Your Guide to Healthy Food Choices
Objectives for Today
 Define the concept of “nutrient rich” foods
 Name five food “aisles” that offer nutrient rich foods
 Identify four nutrient rich foods that are attractive to
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Young children
Adolescents
Families
YOU!!!!
 Identify two nutrient rich meals that can be purchased at
a fast-food restaurant
What is “Nutrient Rich”?
 A consumer friendly way to describe nutrient
dense foods such as
 Colorful fruits and vegetables,
 Whole, fortified, fiber rich grain foods,
 Fat-free and low fat dairy products
 Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, and
nuts
What are “Nutrient Dense”
Foods?
 Foods that provide the most vitamins, minerals,
protein, and other healthful nutrients for the lowest
“calorie cost”. Basically, “more bang for your buck”!
Low Nutrient Density
High Nutrient Density
Fried Chicken
Grilled Chicken
Broccoli in Cheese Sauce
Steamed Broccoli
Whole milk
Skim Milk
Refried Beans with Lard
Fat-free Refried Beans
Blueberry Muffin
9-Grain Bread
Flipping the Terminology
 LOW Nutrient Density = Nutrient Poor
 HIGH Nutrient Density = Nutrient Rich
Where Do You Find Nutrient Rich
Foods?
 EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK!!!!!
 Traditional Grocery Stores
 Warehouse Stores
 Mini-markets
 Farmer’s Markets
 Any type of restaurant
 Vending machines
Searching the Grocery Store:
Milk/Dairy Aisle
Nutrient Poor Choices
Nutrient Rich Choices
Full fat cheeses
Low fat cheeses
Whole milk
1% or nonfat milk
Full fat yogurt
Low/nonfat yogurt
Full fat cottage cheese
Low/nonfat cottage cheese
Full fat sour cream
Low/nonfat sour cream
What are the benefits?
 3 servings of Nutrient POOR dairy
 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup full fat yogurt, 1 oz cheddar cheese
 3 servings of nutrient RICH diary
 1 cup skim milk, 1 cup nonfat yogurt, 1 oz skim mozzarella
 Provides same nutrients
 800 mg Calcium, 23-25 g protein
 Saves 125-150 kcal for the day
 Potential for 16 pounds weight loss/y
Searching the Grocery Store:
Meat/Fish/Poultry Counter
Nutrient POOR Choices
Nutrient RICH Choices
Fried Chicken
Grilled Chicken
Spare Ribs
Loin of Pork
T-Bone Steak
Flank Steak
Battered Fried Shrimp
Grilled Shrimp
Bologna, salami, pastrami
Smoked turkey, lean ham
Pork sausage
Canadian bacon
What are the benefits?
 3 servings of nutrient POOR meat/fish/poultry
 3 sausage links, 3 oz bologna, 3 oz fried shrimp
 3 servings of nutrient RICH meat/fish/poultry
 3 oz Canadian bacon, 3 oz smoked turkey, 3 oz grilled
shrimp
 Nutrient Rich choices provide HIGHER levels of nutrients
 Nutrient rich: 6 mg iron, 6 mg zinc, 70 g protein
 Nutrient poor: 3.5 mg iron, 6 mg zinc, 56 g protein
 Saves 495 kcal for the day
 Potential for 52 pounds weight loss/y
Searching the Grocery Store:
Vegetable Aisle
Nutrient POOR Choices
Nutrient RICH Choices
Frozen Broccoli in Cheese Sauce
Fresh Broccoli, steamed
Frozen Breaded Eggplant
Grilled Eggplant
Fried Zucchini
Stir-fried Zucchini
Frozen Carrots in Butter Sauce
Raw Carrots
What are the benefits?
 Higher vitamin intakes with nutrient rich vegetables
 Save about 30 grams of fat with nutrient rich choices
 Save about 270 kcal per day with nutrient rich choices
 Potential for 28 pounds weight loss/y
Searching the Grocery Store:
Fruit Aisle
Nutrient POOR Choices
Nutrient RICH Choices
Yogurt Raisins
Raisins
Canned Peaches in Heavy Syrup
Fresh Peaches or Canned in Juice
Apple Slices with Caramel Dip
Raw Apple (Whole or Slices)
Apricot Fruit Leather
Fresh Apricots
Searching the Grocery Store:
The Bread/Grain/Cereal Aisles
Nutrient POOR Choices
Nutrient RICH Choices
Granola Cereal
Raisin Bran
Peaches and Cream Instant Oatmeal
Quick Cook Oatmeal
Croissant
9-Grain Bread
Pasta-Roni: Alfredo
Whole Grain Spaghetti
3-Cheese Rice Mix
Brown Rice
Searching Restaurants
 Plan ahead
 Scan the menu
 Scale back
 Celebrate!
Searching Restaurants: Plan
Ahead
 Know what’s on the menu
 Reward healthy options with your repeat business
 Anticipate the company you will enjoy as much as the
food and drink
 Devise a strategy
Searching Restaurants: Scan
the Menu
 Find the “cautious” words and phrases
 Find the “blue-ribbon” words and phrases
 Have the kids help!
Cautious Menu Descriptions
Fried, deep-fried
Saucy, cheesy, creamy, buttery, Alfredo
Rich, gooey
Man-sized, enough for 2 (or 4!)
Blue-Ribbon Menu
Descriptions
 Fresh, baked, grilled, broiled, roasted, steamed, raw
 Marinara sauce
 “Lightly” anything!
 “On the side” available
 Substitutions allowed
Today’s Table Activity
 Review the menus provided at your table and make your
own list of CAUTIOUS and BLUE RIBBON terms. Be
prepared to share with the group!
 Develop one nutrient rich meal from the menu you have
reviewed
Searching Restaurants: How to
Scale Back
 Order appetizer or “sides” instead of a full entrée
 Ask to split a full order – may need to pay a “plate
charge” at high end restaurants
 Order what you want but bring half home
 Order desert samplers and share with others
Searching Restaurants:
Celebrate Your Choices!
Searching your Desk
 Anticipate hunger – it will always show up!
 Stock up with nutrient rich foods
 Peanut butter, foil pack tuna, dried fruit, nuts, whole grain
crackers or cold cereal, high fiber/low sugar hot cereals,
tetra-pak skim milk; canned/tetra-pak low sodium soups
 Fresh fruits and vegetables, low/no fat
cheeses/yogurt/milk, hard boiled eggs
 Get your coworkers to join the Nutrient Rich Campaign
 Redefine “office party”; encourage nutrient rich goodies
from home; encourage sharing of home grown produce
 Negotiate for success
 Convenient access to refrigerator, microwave, etc
 Healthier profile of vending machine foods
Desk/Office Inventory
 Take a few minutes to mentally inventory your own
desk, office, workspace environment.
 List the NUTRIENT RICH foods you currently have
available
 List the NUTRIENT RICH foods you can add
 List the NUTRIENT POOR foods you should toss or
donate
 List one action you can take to improve the overall
nutrient “environment” of your worksite
How to Share the NutrientRich Message with Clients
 The Nutrient Rich Coalition
 Nutrient Rich Shopping List

