Author: fstaradmin

Did you know, most junk-food cravings are learned over time, based on years and years of exposure? You weren’t just born craving chocolate; that was learned!
But luckily for us, the opposite is also true! You can actually retrain your taste buds to like healthy foods! Here’s how:

1. Be Aware of Your Surroundings
When you see that box of cookies in the break room, it’s hard not to give in, right? The same is true in your home. It’s much easier to eat healthy when the only foods that enter your home are healthy ones! Imagine that! You’ll start looking at the strawberries and think, “wow I could really go for a bowl of fruit” and it will taste great because that processed, sugary Twinkie isn’t sitting there waiting for you to eat it!

2. Make Your Dish Aesthetically Pleasing
A study led by Professor Charles Spence from the Oxford University found that a thoughtful presentation proved that diners found the food to be more flavourful and appear to be more expensive. For example, a filet cut horizontally to show the inner color of the meat as opposed to just placing the whole filet on the plate may trick your mind into thinking it tastes better! In addition to pretty plating, place greens on the right side of your plate, as Americans typically tackle that side first. So, take an extra step to make your food looks just as good as it tastes, and you might find yourself craving healthier dishes!

3. Blend Old With New
Incorporating healthy foods you’re not crazy about into a dish that you absolutely love might help you get over that bad taste in your mouth! If you’re not a huge fan of spinach, incorporate it into a cheesy pasta dish or add it to an omelette! At first you’ll just be masking it’s flavor, but eventually your brain will form a positive association with both tastes, and you’ll begin to enjoy them separately.

4. Try It More Than Once
Studies show that when kids dislike a food but repeatedly try just one bite every so often, they’ll eventually lose that distaste. Surprise; The same holds true for adults! If at first you don’t like it, give it a few weeks and try again. After a few tries, that gross food might not taste so bad. In fact, research shows you may like it!

5. Lower Your Junk Food Tolerance
This one might seem obvious, but it’s important! Eating foods that are high in sodium and sugar can dull your taste buds so you need to keep getting more and more of it to feel satisfied. If you fight the urge and are able to lower your tolerance of these types of foods, over time you won’t need as much of the food to fix your craving. So, a bowl of ripe strawberries might curb your sweet tooth that used to be fixed with a bowl of ice cream! Now, this is not an easy thing to do… so the key is to work at it slowly. Don’t just cut out sugar or salt suddenly. It may take about a month to notice a difference, so stick with it!

6. Don’t Rely on Childhood Memories
If you’ve been avoiding brussel sprouts since you were wearing Winnie the Pooh overalls, you might want to give them another go. Your taste buds as a child were more sensitive to bitter flavors than your taste buds are as an adult. So, give that veggie another try that you’d been avoiding since the word “tubular” was still cool.

7. Ignore Your Sense of Smell
Sometimes, the smell of a food is enough to make your stomach weak (looking at you cauliflower, eggs and tuna!) If the smell of the food is turning you off, try eating it in a separate room from where you made it. This may help you get over the pungent smell and instead enjoy the actual taste of the food.

Recommended for you >> 7 Science Backed Reasons to Drink More Water

Failure to Do So Can Cause Fires, Respiratory Problems, and Severe Illnesses

Your Dryer
Cleaning your dryer and air vents once a year is an absolute must! In addition to it improving the dryer performance and time it will take to dry your clothes, a clogged air vent is the number one reason for dryer fires.

Clothing dryers must vent hot air to the outside of the house, so if lint builds up in the exhaust vent or inside the dryer, it can block the flow of air causing the dryer to perform poorly or worse; raising the operating temperature of the dryer and causing it to overheat. To clean the air vent of your dryer, vacuum in, around and under the dryer as much as you can and vacuum as far into each end of the duct from inside and outside the house. If you have a long air duct, use a leaf blower to force air through the air duct. If you don’t have a leaf blower, use a long brush or snake to ensure you’re getting far enough into the vent.

