Blog

Dietitian’s Barbecue Survival Tips

May 21, 2019 by Linzy Ziegelbaum Leave a Comment

With Memorial Day this weekend I know I have barbecues on my mind. Barbecues can cater to many different tastes, and are a great opportunity for family meals!

People often get nervous before barbecues because they fear that they will over indulge. As my clients know, I do not practice or promote deprivation and I teach my clients how to fit their favorite foods into their daily diet. This means that it is possible to enjoy your favorite foods with out over indulging. With a few simple tips, your whole family can survive summer BBQ’s without feeling guilty afterwards.

Tips for a nutritious and delicious BBQ

Be a good role model. Eat the way you want the rest of your family to be eating.
Take a small plate for appetizers. If chips are your thing, instead of mindlessly eating out of the chip bowl, put a combination of chips and vegetables on your plate with either hummus or guacamole. Pairing the chips with vegetables and hummus or guacamole will help fill you vs mindlessly just eating chips from the bowl. Placing things on a small appetizer plate allows you to sample without filling up before the main meal.
With summer comes a lot of fresh produce! Grilled pineapple and peaches taste great on their own, on top of chicken or fish, or paired with greek yogurt for a refreshing and healthy treat.
Don’t show up hungry! A common misconception is that skipping meals will let you eat more later on. If you skip meals before a BBQ, you are likely to overeat and overdrink since the alcohol will affect your empty stomach quicker.
People sometimes forget that food isn’t the only thing that contributes calories, and that alcohol counts too. I am not saying not to drink, but be mindful of how much alcohol you consume.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated! If you are drinking alcohol, don’t forget to have water too. Do your best to have a glass of water for each alcoholic drink. Stay away from the empty calories in soda and juices, and opt for water and unsweetened iced teas instead.

I want to share some of my favorite items to serve at a BBQ with you

Appetizers:

Caprese skewers (tomato and mozzarella)

Whole grain crostinis topped with hummus and cucumbers (keep some cut up cucumbers with hummus on the side for younger eaters)

Raw vegetables (have cooked vegetables available too for younger eaters)

Whole grain crackers

Hummus

Guacamole

On the grill

Chicken burgers

Salmon burgers

Vegetable burgers

Grilled vegetables

Grilled peaches and pineapples

Sides

Cheese tortellini in pesto sauce

Zucchini noodles

Sweet potatoes

Salads containing in season fruit

Drinks

Rose

Beer

Water

Sparking water

Dessert

Fruit salad

Icecream cake

(everything in moderation!)

Tip: Leftovers make great lunches!

What is your favorite thing to eat at BBQ’s?

Food allergies and important nutrients you could be missing out on

May 13, 2019 by Linzy Ziegelbaum Leave a Comment

Food allergies are scary and they are dangerous. When someone is diagnosed with food allergies, there are many challenges faced. Some of these challenges include:

learning how to avoid the allergen
learning what to look for on the nutrition facts labels
learning how to avoid cross contamination
educating others around them about their allergies
making sure they are meeting their nutrition needs

While it is extremely important to focus on what foods need to be avoided, it is also important for parents of children with food allergies to help their children find replacement foods. When foods are taken out of the diet, nutrients are taken out too. It is necessary to find replacement foods and products to fill these nutrient gaps. The more food allergies someone has, the harder it can be to meet nutrition needs. While this can be hard, it is not impossible! With meal planning and guidance, those on restrictive diets can still eat an enjoyable balanced diet and meet their nutrition needs!

This post will focus on nutrients to focus on when removing one or more of the top 8 allergens from your diet. The top 8 allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, milk, and eggs.

Keep in mind that the foods recommended below to include in your diet will not be a good choice for everyone because some people have multiple food allergies. If you or your child has food allergies read the nutrition facts label every time you purchase a product because nutrition facts labels can change.

