Category Nutrition Science

Just when it seems like we’ve seen the peak of the pumpkin spice craze, another pumpkin-laced product pops up at the store. Don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin (and the spices that typically go along with it), but let’s face it, these products are no substitute for something made with actual pumpkin in it! And most don’t taste like real pumpkin pie, which is what I hold as my standard. So, if you want something that tastes like pumpkin pie, your best bet is to cook something that contains pumpkin—no surprise there, right? Not only will you get the great taste that you’re craving this time of year, you’ll get some of the nutrition benefits of pumpkin, too.

The convenience of a healthy, pre-made breakfast cannot be understated, especially when one wants to stay in bed until the last possible moment. And while the overnight refrigerator oats recipes were great in the summer, they’re not nearly as appealing now that the temps have dipped. That’s where your trusty slow cooker comes in. Lots of folks never think about using their slow cooker for breakfast, but I implore you to consider it. Here are a few ideas that may convince you to give it a try….

It’s not a mystery as to why we are cooking less than we used to. There are many reasons: we have more convenience products available, more restaurants/takeout/delivery options, more women in the workplace, a bigger lack of cooking skills/knowledge, and more demands on our time while at home, to name a few. But if you’re among those who long to get back to home cooking and see its value, I’ve got some ideas for ways to help make cooking at home a habit again. (And if you want to learn more about trends in home cooking and the many valuable aspects of cooking at home, check out the Guiding Stars webinar on the topic here).

What’s so special about the gut? In a word, lots. Where we used to concentrate mostly on food digestion and nutrient absorption when talking about the gut, we are now learning so much more about what goes on in the gut (and how it impacts the rest of the body) that gut-centered conversations are now frequently about the role of the microbiome in immunity, obesity and metabolism, allergies and more. What’s the microbiome? It’s the collective term for the trillions of microbes we all carry around with us in and on our bodies—primarily in our digestive tracts (sometimes referred to as the gut microbiome).

When my children were younger they took a “home lunch” several times a week, and each day when they brought home their lunch box/bag I was happy to see that they had, in fact, eaten their entire lunch (usually). I was less pleased with the messes they left in those lunch boxes….which leads me to my topic for this blog—lunchbox food safety. Here are a few of the main things you can do to keep brown bag lunches safe for your kids (or you).

If you’ve ever been looking for someone to help you or a family member with nutrition or an eating issue, you’ve probably noticed that there are quite a few choices available—and most of these folks have a set of initials behind their names. Some of these credentials are suspect (my tactful way to say that they are easily obtainable online with a credit card). Others are on the level, but how will you figure out which is which

We’ve covered the topic of sugar (especially added sugar) quite frequently here on the Guiding Stars blog in the last couple of years because people want to know more about sugar, and because there have been several studies and recommendations about sugar that we have wanted to discuss and share with you. We even did a webinar on sugar (you can check that out here).

It might be fun to make some fair food at home—especially if you aren’t around for the fair or can’t get there this year. Also, if you make a more healthful version of your favorite fair food, you could have it more often, right? I have to admit, however, that most (if not all) recipes for fair food won’t meet the nutritional guidelines for Guiding Stars recipes—that’s a shocker, I know—so I’m not linking to any of our own recipes. I’m also not going to tell you that the recipes I have provided are super healthy. Instead, I’ll give you a few strategies, some general guidance and a few example recipes. Enjoy.

If you’re struggling to keep your salt intake in check, you’ve got an ally in the Food and Drug Administration. Last week the agency issued draft, voluntary guidance that puts maximum sodium limits on 150 categories of processed and restaurant foods—all in an effort to help trim down Americans’ sodium intake from its current level of about 3,400mg/day to the 2,300mg/day recommended in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. It’s a big step, and it’s certainly shaking up the food industry, but it’s not a done deal yet.

I like a party as much as the next gal (just ask my friends!), but when graduation season hits—as it already has—I was not the one hosting a bunch of kids and neighbors for a big bash in the backyard. I didn’t have a graduation party when I finished high school—I got an electric typewriter from my parents and a “fancy” dinner out with my family. Yes, that was an age ago, I know. Graduation parties are so popular these days that if you don’t host one you almost feel like you’re in the wrong somehow. But you’re not. Call me a curmudgeon, but with so many others throwing parties, when it came time for my first-born to graduate, I figured the world didn’t need yet another buffet of burgers, dogs and heavily-frosted bakery cake.