Healthy Living Reality

Tag: food

  • Peanut Butter Adventures, Episode 1

    Here’s the first installment of my adventures with peanut butter. Sure, I have a growing boy at home, but there’s more to the story. I’ve been making peanut butter sandwiches for a local food pantry for a year. Now, I’m going to hand out jars of peanut butter when I see a need on the streets. Hope you love the adventure! 

    For now, let’s just talk about peanut butter. Next time, we’ll get into some adventures. 

    Peanut Butter as an American Institution

    Peanut butter is one of the best all-around foods. It’s convenient, inexpensive, nutritious, and delicious. Those reasons are probably why peanut butter sandwiches are the most popular plant-based sandwiches in the US according to USDA data. (If you’re curious, the popularity of cold cut sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs outweighs the popularity of peanut butter sandwiches). 

    How Much Peanut Butter Are We Talking About?

    Americans consume an average of 4.4 pounds of peanut butter per year. That’s more than 60 2-tablespoon servings, or 4.5 16-ounce jars. For a family of four that consumes the average amount, that comes out to 18 jars of peanut butter per year, or about 1 jar every 3 weeks. 

    If you’re a peanut butter-loving household, I bet you have far more than that! Schoolchildren could easily eat 5 peanut butter sandwiches a week for the duration of the school year, or about 35 weeks. That adds up to 105 sandwiches, or more than 7 jars of peanut butter. That’s before adding in snacks and PB sandwiches on vacation! 

    How Much Peanut Butter in Peanut Butter Adventures?

    My household goes through far more than 18 jars of peanut butter a year. My son eats some, but not that much (and to be fair, a lot of his peanut butter consumption is at breakfast at my parents’ house!). 

    I estimate we go through 150 jars a year! That’s because I make sandwiches every week for a local food pantry. I use 3 jars most weeks, or enough for 30-40 sandwiches. I’m definitely doing my part to support the peanut butter industry! 

    Now, I’ve started carrying around a jar of peanut butter to give away to people who seem to need it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in my neighborhood who are grateful for something that is so affordable to me. 

    How to Make Peanut Butter

    Peanut butter is magical to me. Just put peanuts in a blender, and puree them until they turn into thick, sticky peanut butter. For a more spreadable texture, add 1-2 spoonfuls of oil. For flavor, add salt. It’s so simple!

    Peanut butter that you buy in stores can range from 100% peanuts to having ingredients like sugar, salt, and solid fats from hydrogenated soybean oil or tropical oils like palm oil. You’ll pay for the privilege of having natural, organic peanut butter with nothing but peanuts, but if you look around, there can be compromises, like peanut butter without hydrogenated oils. 

    Of course, there are all kinds of variations on peanut butter. Flavors of peanut butter include cinnamon, cocoa, and white chocolate. For decades, there’ve been jars of peanut butter and jelly stripes to make sandwich-making easier. 

    A Convenient and Nutritious Food

    Peanut butter needs no refrigeration. It’s ready to eat. It’s cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and high in healthy monounsaturated fats. It’s a source of plant-based protein, and it has dietary fiber. At about $2 per 16-ounce jar for a store brand of peanut butter, it’s remarkably inexpensive. I’ll go into cost comparisons with other foods in another post. 

    Healthy Ways to Use Peanut Butter

    A peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain sliced bread is one healthy choice for peanut butter. Here are a few variations on classic PB sandwiches. 

    Peanut butter on whole-grain bread has fiber and antioxidants.
    • Peanut butter on whole-grain tortilla or wrap, wrapped around a banana
    • Diced stewed (or microwaved) apple or pear with cinnamon on PB and whole-grain bread or toast
    • Peanut butter on half a whole-grain bagel, with pear slices

    Peanut butter is good for way more than sandwiches. 

    • Dip celery, carrots, apple slices, or pear slices into peanut butter.
    • Blend frozen banana chunks with peanut butter and cinnamon, cocoa powder, or voila extract.
    • Thin out creamy peanut butter to make a sauce for an Asian-inspired dish with whole-grain spaghetti
    • Add peanut butter to oatmeal or whole-wheat pancake batter, or top whole-grain pancakes or waffles with peanut butter instead of butter.
    • Top oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese with peanut butter and fruit.

    For a healthier dessert, stuff dates with peanut butter – just watch the calories, since they add up fast!

    More Ways to Enjoy Peanut Butter

    If you’re looking for a treat without worrying about nutrition, there are any number of ways to enjoy peanut butter. 

