With the Easter Holiday and Celebration just a few days away, many of you have your eggs hard boiled and ready to be painted…or many of you already have them painted! We had a great time getting ours ready this weekend (see above!). As Sunday comes and goes, you may wonder what to do with those eggs. Here are some tips for you to practice proper egg safety:
• Not sure how to boil an egg? Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil with the lid on, then turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in water for 15 min. Remove eggs and place in a bowl of ice cold water to cool. This year, I used our InstaPot to hard boil them—they turned out great and I enjoyed the new way of cooking!
• Eggs should be used within 3 weeks of the sell by date. Be sure to store them in the fridge at a temp less than 40 degrees F.
• Hard boiled eggs spoil faster than fresh eggs as the protective coating is washed away, making them more susceptible to bacteria. Hard boiled eggs must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.
• If you want to eat the hard boiled eggs after the holiday, you must store them in the refrigerator. Throw away any eggs that are cracked, dirty, or have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. If you are going to use the leftover cooked eggs, it is recommended to use them within one week to prevent food poisoning. To help you do this, you could make two batches- one to display and one for eating.
• Ever wonder what the green ring on a hard boiled yolk is? It’s a result of overcooking the eggs and is caused by sulfur and iron compounds in the egg reacting to the surface of the yolk. The green color may also be a result of a large amount of iron in the water used to cook with. It may look funny, but it is safe to eat.
Do you have your Easter baskets all ready for the little (or big) kids in your life? Easter baskets are usually filled with all kinds of goodies and I like to think of them being just as exciting as getting your Christmas stocking! My family has all kinds of funny stories about the big search for finding our Easter baskets and of course what we find inside is even more exciting! The candy aisles at the store are filled with all kinds of goodies, but let us not forget that there are plenty of other non-junk food options to fill your Easter baskets with. Here are some ideas for you:
• Sidewalk chalk
• Color Dotz by Crayola (color your bath water with them!) • Books • Coloring books
With spring and nice weather finally here, we can get out the grills again and enjoy outdoor cooking!! We grilled our first burgers on the grill last night–so good! Grilling is a fun and convenient way to cook, especially with the weather getting nicer. Cooking on the grill can also be a very healthy cooking method. Keep the following tips in mind to have a healthy and delicious grilling season.
•Go light on the sauces. Grilling and dipping sauces can be high in added sugar and/or sodium. Make your own sauce, add spices and herbs, or cut back on the amount of sauce used. Let the delicious flavor of grilling do its job.
•Choose lean protein sources. Fish and skinless poultry taste great on the grill and are typically lower in saturated fat than red meats. Red meat and pork can also be good choices—just opt for leaner cuts and watch the portions. Choose “loin” or “round” cuts and meats that are 90-95% lean. The recommended portion size of meat is 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards.
•Choose a whole-grain bun instead of white for added nutrients and fiber. If you’re watching your calorie or carbohydrate intake, go with half of the bun or use a lettuce wrap.
•Cut up colorful vegetables (like bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onions, squash, potatoes, carrots, etc.) and grill them on kabobs or in aluminum foil. Toss the vegetable pieces in a little bit of oil to prevent them from drying out and sticking to the grill.
•Fruits can be grilled too! Cut up fresh fruit and put them on kebabs. Choose firm fruits like apples, peaches, pineapple, pears, or cantaloupe. These fruits are less likely to fall apart or become too mushy on the grill. Bananas can even be grilled—just keep it in its peel to protect the banana’s soft texture.
•Don’t forget to clean your grill regularly. Failing to do so can cause food to stick to the grades, uneven cooking temperatures, and shortened longevity of the grill.
Breakfast helps provide us energy and fuel to get through the day. A lot of times we sacrifice breakfast because we don’t have adequate time. Since many of you are home right now and have kids at home, it is the perfect time to work on improving those breakfast habits! Here are a few ideas for you!
Make burritos, egg sandwiches, quiche that can be frozen and warmed up
Want fresh? Toast an English muffin and top with cheese, egg, ham, & spinach
Lent is known for Fish Fridays. This article will help you compare the different seafood options fast food restaurants offer and assist in small changes you can make to eliminate some of the excess calories and fat provided from these menu items.
Fast food can be a convenient option when factoring in our busy lifestyles, however, being mindful of what we are putting into our bodies is also important. Many of the options offered provide almost half of your daily 2,000 calorie allowance or more. The table above provides an overview of the different seafood options fast food restaurants offer displaying the number of calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and sodium content of the menu items listed. When reading the nutrition facts for menu items above be aware that the totals for the sandwiches do not contain a side of fries unlike the dinners from Culvers, which include the sides in the totals. For example, the Filet-O-Fish sandwich from McDonalds provides 390 calories and the Culvers 2-piece North Walleye Dinner, which includes fries, coleslaw, and a dinner roll provides 1,630 calories. Therefore, choosing to go with the single sandwich and packing a fruit or vegetable to snack on would prevent you from eating most your calorie allowance in one meal.
Condiments are used to improve and heighten flavor but they can add extra calories to the foods we are eating quicker than we expect. For example, the Burger King’s Big Fish provides a total of 510 calories, however, that does not include a side of fries or a drink. Ordering the Big Fish without tartar sauce or removing some of the extra sauce helps eliminate some of the extra calories and fat. For example, the Big Fish without tartar sauce provides a total of 340 calories, which is a difference of 170 calories. Condiments have been called danger foods due to the ‘hidden’ calories many individuals forget to account for when consuming a meal, therefore, being mindful of the amount placed on the foods we are eating is important.
When deciding which fast food restaurant to visit you may attempt to choose the ‘most healthy option’ however, that is not always an easy decision. Subway has always been portrayed as a healthier fast food option especially when compared to McDonalds. However, when comparing a McDonald’s fish sandwich, which contains 390 calories, to the Subway tuna sandwich, which contains 450 calories, McDonald’s fish sandwich has less calories and fat than the sandwich provided at Subway. Therefore, being aware of all the options out there can help you make a better and more informed decision when choosing a place to feed yourself and your family.
Overall, there is no great fast food option to choose all the time. However, making mindful decisions to not include the condiments, adding a side of fruit or salad instead of fries, or just eating the main entree can help eliminate empty calories. Other options for those that participate in the lent season may be to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, grilled cheese, cheese quesadilla, waffles, pancakes, eggs, cold cereal, canned tuna, or home cooked fish or shrimp.