Navigating the Grocery Store – “Shop the Perimeter”
 Nutrient Rich ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner

Nutrient rich meal ideas and recipes
 Eating Out suggestions

Restaurants, fast-food places, cafeterias, convenience stores,
vending machines
 www.nutrientrichfood.org
 MyPyramid, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
What is the Nutrient Rich Coalition?
 A coalition of 15 agricultural commodity/food organizations including
 National Dairy Council
 Egg Nutrition Center
 “The Other White Meat”
 National Cattleman’s Beef Association
 National Turkey Federation
 California Kiwifruit
 California Strawberry Commission
 Wild Blueberries
 U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
 100% Pure Florida
 California Avocado Commission
 Potatoes: Goodness Unearthed
 Wheat Foods Council
How to Use the Nutrient-Rich Plan
 Consider your target audience:
 Families
 Young children
 Adolescents
 Older adults
 Yourself!!
 USDA – No
disparaging
messages
Tailor your Advice
 Identify one nutrient rich food that would be
particularly appealing to:
 Young children
 Teenagers
 New parents
 Older adults
Consider Your Words
 Positive Images
 Naturally nutrient rich; Nutrient rich
 “Back to Basics” foods
 Making Calories Count
 Small steps
 Live Well, Eat for Health
 “Eat”, “Include”, “Enjoy”, “Add more”
 Negative Images
 Nutrient Dense
 “Don’t”, “Avoid”, “Limit”
Go By the Numbers
 Nutrient Density Index (NDI): Ratio of the % DV of 14
key nutrients relative to total calories – now terms
“Naturally Nutrient Rich” score
 Calories for Nutrient Value (CFN): The “calorie cost” of
getting 1% of the DV of 13 key nutrients – the LOWER
the CFN value, the better (“cheaper calorie cost”)
 Nutrient-to-Nutrient Approach: Compares the ratio of
recommended nutrients to restricted nutrients (RRR)
within a given food. The higher the ratio, the more
nutritious the food
Make it Memorable
 Make half your grains
 Go lean with protein
whole
 Vary your veggies
 Take veggie short cuts
 Focus on fruits
 Get your fruits fast
 Choose calcium rich
 Dash out with your dairy
 Time-trimming protein
tips
 Eye-opening meals for
your mornings
 Soup/salad/sandwich
suggestions
 Healthy helpings on the
home-front
Make it Specific: Your turn!!!!!
 Make half your grains
 Go lean with protein
whole
 Vary your veggies
 Take veggie short cuts
 Focus on fruits
 Get your fruits fast
 Choose calcium rich
 Dash out with your dairy
 Time-trimming protein
tips
 Eye-opening meals for
your mornings
 Soup/salad/sandwich
suggestions
 Healthy helpings on the
home-front
Other Tongue Twisters
 Be wise about portion size
 Simple swaps to stay ahead
 Feasting for health with fast foods
 Value from Vending Machines
 Designing a Desk Drawer Stash
Make the Commitment!
 Commit to the concept
 Commit to the message
 Commit to your audiences
 Commit to yourself