    • Classic PB&J sandwich with white bread, peanut butter, and grape or strawberry jelly. Honey is another option.
    Peanut butter and jelly on white bread may be a happy memory from childhood for many people.
    • Peanut butter cookies or peanut butter oatmeal cookies. 
    • Peanut butter bars and peanut butter cheesecake.
    • Peanut butter frosted brownies or cake.
    • Energy balls with peanut butter, oats, sugar, honey, or powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. 
    • Peanut butter-filled pretzels
    • Peanut butter milkshakes and smoothies with added sugars.
    • Peanut butter pie, with or without whipped topping blended in or on top, and on a chocolate, graham cracker, or standard pie crust

    I’m excited to keep using peanut butter and giving it away. I’ll keep you posted on how my peanut butter adventures go!

    How do you use peanut butter?

  • What Everyone Wants to Know: What was at the July 4 Potluck?

    I posted my reflections from the Fourth, talking about balancing healthy food and activity choices with the just-as-critical need for socialization, fun, and relaxation that can recharge you for the coming weeks and months. Today, let’s keep it light-hearted with a run-down of the food and beverages at the potluck I attended. 

    It was an afternoon block party with 100’s of attendees from the neighborhood. The hosts asked attendees to bring something to share. Unlike at many potlucks, there were no guidelines on what to bring, or who should bring items in various categories like beverages, appetizers, proteins, sides, desserts, condiments, and tableware. We did all know that there was a grill, and that it was a casual event.

    Spoiler alert: it worked out beautifully!

    Setting the Scene

    When my son and I arrived, we went straight to the food tables to drop off our contributions. As I had asked my mom to bake and bring a dessert, my son and I felt free to be lazy. We brought a package of napkins, a bottle of light ranch salad dressing, a bottle of honey mustard, and a can of whipped topping. There turned out to be a large bowl of fruit including berries, grapes, and tangerines, making the whipped topping look ideal. 

    There were 4 long tables with food and tableware, about 6 coolers filled with alcoholic and kid-friendly beverages, and a table with ice and more beverages. The tables were vaguely organized with plates, napkins, and plastic ware first, followed by items related to grilled foods, followed by sides, desserts, and finally beverages. It was all refreshingly casual and hands-off – you were free to put your food down and take whatever you wanted whenever you wanted.

    The Food at the Fourth of July Block Party and Potluck

    So what was there? Pretty much everything was there. People had brought raw proteins, including hot dogs, beef burger patties, and even salmon. There were also pans of cooked proteins, including pigs in blankets and chicken drumsticks. Hot dog, hamburger, and brioche buns were abundant, as were condiments from ketchup, pickles, and relish to several different types of mustard. Our honey mustard fit right in.

    There were more meatballs than you might see at a typical event, probably because the day’s cookoff item was meatballs. Merguez meatballs with a side of cooked carrots, meatballs with tomato sauce, and meatballs with pickles were a few varieties. They all looked delicious, suitable for a contest, and made with a good amount of fatty beef or pork. 

    Next up were side dishes. It looked like a lot of people put their hearts into their homemade recipes. Salad examples were salmon and pea rotini salad, spaghetti salad, tomato balsamic salad with mushrooms, chopped basil, and mozzarella balls, and a few kinds of coleslaw, none of which contained mayonnaise. There were also various 7-layer bean dips.

    There was even a simple vegetable tray that had home-cut vegetables, which is a rare sight these days. It had red and yellow bell pepper strips, rainbow baby carrots, Persian cucumber spears, and celery sticks. I helped myself to quite a bit, and enjoyed the honey mustard I’d brought with the vegetables. 

    Desserts included two beautiful pumpkin loaves from my mom, sliced into appropriately-sized pieces. One loaf had a chocolate swirl topping. Other desserts were cheesecake bars topped with berries, watermelon wedges, and brownies.

    The beverage selection was quite a treat! There was alcohol of all descriptions. There was homemade lemonade – a 5-gallon container that must have taken forever for someone to make – as well as a 5-gallon pitcher of ice water infused with strawberries and mint. Cans of sparkling water, ouches of juice drinks, and sodas were also there, along with plenty of ice. 

    My son and I weren’t the only ones to bring store-bought items. The other store-bought items that we saw had also been chosen carefully and given with love. Classic mayo-laden potato salad, sliced cheese for the burgers, bags of potato chips, tubs of hummus and guacamole, large chocolate chunk cookies, boxes of doughnuts, and red, white, and blue star cookies are a few examples. 

    How Anyone Can Make Healthy Choices

    Here’s what I focused on, though I probably still ate more than I needed.

    • Raw vegetables. They were so fresh and good!
    • Pickles. I don’t usually buy pickles because I don’t need the extra sodium, but I do love pickles. 
    • Tomatoes and mozzarella balls sitting in balsamic vinaigrette. They were halved grape tomatoes, and absolutely delicious.
    • A few goodies from my son’s plate. Isn’t that what kids are for? I think we all know that when you eat from your child’s plate, the calories, sugar, and fat don’t count…
    • Strawberry and mint-infused ice water was a beautiful, refreshing, and healthy touch.

    What Do Americans Eat on July Fourth?