Your HVAC and Air Filters
Just like you need to clean the lint out of the dryer, you’ll need to remove any dust that’s accumulated on your heating ducts and air conditioning vents over the past year. High levels of dirt and debris circulating through your system can make allergies worse and cause other respiratory problems. Simply vacuum or dust your air conditioning vents and hire a professional duct cleaner to clean the interior of the HVAC ducts every 3 to 5 years. This will help to keep the air in your home clean all year long. If you have a Carico Air Purifiers, watch the following video to learn how to properly clean it to ensure the air purifier is working properly.

Your Water FIlters
Although most water filters should be cleaned or replaced every 2 to 6 months, sometimes it’s an easy thing to forget about. By choosing not to replace the filter when necessary, herbicides, pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants can get into your water supply. Follow the instructions provided by your specific water filter, as all filters are different. The Carico Point of Use Water Purification Systems should be cleaned at least every 6 months and replaced once per year. Follow the steps in this video to properly clean your purifier.

Your Grill
It’s important to keep your grill clean so that you’re not cooking with carcinogenic residue. Even when you take the time to scrape the grill off after you cook, this carcinogenic residue can form and transfer over to your food whenever you use your grill. To prevent this from happening, it’s important to regularly clean the grill once a month to keep this residue from forming and to prevent the chemical reactions that can cause your grill to corrode. For gas grills, watch the video below for step by step instructions to clean your grill.

If you have a Ceramic grill like the Ceramic Primo Grill and Smoker, make sure you follow the steps in the video below instead. Ceramic is porous so using water inside of the grill to clean it can cause damage.
Cleaning is not usually someone’s favorite hobby, but with these four appliances, it’s absolutely necessary! Is there an appliance that you clean annually that’s not listed? Comment below and tell us what it is!

 
With grilling season right around the corner, this is the perfect time to update your old grill or purchase your very first outdoor grill! During the entire month of May, we’ll be giving away a Free BBQ Pack with a purchase of a Grill!

What’s in the Free BBQ Pack?
Customize your free BBQ pack valued at $100, by selecting 5 of these items:

• 1 Zesty Italian London Broil
• 2 Teriyaki Top Sirloin Steaks
• 8 Ground Beef Patties
• 2 lbs Baby Back Pork Ribs
• 4 Center Cut Pork Chops
• 16 Beef Franks
• 8 Sweet Italian Sausage Links
• 8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 12 Chicken Drumsticks
• 12 Chicken Thighs
• 4 Split Chicken Breasts
• 4 Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Filet Mignon
• 2 Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
• 2 lbs Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

 
Time To Choose A NEW Grill!

The American Outdoor Grill
This stainless steel outdoor gas grill with stainless steel burners would be a stylish new addition to any backyard. The electronic push button ignition can get your grill up and running quickly, so you can cook on the grill any day of the week.The American Outdoor Grill has a wide range of cooking options to allow you to show off your grilling skills. Sear meats at a high temperature or switch to a slow rotisserie style cooking method for fish and chicken.Solid brass valves allow for long lasting precise temperature control, which can be hard to get from a charcoal grill.

Available in two popular sizes:

• The 36” Model: 630 sq. inches of cooking space
• The 24”Model: 414 sq. inches of cooking space

The Primo Ceramic Grill and Smoker
It’s a grill, oven, roaster and a smoker all rolled into one masterpiece! The patented oval shape of the grill and the rack system inside creates over 69 different cooking methods to give you the flexibility to make a wide variety of foods including steaks, chicken, pork, turkey, fish, pizza and vegetables.
The reusable natural lump charcoal gives your food the smokey flavor you love, and can be lit and ready to go in under 15 minutes. Cook as low as 150℉ to smoke salmon or well over 850℉ for sizzling ribeyes, all while maintaining a consistent and even heat across the entire 680 square inch grilling surface.Each grill is American made and backed by a 20 year warranty, so you can have peace of mind knowing this grill will last the test of time! The Primo Grill also includes a cast iron chimney cap, easy to read thermometer, reversible cooking grates, stainless steel lower vent door and ceramic shoes.

Available in two popular sizes:

• The Primo Oval XL: 400 sq. inches of cooking space
• The Primo Junior: 210 sq. inches of cooking space

Save on Future Food Orders, For Life!
All current or new customers are eligible to purchase either the Primo Grill and Smoker or the American Outdoor Grill through our rewards program, where every household or kitchen appliance purchase turns into money saved on food orders – for life! Click here to learn more about our rewards program. This special ends on July 4, 2018 at midnight, so don’t wait!

