Back to the Kitchen First Stop Local Foods What healthy foods are locally produced in your community? Purchase local foods seasonally and plan your meals around them Establish a relationship with local food producers Second Stop Grocery Vegetables: fresh, frozen, canned Salad greens and dressings Fruits: fresh, frozen Protein: fish, chicken, soy burgers, tuna, lean beef, and pork Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
Final Stop Your Kitchen Quick evening meals Breakfast to go A plan for lunch Creative cooking when you have time Convenience foods when you don t Real Meals Caesar salad with tuna, chicken, etc. Steak and mushrooms on a bed of spinach Cheese omelet with peppers and tomato Thin crust pizza Believe in Breakfast Egg sandwich Cheese omelet wrap Yogurt and fruit Smoothie Soy sausage
Lunch from the Land Salads with protein Soups with vegetables and meats limited carbohydrate Grilled meat sandwiches with half of the bread Fruit or small dessert What s Really Bad? Limit fried foods Avoid potatoes, pasta, breads, rice in the beginning Have small desserts Don t deny yourself What Vegetables Do You Like? Spinach Tomatoes Mushrooms Cabbage Broccoli Onions Green beans Celery Carrots Green pepper Red pepper
How Do They Go with Your Favorite Meats and Proteins? Cheese omelet Grilled meat, fish, or chicken Stir fry over rice with celery, onion, carrot Stuffed cabbage rolls or green peppers What Flavors Do You Like? Italian Garlic Mexican Salsa Asian Soy Curry Tomato Cheese Chili Lime Lemongrass Indian Cumin Know Your Taste Buds Which flavors do you crave? Think quality, not quantity Cook and eat mindfully Try new spices and flavorings Fresh ginger Chilies Apple cider Lemon Mint Balsamic vinegar Cilantro Sage Cloves
What Fruits Do You Like? Blueberries Kiwi Watermelon Strawberries Apples Plum grapes Bananas Pears Cherries Peaches Lemons Rhubarb Apricots Oranges Limes Grapefruit Cantaloupe Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Fruit or vegetable based desserts with reduced calorie sweeteners Substitute ricotta for cream cheese or use reduced-fat cream cheese Small, high-flavor chocolate or ice cream servings Have a small portion after a meal If you have a sweet, move your feet Survey While You Shop New ideas are in the grocery aisles Seasonal produce Featured meats, fish, and dairy Frozen convenience foods Canned convenience foods Baking mixes and ingredients
Keep the Creative Juices Flowing Subscribe to healthy lifestyle magazines Trade recipes and ideas with friends Read cookbooks and alter recipes to reduce calories and increase flavor Try to recreate restaurant style foods with lower calories and smaller portions Keep trying don t give up Keep It Simple Shop for groceries monthly or during sales to stock staples in pantry and freezer Shop weekly keeping breakfast, lunch, and dinner in mind have a grocery list produce and dairy Cook every couple of days Use leftovers and convenience foods on noncooking days Make some dishes your standards, fill in with new ones for variety and to find new favorites Mention or display of a trademark, propriety product, or firm in text or graphics does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms. Stock images by 123rf.com Janet Tietyen Mullins, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition, Professor Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition School of Human Environmental Sciences May 2008, October 2016 Copyright 2016 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.