|
Have
some summer fun improving your diet
June 17, 2009
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
It’s
shaping up to be a cardiac summer.
In my circle of family and friends, we’ve had one triple
bypass, one myocardial infarction and one blocked artery.
Of course, there’s always diabetes, high blood pressure
and folks watching their weight, too.
So here’s the dilemma: How do you feed the people you
love the food they love this summer without contributing to
their demise?
It can be done, and you don’t have to give up all of
your favorites and feel deprived.
The key is to accentuate the positive while drawing attention
away from the fact that the artery cloggers are nowhere to
be found. To pull this off, follow these steps:
* Out of sight, out of mind. OK, the bad news first: You do
have to stop serving the grave-diggers: barbecue, sausage
biscuits, cheeseburgers, steaks and hot dogs.
Trust me, by the time you assemble the foods on the good-guys
list, nobody will miss these losers. I repeat: Get them off
the menu!
* Win them over with abundance. Set out a colorful spread
from the long list of summertime foods that also happen to
be healthful. Plates will be full, and everyone will be happy.
What to serve? For starters, set out platters of sliced watermelon
and cantaloupe. Try bowls of confetti coleslaw, a green salad
with mandarin orange wedges and strawberry halves, corn on
the cob, sliced tomatoes and cucumber salad.
Serve a veggie platter with dip or a shallow bowl filled with
hummus and pita points.
Grill out veggie burger patties and veggie dogs. Don’t
scoff – try them. They are delicious, and they do a
great job of filling in for the classics.
These days you can find these products in nearly any supermarket
in the frozen food case. If your supermarket doesn’t
carry these products, speak to the manager and ask for them.
Round out the meal with a big bowl of baked beans and greens
cooked with onions and molasses. Serve whole-grain dinner
rolls with trans fat-free margarine.
* Make it pretty. Appearances do matter – a lot. Food
that is arranged with care and made to look appealing will
be received with more enthusiasm.
Serve from attractive bowls and dishes, use tablecloths and
set out candles or a vase of flowers. Aim for a colorful table,
which is easy to do in the summertime when fresh fruits and
vegetables are so plentiful.
Keep pots and pans off the table, and set out small bowls
of pickles, ketchup and other condiments instead of putting
unsightly or messy jars and bottles on the table. Yes, it’s
Home Ec 101, but it makes a difference.
While you’re at it, cut way back on the sugar you add
to the tea and serve some of it unsweetened. Tumblers full
of seltzer water, a splash of fruit juice and a lemon wedge
are a refreshing alternative to sweet drinks.
For dessert, serve Italian ice, reduced-fat ice cream, or
scoops of sorbet topped with a sprig of mint.
Food is important, but turn some of the attention to activity,
too. Focus on pool time or get people involved in a game of
badminton, horseshoes or backgammon.
Do it.
Don’t dwell on ideas of deprivation. If you think that
you or others will be unhappy because there isn’t any
barbecue, you will make it so – a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Instead, commit to fixing colorful, tasty, healthful foods
served with flair. Others will be thankful you did.
The bonus: You’ll keep yourself healthy while supporting
the health of those you love.
Suzanne
Havala Hobbs is a licensed, registered dietitian and clinical
associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and
Management and the Department of Nutrition in the UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health. Send questions and comments
to suzanne@onthetable.net.
|