Allergen: Milk

Nutrients of concern: Calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A

Some foods to Include in your diet: Non dairy milks fortified with calcium and vitamin D; Non dairy yogurts fortified with calcium and vitamin D, fortified cereals, canned salmon with sardines and soft bones, tofu made with calcium sulfate, kale, bok choy, tahini, dried figs, eggs, soybeans

Allergen: Peanuts and tree nuts

Nutrients of concern: Protein, niacin, magnesium, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Manganese, pantothenic acid, chromium, folate, copper, biotin

Some foods to include in your diet: Chicken, fish, turkey, whole grains, beans, lentils, avocado, oils, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spinach

Allergen: Soy

Nutrients of concern: Protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, copper

Some foods to include in your diet: Eggs, beef, chicken, fish, lentils, beans (other than soybeans), milk, plain yogurt, nuts

Allergen: Eggs

Nutrients of concern: Protein, iron, biotin, folate, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B12, phosphorus,

Some foods to include in your diet: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, beans, lentils, milk, soy, nuts, sunflower seeds

Allergen: Wheat

Nutrients of concern: Manganese, fiber, copper, magnesium, niacin, vitamin B6, thiamine, selenium, phosphorus

Some foods to include in your diet: quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, almond meal, barley, chickpea flour, flaxseed meal, oats, millet, sweet potatoes, brown rice

Allergen: Fish and shellfish

Nutrients of concern: Protein, omega 3s, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, zinc, phosphorus, selenium

Some foods to include in your diet: Ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts, soy milks and dairy milks fortified with omega 3’s, chicken, beef, turkey, eggs, beans, lentils

When faced with diet restrictions it is important to look at macronutrients in addition to micronutrients. What this means is that it is not only important to get adequate vitamins and minerals in your diet, but adequate calories, carbohydrates, protein and fats too! A registered dietitian can help you plan an adequate diet and also recommend dietary supplements when necessary.

How a Registered Dietitian Can Help with Food Allergies

May 6, 2019 by Linzy Ziegelbaum Leave a Comment

Food allergies and food intolerances are not the same thing. Food allergies are an abnormal immune response to the protein in certain foods and food intolerances (other than celiac disease) do not involve the immune system. While food intolerances can make you feel horrible, food allergies can cause serious reactions and can be life threatening. Registered dietitians can help patients with both food allergies and food intolerances, but this post will focus on how they can help those with allergies.

The top eight food allergens

While it is possible to be allergic to any food, the most common allergens (known as the top eight) are peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat and soy. For those with food allergies, the only way to avoid adverse reactions is complete avoidance of the allergen.

How dietitians can help after an allergy diagnosis

After a new food allergy diagnosis, patients often feel lost. They may not know which foods are safe to eat, or how to read the nutrition facts label. Dietitian’s can teach patients and their families which foods are safe to eat, hidden sources of allergens, and how to identify and avoid unsafe foods. They can also provide tips to patients and their families to help them feel safe when dining out.

Those who know and understand which foods to avoid and how to identify unsafe foods will still benefit from seeing a Registered Dietitian. The focus with allergies is often on eliminating foods from the diet. However, when foods are eliminated from the diet, nutrients are removed too. It is important to replace eliminated foods with safe alternatives to prevent nutrient deficiencies. For example, if dairy products are removed from the diet due to a milk allergy, the milk allergic individual should include alternatives to make sure they get adequate calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, riboflavin and vitamin B12. Registered Dietitians that specialize in food allergies are able to evaluate someone’s diet to see if they are missing nutrients. They are then able to provide meal and snack suggestions to fill in any nutrient gaps. By helping patients find alternatives to their favorite products, dietitians can make eating with food allergies easier.

Chicken Meatball Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Boats

April 28, 2019 by Linzy Ziegelbaum Leave a Comment

I recently ate two spaghetti squash dishes that I loved and wanted to find a way to combine and recreate them. One was chicken meatball parmesan with spaghetti squash in a skillet, and the other was grilled shrimp with mixed vegetables with spaghetti squash served in half of a spaghetti squash. The result of my wish is my chicken meatball parmesan spaghetti squash boats! These are so easy to make, I can barely call it a recipe! Other than making the chicken meatballs, I did not even use measurements!

