Back to School, Back to Work - Breakfast

This post is part 1 of a 3 part series on back to back to school, back to work and healthy eating. 

Sadly,  summer is slowly fading away and the reality of back to school, back to work or back from vacation is starting to set in. The thought of having to make breakfast is probably the furthest thing from your mind.

During holidays, summer or vacation we often get out of routine of healthy eating and structured activity. Often we end up sleeping in late, skipping meals and eating  away from home more often. 

Below are several tips on how to get back into your daily, healthy routine and some ideas for delicious back to work, back to school breakfasts.

Breakfast is still the most important meal for the day.  Think of this as a kick start to your day.  Breakfast fuels not only the body but also the mind. It is very important for kids to be able to concentrate at school and to have the energy for after school activities. Breakfast is just as important for adults to concentrate on work instead of growling stomachs.   It is also very important for parents to eat breakfast with their kids. You will be a good role model and promote healthy habits for life!

There are a lot of excuse for why people don’t eat breakfast:

“I don’t have enough time in the morning.”

Here are some time saver ideas:

- Breakfast does not have to be fancy.  Planning out your breakfast the night before can save time.

- Set the table the night before        

- Have an area designated in your kitchen for breakfast items so you are not looking through all the cupboards.

“I’m not hungry in the morning.”

There are consequences to not eating breakfast:

- Those who skip breakfast often overeat during the rest of the day, and tend to over eat calories throughout the rest of the day.

- Eating breakfast can help manage weight and other health conditions.

- Trying small things first like fruit, yogurt or a glass of low fat milk.

 "Breakfast is boring.”

Make it delicious and something to look forward to:

- Yogurt, granola and fresh fruit

- Whole wheat English muffin with eggs

- Homemade whole grain muffin with fruit and a glass of low fat milk

- Whole grain cereal mixed with either yogurt or milk topped with fruit

- Scramble eggs in the microwave and put in a whole wheat tortilla with salsa

- High fibre cereal – try making a pot of hot oatmeal to last you a few days

- Spread peanut butter on a whole grain tortilla and roll up a banana or apple

- Homemade smoothies – fresh fruit, yogurt or low fat milk with some flax

Everyone is on the go with long hours at work and busy after school schedules. Often a sit down meal doesn't happen anymore.  Parents who are looking for a way to regain control of their family life can use breakfast as a time to be together!

Quick Breakfast Fruit Pita recipe

Banana Berry Wake-Up Shake recipe

Basic Microwave Eggs recipe

Egg-ritos recipe

Next week, Andrea will provide ideas for packing healthy and delicious lunches. 

Andrea Lewis is a Registered Dietitian at the Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network.

Rock the Rails

August 23rd, 2012
5:00 pm to 10:00 pm 
Leduc Skateboard Park

Rock the Rails will host the ultimate battle of the bands competition and extreme skateboard, BMX and scooter competitions at the Leduc Skateboard Park today.

This year's event has great prizes, new sponsors, a slip n' slide, and graffiti art lessons by AJA Louden. Nine bands will battle for the title of "Best Band at Rock the Rails 2012".

For more information, visit the Rock the Rails website.

Facts on Fats

There are many different types of heart disease.  But the most common is when your blood vessels become blocked with plaque.  Plaque is a fat that is made up of cholesterol that sticks to your arteries and causes the blood flow to be blocked.

Here are some tips to help prevent heart disease

1.    Limit saturated fats

a.    These fats has shown to increase cholesterol levels

b.    Examples:

                                          i.    Fatty meats

1.    Choose lean cuts of meat

2.    Trim off visible fat

3.    Limit sausages, bacon, hot dogs, smokies, chicken wings

4.    Limit foods that are fried or deep fried – fries, chicken fingers, battered fish

                                        ii.    High fat milk products

1.    Choose low fat milk (skim or 1%)

2.    Choose low fat cheese ( less than 20% milk fat)

3.    Limit ice cream (even if low fat)

4.    Limit cream and gravies

                                       iii.    High fat foods

1.    Limit snack foods (cookies, chips and dip)

2.    Limit donuts, pies, cakes, danishes or high fat baking

2.    Limit Trans Fats

a.    These fats also have been shown to increase your cholesterol levels

                                          i.    Processed packaged foods

1.    Limit crackers, cookers, treats, packaged treats

2.    Limit fried, deep fried foods

3.    Choose non hydrogenated non saturated fat margarine

3.    Choose Healthy Fat

a.    These fats can lower cholesterol only when they are used solely over the trans fats and saturated fats

                                          i.    Choose plant oils like canola oil or olive oil

                                        ii.    Fish contain healthy fats and should be eaten at least twice a week

b.    Watch your portion of good fats:

                                          i.    Keep to no more than 2-3 tablespoons of oil/fat a day

                                        ii.    Portion size of healthy nuts is only ¼ cup (75 ml) a day

4.    Eat less cholesterol

a.    Your body does produce 80% of the cholesterol in your body; the other 20% comes from the types of fats in food. When looking at your whole diet, the most effective way to prevent heart disease are to limit saturated and trans fat found in high fat meat and milk products.

b.    Cholesterol is found in foods that come from animals only, for example, organ meats, dairy products, egg yolks and shellfish

                                          i.    For people with no health concerns, recommendations are to consume <300 mg/day of cholesterol. Eating an average of 1 egg/day (7 eggs/ week) has shown to be part of a healthy lifestyle

                                        ii.    For people with heart disease, diabetes or dyslipidemia recommendations are to consume <200 mg/day of cholesterol a day (including ≤2 egg yolks/week and occasional consumption of high cholesterol foods such as shrimp and organ meats)

The Leduc Beaumont Devon Primary Care Network offers a Heart Healthy Class that discusses all aspects of heart health including: blood pressure, cholesterol, label reading, exercise and smoking.  Please ask your doctor for a referral to the S.M.I.L.E. Healthcare program or call 780-986-6624 for more information.

Resources:

My Heart & Stroke Risk Assessment

Heart & Stroke Foundation

Dietitians of Canada Fact Sheet - Cholesterol

In response to recent media attention on eggs and cholesterol, The Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovascular Network of Dietians of Canada recently released a news brief regarding the consumption of eggs. Please see the news brief below: Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovasular Network of Dietitians of Canada. (2012). News Brief: Egg yolk consumption and carotid plaque, August 15, 2012."

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