March is National Nutrition Month

Jane Carroll

Mar 02, 2017

Choose to Eat Healthy

At the Y, we believe that small steps lead to big changes. With a balanced approach, even the busiest of families can discover ways to eat healthier and feel better.

Key Healthy Habits

Choose Your Drinks with Care - A simple way to improve your family’s overall health is to explore your approach to fluids by cutting out the drinks with added sugar and adding more water, 100% fruit juice and low-fat milk to your family’s diet. If your family is currently used to drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, begin working gradually to replace them with healthier options.
Aim for Five a Day - The delicious crunch of fruits and veggies can be part of every meal and snack your family enjoys throughout the day and is important for your whole family’s health. Everybody needs the vitamins, fiber and minerals that these colorful foods provide in order to grow and stay strong, energetic and free from illness. Stay healthy by reaching for five servings every day.

Family Goal Examples:

Try getting the family together to select one of the following goals or come up with your own. To begin, go for something that is realistic and achievable. In one week, get back together to see how you did and what you learned. Take into account this week’s experience, set another goal and keep going. You can do it!

This week, we will each drink a glass of water with dinner.
This week, we will each commit to eating a piece of fruit with our lunch.
This (day) , we will try two new vegetables with dinner.
This week, we will commit to eating dinner together at least times.
This week we will switch from using whole to 2% milk on our cereal.

Healthy Recipe

Dinner: Roast Chicken with Oranges

The fruit roasts alongside the chicken to make a delicious topping once everything’s cooked.

KITCHEN GEAR Large baking sheet with sides Sharp knife (adult needed) Measuring spoons Serving spoon Pot holders Large plate or platter

INGREDIENTS 4 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

2 small oranges, peeled, separated into their natural sections and seeded

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 lemon, cut into quarters

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on a clean counter.

1. Turn the oven on and set it to 450 degrees.

2. Put the chicken, onion and oranges on the baking sheet. Be sure nothing overlaps with anything else. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. (Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling raw chicken or meat).

3. Put the baking sheet in the oven and cook until the chicken is browned on top and cooked inside and the onions and fruit have softened and darkened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. You'll know the chicken is done when you poke it with a knife and clear liquid runs out.

4. Move the chicken to the large plate or platter. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit and onions and then top the chicken with the roasted fruit mixture. Serve right away.

Any vegetarians in the house? Instead of chicken, use a (14-ounce) block of firm tofu drained, cut into 4 equal slices, brushed with low-sodium soy sauce, and sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Reduce total cooking time to 30 minutes

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