So are you interested?
Get your New Grill and Free Grillers BBQ Pack!
Two Ways…
1. Fastest Way – Contact us for more information about this special by giving Bob a call at 610-337-9006 ex. 101
2. Kinda Fast Way – Fill out the contact us form on our website and we will call you to confirm.
Act Fast, The grill promo runs until Memorial Day, May 27, 2019

 

 
Celebrate Taco Tuesday the right way with this quick and easy chicken tacos recipe! Top it with your choice of sour cream, chipotle tabasco sauce, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños and cheese for a flavor punch the whole family will love!
 
Serves: 4
Total time: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped (or about 1 tsp minced garlic)
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 8 to 12 tortillas or hard shell tacos
• 3 Tablespoons of water
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade mixture below)

TACO SEASONING MIXTURE:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• Queso fresco cheese, crumbled (or cheddar cheese if you prefer)
• Avocado, diced
• Jalapeños, diced
• Chipotle tabasco sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add in the cubed chicken and brown them for about 5 minutes.
4. Next, add the taco seasoning packet or mixture to the skillet with 3 tablespoons of water. Continue to cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through
5. Next, assemble the tacos! Place the chicken in a tortilla or hard taco shell and top with your choice of tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, chipotle tabasco sauce, lime juice, avocado and sour cream.

Are fish tacos more your thing? Click here to get the recipe for Tilapia Tacos with Guacamole.

 
Think steak can’t be part of a healthy meal? Think again! Flank steak is actually low in calories and very high in protein, so it can be part of a balanced meal!Special thanks to Chris Grove from Nibble Me This for allowing us to share this recipe with you! Head to his website for more BBQ recipes!

KOREAN FLANK STEAK LETTUCE WRAPS WITH HOISIN ONIONS
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Certified Angus Beef® Brand Flank Steak
• 1 head Bibb lettuce
• Sesame seeds
• 1 cup dry sweet jasmine rice, cooked according to directions and cooled

For the marinade:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup spicy honey (see substitutions)
• 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (see substitutions)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1.5 teaspoons ginger paste
• 1/2 cup peanut oil

For the hoisin onions:

• 2 sweet onions, peeled and cut into 1/4″ wedges
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sliced roasted red bell pepper
• 1 ounce hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Instructions:

1. Marinate the steak. Mix the marinade ingredients. Score the steak making 1/8″ cuts diagonally across the steak. Place the steak in a zip top bag, pour the marinade over the steak, press out any excess air, and seal the bag. Place on refrigeration for 8 hours.
2. Temper the steak by removing it from refrigeration 1 hour before grilling.
3. Preheat your grill to 450°f (medium-high heat).
4. Grill the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°f, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and let rest on a cooling rack.
5. Preheat a wok over the fire.
6. Stir fry the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of a high-temperature oil (peanut, avocado, canola) and let get hot, about 30 seconds. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and stir-fry the onions until they begin to turn tender about 3-4 minutes.
7. Finish the onions. Add the red bell pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and ginger and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Slice the steak against the grain as thinly as possible.
9. Assemble the wraps. Break off the lettuce leaves, wash and rinse them. Top each leaf with a little less than a 1/4 cup of rice. Place 3-4 strips of the beef slices and top with a spoonful of the onions. Garnish with sesame seeds.
10. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Notes/Substitutions

• Spicy honey – We buy ours from a local supplier, but some grocery stores carry it now. You can just add a pinch or two of cayenne to regular honey.
• Sweet soy sauce – or kecap mannis, is nothing like soy sauce. We buy ours at an Asian grocer here in Knoxville. If you can’t find it, substitute the thickest teriyaki sauce that you can find.
• You don’t want your rice to be too hot or it will wilt your lettuce. Spread it out on a sheet pan to cool for a few minutes, but do not leave it out at room temperature for long!

