the customers.  You can find these by performing a search online in your city.

Crisis  Centers-  A lot of these have volunteer opportunities to make meals for the residents!

School Cafeterias-  Call your local school cafeteria and ask if they need any volunteers or better yet, part or full time workers!

Become a member- Become a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and your local dietetics association.  As a member of the Academy, you will have access to several student opportunities, one of which is listed next.  Once a member, go to  http://www.eatright.org/, click on members, then students and you can read about the many ways to get involved. 

Student Scoop- Student Scoop is a student e-newsletter through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that is published five times a year.  It gives you the opportunity to write an article relevant to the field and possibly help others with your contribution.  Article topics may discuss volunteer opportunities, internships or other student related topics.  Additionally, this is something that can be added to your resume and shows your interest in staying connected with other students. 
 

 

Hot tip - Keeping Food Safe!

Keep your food safe. Learn what the sell-by, use-by and expiration date labels on food really mean.
http://sm.eatright.org/pkgdates

Featured Video - Pretzel Crusted Chicken

Hesitant to feed your kids those frozen, breaded and fried chicken nuggets? This Pretzel Crusted Chicken slashes calories and fat.
http://sm.eatright.org/pretzelchicken

Favorite ingredients to have on hand

Black beans- I put these in burritos, quesadillas, bean burgers, chili, dips and soups!

Whole wheat pita- Use this for a quick individual pizza, sandwich, or homemade pita chips.

Bananas- Eat plain, with peanut butter, in smoothies, and dipped in yogurt. I make my kids what I call a banana split without the ice cream- 1 banana, drizzle with chocolate syrup, a dollop of whip cream and a maraschino cherry!

Frozen spinach- I use this for homemade pizza, and omelets.

Lite cool whip- Perfect for putting on top of fresh fruit, especially for kids!

Chicken sausage- I crave “breakfast meat” in the morning but don’t want the bacon with nitrates, etc. I like the all-natural Al Fresco chicken sausage. Can also use this on homemade pizza, in eggs; eat instead of hot dogs, etc.

Avocados- I could live on avocados!  I can eat these plain or make into guacamole or just eat as a side with any meal. Delicious on a tuna sandwich!

Tuna- Always great to have on hand for a quick tuna sandwich, salad or tuna noodle casserole.

Sweet potatoes- I like to make sweet potato fries by cutting the potatoes into strips and tossing with EVOO, salt and pepper.

Almonds- great for a quick pick me up snack.  Keep a snack bag of these in your car!

Portobello mushrooms- Try using a Portobello mushroom as the crust for your homemade pizza instead of bread!  Delicious! I also love these on a bun with all of the fixings instead of a regular burger sometimes.

Alfalfa sprouts- Not sure why but these give sandwiches some added freshness!  Great in salads also!

Hummus- Who doesn’t like hummus?  Use as dip for vegetables, and a spread for sandwiches!

Steam in the bag vegetables- These are in my opinion, the greatest product out there and worth the extra cost. Now there is no excuse for my not having vegetables at the dinner table.  I use these all the time!

Pizza sauce- Great to have on hand to make a quick homemade pizza for the kids with mozzarella cheese and a whole wheat pita!

Ground flax seed- I put this into my smoothie every day for extra fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.  You can also sprinkle on oatmeal or put into other recipes such as muffins.

Cherry tomatoes- These are great to throw into any salad or eat as a guilt-free, nutritious snack!

Egg beaters- Love these as they come in different flavors now and are quick to make. I use regular eggs also but I like to have these on hand.

Recipe of the week: Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a classic Middle Eastern dish. This version, inspired by the Palouse region's vast wheat fields, is considerably slimmed down from the traditional version.
http://sm.eatright.org/tabbouleh

Pom Poms Fresh Arils

I LOVE these little juicy, tart and sweet morsels of fruit!  Pricey but worth it since you don’t have to scoop all the little delicious seeds out yourself!  You can normally find them in your grocery store produce section!

http://www.pomwonderful.com/products/freshfruit/pom-wonderful-arils/

 

Eatright.org Publicity

Today I was driving home listening to the radio and heard an advertisement for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I was very surprised as this is the very first time I’ve ever heard anything about the organization on the radio. I don’t know if this is a new spot on the radio or something I just haven’t heard before but must admit that it caught my attention!

 

RD Programs Available

Here is an important link to information about the different paths you can take to become a registered dietitian.  There are so many different ways and it's often very confusing for someone that has an interest in the field to understand all of their options.  The first step is to read over this page:
http://www.eatright.org/BecomeanRDorDTR/content.aspx?id=8094

I chose a distance dietetics program for many reasons.  First, I have two kids, ages 5 and 8.  While I do have an on-site program nearby, I wanted to make sure that I had time to gain volunteer and/or work related experience while taking classes.  I knew that for me, it would be difficult to volunteer, take classes with a different schedule each semester, factor in a 40 minute commute to campus each way and stay on top of my coursework. 

The advantages of the distance program is that you can do all of your coursework from home.  There is no worrying about getting to class on time, missing class, etc.  Additionally, you will have more flexibility in terms of working or volunteering.  The disadvantages are that you will pay more for the distance program and must be extremely self-motivated.  Distance programs are not for everyone.  It’s important to know whether you have the self-motivation to succeed in a program where there are no classmates nearby and the only way to communicate with your instructor may be via email or phone.  Go to , http://www.eatright.org/, "Become an RD/DTR" to find all of the program options available by state!  You can also limit your search to distance programs.

It’s important to look at all of the programs and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each before making a decision!  It's also important to take note of degree requirements for each program.  For example, I already have a Master's degree in Business Administration.  Of course I would like to obtain another Master's but the local program near me and the distance program I am currently in, both require the RD credential to enter their Master's program. So, I will be getting another bachelor's degree and it will be in dietetics.  Since I already have a bachelor's, I could just take the required DPD courses and then apply for an internship but I've decided to go ahead and get the bachelor's as it's only a few more classes.

My course progress to date

To date, I’ve taken two classes through Kansas State University. I took Introduction to Dietetics this past summer, 2012 and Biochemistry in the fall.  This spring semester, I am taking Accounting (online though my local community college), Environmental Issues in Hospitality and Human Nutrition.  From this point on, I will be taking 2-3 classes each semester.  I am really looking forward to the nutrition courses!

I took the majority of the science courses at my local community college.  I would highly recommend taking as many classes as possible at the community college before starting the nutritional coursework.

Recipe of the week: Slow-cooker chili

http://www.eatright.org/kids/recipe.aspx?id=6442471875

Supermarket tips!

Saving money at the supermarket doesn't mean giving up nutritious foods. Here are some tips to save you money while nourishing your family! http://sm.eatright.org/moneytips