Lifestyle Tips

How to Eat Healthy While in the Great Outdoors

Spending time in the great outdoors can do wonders for our health. From keeping our hearts in tip-top condition⁽¹⁾ to reducing stress⁽²⁾, research concludes being in nature is one of the best ways to (re)fuel our bodies and souls with energy.
But, sometimes, it can be hard to eat healthy while on the trail or campsite. That is why we put together our top tips for how to eat healthy while in the great outdoors and guess what? Homemade granola bars may or may not be on there.

Get Rid of the Junk

Meat sticks, sports drinks, and s'mores toasting over an open fire... There are many ways to satiate hunger when enjoying the great outdoors. But, the real question is: Are any of these treats worth the calories? The short answer is no.
Even though they taste great, most of these treats have zero nutritional value. Even worse, some of them contain all the wrong things: sodium, sugar, and preservatives. While these snacks seem innocent, all these “ingredients” fail to meet a hiker's or camper's energy needs – a setup for failure from the get-go.
In the case of refined sugar⁽³⁾, these treats sabotage progress by introducing energy crashes to the mix, because refined sugar increases glucose levels quickly. As the body reacts to this sudden increase, it produces too much insulin, which reduces the glucose levels rapidly. That's why we feel hungry soon after.
Action plan? Ditch all the processed stuff from the hiking/camping bag and go natural. Whether planning a week-long camping trip or a short trek to the nearest trail, natural foods will fuel us up on the spot. Since nothing beats no-freezer snacks while out in the woods (with no cooler around), freeze dried fruits are your best bet - and don't worry about the sugar.

Put Your Meal Prep Skills to Good Use

As soon as you start pitching the tent or walking up the hill, there's no going back; we’re stuck with everything we packed in our bag or cooler. To avoid munching sodium-rich pretzels three days in a row, plan meals ahead of time. Write out a menu for every meal from breakfast to dinner, including snack time.
Take into account the number of days in the great outdoors and personal preferences. Also, make sure to pack the right cooking tools. If camping in the woods and building a fire, a Swiss Army knife, a fire safe skillet, and a pair of tongs are important. Bonus tip: Always pack an extra day's worth of food just in case. Mother Earth Products freeze dried and dehydrated foods are the perfect long lasting & lightweight companion that make packing that extra food easier.

Make “Snack Smart” Your Mantra

Another thing to keep in mind is to make every bite count, especially when it comes to snacking. Snacks are the perfect way to load your body with nutrients, which is why it pays to be smart about choosing them. Don't know where to start? Dehydrated veggies and freeze dried fruits are life-savers in such situations. Almonds, hazelnuts, and cashews also do the trick. Also, try making hummus a staple.

Load Your Breakfast With Fiber

It's no secret that dietary fiber⁽⁴⁾ can provide your body with energy – which is why fiber is a must for campers and hikers alike, especially for breakfast. With that in mind, always make sure to pack fiber-rich foods to start the day on the right foot. One of the tastiest and easiest options out there is to prepare a baggie full of rolled oats, almonds and freeze dried strawberries. You can always sweeten the mix to taste with a little bit of honey. Fiber keeps you fuller longer, curbing your sudden hunger while on the trail. It's a win-win situation.

Think Smorgasbord for Lunch

If we had to describe an explorer's lunch using just one word - convenient. Be sure to bring foods that don't require cooking and can be assembled on the spot. Dehydrated and freeze dried veggies - carrots and corn - can be of great addition since they don’t need to be refrigerated and taste great as is. Just add water for about 15 minutes. To make things a more interesting, pack nut butter and pita bread or wraps for an easy and nutritious meal for lunch.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated should be the #1 priority for everyone spending time out in the sun, but many campers and hikers often neglect to check that part off their to-do list. Unfortunately, they deprive their bodies of much-needed hydration.
Check water sources in advance and ensure the water available can be treated⁽⁵⁾. The easiest way to do that is to boil the water until it's free from bacteria and harmful substances. If that's not possible, pack resources. A good rule of thumb is to pack a minimum of two 32-ounce water bottles per person and sip on them regularly throughout the day.
Which are your top tips for eating healthy in the great outdoors? Let us know in the comments below!