What you will need

Chicken meatballs (see below for recipe instructions and link)*
24 ounces of tomato sauce (I like Rao’s sensitive sauce)
1 Spaghetti Squash
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Spinach (I use frozen)

*I often use a crockpot or instant pot to make my chicken meatballs. This blog specifically explains how to make these using the crockpot. However, I have also made them without the crockpot by baking them at 350°F for 20-25 minutes

Lets start with chicken meatballs

Chicken meatballs are one of my favorite things to make since they are so simple, and can be enjoyed by the whole family. To make chicken meatballs I use the same ingredients as in my turkey burger recipe. I substitute 1 pound of ground chicken instead of using ground turkey and form about 15-20 balls instead of burgers. Before my son was born I used to use lean ground turkey and chicken. However, now when I am cooking for my family I usually use regular ground chicken or turkey because of the higher iron content from the dark meat and because its softer for him which he prefers. Once the balls are formed, line the crockpot with tomato sauce, and then place the balls in the crockpot. It is ok if they overlap. Cover the meatballs with the rest of the sauce in the jar. Set crockpot on low for 3.5 hours.

While the balls are cooking

I recommend starting to prepare the spaghetti squash when there is about an hour and a half left on the crockpot. Pre heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the spaghetti squash in half. This is by far the hardest part of the recipe, and if I am being honest my husband did this part for me. Once sliced in half remove the seeds and stringy orange flesh pieces. Coat with olive oil (I use spray olive oil with olive oil being the only ingredient). Place the spaghetti squash faced down on a baking sheet in the oven for about 35-45 minutes. While the squash is in the oven and the chicken meatballs are in the crockpot sauté spinach stove top in a small amount of olive oil. Once cooked, place spinach to the side. I used frozen spinach, but fresh will work well too! You will know the spaghetti squash is ready when you are able to fork out strands easily. Once removed from the oven fork out the strands and keep them in the spaghetti squash half. Add ~ 3-4 chicken meatballs and some spinach to each squash half (amount of meatballs added will vary pending the size of them). Top the boats with shredded mozarella cheese and place back in the oven for 3-5 minutes (just enough time for the cheese to melt). You will know it is ready when the cheese has melted!

Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Making them toddler friendly

If you have a younger toddler or a toddler that simply does not like their foods touching, put some spaghetti squash to the side to serve a long with their meatballs. You can then melt some cheese directly onto their meatballs or squash too.

Now lets talk about how great the nutrition benefits of this recipe are

Spaghetti squash is a great vehicle (boat) for your protein and veggies. Did you know that in 1 cup of spaghetti squash there are only 42 calories? For this same 1 cup you also get 2 grams of fiber!

I try to hit as many food groups as I can at each meal and recommend that you do too! There are 4/5 food groups covered here in this simple dish! Adding spinach is an easy way to add extra vegetables into this already vegetable heavy dish! Frozen spinach is a staple in my house, and I sneak it into as many dishes as I can. Using oats instead of breadcrumbs is a great way to get whole grains in, and it will increase the fiber content of the chicken meatballs. The chicken meatballs are a great source of protein. Adding shredded mozzarella gives you your dairy fix! I know I said it hits 4/5 food groups, but have some berries after dinner and all food groups will be covered!

Try this simple #recipe for #chickenparmesan #spaghettisquashboats tonight! Click To Tweet

nutrition for pregnancy

April 16, 2019 by Linzy Ziegelbaum Leave a Comment

Pregnancy is an exciting time for parents to be. However, between nausea, heartburn and food restrictions, feeling like your best self can be a challenge. Nutrition plays an important role throughout all three trimesters, and eating well can help give you the energy you need, and keep you and your baby healthy. While it is a myth that you have to eat enough for two, it is important that you meet your calorie needs.

Calorie needs

During the first trimester your calorie needs will be the same as they were pre pregnancy. During the second trimester you will need about 300-350 additional calories per day and during the third trimester an additional 400-450 calories per day. Adding nutritious snacks to your day is an easy way to meet these additional calories. Eating small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day instead of three larger meals not only will help you reach your calorie needs, but can also help with nausea, and heartburn.

Snacks

Snack sizes will vary depending on your hunger, and on your diet throughout the rest of the day. When planning snacks I recommend trying to incorporate multiple food groups. For example, some snack ideas to try include plain greek yogurt with berries, trail mix, string cheese with fruit and/or whole grain crackers, hummus with vegetables and/or whole grain crackers, hard boiled eggs with vegetables, whole grain crackers with a mashed avocado, and whole wheat bread with nut butter and fruit.

