Table of Contents
Shopping Tips…………………………………2
How to Cook in a Microwave………………….3
Breakfast………………………………………5
Lunches and Snacks………………….………..7
Salads………………………………….…..….13
Hot Meals…………………….………...…… 15
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Shopping Tips
For Thrifty and Environmentally Friendly Shopping
1 Bring reusable bags instead of using the store’s plastic or paper bags—they are more environmentally friendly and they can hold more weight. If you aren’t traveling by car, try bringing a backpack to make carrying the groceries easier and to free up your hands.
2 Make the produce section your first stop in the grocery store. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of your diet and most Americans do not eat enough of them. Also, less energy is needed to grow and harvest fruits than to produce meat. The care and feeding of livestock (such as cows, pigs, and chickens) uses more water than produce and adds to soil erosion.
3 Head over to the aisle where the whole grains are. Like fruits and vegetables, grains (like rice and couscous) use less energy and natural resources to produce than meats do. Whole grains also provide more nutrients than processed and refined grains and use less energy to make.
4 Purchase foods in bulk whenever you can. Buying in bulk is better for the environment because it reduces the amount of packaging to throw away and it frequently costs much less.
5 Buy a reusable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles. It saves money and is much, much better for the environment. Also, tap water has much stricter health regulations than bottled water.
6 Buy foods that are grown locally and in season because it requires less packaging, reduces energy consumption and creates less pollution because no long-distance transportation is required. Try shopping at farmer’s markets when possible. For more information on local and seasonal foods, check out the National Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) eating local page: http://www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles/default.asp
7 Whenever possible, buy organic foods, because they use fewer chemicals to produce. By definition, organic foods are legally not allowed to use too many toxic pesticides and fertilizers that are harmful to the environment. Buying free range eggs and chicken also helps to ensure that the chickens that gave you your food live in better conditions. Look for the packaging to say “free range”.
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How to Cook in a Microwave
Cooking in a microwave can be easy if you know how a microwave works and how it can be used.
A microwave oven works by sending waves through the oven, giving energy to water molecules. Anything that has water in it will heat up quickly and then begin to transfer that heat to things around it. That is why some foods heat up faster than others. That is also why if you only heat things for a short time the container or plate will still feel cool, and if you heat them for a long time, the bottom of the container will be hot while the top might still be relatively cool. Here are some cooking and safety tips that will help you use your microwave.
Safety Tips:
Microwaves are completely safe to use if used properly. Despite the many rumors and fears about microwaves emitting radiation and causing cancer, federal studies have shown that microwaves are entirely safe. Commercial microwave ovens are built so that the energy waves (called microwaves) within them are confined to the inner cooking chamber. Very little of that energy escapes from the appliance while it is running and it is perfectly safe to stand in front of a microwave while it is on. Microwaves also do not contaminate food with radiation. As soon as the waves hit the food, they are converted to heat. Moreover, the energy waves used in microwaves are low energy waves that cannot cause cancer. They are very similar to radio waves and are in the air all around us everyday, completely undetected. Microwaves can be dangerous if used improperly, however. The following are some notes on safely using a microwave.
**NEVER PUT METAL OF ANY KIND IN A MICROWAVE**
MANY TYPES OF METAL CAN CAUSE THE MICROWAVE TO SPARK
This includes aluminum foil, silverware, pots and pans, coffee thermoses, Chinese takeout containers with wire handles, twist ties, and even some mugs and bowls with metallic designs.
(However, some new instant foods, such as Campbell’s to-go soups, are made in containers that have metal parts that are safe to put in the microwave.)
Glass and ceramics are usually microwavable, but check the bottom or the packaging to be sure. Some plastics are microwaveable, but many plastics will melt if they get too warm, so make sure to check if the container is microwave-safe. Plastics are also suspected to be related to cancer. This occurs because chemicals can leach out of the plastic, especially when it is heated. The risk is greater when heating liquids in plastic containers than when heating solid foods.
Water heats up very easily in a microwave—be careful not to overheat it. Overheating liquids can cause spots within the liquid to superheat, which means that they are almost boiling. If disturbed, these spots can suddenly begin to boil, causing sudden bubbling or popping that can cause burns. Always follow the instructions on foods that have microwave directions and make sure you don’t cook it for longer without taking it out to check once the directed time is up. Foods that do not have instructions should be cooked a little bit at a time, checking every few minutes, so that it does not get cooked for too long. If you think that something you are cooking may have been overheated, you may want to let it cool for a few minutes before removing it from the microwave. You may also want to give it a jab before you remove it to make sure that anything that is going to bubble has done so before you touch it.
When heating food for 2 minutes or longer, it may be a good idea to lightly place a paper towel or piece of waxed paper over the food so that it doesn’t make a mess of the microwave.
Do not use plastic wrap for this purpose.
Be careful not to cover the food too tightly—this will trap heat and steam, which makes food soggy and can overheat it.
Cooking Tips:
In some ways cooking in the microwave can be healthier than cooking on the stove, especially if it replaces frying the foods. In other ways microwaving foods can also be less healthy because it removes some of the nutrients. However, some foods retain more of their nutrients in the microwave than when they are cooked on the stove.
**Cooking times will vary significantly based on a number of factors. You will get a better idea of how to adjust cooking times for your meals with practice. The power of your microwave is one example that will affect the cooking time. More powerful microwaves will take less time. Also, the amount that you are cooking will significantly affect cooking times. The more food you are trying to heat up, the longer it will take. Two servings will typically increase cooking times from single serving times—sometimes the time will even double.