 
Your body needs water to survive. It’s your body’s principal chemical component, making up about 60% of your body weight. Dehydration can affect you in so many different ways – from shrinking the tissue in your brain to slowing down your metabolism. So, grab a glass and learn why you need to drink more water!If you’re wondering just how much water you should be drinking, a good rule of thumb is to multiply your weight by .5 to give you the number of ounces you should drink per day.

Calculation: Your weight in pounds x 0.5 = oz. of water per day

Example: 170 pounds x 0.5 = 85 oz. of water

Keep in mind if you exercise, you’ll need to add a few more ounces of water to your daily intake. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends adding 12 ounces of water to your daily intake for every 30 minutes that you plan to work out.

1. It Can Promote Weight Loss Because It Helps You Feel Full
Numerous studies have found that those who drink water before a meal lose weight faster than those who did not. It’s simple, the water makes us feel full so we in turn, eat less.In one 12 week study, dieters who drank half a liter of water before each meal lost 44% more weight than those who did not.

2. Drinking Water May Increase the Amount of Calories You Burn
In two studies, drinking 17 ounces of water (a half liter) was shown to increase metabolism by 24 – 30% for up to an hour and a half. This means that drinking two liters of water a day could potentially increase your total energy expenditure by up to 96 calories per day. It is best to drink water cold, because then the body will use additional energy (calories) to heat the water to body temperature.

3. Clears Skin by Flushing Out Toxins
It’s probably not surprising to know that toxins in the body can cause acne and breakouts. Since water helps to flush out the toxins in your body, you can reduce the risk of pimples simply by staying hydrated!

4. Drinking Water May Help Treat Kidney Stones
The biggest risk factor for kidney stones is not drinking enough water. In a large meta-analysis, people who produced 2 to 2.5 liters of urine daily were 50% less likely to develop kidney stones than those who produced less. So, drink up!

5. It Can Help You Think More Clearly
A few studies found that dehydration can affect the structure of your brain by causing the tissue to shrink. Scary right? When we haven’t had enough water, our brain needs to work a lot harder to perform the same tasks. Prolonged states of dehydration may impact important brain functions like planning and visuaspatial processing.

6. It Helps With Digestion
Water helps to dissolve fats and soluble fiber, so it’s easier for you to go! When you don’t drink enough water, the colon will actually pull water from stools, increasing your risk of constipation. That alone should make you want to drink more water!

7. May Help Prevent and Treat Headaches
Dehydration can trigger a headache in some individuals, and other studies have shown that drinking water can help to alleviate a headache once you already have it. Either way, it’s a great idea to drink some water if you feel a headache on the horizon.

Tips To Increase Your Water Intake:

• Fill up a water bottle before you leave for your daily work commutes (both to and from work) and finish it before you reach your destination
• Drink a glass before every meal
• Download a water tracking app like iHydrate to log your water intake and get reminders when you haven’t had enough to drink
• Keep a water bottle with you at all times – you’ll subconsciously start drinking more and more water
• Drink a glass of water while you wait for your coffee to brew
• Try different types of water like, spring, mineral, sparking and flavored water so you don’t get sick of the taste

Sources:

• US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health; Water deprivation: a new migraine precipitant
• US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health; Water-deprivation headache: a new headache with two variants
• US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health; Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults
• Dr. Mercola; Drinking Water Helps Prevent Kidney Stones
• Healthline; 7 Health Benefits of Drinking Water
• Greatist; 34 Proven Ways Water Makes You Awesome
• US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health; Dehydration affects brain structure and function in healthy adolescents
• The Hearty Soul; Drinking this much water can boost your metabolism for over an hour

 
Over 100,000 people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania reported a power outage from the damaging snow storms in March, 2018. Five Star Home Foods stepped up and replaced thousands of dollars worth of spoiled food for multiple customers who experienced a power outage from these storms.

Five Star Home Foods delivers a seasonal order of healthy, all-natural and organic food to customers living in PA, NJ, DE and MD, within a 100-mile radius of Philadelphia. To prevent families from tragically losing months worth of food due to an unavoidable event, the company came up with a generous freezer protection program that has helped hundreds of families over the years.

