large snacks with less than 200 calories

Craving brackish?
• 5 olives (any kind) (45 calories)
• 1 little Martin's pretzel (50 calories)
• 2 oz Applegate Honey and Maple Turkey Breast covered around 2 bread-and-butter pickles (80 calories)
• 1/4 cup hummus, 3 orange carrot twigs (80 calories)
• 1 Laughing dairy cow lightweight Swiss initial wedge, 3 pieces Kavli Crispy Thin (85 calories)
• One 1-oz bundle tuna jerky (90 calories)
• 1 oz buffalo mozzarella, 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (94 calories)
• 1 bag ovenbaked! Cheetos 100 Calorie Mini Bites (100 calories)
• 15 Eden's Nori Maki Crackers rice crackers (110 calories)
• 1 cup unshelled edamame (120 calories)
• 50 Eden's Vegetable Chips (130 calories)
• One 1-oz package of Planters NUT-trition almonds (130 calories)
• 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Chili con Queso, 18 baked tortilla chips (140 calories)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin kernels in case (143 calories)
• 2 parts (30 grams) prosciutto, 4 dehydrated figs (154 calories)
• 1 Subway Turkey Breast cover (190 calories)
Craving sweet?
• 1 bundle initial apple fruit Nature Valley crop Crisps (50 calories)
• 1 packet O'Coco's Mocha cookies (90 calories)
• 1 Jelly Belly 100-calorie load (100 calories)
• One 100-calorie pack Trader Joe's sweets Graham Toucan Cookies (100 calories)
• One 100-calorie Balance Bar (100 calories)
• 1 Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino bar (120 calories)
• 1 package Back to environment Honey Graham twigs (120 calories)
• 1/2 banana revolved in 1 tbsp frozen semisweet sweets chips (123 calories)
• 2 tbsp Better 'n Peanut dairy spread, 4 stalks celery (124 calories)
• 1 bag Orville Redenbacher's intelligent Pop dairy spread Mini Bags covered with a spritz of dairy spread squirt and 1 tsp sugar (126 calories)
• 24 Annie's sweets portion Bunny Graham cookies (140 calories)
• Half of a 1.08-oz canister of M&M's Minis mixed with 1/3 cup lowfat granola (145 calories)
• 1 McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait (160 calories)
• 1 canister Fage Greek Total 2% fat yogurt, 2 tsp honey (173 calories)

Beat the heat with these summer cooking tips

Late summer in Ohio, the heat and humidity can be stifling indoors and out.  When the heat index is high, trying to cook a meal in the kitchen can seem like cooking in a sauna, and it only seems to make the house feel hotter.  Salads are fine for awhile, but if your family is like mine they tire of them pretty quickly.  So what can you do?

Try these summer cooking tips:

Microwave like you mean it - most of us use the microwave for reheating food.  But there are now many products that are food safe AND designed for microwave cooking.  The benefit?  You can enjoy a healthy dish in minutes without heating up the kitchen.  Our favorite gadget?  The microwave steamer, which steams food to perfection in the microwave rather than using the range.  We use ours mostly for steaming vegetables, but

microwave steamers have evolved to prepare other foods such as rice or even some main dishes for meals.  Our tip?  Try to cut vegetables as evenly as possible and place denser ones, (such as potatoes) in the center and more tender vegetables (squash or broccoli) on the outside.

When cooking on cooler days, make and freeze enough for second meal or side dish - freeze in a food-safe container or bag that is labeled with the date and container contents.   When it's too hot to cook, you can have a good meal on the table in minutes simply by reheating a frozen meal.  Not sure what foods can be frozen and how long they will stay fresh in your freezer?  Check out this handy chart from FoodSafety.gov for safe freezer food storage guidelines.

Grill everything - you can grill almost everything, including vegetables, meats and even some desserts.  Grilling outside won't heat up your kitchen, and can give your food that special taste and texture that only can come from a grill.  When grilling chicken, burgers or other meats, grill some extra - so you'll be able to relish the taste of your favorite grilled meats later.  Most grilled meats can be frozen until needed, when they can be quickly reheated.

Remember your slow cooker?  Most of us tend to think of the slow cooker for meals on colder days, but it's also a great alternative to an oven when the weather turns warm.  And think beyond roasts and stews - there are slow cooker recipes for everything from corn on the cob to cheesecake.