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How to Combine Weekend Family Activities with Healthy Snacking

Raising a family in this era is challenging. As a parent, you have a busy schedule, and so do your children, making it difficult to sit down regularly for a family meal. Eating out and to-go food is now more convenient than ever, but it may have adverse health effects, since you cannot control the ingredients used. It is important to teach children early enough about healthy eating; however, it is not just the meals that are the foundation for healthy eating, but also snacking. Sadly, snacking is often overlooked, and children tend to snack on unhealthy choices.²Here's how you can combine family activities with healthy snacking.

Why children need healthy snacks

Children require more calories than adults, so giving them only three meals a day may not enough. They are more physically active than adults since their bodies are constantly growing, but aside from that, they have smaller stomach capacities compared to adults; therefore, they may need to eat two or more snacks between meals so they can meet their nutritional requirements.¹
Junk foods have a high calorie value and a low nutritional value. Eating unhealthy snacks may cause children to be overweight and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases later on in life, like hypertension, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.¹ Also, unhealthy snacks could children an energy rush that can make them irritable and difficult to deal with (we all know the scenarios and consequences of a sugar rush); therefore, it is good to choose healthy snacks for your children that provides healthy calories.¹

Healthy snacking

Parents’ diet habits have an influence on their children; they learn how to cook and can imitate nutrition behavior.²Meal times have an impact on how children eat as they grow into adulthood and start to make their own food choices. Children whose parents eat fruits and vegetables with them tend to eat more of those foods than children who don’t eat with their parents.⁴ When children learn healthy habits, it influences their food choices as adults, ensuring they have a lifetime of good health and free of lifestyle diseases mentioned above.¹

Eat together

A strong family finds an opportunity to enjoy quality time together. The more time spent together, the better chance of bonding and sharing experiences. Doing chores or having meals together sends a strong message of love to your spouse and your children.²Family meals help improve achievements and self-esteem, and is a key to raising confident and healthy children. Eating together with your children is meaningful and makes their interest in nutrition soar; teenagers tend to eat fun foods with their friends and healthy meals with their families. Children who eat with their families tend to have a lower chance of being overweight.¹

Tips for Healthy Snacking

Eat a rainbow - give children snacks of natural foods like fruits and veggies with a variety of colors

Kids get a significant amount of calories from snacks, so they should be healthy. Try to choose snacks from fruits, vegetables, and grain products as the primary choices. Most snacks are highly processed and have added sugar, which have empty calories.²

Rule of 5-2-1-0

Follow the rule of 5-2-1-0. It states that you should give your children 5 or more fruits and veggies serving, 2 hours or less of TV time, 1 hour of physical activity, and 0 sugary drinks.³ Encourage them eat snacks on the table and not when they are watching TV, as they tend to eat much more when watching TV.³

Portion control

Portion control is important. Serve the right portion of snacks based on the age and activity level of your child. In case you buy snacks, check the labels for added sugar. Fill their plates with fruits and veggies when they crave sweet stuff, because these have plenty of natural sugars. You can make desserts with fruits (like sorbet) or make fruit smoothies.²

Make meal plans a priority.

During the weekend, make time to sit down for a meal and do fun activities. Some of the fun activities you can do with your children include visiting a fire station, the zoo, playgrounds, or go for picnics.¹ Use this time to talk with them, monitor their food, and reinforce good eating habits. Prepare healthy meals and explain the importance of healthy eating to them.

Get them involved in meal planning

Have fun grocery shopping with your children, as you teach them how to read labels and gather foods for making meals at home. You can also plant vegetables and herb garden with them. It can be a fulfilling and teachable moment for them to plant, maintain, and harvest the plants.⁴

Make snacking fun and creative

There are endless ideas for kid friendly snacks. You can use creativity to make children eat veggies by creating a scene made of veggies to make it appealing to them. Use broccoli for trees, yellow pumpkin for the sun, and you can let them to make apple slices into a car and use toothpicks on grapes as wheels. Be sure to check out Pinterest for ideas.

