Special to IFN
“I don’t have time to cook.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“Healthy foods are expensive.”
Do you find yourself saying these phrases? If so, Iredell Health System Registered Dietitian Michele Privott has tips and tricks to help develop healthy-eating habits.
Privott’s interest in nutrition began in college. While at the University of Dayton, she was pursuing other avenues of healthcare until she took a cultural foods lab. The rest is history.
“The class wasn’t just about cooking but also taught the science behind cooking and baking. The professor who taught it was also the advisor for dietetics and I admired her. That’s how I chose to declare a major in food and nutrition.”
Privott provides dietetic services at both Cardiac Rehab and Radiation Therapy at Iredell Health System in Statesville. She equips patients with tools and knowledge to take charge of their health through nutritious eating.
The most common barrier for her patients? Time.
“What I hear most often is ‘I don’t have time to cook.’ My response is always ‘healthy eating is not quick and easy.’ It’s not going through a drive-thru, ordering your food, and eating it on the way home. I encourage my patients to find a day that they have a little more time to sit down and plan their menu for the week.”
Meal Prep
“It’s simple to find recipes tailored to your diet and taste preferences online. From Mediterranean, high- protein, kid-friendly, low-sodium, to heart-healthy — there’s a recipe for it. Make your grocery list from those recipes and head to the grocery store. Only buy what’s on your list. When you get home, it’s time to prepare. This could be washing, dicing, peeling, slicing, cubing, you name it. It will help to streamline your week.”
Prepping all at once saves time throughout the week.
“Let’s say you grilled chicken breast during prep. Now, you can recreate it into a chicken quesadilla on Tuesday, top a salad on Wednesday, and make chicken soup on Thursday. You can also do batch cooking with recipes like casseroles and soups and freeze portions for later.”
Privott also stresses the importance of having the right tools in your kitchen.
“Kitchen essentials are a must. That may sound simple, but I’ve had patients who didn’t know what a colander was.”
Many kitchen essentials such as measuring cups, spoons, and bowls can be purchased rather inexpensively at a dollar store. If you’re going to splurge on one item, buy a nice set of knives.
“Buy the nice knives, buy the dollar store measuring cups,” she said.
Pack Snacks
Privott understands how the busyness of life, especially for parents of young kids, can put your nutrition goals on the backburner. With a little preparation, healthy eating can still remain a priority.
“Always have some grab-and-go options available such as pre-cut fruits and veggies or 100-calorie nut packs. I love making homemade no-bake energy bites because you can customize them with mini chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, and nut butters.”
Shop Smart
Aside from time, another common concern around healthy eating is cost. Privott has a solution.
“You can shop sales and store brands. It’s also good to shop seasonally. For example, watermelon is not in season right now, so you will pay more for it. There’s also nothing wrong with canned and frozen produce. Those will last longer than fresh.”
Speaking of fresh fruits and vegetables, Privott encourages eating more whole foods and reading food labels. Many people don’t realize what they are consuming every day, which is another barrier to achieving a balanced diet.
“Less is best. You can have foods like peanut butter but choose one that is peanuts and salt instead of one that has hydrogenated oil, palm oil, and sugar.”
Drink Smart
Watching what you drink is another best practice.
“The American Heart Association recommends that men limit their added sugar to nine teaspoons a day and women and children to six teaspoons a day. A medium sweet tea from a fast-food restaurant contains about 12 teaspoons of sugar.”
Substitutes could include carbonated waters. There are several pre-biotic sodas on the market now that are also low in sugar.
Listen to Your Body
Privott also recommends listening to your body’s cues.
“It takes your stomach 15 minutes to let your brain know there’s food in there. Do you know how much food we can eat in 15 minutes? We cram it in and get a stomachache. That’s why it’s important to slow down and savor your food. Engage our senses. Eat until you’re satisfied, not until you’re stuffed.”
LEARN MORE
Through preparation, smart shopping, and mindful eating, a healthy diet may not be as difficult as you thought it was. Talk to your primary care provider about a referral to a registered dietician today.
About Iredell Health System
Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Davis Medical Center; Iredell Davis Behavioral Health Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare organization has 391 licensed beds; close to 2,000 employees; and has approximately 365 healthcare providers representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The health system’s Iredell Mooresville campus is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.