A lunch salad can be a low calorie & nutritious meal option, but can also come with some common mistakes. To keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the afternoon and keep energy and metabolism high, don’t forget your protein and heart-healthy fats.

Here are a few simple guidelines to make a balanced lunch salad:
Nutrition News: Lunch Salad

Enjoy!

Danielle Van Schaick, BASc, RD
Dani Health & Nutrition Services

Here’s an easy recipe that the kids might enjoy! It’s full of taste and loaded with heart healthy fats. This recipe got my 2-year-old eating halibut!

Recipe of the Month: Pan-Seared Breaded Halibut

Danielle Van Schaick, Registered Dietitian
Dani Health & Nutrition Services
www.danihealth.com

As adults we often watch our fat intake, buy fat-free products and limiting our consumption of high fat foods. Children, especially between the ages of 1-3, require up to 40% of their energy intake from fat.

Energy-dense foods, such as those with high fat content, play an important role in helping young children meet their energy needs for growth and development. Offer foods rich in healthy fats such as avocado, salmon, nut butters (eg. peanut butter) and full-fat dairy.

Danielle Van Schaick, Registered Dietitian
Dani Health & Nutrition Services
www.danihealth.com

I know that this books has been out for a few years but I finally found time to pick it up and try a few of her recipes.

My son, now 2 years, loved the spaghetti and (turkey) meatballs – made with pureed butternut squash – and the blueberry oat bars – made with pureed spinach.

At first, it seemed a bit time intensive but they were actually very quick and easy to prepare, and we had a lot of healthy leftovers!

Kudos to Mrs Seinfeld! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.

Danielle Van Schaick, BASc, RD
Dani Health & Nutrition Services
www.danihealth.com

The low FODMAP diet is proving to be an effective approach for people who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

This elimination diet was developed by Dr Sue Shepherd in 2001. She has proven, through her pioneering PhD research, that limiting dietary FODMAPs is an effective treatment for people with symptoms of IBS. The low FODMAP diet has been published in international medical journals and is now accepted and recommended as one of the most effective dietary therapies for IBS.

If you suffer from symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome – abdominal bloating and distension, excess wind, abdominal pain, nausea, changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both), and other gastro-intestinal symptoms – it’s certainly worth taking a look at this diet.

All the best,
Danielle Van Schaick, BASc, RD
Dani Health & Nutrition Services

Treating Constipation in Children

One of the main ways to prevent and treat constipation is by modifying your child’s diet. This includes decreasing foods that are constipating, including cow’s milk, bananas, yogurt, cheese, cooked carrots and other foods that are low in fiber. For children that drink a lot of milk, soy milk is a good alternative, as it is usually much less constipating than cow’s milk.

Another important dietary change is increasing the amount of fiber in your child’s diet. How much fiber does your child need? The usual recommendation is that children should have 5-6 grams of fiber plus their age in years each day. So a 5 year old should have 10-11 grams of fiber each day.

It can be helpful to learn to read nutrition labels to choose foods that are high in fiber. Fruits and vegetables, especially if they are raw and unpeeled, are good choices. Vegetables that are particularly high in fiber include beans, especially baked, kidney, navy, pinto and lima beans, sweet potatoes, peas, turnip greens and raw tomatoes.

Other foods that are good for children with constipation include vegetable soups (lots of fiber and added fluid), and popcorn. Extra bran can also be helpful, including bran cereals, bran muffins, shredded wheat, graham crackers, and whole wheat bread.

It is also important to increase the amount of fluids that your child is drinking. He should have a minimum of 2-3 glasses of water or fruit juices each day. Apple juice, pear and prune juice, or other juices high in sorbitol, are good choices.

Dietitian Recommendations:

1. Try switching to a different cereal. Nature’s Path Instant oatmeal and/or All-bran Guardian cereal are good choices.
2. Limit dairy to 2 servings/day (1 serving is 1 cup milk, 3/4 cup yogurt, 50g cheese)
3. Increase fruits + vegetables to 5 servings/day (1 serving is 1 fruit, 1/2 cup juice, 1/2 cup vegetables, 1 cup salad)
4. Aim for 4 servings of whole grains (1 servings is 1 piece bread/toast, 1 serving cereal, 1/2 cup rice or pasta, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 pita or tortilla.
5. Drink a minimum of 4 cups (1000ml) water and/or juice each day.

**IMPORTANT** Introduce these changes over 2-3 week period. A large increase in fibre, all at once, will worsen constipation.
This information may not apply to treating constipation in infants and toddlers.

Danielle Van Schaick, BASc, RD
Dani Health & Nutrition Services
www.danihealth.com

This is a great weeknight recipe. Serve with 1/2 cup brown rice and 1 serving of vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, or mixed vegetables).

Recipe of the Month: Stir-Fried Honey-Ginger Chicken

Enjoy!

Danielle Van Schaick, BASc, RD
Head Registered Dietitian
Dani Health & Nutrition Services
www.danihealth.com

Everyone has a recommended range for Calories and our 13 Essential Nutrients. Ideally, you want your diet to fall within this range each day in order to meet all of your nutrient requirements, and stay healthy. Click on the link below to find out which nutrients most Canadians get too much of, not enough, or just the right amount!

Nutrition News: August 2011

Danielle Van Schaick, BASc(AHN), RD
Head Registered Dietitian
Dani Health & Nutrition Services
www.danihealth.com