Tag Archives: serving size

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, Plant-Based Dining, Tips, Vegetarian/Vegan, Weekly Health Tips

Downtown Eats: Healthy Tips

Tired of your typical day-to-day healthy meals, but want to avoid all the calories, sodium, and fat that fast food places have to offer?  Are you willing to try something new?  You can always grab something at one of the many restaurants downtown!  Downtown State College offers some great healthy options that can cater to everyone’s taste buds, and will give you a break from your typical meals.

BONUS: Many establishments accept LionCash!

Keep reading for a few of our suggestions:

Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls is located on E. Calder Way and is known for having fruit bowls and smoothies (and other bowls such as oatmeal and poke). What makes this place a healthy option downtown is the variety of fruits (bananas, pineapple, kiwi, berries), bases (acai, kale, pitaya, coconut, green, chia, and banana) and healthy toppings (peanut butter, granola, nuts, seeds, coconut) that are in their fruit bowls and smoothies. These fruit bowls provide antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and healthy fats.  Fruit contains natural sugars and fiber and is a good source of carbohydrates, which provides energy to fuel your body and give you a natural boost at any time of the day. They’re also rich in antioxidants (especially the berries) that help protect your cells from harm.  Why not try a tasty way to get all those vitamins and minerals in for the day?

  • Recommended Healthy Meal: Oh Mega Chia Bowl
  • Contains: granola, banana, blueberry, hemp seeds, agave nectar
  • Provides: 440 calories, 54 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar, 11 grams of protein
  • Tip: Ask for less granola and and more fruit! Or, for more protein, ask for some peanut butter or nuts.

 

Fiddlehead

Fiddlehead is located on W. College Ave and offers a variety of salads, wraps, grain bowls, and soups. For the salads, there are a variety of different leafy greens, which include romaine iceberg mix, baby spinach, kale, and spring mix. Leafy green vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being low in calories. For example, kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables, which provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help reduce the risk of diseases. The leafy greens also come with many healthy toppings and dressing. Try to go for vinegar or oil-based dressings and top with nuts to help you get in those healthy fats for the day!

  • Recommended Healthy Meal: Mediterranean Grain Bowl
  • Contains: quinoa, kalamata olives, kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, falafel, Fiddlehead vinaigrette
  • Tip:  Ask for your dressing on the side.  This way, you have control over how much goes on the salad!

Tadashi

Tadashi has two locations in State College, one on W. College Ave and the other on S. Atherton St.  Tadashi offers a variety of Japanese dishes such as sushi, sashimi, udon, and donburi. Many of the menu options include many different types of fish, which provide high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and protein while being low in calories.  An omega-3 fatty acid is good for your heart and may event give you that extra brain boost for that exam you’ve been studying for!

  • Recommended Healthy Meal: Shichimi Salmon Roll
  • Contains: spicy salmon, Kani, avocado, topped seared mayo salmon, mango salsa, eel sauce, scallions
  • Tip:  Go with friends and sample a variety of items instead of eating the entire meal yourself.

Although these restaurants offer healthier options than most, try to avoid dining out on a regular basis.  Even though you may choose the healthy option on the menu, eating out on a regular basis can increase your calorie, sugar, or fat intake, without you even knowing.   Those portion sizes and ingredients can be deceiving!

 

Learning how to cook your own healthy meals allows you to have control over exactly what goes into the food you’re eating.  You could even get fancy and try to re-create some of the items on the menu at your favorite restaurant.  By buying your own ingredients you can make them healthier and save money over time!

By: Michelle Tang

General Nutrition Info, Healthy Eating, MyPlate, National Nutrition Month ®, Tips, Uncategorized, Weekly Health Tips

So, what did your plate look like today?

Choose MyPlate with campus dining!

Do you want to improve your health through the meals you eat on campus?

Do you feel like you have trouble making your plate healthy at meals?

Then, stay tuned for these tips to get you on the right track and find out how easy the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines are to follow, after all.