Snack ideas

Fruits - carry whole fruits when going for picnics. A bowl of apples and banana will come in handy. Our freeze dried bananas, pineapples, peaches, cherries, blueberries, mangoes and apples (and so many more!) will come in handy as they eat.
Smoothies - make smoothies using our freeze dried bananas, mangoes, papaya, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries. You can also add them yogurt or milk. Natural smoothies are healthy, since they don’t have added sugar.
Veggies - Hide veggies in other foods. Shred or grate veggies, such as carrots, and add them to stews or casserole. Freeze dried veggies are good since kids love to eat them from the pack. Be sure to try out our freeze dried broccoli, peas, corn, or even potatoes.
Use the chance when out for picnics to teach them healthy eating habits so they will use the skills throughout their lives. Avoid highly processed foods and pick whole grains and natural foods for meals, as well as snacks. Click here to purchase our healthy snacking packs.

References

5 Amazing Benefits of Fitting In Some Exercises During the Workweek

Fitting In Some Exercises Into the Workweek

Most people dedicate more time to their jobs in the quest of growing their career. We put in long hours during the day and take work home. Americans work at least 70 or more hours every week. It is no longer the 40 hour work week anymore.¹ We forget to factor in leisure, rest, and family activities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with building our career, but there needs to be time to take care of us. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 80% of American adults don’t get the recommended amount of exercise needed to have a fit and healthy lives.²

The health benefits of exercise are numerous.

Studies show that exercise helps to prevent diseases, like cancer, hypertension, and diabetes,² and having a regular workout regimen may mean fewer sick days. Exercise helps improve mood and can directly and positively improve performance at work. Exercising 5 to 10 minutes daily can have a positive impact on our well-being.²Exercise helps us to get a better night’s sleep, and to deal with stress effectively at work, with conflict, pressure, and deadlines.¹It helps to improve brain function, so it improves productivity.³
With all these amazing benefits that will directly boost our performance, how do we fit in exercise into your busy schedule? Here are simple ways to incorporate exercise into our daily routine.

Make time for exercise and schedule it in your calendar

Exercise is like an important meeting; we are the controller of the deadline. Set time and fix it on the calendar, so there is no excuse not to do it. Consider it valuable. Don’t let anything come up and cancel this important meeting. Never expect to find extra time, we have to create it. We tend to make time for things that we find important – yes and even social media. Don’t deny the amazing benefits of exercise.

Have a goal, but start small

First, we need to set a goal to decide what we want to achieve and how we are going to do it. Setting a huge, unrealistic goal will make you frustrated, since it can be hard for you to achieve it in the time frame that you wish. For example: losing 40 pounds in a month may be unrealistic. Start jogging for 10 minutes, then 20 minutes, and soon we’ll be jogging for an hour. We can break the exercise into short 10 minutes of simple exercises, like squats or lunges, and do them in the morning, midday, and in the evening (if unable to find a huge block of one hour).

Do fun activities

Most times we procrastinate with working out because we view it as something tiresome and boring. Avoid seeing exercise as a chore or something that we are forced to do. Instead, think of it like a drug that the doctor has prescribed. If we knew that drug could give us longevity, energy, and good health, with no side effects, won’t we take it every day? For instance, if we like to dance, put on a favorite song and get up and dance in the morning as we prepare for work, or in the evening before taking a shower. Go swimming or ride a bike with our friends after work. Find something that is fun and do it.

Exercise in the morning or go directly to the gym after work

Waking up early is not everyone’s forte. But working out for 30 minutes in the morning will clear the mind, improve the metabolism, and keep us in a good mood the whole day. Try to wake up earlier and exercise. ⁴Alternatively, join the gym and go after work. Carry gym clothes to avoid the temptation of going back home.

Do fitness challenges at work

During the break or after work, challenge our colleagues into fitness training. We can also keep each other in check for diet and nutrition. We can walk together as on lunch. If we don’t have like minded colleagues, join a fitness group with an instructor to motivate and guide the workouts.

Measure and track your progress

Every time we exercise, we should make a note, even if it is 10 minutes. A little is better than nothing. By the end of the week or month, we will be surprised that the minutes do count. This will help us to stay on track and keep motivated, and to also be aware of when we didn’t exercise and correct to find better ways to curb the distractions.

