FALL IS HERE! NUTRITION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER EAT WELL. LIVE WELL. 1 Meal Planning. 4 Sugar Sweetened Beverages. 5 Recipe: Cauliflower Sautée

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1 COMMUNITY NUTRITION NEWSLETTER 1 Meal Planning 2 Physical Activity 3 Green Carts 4 Sugar Sweetened Beverages 5 Recipe: Cauliflower Sautée EAT WELL. LIVE WELL. FALL IS HERE!

2 MEAL PLANNING Did you know packing your lunch every day could save you $2,500 per year? When we eat lunch out at least once a week we spend, on average, $7 to $13 each time. For those who eat out every workday that adds up to $2,500 per yearor more! Just think about what else you could do with that money. With a little planning and some creativity, you can make meal planning easy, fun, and save money along the way. Why is meal planning important? Packing your meal can help you become more conscientious about the food you eat. You can control the amount of, salt, fat and additives used in your food, You can better control the portion of the food you eat. You can prevent food spoilage by utilizing the foods you have in your fridge. You can follow your preferred diet plan. You can decrease waste by using reusable containers and silverware. You can experiment. For example, use cookie cutters to cut melon into fun shapes!

3 Here are some tips for making meal planning easier: Steaming Vegetables This cooking method is fast and easy, and generally maximizes a vegetable s nutrient content since, for the most part it does not lose nutrients when steamed. Steam broccoli florets with sliced carrots and garlic for an easy, delicious side dish. 1. Plan ahead: a. Keep meals simple. b. Prepare larger meals that can be eaten throughout the week. c. Do some tasks the day before (cutting vegetables, cooking beans). 2. Prepare easy, nutritous, and fast meals: a. Hearty soup: add canned or frozen vegetables to canned soup to increase nutrition and keep you feeling full longer. b. Pasta dish: Mix cooked vegetables with meat, fish or beans; add to pasta c. Super chili: Serve homemade or canned chili over a baked potato or brown rice 3. Grocery store time savers: a. Grated, cut, chopped or washed foods usually cost more limit buying these items and do the preparation yourself b. Stock your kitchen with the necessities first i. Fruits ii. Vegetables iii. Beans, meat, fish iv. Reduced-sodium canned vegetables v. Brown rice vi. Low fat cheese or yogurt 4. Save time in your kitchen a. Use fast cooking techniques (broil, stir fry, steam) b. Make no-cook meals or snacks i. Cold sandwiches ii. Fruit iii. Raw vegetable salads iv. Salads with canned beans or tuna References:

4 WHAT IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY? Physical activity simply means movement of the body that uses energy. Brisk walking, gardening, pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playing soccer, or dancing the night away are all good examples of being physically active. For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous intensity. Aim for 150 minutes of physical activity each week for health benefits (about 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week). See the recommendations below for various exertion levels of physical activity. Moderate: Walking briskly (about 3½ miles per hour) Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour) General gardening (raking, trimming shrubs) Dancing Water aerobics Canoeing Basketball Vigorous: Running/jogging (5 miles per hour or more) Walking very fast (4½ miles per hour) Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour) Swimming (freestyle laps) Aerobics Basketball (competitive) Tennis (singles)

5 HOW CAN YOU STAY HEALTHY ON THE ROAD? What are Green Carts? Green Carts are fruit stands/carts selling fresh fruits and vegetables to people passing by on the street. They are similar to a food truck-but much healthier! Green Carts are operated by the New York City Department of Health. In 2008, Mayor Bloomberg initiated the Green Carts Initiative and 1,000 new Green Cart licenses were issued to vendors in the five boroughs. Green Carts are a great solution for many people who find it difficult to get to the store to purchase fresh produce. NYC Green Carts operates in areas of the city where access to fresh produce is limited. These produce stands make it easier to stop off on the way to or from work to pick up a snack or ingrediens for a meal. NYC s Green Carts customers report that their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables increased by 71% and that they visit their cart 2-3 times per week. Let s also not forget the vendors! These carts are a great income source and 80% consider it a profitable job. Consumers also have a say in the products being sold! 65% of vendors stock their carts according to what their customers want. References: site/doh/health/health-topics/green-carts-news.page

6 SUGAR SWEETENED BEVERAGES Too many y beverages like soda, sweetened teas and energy drinks can contribute to obesity, which is connected to many common health problems including diabetes. Tooth decay can also be a result of y drink consumption. Here s how an 8 ounce serving of some drinks stack up when measured in packets of : DRINK Energy Drink Cola Sweetened Tea Lemonade Sports Drink 100% Juice Water PACKETS OF 7 packets of 7 packets of 8 packets 6 packets of 4 packets of 6-9 packets of 0! SUGAR of A single packet has 15 calories. This means that an 8-ounce serving of cola packs over 100 calories. It would take most people minutes walking very briskly to burn off the calories in one of these drinks! Keep in mind that most people normally do not drink 8 ounces at time more often than not, people consume a 12 ounce can or a 20 ounce bottle. Water is important for our bodies to function well. Around ¾ of our body is made of water - water feeds all the cells and tissues in the body, to keep our blood density in balance, to adjust the body s temperature, and remove waste and harmful substances from the body. A good goal is 8 glasses of water each day. References:

7 Tips for increasing your water intake: 1. Keep a glass or bottle of water nearby, such as at your desk, in your bag, or next to your bed! 2. Add flavor to your water! Adding fresh fruit such as lemon, apple, or strawberries or adding cucumber slices with fresh mint are great ways to add flavor to water without adding calories. 3. Many people wake up in the morning dehydrated. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake to rehydrate and reenergize it s a great way to start your day! 4. Free apps such as Water Balance, Hydrocoach and Water Time Pro can provide you with reminders on your cell phone to drink water.. CAULIFLOWER Did you know that cauliflowers contain vitamin C? Vitamin C is an antioxidant, is great for healing infections, and helps strengthen your immune system. 1 cup of cauliflower provides you with 77% of your daily vitamin C requirements. You can eat raw cauliflower with a low fat dressing as a healthy snack! In addition, you can add cauliflower to any veggie stir fry recipe. Use cooked cauliflower in stews, soups and pasta dishes. Cauliflower is low in calories and high in fiber. Fiber is important to help maintain digestive regularity and maintain healthy levels of blood and cholesterol.

8 CAULIFLOWER SAUTEE Ingredients 4 cups cauliflower florets 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 chopped onion 2 minced garlic cloves 1 package (8 ounces) frozen snap peas (or 1 cup fresh) 1 red pepper, cut into strips 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) Photo by SimpleRecipes.com Instructions 1. In a small pot, cook cauliflower in 1 cup boiling water for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. 2. In a large frying pan, add oil, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium high heat for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir often. 3. Add cooked cauliflower, snap peas, red pepper, mushrooms, and salt. 4. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stir often. 5. Serve and enjoy! 6. Refrigerate leftovers. The Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables recipes are low-cost, easy to prepare and highlight fruits and vegetables. Get the recipe here: