How To Change Your Eating Habits At Work

The Vending Machine Pickle

You're at the vending machine. The chocolate bar reflects in your eyes. You could select B3, but why, when you have so many other healthy choices?

Leftovers are right on!

"Leftovers have gotten a bad rap," says Becky Gorham, Registered Dietician at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. "They are, in truth, a valuable and cost-effective part of our overall diet."

Tie together leftovers with:

• tortillas for wraps or last minute quesadillas
• sourdough rolls or bagels for sandwiches
• rice and potatoes for soups and stews
• yogurt for fruit smoothies

Leftovers for lunch:

• Do you have access to a microwave and a refrigerator at work? Invest in good food storage items to pack your leftovers and keep at the appropriate temperature. Keep salt and pepper and silverware in your desk drawer.
• Bring a reasonable portion of an entree and add the rice, vegetable, or a salad and a piece of fruit. Make it a well-balanced meal.
• Soup is a natural leftover! Vegetable or chicken made from fat-free stock are smart. Soup leaves you feeling full without adding extra calories.
• "Bake" a potato in the microwave.
• Always have a bottle of water at your desk. Drinking water can curb your appetite while it quenches your thirst.

Keep your desk drawer or office fridge stocked with:

• Cut vegetables and low-fat dip (bring 'em in daily)
• Low-fat yogurt
• Low-fat mozzarella string cheese
• Graham crackers or saltines
• Cheese and crackers
• Baked or fat-free potato chips
• Baked corn chips and salsa
• Pretzels
• Roasted soy nuts
• Fresh fruit trail mix
• Raisins and other dried fruit
• Individual boxes of juice
• Individual boxes of breakfast cereal
• Noodle or soup cups
• Cups of applesauce or fruit

Source: Joan Carter and Becky Gorham, Registered Dieticians at Baylor College of Medicine, Houtson, Texas
http://www.bcm.tmc.edu/cnrc/factsanswers.htm