It’s pumpkin-spice everything time, but you don’t have to go for a donut or latte to enjoy this seasonal favorite. You can find these 16 healthy treats at your local grocery store.
16 Seasonal Supermarket Treats Worth Trying
Which flavors come to mind when you think about fall? Apple, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger? Probably no flavor is more closely associated with fall than pumpkin. It seems as though every food company and restaurant under the sun is offering limited edition pumpkin delights these days—you can find the flavor in just about everything from yogurt to granola bars to tea.
But just like a lot of the foods found year-round that may sound healthy, many pumpkin-flavored treats are high in calories, fat and sugar (or all three). (Check out our list of fall’s most fattening foods here.) In many cases, you’d be better off having a slice of pumpkin pie, than that “innocent” impulse item tempting you from the checkout line!
So which pumpkin treats are worth trying this fall? We scoured supermarket shelves to discover seasonal offerings that will let you indulge—without breaking the calorie bank.
There are actually more supermarket options than you might think, some of which even contain real pumpkin (instead of artificial pumpkin flavor). Pumpkin, along with the rest of the winter squash family, is packed with beta carotene, vitamin C, niacin, phosphorus, potassium and fiber.
The top supermarket pumpkin treats worth trying fall into three categories:
Pumpkin-Flavored Drinks
While you won’t find any actual pumpkin in most pumpkin-flavored drinks, they can still offer a low-calorie way to enjoy fall’s most popular flavor.
Pumpkin-Flavored Bars
You always have to be careful in this aisle, as snack and energy bars are often just candy bars wearing a “healthy” halo. But the right bars can be a convenient, on-the-go choice when you’re busy.
Pumpkin-Flavored Breakfast Foods and Snacks
Pumpkin makes a great complement to many breakfast foods. It’s easy to find pumpkin donuts and pastries at the grocery store, but there are low-calorie, high-flavor options, too.
A Dozen Quick Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken
A store-bought roast chicken can easily feed a family of four–and you can do more with it than simply slicing and serving. Roast chicken can star in all kinds of simple meals!
A Dozen Quick Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken
That lovely, roasty aroma hits you when you walk into the grocery on your way home from work and you spy a display case of rotisserie chickens near the checkout aisle. Of all the convenience foods on the store shelves, this one’s a good choice—a simple roast chicken, a good tossed salad and a loaf of whole-grain bread can make a satisfying, healthful and easy dinner.
A store-bought roast chicken can easily feed a family of four—and there’s more you can do with it than simply slicing and serving. Shredded or diced roast chicken can star in all kinds of easy meals.
For these meal ideas, start with a store-bought chicken, or try this slow cooker version.
Peanut Noodles With Shredded Chicken And Vegetables
At just 226 calories per serving, this Asian-inspired dish stars shredded chicken, a peanutty-gingery sauce and whole-wheat spaghetti. Use shredded rotisserie chicken to make things even easier.
Healthy Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
Chef Meg’s inexpensive and good-for-you casserole calls for cooked chicken; store-bought rotisserie chicken would add a great roasted flavor. Prep the vegetables ahead of time to make quick work of this easy meal.
Mexican Chilaquiles
This south-of-the-border comfort food couldn’t be easier: A can of diced tomatoes, some spices and shredded chicken come together quickly in a pan. Served over a sensible portion of crushed tortilla chips or brown rice and topped with non-fat Greek yogurt, it’s a delicious and healthful.
Classic Chicken-Noodle Soup
Ahhh, doesn’t this make you happy? Chef Meg’s recipe for a heart- and belly-warming chicken soup starts with homemade stock, but you could save time by swapping low-sodium organic chicken broth (Swanson’s is recommended) and diced rotisserie chicken.
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
This better-for-you version of the Asian restaurant favorite is sweet, spicy and warming. Chef Meg’s recipe is less expensive and lower in sodium, too! Skip the step of poaching the chicken and use shredded roast chicken instead.
White Chicken Chili
Instead of cooking boneless chicken breast at the beginning of Chef Meg’s recipe, use diced rotisserie chicken.
Brown Rice Salad with Shredded Chicken
Packed with veggies and brightened up with a zing of lime juice, this hearty salad makes a great evening meal, and leftovers can be easily packed up for lunch the next day.
Roast your own chicken.