Using our products for recovery

Recovery after exercising is just as important as the exercise itself. Muscle growth starts after we have left the gym. They get tears and get broken down during the lifting; therefore, repair is important. ⁵Feed the muscles so that they can heal and grow. Smoothies are a great way to do that. We need fast acting carbohydrates after the workout to replenish and restore energy and increase insulin levels, which helps to restore muscle proteins because it prevents protein breakdown and initiates protein synthesis.⁵
Use our freeze dried bananas, apples, or mangoes to make the healthy smoothies, and add some protein powder to get the protein boost. This combination will give our muscles the correct nutrients to heal and also get some energy for post-workout recovery.
We challenge you to get in the best shape of your life today by scheduling just 20 minutes of exercise daily. Don’t forget to use our products for post-workout recovery.

References

10 Must Try Tips to Throw an Epic Labor Day Picnic

We get it: Saying goodbye to summer is the last thing you want to do at the moment. Thankfully, Labor Day is right around the corner, giving us an excuse to squeeze in a little more alfresco fun before our days out in the sun come to an end. So, whether you head out to the nearest park, set up your gear by the river, or turn your backyard into a cozy outdoor haven, these genius tips and hacks will help you throw a killer Labor Day picnic for your friends and family to enjoy.

The Blanket

Even though park picnics come with a variety of conveniences, nothing beats the feeling of lying on top of a cozy, colorful blanket spread on the grass. So, to make sure your Labor Day picnic is a success, pick a “rug” that's big enough to accommodate all of your guests. If needed, take two blankets with you so that no one feels left out.

The Basket

Next to the blanket, the basket is one of those picnic accessories that can make or break the deal. Thanks to its big size, the handy carry-all can help you move around everything you may need during your alfresco outing, whether that's food, drinks, or plates. If you don't have a picnic basket around, you can always use a regular tote bag, or DIY your own “basket” by painting a medium-sized crate and coating the inside with cloth.

The Side Table

Even though you could go without it, a small, foldable table could make your Labor Day picnic all the more comfortable. The portable accessory could provide you with extra food/drink space which means there'll be more room for you and your friends on the blanket. Also, thanks to its sturdy nature, a side table could provide your drinks with a solid base, and, thus, keep them from spilling. That's especially helpful if you have kids around.

The Cutlery

While eating with your hands is totally acceptable when you're having a meal in the great outdoors, using forks, knives and spoons could make this year's Labor Day a tad more sophisticated. Of course, given the insane amounts of single-use plastic that are being thrown every day, it's best to opt for the silverware you use at home or -better yet!- invest in a set of bamboo flatware which will also add a touch of rustic flair to your picnic.

The Food

From sandwiches to pasta salads to Mason jar desserts, the sky's the limit when it comes to picnic fare. However, keeping those treats fresh can be a challenge, that's why we recommend you opt for dehydrated ingredients instead when possible. Plus, most dried fruits and veggies can be consumed as is, doubling as delicious on-the-spot bites.

The Condiments

If you are firing up the grill at your Labor Day picnic, having a variety of condiments to serve is always welcome. To avoid carrying all those space hogging bottles or -worse- providing your guests with just the basics, turn your muffin tin into a portable serving tray. To do that, add a couple of tablespoons (or more) of your go-to dressings into each case and let your guests decide how they are going to “dress” their food.

The Drinks

Labor Day may be the beginning of the end for summer, but that doesn't mean the temps will drop anytime soon. That said, make sure to keep your guests hydrated with your very own -but less bubbly- version of LaCroix. Just infuse water with your favorite summer fruits (think peaches, apricots or pineapple) and serve it in individual mason jars to avoid spills. And for those of you who will have your little ones around, this is your chance to feel like a kid again. Just whip up a pitcher of fruit slushie, and you are good to go.

The Cooler

Now that you know what you'll serve to your guests, it's time to think how you'll keep those drinks cold for hours and hours. One easy way to do that is to load a large tub with ice and place the Mason jars in there. If that's not an option, you could settle for a conventional cool bag or a picnic basket with an attached cooler.

The Games

Sooner or later, the food craze will wind down. To tackle the inevitable post-meal slump and avoid the awkward silence, engage your squad in a round of cornhole, lawn Twister, or ring toss. Not only these outdoor activities will keep your friends and family from getting bored, but they'll also make your Labor Day picnic stand out from the get-go.