Customers are able to purchase a freezer from Five Star Home Foods that already includes the protection plan or they can purchase a protection plan on their current freezer. If their freezer were to break down due to mechanical failure or if they lost power to their home resulting in a food loss, Five Star will replace every item purchased from them.

“We put this program into place because we never want our customers to lose all of their food,” explained Bruce Holtzinger, Customer Service Manager, “Although the circumstances are always unfortunate, we’re happy to replace any item lost due to an outside power failure. It’s common to have power outages in this region due to snow and rain, so it’s one more way our customers can depend on us to take care of them.” In addition to the freezer protection plan, our customers can purchase a commercial freezer through us that is so well insulated that food will stay frozen several days, even when power is lost. This freezer was designed and built exclusively for the All-Natural Food Council of North America to properly preserve healthy, all-natural foods.

Five Star Home Foods’ customers who do not currently have a protection plan should speak with their culinary consultant to learn how they can protect their food during tragic events like this. The protection plan has plenty of benefits including:

• 10 years service at no charge for parts and labor
• 15% initial discount off their food or 10% upgrade discount
• Food loss replacement if your freezer breaks down or if there’s a documented outside power outage
• Coverage will stay in effect at no additional charge for all active customers who purchased a protection plan and continue to order food after the 10 year initial coverage period

To learn more about the convenience and health benefits of Five Star Home Foods, request your free sample pack today.
Recommended For You >> How to Keep Your Food Cold During a Power Outage

Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious celebration held on March 17th to celebrate the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. While Americans typically celebrate this day by making corned beef and cabbage and turning their beers green, neither of these things are actually something they do in Ireland! Contrary to popular belief, corned beef and cabbage is not from Ireland and the Irish would snarl at the thought of putting food dye in your beer. Instead, make one of these traditional Irish recipes and drink a pint of Guinness if that’s your thing.

1. Bangers and Mash with Stout Onion Gravy
Stout and onion gravy tops this masterpiece off to give it a rich and flavorful finish that will draw you back for 2nds… and let’s be realistic, 3rds and maybe even 4ths! This sausage and mashed potato recipe is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but we find it a little hard to imagine anyone resisting the urge and only making this once a year.
Did you know: The word “bangers” originated during the First World War because there was little meat in sausages at the time, mostly just scraps and water. Because of this, they sizzled a lot when they were being fried and made little explosions or “bangs” to give it the name “bangers and mash.”
 
Get the recipe from Self Proclaimed Foodie.

2. Irish Potato Soup
A traditional Irish Potato Soup that will warm you up on these cold March days! It’s a simple recipe that will end up being a staple in your house every winter.Did you know: Even though potatoes are synonymous with Ireland, they didn’t actually originate there. In fact – the Spanish conquistadors discovered them in the Andes Mountains and they didn’t make their way over to Europe until the 1500s.
 
Get the recipe from Grits and Pinecones.

3. Dublin Coddle
The Dublin Coddle is a slow-cooking classic Irish dish made with potatoes, onions, rashers (bacon) and bangers (sausages) with some beer and chicken broth thrown in. To be an authentic Irish Coddle, everything would need to be boiled together, but this recipe calls for browned sausage to give it a more unique flavor profile – you can’t go wrong either way!Did you know: Originating in the 1700s, the legend is that this dish became popular because housewives were able to make it before they went to bed and let it simmer on the stove. Then, when their husbands returned home from the pub, they were able to eat a warm meal that’s been simmering on the stove for hours.
 
Get the recipe from Saving Room for Dessert.

4. Easy Beef and Veggie Hand Pies
You can’t go wrong with crispy Pillsbury™ biscuits and a savory meat and potato filling! A real Irish hand pie would start by making the dough fresh, but let’s be real, creating the dough from scratch may be a little too ambitious for our busy lives. Pillsbury has already done this tedious work for us, so we can use their pre-made dough to simplify the meal and cut out a lot of prepping time!

Did you know: The first pies were actually called “coffins” or “coffyns” and are loosely traced back to the ancient Egyptians. The dough was originally used to preserve the filling and was too hard to eat.

Get the recipe from Pillsbury.

