Tag Archives: american diet

Where Your Paleo Diet Actually Came From in National Geographic’s Evolution of Diet

evolution of diet

Paleo is certainly a buzzword in the diet and health communities, but do people really know what it means when they say they “want to eat like their ancestors?” National Geographic’s Evolution of Diet investigates what an original Paleolithic diet might have been, and how the modern diet developed.

To start, they first looked at the few groups of true hunter-gatherers remaining — those whose diets haven’t changed much in thousands of years.

“Hunter-gatherers are not living fossils,” Alyssa Crittenden, a nutritional anthropologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told National Geographic. “That being said, we have a small handful of foraging populations that remain on the planet. We are running out of time. If we want to glean any information on what a nomadic, foraging lifestyle looks like, we need to capture their diet now.”

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Posted on August 28, 2023 by Elizabeth

35 Quick and Healthy School Night Dinners Your Kids Will Actually Eat

What’s for dinner is the most impossible question to answer on our best nights, but during the chaos and rush of back to school it feels nearly hopeless. Adjusting to new schedules and adding extracurriculars to an already crammed-tight calendar and you’ve got a recipe for another drive-through dinner.

This year, don’t sweat it. Put prioritizing dinner on your back to school list. Any of these dinners can be thrown together and in the mouths of your hungry family in 30 minutes or less. They’re also healthier meals you can feel good about serving. And in many cases you can eat them on the run.

We may not change how you see dinner as a necessary evil, but we can certainly take the devil out of the details!

Mexican and Southwest

Black Bean and Mushroom Quesadillas

For meatless Monday or exclusive vegetarians, hearty black beans and mushrooms melted together with cheese is simple and satisfying.

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Avocado Coleslaw

Fire up the grill and you’re only 30 minutes away from the best tacos ever! Buy pre-shredded coleslaw to really save prep time.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers – Barr and Table

These peppers use protein-rich quinoa instead of rice and can be prepped and served in just 30 minutes with on-hand ingredients.

Chorizo Nachos

Biggest Loser has a homemade chorizo recipe that tastes and looks like the real deal but is much better for you (just make it in advance).

Apple Sausage Quesadillas

The kids can practically make these themselves and will love every last comforting bite.

Classic Comforts

Meatloaf in a Mug – My Recipes

Individual meatloaves are made in minutes in the microwave. Not only are they adorable, but they practically make themselves.

Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders

This drive-thru favorite is better than ever when you use panko to get that crispy crunch the kids crave.

BBQ Pork Sliders

It takes only 30 minutes to roast a tenderloin, which you can then shred, toss in your favorite BBQ sauce, and serve!

Turkey Meatball Subs

The sandwich shop has nothing on our effortless meatball subs, made lighter with ground turkey. Serve in hot dog buns for tiny hands.

Pumpkin Chili

Chili in 30 minutes is possible. The pumpkin adds delicious nutrition without influencing the flavor much at all.

Sandwiches

Mediterranean Chicken, Pear, and Arugula Stuffed Pitas – Fit Bottomed Eats

Our original recipe for FBE starts with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for the ultimate in hand-held, get-out-the-door meals.

Best Club Sandwich Ever

We use Applegate Farms ham, turkey, and bacon to craft a cleaner sandwich that’s finished with avocados and veggies.

Oprah’s Love Sandwich

This grilled panini sandwich presses turkey and cheese together for a super-quick, hot and ready dinner.

Almond Butter Banana Crazy

It doesn’t get any easier – we fold almond butter with banana slices and sprinkle a few dried cranberries.

Super Sloppy Joes – Meal Makeover Moms

This family favorite is made lighter with ground turkey and always gets two messy thumbs up from the kids.

Meals On a Stick

Maple Ginger Chicken on a Stick – Green Lite Bites

Make the marinade in the morning and dinner is literally minutes away when you get home. Roni says kids will eat anything on a stick!

Bayou Kabobs

Shrimp, sausages, and peppers take less than 15 minutes on the grill.

Fancy Fish Sticks

A Jillian Michaels creation that is super family friendly and way better than any frozen fish stick in a box.

Jalapeno Cheddar Burger Bite Kabobs

Hand-held burgers without the bun are stuffed with gooey cheddar cheese and a bit of jalapeno pepper for big flavor.

Stuffed Almond Butter and Jam French Toast Kabobs – Nibbles by Nic

It’s breakfast for dinner in a whole new way! You could even add bites of ham to the kabobs if you’re looking for more protein.

Pasta and Noodles

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

An Abra Pappa original that uses less, but higher quality cheese and a butternut squash puree for a kid-approved mac!

Creamy Avocado Pasta – In Good Taste

One of our very favorite 15-minute dinners. Prepare it meatless or top with shrimp.

Tomato Basil Alphabet Soup

A super simple homemade soup that easily fills thermoses for feel-good brown bag lunches all week long!

Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce

It’s a no-noodle pasta dish and they’ll never know the difference! More nutritious and just as fast as a heap of spaghetti.

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli – Picky Eater Blog

Turn a package of store-bought ravioli in to a quick and easy feel good dinner the kids will rave about!

Breakfast for Dinner

Prosciutto and Apple Waffle Paninis – HelloGiggles

If you’ve made the waffles in advance, or have frozen available, the prep time on these is dramatically reduced!

Pigs in Comforters

Biggest Loser’s Chef Devin Alexanders rolls all-beef hot dogs in buttermilk biscuits.

Cornbread Waffles – Edible Perspective

Prepare these heartier waffles with our oven-baked chicken tenders for a better take on chicken and waffles!

Egg and Kielbasa Sausage Pizza – Kid Friendly Home

The eggs form a breadless crust that holds kielbasa sausage, fresh herbs, and both cheddar and parmesan cheeses.

Carrot Cake Pancakes – Grimmway Farms

We crafted these using Grimmway’s famous baby carrots. Topped with cream cheese and walnuts, they’re quite satisfying.

Mediterr-Asian

Black Eyed Pea Hummus

Our “new year” hummus will bring good luck to your pupils. Serve with warm pita and fresh veggies for an easy, filling dinner.

Crispy Pork Wontons

Another winner of a dinner from Chef Devin, these wontons bake up in minutes and are easily eaten on the go.

Mediterranean Fish Tacos – Food Network

A Rachael Ray original that takes only 30 minutes to prep and serve and offers a lighter, cooler meal for those hot and busy nights.

Chinese Potstickers with Turkey – Super Healthy Kids

If you’ve got about 20 minutes, a food processor, and a pot of boiling water, you’ve got time to make a super lean take-out-inspired meal!

Caprese Grilled Cheese

The grilled cheese is all grown up! We make it better with real mozzarella, fresh basil, and juicy tomatoes.

Keep it all organized! Download our FREE meal planner worksheets HERE!

Posted on August 20, 2023 by Natalie K

Why Americans Trust Themselves When it Comes to Their Health

According to a recent health survey conducted by the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC), Americans are a lot of things, but trusting is not one of them.

In its seventh annual food and health survey, the IFIC – a non-profit association in Washington, D.C. – found some interesting trends and a few setbacks regarding the health of Americans.

A few of the biggest highlights were that taste still reigns supreme when considering food purchases, technology such as mobile weight apps may be the health coach of the future, and conflicting information regarding nutrition has led many Americans to trust themselves when it comes to discerning their health.

The web-based survey included 1,057 participants, and was designed to reflect the American population ages 18-80. The report sought to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviors concerning health and food from both from a year to year standpoint, and over a long length of time. Although there was much information presented in this year’s report, here are a few of the most relevant and revealing highlights. (more…)

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Dana

Early Puberty Poses Health Risks for Young Girls

American girls are reaching puberty at an earlier age. This has medical and health experts very concerned about the health consequences and risk factors associated with early development. Here’s why:

According to a report issued in the journal Pediatrics, about 15 percent of 1,239 girls studied showed the beginnings of breast development at age 7. One in 10 white girls showed breast growth by age 7 as did 23 percent of black girls and 15 percent of Hispanic girls. These percentages are twice the figures reported in 1997.

The long-term health risks associated with early development are increased risk for estrogen-dependent cancers like breast cancer and endometrial cancers. But the more immediate effects of premature puberty are the social, emotional and mental consequences of developing breasts early or getting a period before the third grade. Risk of confusion, depression, low self-esteem, body image challenges and eating disorders are all increased. (more…)

Posted on August 17, 2023 by heather

Pop-Tarts Cafe Offers Fun But Unhealthy Food

Pop-Tarts World Store. Image via: AP Photo/Richard Drew.

Leave it to NYC to create a culinary creation called the Pop-Tart World Store. Located in nowhere else but Times Square, the Pop-Tarts Cafe is fun and funky take on one of the country’s most processed iconic foods: The Pop-Tart.

According to the New York Times, the Pop-Tarts World Store also features the Pop-Tarts Cafe, which will offer about 30 different menu selections from Pop-Tarts Sushi to “Fluffer Butter” (“marshmallow spread sandwiched between two Pop-Tarts frosted fudge pastries”).