Nutrients to focus on

Varying your diet, and including multiple food groups at both meals and snacks will help you reap the nutritional benefits of many vitamins and minerals. While many different vitamins and minerals are important to focus on during pregnancy, some important ones to pay attention to include calcium, folate, iron and choline.

Iron

Iron is important because it is a component of hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all of your tissues. During pregnancy a women’s blood volume increases which is why it is important to consume enough iron in your diet. Including meats, fish, poultry, beans, lentils and iron fortified breads in the diet will contribute to a pregnant women’s iron needs. Pairing iron sources with sources of vitamin C such as tomatoes, potatoes and citrus fruits will aid in iron absorption, so I recommend including sources of vitamin C with meals.

Calcium

Calcium is important during pregnancy because of the growing skeleton of the fetus. Some ways to include calcium in your diet include drinking milk or milk alternatives, eating yogurt or yogurt alternatives, and cheeses. Using milk or milk alternatives in recipes such as scrambled eggs, oatmeal, pancakes and smoothies will also help you meet your calcium needs.

Folate

Adequate folate is needed to prevent neural tube defects. Green leafy vegetables and legumes are sources of natural folate and many breads and cereals are fortified with the synthetic form of it.

Choline

Choline is important during pregnancy for both brain development and spinal cord formation. Some sources of choline include eggs, fish, beef, chicken, milk and wheat germ.

Hydration

Don’t forget to hydrate too as adequate hydration is important for pregnancy. Adequate fluids can also help constipation and to prevent nausea since dehydration can make nausea worse. Try adding fruit to your water for flavor if you have trouble drinking water on its own during pregnancy.

Prenatal Vitamins

While a healthy diet is important for pregnant women, I also recommend that most pregnant women take a prenatal multivitamin and a DHA supplement since even a healthy diet might miss some essential nutrients.

A registered dietitian can help

Eating well during pregnancy can be confusing. If you are wondering if you are eating the best diet for your pregnancy a dietitian can help! A dietitian can help you understand what you can and cannot eat, help you plan a diet around nausea, constipation and indigestion and make sure you are meeting your nutrition needs.

Family meals and their benefits!

April 9, 2019 by Linzy Ziegelbaum Leave a Comment

Welcome!

I want to talk to you about family meals, but first, I wanted to just say welcome to my new blog! I am so excited to share my love of nutrition with you. I’m Linzy-I am a family dietitian, owner of the private practice LNZ Nutrition, a mom and a wife. In my private practice, I counsel all ages from infants through adults. On this blog I will be writing about everything pertaining to family nutrition including but not limited to recipes, introducing solids, picky eating, weight management, food allergies, sports nutrition, pre natal nutrition and post natal nutrition. If there is something you are interested in learning about from me, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Follow me at LNZnutrition on instagram and facebook too for more nutrition tips and easy recipes that the whole family can enjoy!

Now lets talk about family meals!

Family meals are important for every stage of life. Babies want to be just like their parents and older siblings, and they learn from what we do. For infants just starting solids, family meals are important because they teach babies how to eat! Toddlers and school aged children also learn from watching their parents. Picky eaters will often try more foods when they eat with their family because they are motivated to try new things when they see their parents or siblings eating them. Eating together as a family is also a time for everyone to socialize. More time socializing leads to more opportunities for language development, a chance to learn table manners, and more time to spend together.

While family meals are an awesome way to enjoy each other’s company, they also provide an opportunity to cook together and get children of all ages involved in the kitchen. Cooking together helps children develop cooking skills and math skills, and also helps teach them about kitchen safety. Let children pick out recipes they want to try, shop for the ingredients together, and give children age appropriate cooking tasks.

As great as family meals are, eating every meal together as a family is impossible! Busy schedules get in the way and that is ok! Your family will benefit from eating together even if you only eat together when time allows for it. If that means breakfast together a few times/week and some meals and snacks together on the weekend, that is still great! Do what you can to add more family meals into your families schedule since all family members will benefit!

Skip links

Main navigation