5. Irish Beef Stew
Stew is arguably one of the best winter comfort foods that you could possibly make! This one takes it to the next level adding a hearty Guinness beer into the mix. When you’re ready to dig in, the beef will be so soft, it will fall apart and melt in your mouth! MMMHMM! Delicious!Did you know: Modern Irish stew is usually made with beef, but the early versions of it were made with Mutton (or sheep) because they were more available than beef at the time.
 
Get the recipe from Recipe Tin Eats.

6. Guinness Braised Short Ribs
This recipe is not one that you will be able to spin up quick, but if you have the time to cook it nice and slow, you will be happy you did. These short ribs will fall right off the bone and melt in your mouth for a delicious St. Patrick’s Day meal!
Did you know: More than 13 million pints of Guinness beer are guzzled around the world on St. Patrick’s Day. Let’s cheers to that – or should we say, Sláinte!
 
Get the recipe from Jo Cooks.

7. Irish Soda Bread
The original Irish soda breads only contained four ingredients – flour, baking soda, soured milk, and salt. We know this doesn’t sound very appetizing, but at the time, many families in Ireland couldn’t afford much more, so this was a staple in their diet. This recipe is an updated version of Irish soda bread and requires just 9 ingredients – and you should be relieved to know soured milk is not one of them! Don’t be fooled, this updated version of the traditional Irish soda bread is very tasty!

Did you know: Traditional Irish soda bread has a cross on the top of it. Legend has it that they did this to “let the devil out” while it baked for good luck.

Get the recipe from Cincy Shopper.
What’s your favorite meal to make for St. Patrick’s day? Let us know in the comments below!

The Only Thing Lacking From These Dishes Are The Calories!

Just because you’re trying to eat healthier doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to eat salads every night – ugh, how boring! These recipes have plenty of flavor, the only thing missing is the calories! All of these recipes are baked so there’s much less added fat in these recipes than their fried counterparts. Enough with the chit chat, dig in!

1. Sheet Pan Sesame Chicken and Veggies
You could easily spend $40 for a family take-out dinner at your local Chinese restaurant, or you can make this healthier and much cheaper version instead! Only takes a few minutes to prep and then you toss it in the oven for about 30 minutes and it’s ready to go!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1¾ cups • Calories: 222 • Fat: 3.6 g • Saturated Fat: 0.8 g • Carbs: 22.5 g • Fiber: 3.4 g • Protein: 26.7 g • Sugars: 13.9 g
 
Get the recipe from Eat Yourself Skinny.

2. Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon
This nutrient dense and protein packed meal is a tasty way to get your omega-3 fatty acids! This sheet pan meal is not only quick to put together, but it’s also so quick to clean up! You can also customize this to use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge. We recommend pairing it with a side of couscous to stretch this meal even further!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Calories: 240 • Total Fat: 8.5 g • Saturated Fats: 1 g • Trans Fats: 0 g • Cholesterol: 56.3 mg • Sodium: 779 mg • Carbohydrates: 11 g • Dietary fiber: 2 g • Sugars: 8.5 g • Protein: 31 g
 
Get the recipe from Damn Delicious.

3. Turkey Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats
Spaghetti squash and taco meat, what’s not to love?! This recipe is low low-carb, keto and whole30 friendly, AND gluten-free – but don’t let that trick you into thinking these aren’t flavorful! The slightly sweet spaghetti squash compliments the taco flavors in such a unique way, you’ll want to make this all the time!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 1 boat • Calories: 218.5 • Total Fat: 10g • Cholesterol: 63.5mg • Sodium: 522mg • Carbohydrates: 16g • Fiber: 3.5g • Sugar: 5g • Protein: 20g

Get the recipe from Skinny Taste.

4. Skinny Cheeseburger Casserole
Surprise – this cheeseburger casserole is actually healthy! Yes, you read that right! It definitely won’t taste healthy, but who wants something that tastes healthy, anyway? This is a great recipe to pack into a thermos for your kid’s lunches, or to freeze and reheat on a night when you’re crunched on time.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Per Serving: (1⅓ cup) • Calories: 255 • Calories from fat: 74 • Fat: 8g • Saturated Fat: 4g • Cholesterol: 40mg • Sodium: 335mg • Carbohydrates: 28g • Fiber: 5g • Sugar: 5g • Protein: 20g

Get the recipe from Pop Culture.

5. Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
This is a much healthier version of your typical fried sweet and sour chicken! If you’re longing for some rice with your Chinese dinner, you can serve this with a side of brown rice or cauliflower “fried” rice and you have a nutritious meal that the whole family will love!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Per Serving (1¾ cups) • Calories: 294 • Fat: 10g • Carbohydrates: 29g • Fiber: 3g • Sugar: 13g • Protein: 24g

Get this recipe from Pop Culture.

If you’re having trouble getting your children to eat healthy (or eat at all), you’re not alone. Many parents struggle to get their children to try new foods, and eventually get so frustrated with it that they throw in the towel and allow them to eat the same foods they’ve been eating. It can take children 10 to 15 tries before they will accept a new food, so don’t give up! Here are a few tips that might make your picky eater a little more open-minded.

Ask your child to at least try every food, but if they don’t like it, leave it at that… for now. Don’t force them to eat the entire serving. The whole reason you’re asking them to try the food is to get them enjoy it long term, so if you force them to eat something they aren’t enjoying, this will just cause them to be more hesitant and stubborn when you ask them to try it again in the future.

2. Don’t Give Them Milk and Juice Between MealsBy eliminating the amount of juice and milk your child drinks between meals, they’ll be less likely to feel full and refuse the food you’re providing them at meal time. Instead, only allow them to drink water. This should also make them more willing to try something new because they’ll have a bigger appetite at meal time. If your child continues to insist on having juice or milk, start decreasing the amount of liquid offered so they can build up an appetite.

3. Keep Some Familiar Foods In The MealsAsking your child to try a new food that doesn’t contain anything they’ve ever tried before is a recipe for disaster. Instead, make sure there are some familiar foods in the meals so they aren’t completely overwhelmed. For example, if your child has never tried asparagus, maybe put a little in their pasta or on the side.This way they won’t reject the entire meal, but you should be able to get them to at least try the new food.

4. Variety
Kids can get into a pattern where they demand one food and refuse everything else. If you start feeding into that, it can turn into a never-ending battle. Instead, offer a similar item that should help to satisfy whatever craving they are having. Not only does this prevent boredom, but it also helps to keep their diet balanced and provide them with an array of different nutrients.

5. Get Creative!
Kids are drawn to a colorful and fun presentation, so try cutting the foods into different shapes with cookie cutters or use food dye to make the food come to life! You can even try giving it a fun name! Sounds strange, but researchers at Cornell University ran a study where they gave preschoolers carrots, and were blown away when the kids ate twice as many carrots when they were called “X-ray vision carrots” as opposed to “carrots.” Use your imagination and get creative!

6. Keep Fruits and Veggies in Sight
This is a similar tactic that nutritionists suggest for adults who are looking to eat healthier – simply keep fruits and vegetables in a bowl where they are easily seen. If they are stored out in the open your child may be more likely to choose a fruit or veggie for a snack instead of the box of oreos which are hidden away in the pantry. Remember – out of sight, out of mind.

7. Get Them Involved
Showing your little ones what goes into the meal can get them excited and actually make them want to try it! You can teach them about the food and let them try parts of it along the way so they are more comfortable trying the entire meal later. Talk about the color, shape, aroma, and texture with them, but don’t discuss weather it tastes good or not.

8. Change Up How It’s Cooked/Prepared
You can try to keep introducing food to your children by changing the way the food is prepared. For example, try roasting, sauteing, and steaming broccoli if your child doesn’t like it raw. You can also try baking blueberries and other fruit into muffins which can help to bring out their sweet flavors and may open their minds up to eating them raw, later. Or, try adding different flavors to meat or veggies that you know they already like (teriyaki sauce, garlic, lemon, etc) so that the aroma will intrigue them to try it. Keep trying to serve your child these healthy choices until they become familiar and preferred.
What have you tried to get your picky eater to eat? Did it work? Let us know below in the comments!
Sources:

• The Mayo Clinic
• Cafe Mom
• Mom to Mom Nutrition
• Parenting