The Music

While good food and cold drinks can go a long way when it comes to throwing an epic Labor Day picnic, a day out in the sun just begs for some good tunes. Since busting out your stereo is not an option, sneak an extra drinking glass into your basket, and put your phone in there. The concave shape of the cup will amplify the music, allowing you to jam to your favorite songs with minimum effort.
How are you going to celebrate Labor Day this year? Let us know in the comments down below!

5 Easy Ways to Stick To Your Diet When Eating Out With Your Friends.

Follow these tips to help you stick to your diet when eating out with friends

It’s tough to stick to your diet, especially when eating out. You have no control over the ingredients used or the portions, unlike when eating home-cooked meals.
Restaurants serve food that is appealing to their customers. Sadly, most of their foods tend to be unhealthy. They are often high in fat, salt, and sugar, thus making them addictive.
You probably eat out a lot due to your work schedule. Furthermore, eating out is a social occasion for friends and families, thus we cannot rule it out. You just have to control it.
Is it possible to maintain your health plan when you eat out a lot? Talk of having your cake and eating it, too! Here are five tricks to help stay on course.

Check the menu online

The sight and aroma of food may make it difficult for you to stick to your diet plan. Therefore, consider pre-selecting your options online so that you won’t need to make the decision at the table.
Avoid looking at the menu when you get there, lest you decide to change the order. Another trick is to make sure that you’re the first to order to prevent being influenced by what your peers order. You never know, your friends may decide to follow your choice.

Modify your meal

Don’t be afraid to ask for slight changes in your order since most restaurants can modify food if a customer requests. Their menus always have varieties of each of the food groups.
Don’t hesitate to order fried chicken and vegetables if you want to avoid the fries that are on the menu. Or a chicken burger without the bun, if you’re on a low carb diet. The customer is king, and for most restaurants, their goal is to make you happy.

Select the right restaurant

If you have the chance to choose the restaurant beforehand, do your research before settling on one. Check the menu online and familiarize yourself with it. Pick a restaurant that offers healthy meal plans and skip fast food joints.
In addition, ensure that the restaurant has enough food options to choose from. You can select restaurants that either serve steak, seafood, vegetables, or breakfast food to ensure healthy options are available.

Adjust your portions

Restaurants servings tend to be huge. Don’t be afraid to reduce your portions or ask for smaller portions. Plus, you don’t have to eat the whole portion. Well, since you’ve paid for it, consider requesting for half of the portion to be packed for you.
If it’s self-service, it is even better. Fill your plate with half vegetables, and the rest protein and starches. Select whole grain rice or pasta instead of white rice or pasta. For the starters, choose a vegetable option rather than the steak or potatoes.
Skip dessert, especially if you have already overindulged. It is okay to say no to dessert, because once it’s there you may feel guilty not eating it. You can satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

Play it cool

Be calm when your friends criticize your choices and compel you to do as they do. You can take a bite of what they are eating, if you’re sure taking a bite of cake won’t make you want a whole plate. If you can’t, decline politely.
Don’t criticize your friends for their choices, either. Instead, explain to them how healthy eating has improved the quality of your life if they express interest in your food choices.
Sometimes you will be strong and other times your willpower will fail you. Don’t be hard on yourself. Remember that you’re human. If you cheat today, tomorrow is still another opportunity to start again.
The truth is that you can go to eat out with your friends and maintain your diet without just eating salads. Try these tricks today and share your views in the comments section below.

References

5 Often-Neglected Cooking Methods to Keep Nutrients Intact

By now, we know that sauces and spices are not the only ways to make a dish taste phenomenal. How we cook our meals also matters, whether we choose to hit the grill or sizzle those veggies with heart-healthy olive oil. But, what we don't know (or often neglect) is that certain cooking methods tend to strip some of our favorite foods from their nutrients, negating the whole point of eating them.
Luckily, there are a lot of ways to get past this issue and still enjoy a delicious meal. From steaming to sautéing, these are five surefire cooking methods to keep nutrients intact and get the most out of your meals, not just on a nutritional level but also taste-wise.