For even more variety, try some 'no-cook' meals with a twist - some suggestions?  Think wraps made with ingredients like seasoned, roast turkey, ripe avocado or fresh egg salad.  How about an antipasto style meal with some good market bread and a variety of nibbles such as sausages, cheeses, olives, marinated artichokes and mushrooms.  Our tip?  When it's really hot, our family seems to prefer nibbling rather than a large meal.  The problem with everyone nibbling though, is that the food packaging may not be properly resealed.  Keep a selection of quality food containers and wraps on hand and use them to store food once their packaging has been opened.  It will help keep these foods fresher longer.

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Love Honey? Learn More About This Superfood!

Honey is one of nature's most perfect foods.  Did you know that this 100% natural sweetener not only tastes delightful, it contains healthy trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids?  To give you a better appreciation for this natural superfood though, here are more fun facts and good information about honey from the National Honey Board:

• There are more than 300 unique kinds of honey in the United States.
• To make one pound of honey, around 60,000 bees must travel up to 55,000 miles and visit 2,000,000 flowers.
• One honey bee will make about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.

For most of us, the only choice of honey we have is from the grocery.  However, if you do get the chance to choose, either through travel or online, how to choose honey that's right for you?  It truly is a matter of taste and preference.  While honey color and flavor can vary widely depending upon the flowers visited by the bees, lighter colored honey tends to have a milder flavor.

How best to store honey?  Store it at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.  If stored properly, honey will have a shelf life of 2 years.  

Here's a delicious recipe from the National Honey Board website for you to enjoy:

Pumpkin Honey Bread (Recipe provided courtesy of the National Honey Board)

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup - honey

  

  Image courtesy of National Honey Board

• 1/2 cup - butter or margarine, softened
• 1 can (16 oz.) - solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 - eggs
• 4 cups - flour
• 4 teaspoons - baking powder
• 2 teaspoons - ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons - ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon - baking soda
• 1 teaspoon - salt
• 1 teaspoon - ground nutmeg

 

Directions

In large bowl, cream honey with butter until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Sift together remaining ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Divide batter equally between two well-greased 9 x5 x 3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert pans to remove loaves and allow to finish cooling on racks.

Interested in learning more about the benefits of honey, honeybees and getting more recipes?  Visit the National Honey Board website, at Honey.com!  Did you find this post useful?  Please share it through our Facebook and Twitter links below.  Want to discover more easy tips and tricks for healthy, sustainable living and have them delivered right to your in box weekly?  Follow our blog by signing up for our RSS feed.

Busy? Try These Tips for Healthy Meal Planning

Between work, kids, school, errands and endless other obligations, cooking up a steady flow of healthy meals for your family can seem out of the question at times.  It can seem particularly daunting if your family (like mine) is 'challenged' in the kitchen, or if given a choice will grab the first frozen pizza and bag of potato chips they can find.  But eating homemade, healthy meals and snacks offers so many benefits, in addition to being part of a healthy lifestyle it can also save you some serious money.  Another plus?  It can also allow you to spend more time with your family.  Want to know how?

Tips for healthy meal planning:

The most important part of saving time in the kitchen is to plan ahead.  Think about what foods are in season, what foods you will make and what you can easily prepare.   Keep recipes simple and avoid time consuming dishes. Compile a shopping list of what you will need before going to the store.  Have a plan for keeping food fresh by using quality food containers, storage bags and wraps.  Plan for leftovers and how you will store them.  If leftovers will be used for lunches, have a stash of reusable to go containers.  On the other hand, if you plan to use any leftovers as meal at a later date, have a container on hand for freezing.

Prepare as many foods as possible ahead of time.  Try doing this once or twice a week on a slow day.  Not only does this save time on busy days, it can reduce the number of dishes you need to clean. Make use of your crock pot for cooking entrees on busy days so a hot, delicious meal is waiting on you and your family.  Need some other thought starters?

• Wash and precut fruits and vegetables for cooking and

  

  Sistema Snack Container

  snacks.  Grapes, carrots and asparagus are perfect for preparing ahead.
• Healthy snacks such as fruit and a low fat pudding dip, breakfasts such as yogurt and granola, to go lunches such as salads and even some side dishes such as slaws or beans can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
• Thaw meats in the refrigerator a day or two before cooking.  This may reduce or eliminate the time needed to thaw them in the microwave.
• When making soups or stews, make extra and freeze for a meal at a later date.

