Food

Make Everyday Meals A Better Nutrition Choice With Simple Switches

Posted: 3/11/2011

With a few simple switches, you can save on saturated fat without sacrificing taste in your meals.

(NAPSI) - Making dinner a family affair is a great way to share time with each other and lets parents make better nutrition choices for their kids. Preparing great-tasting and balanced meals at home is more important now than ever, especially with the release of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Among other recommendations, the guidelines urge everyone to limit the amount of saturated fat in their diet. Registered Dietitian Pamela Nisevich says that meals at home can be quick and good for your family, and that with a few simple switches, you can save on saturated fat without sacrificing taste.

Here are three simple switches to save on saturated fat that your family will love:

1. Brighten Up Your Mornings—Swap bacon and eggs for oatmeal with a variety of brightly colored berries and fresh fruit. The fruit adds a rainbow of color sure to excite kids and gives the oatmeal a naturally sweet taste to satisfy their sweet tooth.

2. Lighten Your Lunch—Opt for leaner cuts of lunch meat. Dress up turkey, low-fat ham, chicken or roast beef with fresh veggies and low-fat cheese. The savory sandwiches are sure to be a lunch room favorite.

3. Beat the Dinner Doldrums—Make your veggies more exciting: Instead of topping them with butter, switch to one serving of Shedd’s Spread Country Crock®, which has 70 percent less saturated fat than butter and no hydrogenated oils, so there’s 0 grams of trans fat per serving.*

*Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® Original Spread contains 7g total fat and 2g saturated fat per serving.

Here’s an easy-to-prepare, great-tasting recipe you can try tonight:

MIXED VEGETABLE SAUTE

4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

5 tsp. Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® Spread

11/2 cups sliced carrots

1 large red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cups broccoli florets (about 4 oz.)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Melt Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® Spread in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook carrots, red pepper, broccoli and onion, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in parsley and black pepper.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 80, Calories From Fat 30, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 3.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 85mg, Total Carbohydrate 10g, Sugars 5g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 2g, Vitamin A 210%, Vitamin C 140%, Calcium 4%, Iron 4%