1. Steaming

It's true; steamed foods don't always taste that good. However, research⁽¹⁾ suggests that this cooking method may be a solid way to keep nutrients intact. How come? By creating a water-dominant environment, steaming "traps" the food's moisture, forcing it to cook in its own juices. As a result, nutrients have no way but to remain inside the food throughout the process – most of them, at least. It's as simple as that.
The only issue with steaming is that foods usually taste bland, urging us to instinctively reach for that butter or salt. However, if you want to avoid adding unnecessary calories to the mix, make sure you season the foods beforehand, whether that's a few drops of lemon juice or a pinch of salt.

2. Roasting

Oven-roasted meat is probably no news to you. However, your roasting potential doesn't end there. Veggies are now in on the action and have slowly become the latest obsession among health-conscious eaters. But, did you know that besides making vegetables taste that much better, this cooking method is also a great way to retain most of your meals' nutrients?
Experts⁽²⁾ report that roasting helps retain up to 75% of B vitamins in root and leafy green vegetables. So, next time you are thinking of scalding your beets or yams, cut them up and toss them in the oven. It's totally worth it!
PS: Some nutritionists claim that roasted foods inevitably increase the production of oxidative AGEs⁽³⁾ (Advanced Glycation End-products) throughout your body. Note, though, that the human body produces more AGEs on its own than it could ever receive through foods. So, at the end of the day, you have nothing to worry about.

3. Sautéing (with Olive Oil)

Touché: Sautéing doesn't sound like the healthiest way to cook food. But, it turns out that this method is not as "bad" as we thought. According to one recent study⁽⁴⁾, cooking foods (vegetables, in particular) in a little bit of olive oil increases their antioxidant capacity, turning them into nutritional mega-bombs.
Specifically, the study shows that the foods cooked in olive oil ended up containing more phenols than when they were raw. Of course, that doesn't mean that you should soak your veggies in olive oil every time you cook. In this case, a little goes a long way.

4. Boiling

For many, boiling is the go-to cooking method, especially when the time is scarce. But, as innocent as it seems, this approach usually breaks down a large number of nutrients, with vegetables being the most susceptible food group.
That occurs because high temperatures cause the nutrients to loosen their bonds, dissolve and become one with the surrounding environment, a.k.a. boiling water. So, when you are done cooking your food and get rid of the water, you basically dispose of a large percentage of those nutrients.
But, if that's the case, why is boiling one of the best ways to keep nutrients intact? Here's the deal. While this method is a big no-no for water-soluble vitamins and minerals, it increases the bioavailability of nutrients such as lycopene⁽⁵⁾ and beta-carotene. The bottom line? Your boiling streak should be limited to carrots⁽⁶⁾ and tomatoes.

5. Microwaving

That may come as a total surprise to you, but according to experts⁽⁷⁾, microwaving your food may be the easiest way to keep nutrients intact, especially when it comes to veggies. You see, water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C (present in broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, etc.) break down in no time when exposed to heat.
Unlike other cooking methods, microwaving is capable of prepping your food in a short amount of time and at low temps. That means that the nutrients don't have enough time to dissolve, so the majority of them remains intact.
On top of that, microwaving is by nature against the use of added liquids such as oils. So, you are kind of "forced" to consume fewer fats which takes you one step closer to your healthy eating goals. Despite all these, always remember to cook your foods in a microwave-safe container.

Also, Keep in Mind...

Chopping

The way you chop your food may also play a massive role in nutrient retention. In fact, foods that are cut into large pieces tend to lose a smaller percentage of their nutrients as they have fewer surfaces exposed while cooking.

Peeling

It's no secret that most of the vitamins and minerals in vegetables lurk in the skin or outer leaves. So, to avoid losing a substantial amount of them just by peeling the skins, try washing the outer surface with lots of water and gentle strokes with a soft brush. This way you'll remove all dirt but none of the nutrients.

The Takeaway

Between steaming, microwaving and roasting, it's obvious that there are a lot of ways to get the most out of your meals. But, never forget that a balanced diet is not a matter of how you cook your food, but rather how many vegetables you include in it on a day-to-day basis. The moral of the story? Keep these cooking methods close, but your veggies (and their nutrients) closer.

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