Love the store-bought rotisserie chicken? Roasting a chicken at home is almost as easy as picking up a prepared one. (Almost.) Here’s a great recipe to try.
Freeze the leftovers.
Once you realize how versatile roast chicken is, you’ll want to have it on hand all the time. Separate any leftover meat from the chicken, dice or shred it, and transfer 1-cup portions to small zip-top plastic bags. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Make chicken stock.
Stop! Don’t throw away the bones and skin. Set them aside in a plastic bag until you have an hour or two to make homemade stock. Simply toss the bones into a big pot, add a few vegetables, cover with water and simmer. Here’s an easy recipe for homemade chicken stock.
Quick Chicken Curry
Indian food fans, don’t miss this recipe! Four ingredients, 10 minutes. Dinner is ready!
Quick Chicken Paprika
An old family favorite ready in half the time, with all the creaminess you crave.
What is your favorite use for roast chicken? Do you prefer to cook it yourself or buy it?
What a Serving Size Really Looks Like
Ever gulp down a container of juice, only to find out there were actually 2 1/2 servings in that 20-ounce bottle? Gobbled up a “personal” size bag of chips? What about that pint of ice cream in the freezer? That surely is one serving. Right?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re not alone. Food companies and restaurants often try to trick us by making it really difficult to determine how many portions are in a package.
Most of us have experienced portion distortion, especially as we start our healthy living journey. Portion distortion is widespread, but thankfully it’s something that’s easy to overcome!
Today we’re sharing an eye-opening graphic that will show you how much many of us are really eating–and how much we should be eating! We put our marketing intern, Betsy Emmert, on the case!
Which of the serving sizes above was the most surprising to you? What food is hardest for you to properly portion?
Be sure to spread the word about portion distortion! Click the photo above to download and print it–and if you’re on Pinterest, this is a must-pin!
Study: Adding Fiber Can Be a Pain the Gut
I’m a fan of fiber. In addition to keeping your GI system happy and healthy, fiber helps fill you up and ward off hunger–if Mother Nature put it in your food, that is. When fiber is added to processed foods by manufacturers, a new short-term study found that this functional fiber lacks the same hunger-busting benefits–and might even cause discomfort.
This “stealth” fiber is added to foods like granola and snack bars, breads, crackers, cereals, and even yogurt in the past few years. Inulin, polydextrose and maltodextrin are among the added fibers used by food manufacturers to add health benefits to foods.
Back in 2010 I wrote about the adverse reactions I have with inulin, so I avoid it and other forms of functional fiber to prevent bellyaches and bloating. The women in the study, who were given four snack bars with no added fiber and one with extra fiber, had the same reactions. When they consumed a high-fiber bar, they felt no difference in hunger levels versus when they ate the low-fiber bar, but they did report more gas and bloating.
I understand the appeal of added fiber foods. But if you’re eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, consuming the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber daily is within reach.
Let’s look at a sample meal plan to see how fiber adds up:
Looking for ways to naturally increase fiber intake?
Reference Guide for Fiber
Delicious Ways to Boost Fiber Intake
10 Recipes for Avocado Lovers Slideshow
Baffled by Bread? How to Choose the Best Loaf
IBS Diet
7 High-Fiber Cereals that Actually Taste Good
Do you consume functional fiber, or do you prefer it to occur naturally in your food?
*Walnuts do contain fiber, as a reader noticed, but in one tablespoon there is only a scant amount.
A Dietitian’s Take on 5-Hour Energy Drinks
(Photo credit: Flickr)
The break room was set up with my presentation displayed on the large white wall, handouts neatly stacked on a corner table. The alarm sounded and 100 assembly line workers hustled into the room. They each grabbed a packed lunch, found a seat, and prepared to devour their meal along with the ”lunch and learn” topic of the day. Exactly 22 minutes later, they were all out the door and back to work. This scenario took place five times throughout the day to assure that all shifts received the same information.
These are not the folks who live a sedentary nine to five lifestyle, pushing pencils and attached to a computer screen. Rather, these folks are working very early mornings and graveyard shifts…lifting, toting, screwing, wiring, welding, and painting. This work forces the body to develop an unnatural alarm clock, accompanied by many missed family functions and numerous stress-related health complications. These folks are trying to make ends meet, feed the family, and pray daily that their line doesn’t get moved out of the country.