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Breakfast
We’ve all heard it said—“breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” It’s true that eating a meal at the beginning of the day gives you brain power and energy through that first sleepy part of the day. What you eat, though, can make a big difference. Here are a few things to keep in mind when grabbing those first few bits of the day before you run out of the door.
Sugar: Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and processed white flour (including enriched wheat flour), are digested very quickly. This means that they give you an initial energy boost very quickly, but then disappear again very quickly. They often leave you feeling hungry again long before lunch time. Sugary cereals, which have a lot of added sugars such as high fructose corn syrup, can therefore be the worst thing to have for breakfast. They also tend to have little nutritional value. However, if you want that sugar for an early morning burst of energy to wake you up, you can add some fruit to your breakfast. The sugars in fruit are natural sugars that are much better for you than processed sugars such as high fructose corn syrup. Fruit also has the added benefit of lots of healthy vitamins and nutrients to make your body function and help maintain your immune system.
Whole Grains: Whole grains have more fiber, protein, vitamins, and other nutrients than processed grains; even enriched flour does not have a fraction of the nutritional value of whole grains. The fiber and protein in whole grains makes them stay in your system longer, so you are more likely to last until lunch. Whole grain cereals and oatmeal can be a great start to your day. Again, adding fruit can also add some sugar for that burst of energy to wake you up sooner.
Protein: Protein is really what keeps you going for a long time. If you are looking at a long morning before your lunch break, you really want to make sure that you get some protein for breakfast. Eggs are a healthy start to the day that can keep you going for a long time. If you aren’t big on eggs, some kind of breakfast sausage can give you the protein you need. For another healthy option, consider soy sausages instead of meat sausages. They come frozen and are easy to microwave quickly and taste quite as delicious as meat sausages. Note: Nuts, such as the walnuts suggested in the Warm Apple Oatmeal recipe, can also be a good source of protein.
Here are some microwave cooking directions to help you out in the mornings.
Microwave-Fried Eggs
Ingredients:
1 egg
Crack an egg into a shallow microwavable bowl or a microwavable plate with high raised edges (so that the egg yolk doesn’t slide around off the plate and make a mess). Heat the egg in the microwave for about a minute per egg. [ 1 minute for 1 egg, 2 minutes for 2 eggs, etc.] Heating times may vary depending on your microwave and on how well you like your egg cooked. For a runny yolk, cook for less time (maybe 45-50 seconds). *Make sure that the egg has been cooked fully before eating it. Eating undercooked eggs can make you sick. You may want to place a paper towel or wax paper over the bowl just in case the yolk pops.
Yield: 1 serving
Nutrition Information: (per serving) 77 calories; 5g fat (2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat); 212mg cholesterol; 1g carbohydrates (0g fiber, 1g sugar); 6g protein; 62mg sodium % Daily Values: Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 0%;
Calcium 2%; Iron 3%
Warm Apple Oatmeal Recipe
Cost per Serving: $1.47
Ingredients:
½ cup dried oats (i.e. uncooked oatmeal)
½ cup skim or 1% milk
1 apple, chopped and cored
1/8 cup chopped walnuts or 1 tbsp peanut butter
Mix oats, milk, and apple together in a microwavable bowl. Heat in microwave for about 1 ½ minutes. Add the nuts or peanut butter. Mix together and enjoy!
Yield: 1 serving
Nutrition Information: (per serving) 380 calories; 11g fat (2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat); 0mg cholesterol; 62g carbohydrates (9g fiber); 14g protein; 140mg sodium; % Daily Values: Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 15%; Iron 15%
Source: JF&CS (Jewish Family & Children’s Services) Nutrition Services
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Lunches and Snacks
Lunch isn’t too hard to make. Most often no one has the time or interest to cook a full lunch and they just throw something together. Or if they do put the effort into making a full meal, it frequently isn’t a hot meal. Same goes for afternoon snacks. Here are some tips, ideas, and recipes for helping you put together a healthy lunch or snack for you and your kids.
Whole Grains: Again, whole grains are an important part of your meal. They have more fiber, protein, vitamins, and other nutrients than processed grains; even enriched flour does not have a fraction of the nutritional value of whole grains. The fiber and protein in whole grains makes them stay in your system longer, so you don’t get hungry as fast as if you ate processed flour. Choosing breads, tortillas, pita, bagels, and other products made with whole grains is a great way to eat a healthy, nutritious diet. When choosing whole grain products, look at the ingredients list; the first ingredient should say “whole grain.” If it doesn’t, it isn’t truly whole grain.
Protein: Protein sticks with you for a lot longer than carbohydrates. If you do not include them in your meals, you may find yourself snacking long before the next meal. However, despite popular opinion, meat is not the only source of protein—just one of the more concentrated sources. In fact, as a source of protein, only a little meat (if any) is needed for each meal. It only takes about 2 slices of deli meat on a sandwich to make a complete meal. Other good sources of protein include whole grains, eggs, milk and cheese, nuts, beans, and soy.
Veggies: Vegetables are an important source of fiber, as well as essential vitamins and nutrients. It can be really easy to find ways to add veggies to your lunch. Look for creative and tasty ways to add them to your meal!
Sandwiches: Sandwiches are a common lunch because they are quick, easy, and can be very nutritious, depending on how you make it. Let’s go over the options for the main components of a sandwich.
Bread: try choosing whole wheat bread instead of white bread or potato bread. Or if you’re bored of regular sandwiches, try a whole wheat tortilla and make a wrap.