Have a back-up plan.  What does this mean?  Have a back-up meal that can be ready in minutes or than can be prepared from the pantry.  A late night at work, bad weather or a traffic jam are just some examples of what can wreck the best of menu plans.  Bottom line?  Something will go askew sooner or later, and you'll need to have a healthy dinner on the table quickly even with nothing prepared. Try these other tips:

• Having a well-stocked pantry is essential for multiple reasons, especially for unexpected events.  Our picks? We like to keep a good supply canned foods such as tomatoes, beans, refried beans, fruits and vegetables.  Have a couple of meals planned that you can make from your pantry if you need to.
• Whole grain pasta is the perfect ad hoc meal.  It's versatile, healthy, stores well and can be ready in minutes. 
• Another option is to have a meal ready to go right from the freezer. Many meals, such as soups and stews can be made ahead and kept for months in the freezer. 

Bottom line, with a little planning and ingenuity, you and your family can enjoy home made, healthy meals, regardless of a busy schedule.  Did you find this post useful?  Please share it through our Facebook and Twitter links below.  Want to discover more easy tips and tricks for healthy, sustainable living and have them delivered right to your in box weekly?  Follow our blog by signing up for our RSS feed

Healthy Food Storage Made Easy

Not long ago, food storage was a term primarily used by 'preppers.' Not so now. With an ever sluggish economy, ongoing increases in food prices and increasing focus on healthy eating, it's little wonder that food is consuming a larger chunk of the family budget.  Adding a hectic daily schedule to this mix can make healthy eating seem like a pipe dream.  The solution?  Start with food storage.

So why think about how to store food?

Convenience - while the kitchen may be the heart and soul of the home, scrounging around cupboards or running emergency trips to the grocery for that missing ingredient of your favorite recipe is (let's face it) a terrible waste of time.  Having the food you need, knowing where it's at and that it's fresh is a real time saver.

Money savings - even making a few basic changes in how you store and use food can really pay off.  How?  Knowing how long you can store various foods and keep them fresh allows you to shop for the best price, purchase in bulk at a lower cost and avoid tossing food in the trash.   

Better selection of foods - healthy eating is important, but if your family is like mine, everyone doesn't enjoy the same foods.  Better food storage can provide more options for healthy choices.  Case in point?  Cereal.  My family loves cereal.  Nobody eats the same cereal though, and none of us eat cereal every day.  As you know, cereal can go stale very quickly particularly in the heat and humidity.  The answer for us? Cereal storage containers to keep our favorite brands fresh and crisp longer.

Minimize food waste - why is this important? According to the National Resources Defense Council as a nation we toss up to 40% of our food supply every year, which for the average family of four the NRDC estimates to be $2,275 annually.  Most of this food waste goes into landfills, where it produces the greenhouse gas methane that contributes to global warming.

What are some easy ways to get the most from your food storage?

The right 'tools' are everything - every home should be well stocked with quality, BPA free kitchen storage containers.   'Quality' will enable them to be used year after

Strawberries - see what a difference good food storage makes?

year. Get multipurpose containers that can be used for storing, freezing, food preparation and possibly even as a to-go container. If you enjoy a particular food, such as fresh herbs or salad, consider purchasing a container designed specifically for its storage.  Need an example?  If you've ever purchased berries today, and they were soft and moldy two days later, you'll appreciate this image. All of these berries were from the same container and were roughly the same size. The strawberries on the top though were stored for over a week in the refrigerator in a produce storage bag, and were quite firm and delicious when I ate them.  The two below were simply stored in a glass compote next to the 'test' berries in the produce bag.  You can clearly see the difference the produce storage bag made.

In addition to produce storage bags, examples of specialty food storage containers can include:

• Banana bags for keeping bananas fresh
• Pasta containers - perfect for open boxes of pasta
• Fresh herb storage containers
• Meat and deli containers
• Flour containers - particularly useful if you can freeze the container and contents
• Sugar containers, especially airtight containers for storing brown sugar
• Cereal containers
• Lettuce containers

Look for containers that make it easy to organize and maximize the use of your kitchen and pantry storage space.  Why?  It makes it easier to find what you're looking for.  Here are some tips for selecting containers:

• Stackable - think 'up' in your cabinets. Make use of the
  
  vertical space by using stackable containers.
• Use clear containers or label them so you know what's in the container without opening it.
• Have a range of sizes - super small containers are perfect for storing small amounts of food and can double as a to-go container, while bigger ones can be used for larger quantities of food or organizing foods like seasonings.