 

So, what’s MyPlate?  MyPlate’s mission through the USDA is to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans through two primary objectives: advance and promote dietary guidance for all Americans and to conduct applied research and analyses in nutrition and consumer economics.  The first picture below is the direct result of years of continued research on the best way to promote dietary guidelines to Americans!  However, they didn’t always make it this easy.

Before 2011, and the days of MyPlate, the Food Guide Pyramid was the visual used by the USDA to show the five food groups and recommended amounts for each.  The second visual above is what your parents were most likely taught back in the day when they were in school!  Don’t you think the new MyPlate is easier to follow?

MyPlate, which continues to focus on the on the five food groups like the Food Guide Pyramid once did, serves as a colorful visual to encourage personalization of food choices and recommended portion sizes.  With this layout it’s suggested that your start by filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables, then fill about a quarter of your plate with protein (preferably lean protein), and then fill the last quarter of your plate with grains. You can complement your plate with a serving of dairy or high-calcium milk alternative like yogurt, milk, or fortified almond or soy milk. Examples of fruits include apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges. Vegetables include peppers, spinach, broccoli and squash.  Lean proteins include plant-based proteins such as beans, lentils and quinoa and non-plant-based proteins such as fish and chicken. Some healthy grains include whole wheat toast, white, brown and wild rice, and multigrain breads.

 

General MyPlate guidelines for each of the food groups include:

  • making half the grains you eat whole grains
  • varying your fruits and vegetables or eat all the colors of the rainbow
  • choose primarily low-fat and fat-free dairy items
  • keep your meat proteins portion sizes under control (around 3-4 ounces but this depends on the type of meat and your individual needs)
  • avoid overeating foods that are high in solid fats or added sugars

How can we apply these “rules” to dining on campus?

Compare the MyPlate guidelines above to the picture below.  This meal below was prepared at one of our All You Care To Eat locations on campus.  As you can see, more than half of the plate is filled with grapes, cantaloupe, honeydew, butternut squash and mixed veggies.  The grain component of the plate includes a quinoa falafel and the protein portion of the plate includes Penn State’s famous cider brined smoked turkey.  All with a side of our Creamery’s low-fat milk as a serving of dairy.

Although there’s a large amount of options each day, it’s not always easy to make the best choices and come up with a plate that looks like the one above.  On some days the pizza may sound better to you than the veggies.  Or, the chicken tenders might be calling your name louder than the turkey.  But remember, there’s always small changes you can make to improve your eating habits. You can opt for the whole wheat pasta instead of the original penne pasta, or maybe get a piece of hand fruit when leaving the dining commons instead of the ice cream cone to-go every day. Some things to keep in mind in the deli areas of commons are to choose whole wheat or multi-grain breads/wraps instead or white breads/wraps. If you don’t like the vegetable choices being served at the buffet, then you can choose to make yourself a side salad at the salad bar which also offers a variety of fruit options.

Dietitian Tips: If there’s multiple menu items that are tasty enough to eat five servings of, always remember that it won’t be the last time you’ll see them on the menu.  The cycle menu allows for these items to pop up at least every 3 weeks!  Yes, you’ll see that butternut squash mash every few weeks!  No need to eat a whole plate of it this time.  Can’t pick between items one day?  Ask for smaller servings of each or serve yourself a smaller amount so you are not overeating.

 

As for dessert, it’s okay to enjoy it occasionally.  Yes, you read that right.  It’s okay to have the famous Death By Chocolate on certain occasions as a treat.  Always remember, everyone’s body is different, and has different requirements, so try to find the plan that helps you feel the best!

 

For more information check out the nutrition tab on the Penn State food services website at foodservices.psu.edu and follow us on Instagram @psudining_dietitians.  Better yet, get to know your Green Hats in each of the commons.  They’re students just like you who can help with healthier options.  Or, reach out to the Registered Dietitian’s office for tips/suggestions.

 

Want more information on these recommendations without having to talk to anyone?  Your first stop should be to visit the ChooseMyPlate.gov website.  Now, here’s an excellent resource for finding tips, pictures, and other printable or downloadable materials for meal planning, budgeting, and adjusting your food choices!