The fun and zaniness factor of the Pop-Tarts Cafe is clearly off the charts but sadly, its nutritional statistics are also pretty extreme. (more…)

Posted on August 10, 2023 by heather

Americans Lie About Their Weight

The first step to solving a problem is admitting that you have one. This may be happening for Americans and their perception of their own weight.

According to a new government survey released this week, after polling 400,000 people by phone, they found that 27 percent of Americans are obese. The problem is, a more accurate and scientific study on the number has it closer to 34 percent.

What this means is that not enough people are being honest about their weight. The good news is that the gap between fact and fiction is closing. (more…)

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Health Buzz

Weight Loss Advice: Don’t Eat Like a “Typical American”

As a nutrition expert, people are always asking me for my “weight loss secrets.” The truth is, I don’t have any secrets. I think the credible information that would help most people is already out there. Things are changing ever so slowly. I see a growing trend toward simplifying weight loss strategies. Many people are saying that they aren’t dieting (yay!), they’re just making healthier food choices and only eating when hungry. (That’s a big one. Try it for one day and you will realize, you really don’t know what hunger and fullness feels like.)

One simple tip I can offer is to avoid eating like a typical American – the SAD diet (Standard American Diet). I recently appeared on TV with a client to show how she is losing weight – and inches – by avoiding the SAD eating habits of typical Americans.

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Posted on April 2, 2024 by Rebecca

The 1,500 Calorie Donut Burger

We assure you that this is not a premature April Fool’s Day joke. donut burger

The “Craz-E Burger,” which was created by Food Network star and Southern cook Paula Deen, is a bacon-cheeseburger sandwiched between a buttered Krispy Kreme donut. Yes folks, two of the most saturated fat-friendly foods the American diet has created have joined together in a ceremonious union of heart attack meets muffin top.

The queen of Southern cooking, known for her very generous use of butter, first pioneered the burger on her food show. The heart-stopping creation was picked up by the restaurants and sandwich dives all over the country; including the Big E agriculture fair this past summer in Massachusetts, where more than 1,000 sold to curious and risk-taking fair-goers. (more…)

Posted on October 15, 2023 by heather

Americans Not Eating Enough Fruits and Veggies

Eat your fruits and veggies. It’s the most stated fact of healthy living. Unfortunately, it’s falling on deaf ears.

Fruits and vegetables are the backbone of a healthy diet. They are almost always low in fat and calories, and packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and so much more. And oh, there’s no cholesterol.

But, according to the 2024 State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, only 14 percent of American adults are eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The government study says that even less (10 percent) of high school students are getting enough fruits and vegetables.

The report is meant to shine a light on a campaign to get at least 75 percent of Americans to eat two or more daily servings of fruit, and for at least 50 percent to consume three or more daily servings of vegetables. (more…)

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Jason

KFC’s New Double Down Chicken Sandwich is Frightening

UPDATE: The KFC Double Down Chicken Sandwich is set to debut on menus nationwide on April 12, 2024. The Original Recipe sandwich will boast 540 calories, 32g of fat and 1380mg of sodium; the Grilled sandwich will have 460 calories, 23g of fat and 1430mg of sodium.

It was one of the moments of television-watching where I thought maybe my eyes were playing a trick on me, but then I saw the commercial for KFC‘s new Double Down Chicken Sandwich and I realized this was no cruel joke.

This jaw-dropping concoction from the fast-food chicken chain points to why in this country we have our current obesity epidemic. This sandwich (if you can call it that) is two Original Recipe fried chicken filets stacked on top of each other with a slice of pepper jack cheese, a slice of Swiss cheese, two slices of bacon and the Colonel’s secret sauce. No bun. The fried chicken is the bun. Just a stack of saturated fat, sodium and calories. (more…)

Posted on August 21, 2023 by heather

The More We Have, the More We Consume

man grocery shopping Take a stroll through your grocery store and do a quick survey of how many choices you have for a variety of different items. Mayonnaise– low-fat, full-fat, fat-free, wasabi, lemon, olive oil. Pretzels – rods, sticks, braids, twists, nuggets, cheddar, sour cream and onion, honey mustard. Frozen waffles – egg, multi-grain, low-fat, high fiber, strawberry, flax, blueberry, wheat-free. The array of foods is just as dizzyingly endless as their varieties and flavors.

Maybe this is part of our problem: The sheer abundance of choices provided at any given grocery store in any given town in the country. From pretzels to yogurt and from frozen pizzas to waffles, perhaps it is no wonder why our enormous selection of foods has also bestowed upon us enormous bums. (more…)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by heather

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