Become familiar with the 'shelf life' of foods you eat and have a reputable resource you can refer to for this information, such as WHfoods.org.  Periodically check the 'best by' and 'use by' dates on food stored in your home.

Have a plan for where and how to store foods to maintain their optimal freshness.  Most 'shelf stable' foods like pasta, sugar, cereal and beans store best in a cool and dry location.  Other foods, such as some produce, should only be stored in the refrigerator.    While this can sound daunting, try these simple tips - develop a list of the foods you frequently purchase, focus on those first then gradually add more foods as your comfort level increases.

Look for ways to use leftovers or extend the storage life and freshness of foods.  Need some ideas?

• Flour, berries and some other fresh produce can be frozen.
• Leftover fresh herbs can be dried for later use.
• Some foods can be morphed into useful household products; lemon halves can be used to create effective green cleaners and eggshells to create a natural soil booster for house and garden plants.

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8 Healthy Pantry Staples You Need To Have

Whether you want your family to eat healthier meals, reduce your grocery bill, add convenience to your kitchen or all of the above, there's every reason to have a pantry well-stocked with healthy food staples.   While most of us aren't going to fully escape high fat or low-nutrient foods, adding healthier ingredients to your pantry and using them for cooking is an easy way to make family meals more nutritious.  Need some ideas?  We've compiled a list of our favorite pantry staples that we consider healthy, versatile, easy to find and easy to store: 

8 Healthy Pantry Staples:

• Black beans - high in fiber and folates, this inexpensive legume is available in cans or dried.  Black beans are such a versatile food - we use them to add heartiness to soups and salads, in various rice and bean sides and as an addition to many of our favorite main dishes as a healthy way to reduce the amount of meat we need.  While canned black beans are convenient to use, dried black beans are easy to store, prepare and can be seasoned to your family's tastes.
• Oatmeal - this is another high fiber food that is also low in calories and fat.  Oatmeal's other claim? It can also help lower cholesterol.   In addition to being a filling breakfast food, oatmeal can be used as an ingredient in breads, cookies and other desserts.  We also use oatmeal to make healthy homemade granola.  There are many theories regarding whether steel cut, rolled or quick cooking are best, but in my opinion all of these are good choices. Since oatmeal has a relatively long shelf life, try buying it bulk and storing it in an airtight kitchen storage container, rather than buying single serve packages.  Experiment with adding in your own flavorings, such as infused sugar, granola or homemade jam. 
• Dried fruit - raisins, dates, figs and other dried fruits such as apples and apricots store well, are loaded with nutrients and are perfect for snacking or cooking.  While dried fruit can be enjoyed by itself, it also compliments many other foods such as cereals, nuts, cheeses, desserts, candies, pastries and breads.  Any dried fruit should be stored in an airtight kitchen storage container, and stores well either in the pantry or freezer.
• Whole grain pasta - we tried whole grain pasta years ago, and I'm pretty sure I gave most of the boxes I had away.  The texture was grainy and the taste bland.  However whole grain pasta has come a long way since then, and it is a great way to pack the whole grain nutrients and fiber into a meal your family can enjoy.  Pasta is a perfect pantry staple - it stores well, is versatile and can be cooked and on the table in minutes.  While pasta can be stored in its original box or bag, we prefer to store it in airtight pasta storage containers for added freshness.  Try keeping multiple varieties (such as spaghetti, rotini, penne) on hand for main dishes, salads and sides.
• Honey - this natural, nutritious sweetener can be added to tea, enjoyed on cereals, sandwiches, toast and in any number of recipes in for deserts through main dishes.  Honey is reputed to have many health benefits which we won't delve into here.  What we can say is that generally honey is sweeter and has more nutrients than granulated or other types of sugars.  Contrary to common belief,
  