 

Stay tuned for the Registered Dietitian’s Office collaboration with Healthworks during National Nutrition Month.  On March 30th, you’ll see tables set up in each of the dining commons for a “Build Your Plate” theme!

 

By: Hannah Fitzgerald

Uncategorized

The Power of Portions

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PortionSizes1This week, at University Park, be on the lookout for the Student Nutrition Assistants! We are eager to discuss healthy portions of fruit, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy and desserts. If you are not at this campus, please read on for more information about the power of portion sizes!

If you choose to eat out, you may be aware that restaurants can be guilty of over-feeding their customers (serving too large of portions). In fact, most people expect this. If you were served a recommended portion of meat, in most cases, you would feel that you had been slighted.

Portions and serving sizes, what are they? When talking about portions and serving sizes, things can get a little confusing. A serving size is a defined  measurement of food that’s set forth by the USDA and used to provide dietary guidance to consumers. Serving sizes allows us to quantify the number of calories and nutrients that are in a particular amount of food. We can use this information to make recommendations for achieving a well-balanced diet. Portion sizes refers to the amount of helpings of food that you serve yourself. Portion sizes are subjective, and based on your own energy and nutrient needs (for example, a trained athlete will need more calories than another individual their same age and gender who is inactive). When trying to aim for healthy portions, the recommended serving size is generally a good starting point. In a restaurant, you typically eat only what you are served. At home you are in control of what goes onto your plate, but you also have complete freedom to go back for seconds. This freedom also applies to what you choose for your meals on any Penn State campus. Whether you are served an entrée or find yourself in an all-you-can-eat zone, you are in charge of setting your own portion sizes. So where is the balance? Portion control comes down to being familiar with what your body needs, and making a choice to give it just that!

Okay, so how do I start? Next time you eat on campus, remember that you are already armed with the most amazing portion sizing tool around: Your hands! Hands are a portable tool that you can use for measuring portion sizes. Below are some useful examples:

PortionSizes2

Try to engrain these measurements in your mind. When you are looking at a heaping plate full of pasta, you have likely  exceeded the guideline for a serving of grains. You may need to play around with this new tactic in order to really understand how much of each food is in a serving. This may mean pouring out your typical portion of pasta, cereal, or veggies into a measuring cup (or your hand) and seeing how many servings you are actually consuming.

The key to smaller portion sizes is listening to your body. Consider these tips:

  • Try eating on a smaller plate or using a smaller bowl
  • When you feel satisfied, don’t stuff in those extra bites
  • Share your dessert or larger meals with a friend

Portion control should be a vital component to everyone’s meal, not just those who are lookiPortionSizes2ng to lose weight. Mindful eating also involves eating a balance of all of the food groups listed to the left in the MyPlate image. By eating a variety of foods during each meal, you have a greater chance of meeting the recommended daily servings. For example, a smaller portion of pasta can be accompanied by a serving of protein, a cup of yogurt, a small side salad with some grapes on top, and a dessert of your choice! Just remember to consider that cookie, half a donut, or scoop of Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream as a special treat, and avoid filling up with them. Variety allows you to build a healthy plate.

 

Portion control can actually spice up your daily meal time! When you start to monitor your portion sizes, your plate will have more room for fitting in a wider variety of nutritious, wholesome foods. Getting the proper nutrients is proven to enhance your mental and physical health. This means more energy during the semester to power through assignments and Monday morning lectures. Penn State strives to serve reasonable portion sizes on campus but this is not fool proof. It is up to you to listen to your body and check your portions. Take note of the Entrée Cards, which are stationed in front of almost every menu item. Here you can monitor the serving size, which can be used as a guide for choosing the portion that’s right for you.

Don’t underestimate the power of portions!

 

Resources:

“Decrease Portion Sizes.” Decrease Portion Sizes. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 30 June 2015. <http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/weight-management/better-choices/decrease-portions.html>.

Photos adapted from: marislawa