    I can only tell you my experience, but it is a sample size of hundreds of families. Here’s what I found.

    • Burgers and hot dogs with all the fixings
    • Coleslaw, pasta salad, and potato salad
    • Watermelon and other fresh fruit
    • Sugary drinks, alcoholic drinks, and low-calorie drinks
    • Desserts, and more desserts
    • Chips, vegetables, and dip

    Conclusions: as with most other situations, you can eat healthy, eat terribly, or do something in between. 

    What did you eat this Independence Day?

  • Reflections from the Fourth: Balancing Family, Fun, and Physical and Mental Well-Being

    Reflections from the Fourth: Balancing Family, Fun, and Physical and Mental Well-Being

    Holidays like the Fourth of July can be tricky for anyone trying to make healthy choices, so it’s important to balance your choices. Some choices – like grilling skinless chicken instead of a ground beef patty – may help you make progress towards your health and weight goals today. Other decisions – like staying out later than usual to watch fireworks – may seem like a short-term physical setback, but they can strengthen your foundation for longer-term success. 

    Here’s how my Fourth of July panned out – and it wasn’t entirely healthy!

    Promises and Challenges of a Summer Holiday

    The Fourth of July can feel so promising because of a day off of work, a general good mood around the household and neighborhood, and the prospect of attending local events. Our local opportunities include a pancake breakfast fundraiser in a community center parking lot, a local parade in which anyone can march or ride, a gathering at a park with doughnuts, watermelon, and community police who let children go into their cars, and a block party that includes a potluck, raffle, and kid-friendly activities. We’re lucky to have so much nearby!

    It’s not all positive, though! First, most parents will tell you that holidays are challenging. There’s no school or summer camp, which means children are at home. Their company can be a delight, and they can inject excitement and joy into a holiday that may otherwise barely be a blip on the radar, but there’s no denying that it takes more energy to have a child at home than not. 

    Food is another July 4 challenge – it’s everywhere from parades to day-time and fireworks-watching potlucks and gatherings. You can easily consume thousands of calories from standard fare like the following. 

    • Fatty steaks, burgers, and hot dogs, and cheese and buns that come with them
    • Potato salad, pasta salad, and coleslaw
    • Mayonnaise, guacamole, hummus, and salad dressings
    • Pies, cupcakes, brownies, and doughnuts

    That’s before adding in calories from lemonade, sodas, and alcoholic beverages. 

    Other challenges to pursuing your health goals can include disruptions to your routine such as sleeping in instead of exercising, socializing instead of cooking, and watching fireworks instead of starting your bedtime routine. 

    Independence Day Food Opportunities and Strategies

    Throughout the day, you’re likely to find nutritious or low-calorie choices like watermelon, corn on the cob, grilled chicken or veggie burgers, and raw vegetables. Load up your plate with these types of food!

    Limit creamy salads like coleslaw and mayo-laden potato and pasta salad. Look for green salads, cowboy caviar with beans and vegetables, and other vibrant options like caprese salad or other light, vegetable-based dishes. Use Dijon or yellow mustard and a small amount of ketchup on burgers or veggie dogs. 

    If you’re going to a potluck, bring a dish or some components that are healthy. 

    • A fruit or vegetable platter, or berries, watermelon wedges, or baby carrots
    • Skinless chicken or a package of lean ground turkey patties or veggie burgers to grill
    • Light condiments like mustard and vinaigrette dressing
    • A package of whole-grain hamburger or hot dog buns, or whole-grain tortillas or wraps

    Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Bring your own full water bottle if you’re not sure that there will be water available. 

    More Tips for Better Physical and Mental Health on Independence Day

    I had a wonderful Independence Day. A good deal of it was due to being a lucky parent. My parents were willing – as always when they’re in town! – to watch my son while I took time to run, shoot some hoops in the park, and have a few thoughts by myself. 

    Another stroke of luck is that my son is a marvelous child on special days like holidays. He is excited about events, and engaged and interested. That makes it easier to hang out with him, exhausting though it can be. 

    Another suggestion might be to keep perspective. It didn’t seem all that important to start food fights with my son; instead, we appreciated the special food. My hope is that he’ll learn to enjoy special food without guilt. I also want him to grow up without a sense of desperation to eat it all, as some adults develop because they’re afraid they won’t have another chance. 

    It also seemed more important to enjoy the block party with the neighbors than to worry about whether he was eating a doughnut. Everyone looks forward to it every year; we do, too. The abundance of food may not be the best for weight management in the moment, but the friendships and a sense of community come in handy throughout the year as we depend on each other during life’s ups and downs. 

    So, I would say this July 4 was a great time, I’m ready to eat healthy tomorrow, and I am grateful for all that I have – family, friends, and my neighborhood. 

    How do you find balance on July 4 and other holidays?

    fireworks on July 4