Slow Cooking for Nutritious Meals
Nutrition, From Our KitchenIf you mention preparing a meal with a slow cooker, many people imagine a mushy beef stew or chicken left to simmer all day in a cream soup and cheese mixture. But the face of slow-cooked meals is changing due to a recent resurgence in popularity and a desire for easy, healthy, homemade meals. Dinner is an important time for families to reconnect in this busy, fast-paced day and age. Research from the Dairy Council of California has shown that...
More Simple Steps for Healthful Eating
NutritionIn an earlier post, we offered suggestions from "10 Simple Steps," a nutrition education brochure published by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The guide is based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Here are the final five "simple steps" for healthful eating. Step 6: Watch for solid fats and added sugar. According to the new USDA Dietary Guidelines, Americans eat too many foods containing...
Teaching Science in the School Kitchen
Nutrition, From Our KitchenJeanette Thompson, a science teacher at The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, LA, was teaching her students about chemical reactions and thought there would be no better way to explain than to offer them a hands-on experience with these reactions. So she set aside the textbooks for the day and sought out SAGE's help. At The Dunham School, we have been baking fresh bread to accompany the house-roasted meats offered on the Classic Cuts Deli® bar, and Thompson wanted her...
Diet Books for Children?
NutritionWe've all heard about the rising numbers for childhood obesity, but do they warrant children's books about dieting? Paul A. Kramer thinks so. His controversial new book, “Maggie Goes on a Diet,” tells the story of a chubby 14-year old who wants to lose weight because she is teased at school. She changes her food choices and exercises, with the result of a slimmer figure. Her new body size makes her instantly popular with her classmates. This book reinforces...
Purslane: The New 'It' Green
Nutrition, From Our Kitchen, GardensRecently, while buying greens at the farmers' market, I was encouraged to try purslane, which was entirely new to me. The vendor tossed some in with the spinach and mesclun in the bag. As part of a salad, it was an interesting element. The taste was slightly lemony and astringent, though not at all bitter. Then a friend mentioned that Dr. Oz has been touting the health benefits of purslane, and I saw folks talking about it on Twitter...
Excess Sodium a Concern, Even in Infants
NutritionMany of us were shocked a few years ago to learn of a growing incidence of hypertension and diabetes in children. Now, from the United Kingdom, comes a report that as many as 70 percent of 8-month-old babies there consume too much sodium, putting them at risk for kidney disease and hypertension later in life. As part of a longitudinal study, the researchers examined the diets of more than 1,000 infants born in the early 1990s. Their mothers kept...
Improvised Summer Dinner
Nutrition, From Our KitchenRecently, I invited a friend for dinner, but with the temperature in the mid-90s, cooking was not an enticing prospect. What could I throw together that would be tasty, seasonal and simple, with little or no cooking required? At the farmers market that morning, I was enticed by the sweet corn and vivid red tomatoes. (The heirloom tomatoes growing in my backyard are getting there, but are not quite ready to eat yet.) The plump, glossy blackberries and fragrant...
A Shift in Food Shopping Habits
NutritionSome interesting data from the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) sheds light on how consumers shop for groceries and what their priorities are as they fill their carts. Shopping for Health 2011, the 19th annual study released by the FMI and Prevention magazine, found a change in behavior from previous surveys: Consumers no longer place such a high priority on avoiding undesirable ingredients in food -- such as fat, sugar and calories. Instead, they increasingly look for foods offering healthful components...
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At SAGE Dining Services®, our unparalleled expertise in nutrition, sustainability, and culinary trends produces exceptional dining experiences that delight the senses, inspire minds, and foster community.