  honey does NOT have an indefinite shelf life, but it will keep for a very long time if stored properly in an airtight container.  Learn more about honey, its nutritional benefits and get some great recipes at the National Honey Board's website, www.Honey.com.
• Olive oil - this healthy oil is renowned for its taste and
  health benefits.  Quality olive oil is a staple in many kitchens and for good reason - it can be used to as a flavorful dip for breads, a dressing for salads and to enhance the flavor of many foods.  Olive oil should be stored in a cool (not refrigerated) dark location and kept tightly capped.    As its nutritional value lessens over time, look for a 'best by' date on the bottle and plan on using it within several months of purchase.
• Potatoes - this inexpensive root vegetable has had a lot of bad press in recent years, but this tuber is loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals including potassium.  Whether baked, roasted, added to salads, soups, stews or other dishes, potatoes are perfect for adding healthy flavor and heartiness to any meal.   Potatoes are best stored in a cool, dry, dark location and away from onions, which can cause them to go bad faster.  If you do not have a specific bag or bin to store them in, a simple brown paper bag will do just fine.
• Whole wheat flour - eating whole grains is part of a healthy diet, as recommended by the USDA and many others.  Whole wheat flour is perfect for breads.  For those used to cooking and baking only with enriched white flour though, cooking with whole wheat flour can be a stretch.   Some people (like my family) simply have a taste preference for white flour.  A good alternative?  Try whole white wheat flour.  It has all of the nutrition and health benefits of whole wheat, but a lighter color and taste.  Learn more about this and other whole grains at the Whole Grains Council website. 

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How To Choose Lunch Box Containers For Your Kids

It's time to start thinking about the upcoming school year.  If you're like most parents, you probably pack your kid's lunches and snacks at least some of the time.  Packing a lunch versus

Kids Konserve Food Kozy and Lunch Containers

buying offers many advantages, such as reducing the waste from disposable bags and wrappers, allowing you to provide the healthy food choices you want your kids to have, letting you manage their portion sizes and even giving you the opportunity to save some money.  But a critical part of packing a healthy lunch often overlooked - the container or wrap used.  There are literally hundreds of choices for lunch containers available in the market today.  So what should you consider when buying lunch containers?

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LUNCH CONTAINER FOR YOUR KIDS:

• Consider containers that are versatile and can be used for over and over again for years - not only is this the environmentally responsible choice, it can save space and add convenience to your kitchen.  Themed containers from movies and cartoons tend to get used for a year or two then tossed when your kids tire of them.  Try stylish containers with colors your kids love that can double for other uses, such as storing herbs, cheese and other foods.
• The container material needs to be food safe, lightweight and durable - if your kids will be heating foods in a microwave or you use a dishwasher, consider this as well.   Stainless steel is an excellent choice as it is free of BPA and phthalates, dishwasher safe, very lightweight and won't stain like some other materials.  Stainless steel cannot be used in the microwave though.   Plastic can also be a great choice for lunch containers because it's lightweight and versatile, but it is very important that the plastic used is free from BPA and other contaminants.  How would you know?  Check the container labeling or packaging.  The retailer or manufacturer should be able to provide this information as well.
• Containers should seal securely yet be easy to open and close - this is a pet peeve of mine, given that more than once I've worn the contents of a lunch container I've struggled to open.  Even if it's your kid's favorite container, it won't be of any use if little hands can't get it opened or closed.  Containers with clips are one way to solve that problem as they are easy to use yet provide a tight seal.  Another suggestion?  Lunch box containers designed specifically for kids.
• Looking for leak proof?  Make sure the container is designed to be leak proof - not all containers are, and nothing ruins a sandwich or baked tortilla chips faster than getting soaked in something like fruit juice.  Just like with container materials, if a container is leak proof it will be labeled as such.  If you are still unsure - contact the retailer before buying the container from them, they should gladly field questions regarding the containers they sell. 
• Think of the environment when making your purchase - purchase high quality containers that can be used over and over again for years.  Where possible, look for containers that are recyclable.   How can you tell?  Stainless steel and glass are 100% recyclable.  For plastics, you will need to check with your local recycler. Most #5 plastic, such as the material used for many Sistema containers, is recyclable.

I could add to this list, but I think I've captured the major considerations for a healthy, waste free lunch.  Have any you'd like to share?  If you found this post useful, please share it through our Facebook and Twitter links below.  Want to discover more easy tips and tricks for healthy, sustainable living and have them delivered right to your in box weekly?  Follow our blog by signing up for our RSS feed.