Stuff the Turkey, Not Your Waistline

The average American eats 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat at their Thanksgiving meal!

What’s on your plate? Common Calorie Counts:

Turkey (3.5 oz.) Dark meat with skin: 232 calories, Breast without skin: 161 calories

Gravy: 320 calories per 1 cup

Green Bean Casserole: 230 calories per 1 cup

Mashed Potatoes (with Whole Milk and Butter): 237 calories per 1 cup

Cranberry Sauce: 408 calories per 1 cup

Candied Yams: 206 calories per 1 cup

Stuffing: 350 calories per 1 cup

Biscuit: 150 calories per biscuit

Corn: 132 calories per ear, with butter: 36 Calories per 1 pat of butter

Spinach: 41 calories per 1 cup

Brussels Sprouts: 38 calories per 1 cup

Pumpkin Pie: 323 calories per 1 slice (1/8 divided pie)

Pecan Pie: 503 calories per 1 slice (1/8 divided pie)

Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop: 125 calories per 1/2 cup

Whipped Cream:15 calories per 2 tablespoons

Beer (Regular): Average 150 calories per bottle

Generic Old Fashioned Cocktail: 155 calories per glass

Reds (Burgundy): 127 calories per glass

Champagne: 78 calories per glass

If you plan to indulge, but your waistline doesn’t need the extra calories, try these tips on Thanksgiving day:

 

1. Eat a normal breakfast.
   2. If your meal is at 3 or so, eat a large snack at lunch time.
   3. If your meal is not until evening, have a small lunch, and a small
   snack around 3.
   4. Make sure you can see your plate under your food. Leave spaces between
   food choices.
   5. Try not to nibble beforehand. If you must, nibble from a plate and
   socialize away from the food table.
   6. Drink LOTS of water!!!
   7. Have a start and stop point for your alcohol drinking.
   8. Realize that there will be leftovers, so watch your portions!!!
   9. If you are cooking, use splenda brown sugar, light butter substitutes, and herbs & seasonings over salt.
   10. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

For more tips on how to survive the holidays, go to http://www.mindyblack.com

What Does Your Turkey Say?

Chances are you have looked at a few turkey packages this week. If so, you will notice there are A LOT of labels that one turkey can hold. What do they mean? The list below will help decipher which labels are worth choosing:

BASTED or SELF BASTED: Bone-in poultry products that are injected or marinated with a solution containing butter or other edible fat, broth, stock or water plus spices, flavor enhancers and other approved substances must be labeled as basted or self basted. The maximum added weight of approximately 3% solution before processing is included in the net weight on the label. Label must include a statement identifying the total quantity and common or usual name of all ingredients in the solution, e.g., “Injected with approximately 3% of a solution of ____________ (list of ingredients).”
Use of the terms “basted” or “self-basted” on boneless poultry products is limited to 8% of the weight of the raw poultry before processing.

CERTIFIED: The term “certified” implies that the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service have officially evaluated a meat product for class, grade, or other quality characteristics (e.g., “Certified Angus Beef”). When used under other circumstances, the term must be closely associated with the name of the organization responsible for the “certification” process, e.g., “XYZ Company’s Certified Beef.”

CHEMICAL FREE: The term is not allowed to be used on a label.

FREE RANGE or FREE ROAMING: Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside. These birds tend to be higher in dark meat, and more flavorful.

FRESH POULTRY: “Fresh” means whole poultry and cuts have never been below 26 °F (the temperature at which poultry freezes).

FRYER-ROASTER TURKEY: Young, immature turkey usually less than 16 weeks of age of either sex. Young turkeys have a soft, fine grained meat consisitency compared to older turkeys.

HALAL and ZABIAH HALAL: Products prepared by federally inspected meat packing plants identified with labels bearing references to “Halal” or “Zabiah Halal” must be handled according to Islamic law and under Islamic authority.

HEN or TOM TURKEY: The sex designation of “hen” (female) or “tom” (male) turkey is optional on the label, and is an indication of size rather than the tenderness of a turkey.

KOSHER: “Kosher” may be used only on the labels of meat and poultry products prepared under rabbinical supervision.

NATURAL: A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural (such as “no artificial ingredients; minimally processed”).

NO HORMONES (pork or poultry): Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim “no hormones added” cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”

NO ANTIBIOTICS (red meat and poultry): The terms “no antibiotics added” may be used on labels for meat or poultry products if sufficient documentation is provided by the producer to the Agency demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics.

OVEN PREPARED: Product is fully cooked and ready to eat.

YOUNG TURKEY: Turkeys of either sex that are less than 8 months of age according to present regulations.

For my locals looking for organic, fresh turkeys, KYV farms, Biomax, Black Hog Farm, and Freshfields have them available! Support small local businesses!

For more information on how to read labels, go to www.mindyblack.com

What’s in Your Turkey?

Chances are you have looked at a few turkey packages this week.  If so, you will notice there are A LOT of labels that one turkey can hold.  What do they mean? The list below will help decipher which labels are worth choosing:

BASTED or SELF BASTED: Bone-in poultry products that are injected or marinated with a solution containing butter or other edible fat, broth, stock or water plus spices, flavor enhancers and other approved substances must be labeled as basted or self basted. The maximum added weight of approximately 3% solution before processing is included in the net weight on the label. Label must include a statement identifying the total quantity and common or usual name of all ingredients in the solution, e.g., “Injected with approximately 3% of a solution of ____________ (list of ingredients).”
Use of the terms “basted” or “self-basted” on boneless poultry products is limited to 8% of the weight of the raw poultry before processing.

CERTIFIED: The term “certified” implies that the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service have officially evaluated a meat product for class, grade, or other quality characteristics (e.g., “Certified Angus Beef”). When used under other circumstances, the term must be closely associated with the name of the organization responsible for the “certification” process, e.g., “XYZ Company’s Certified Beef.”

CHEMICAL FREE: The term is not allowed to be used on a label.

FREE RANGE or FREE ROAMING: Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside. These birds tend to be higher in dark meat, and more flavorful.

FRESH POULTRY: “Fresh” means whole poultry and cuts have never been below 26 °F (the temperature at which poultry freezes).

FRYER-ROASTER TURKEY: Young, immature turkey usually less than 16 weeks of age of either sex. Young turkeys have a soft, fine grained meat consisitency compared to older turkeys.

HALAL and ZABIAH HALAL: Products prepared by federally inspected meat packing plants identified with labels bearing references to “Halal” or “Zabiah Halal” must be handled according to Islamic law and under Islamic authority.

HEN or TOM TURKEY: The sex designation of “hen” (female) or “tom” (male) turkey is optional on the label, and is an indication of size rather than the tenderness of a turkey.

KOSHER: “Kosher” may be used only on the labels of meat and poultry products prepared under rabbinical supervision.

NATURAL: A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural (such as “no artificial ingredients; minimally processed”).

NO HORMONES (pork or poultry): Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim “no hormones added” cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”

NO ANTIBIOTICS (red meat and poultry): The terms “no antibiotics added” may be used on labels for meat or poultry products if sufficient documentation is provided by the producer to the Agency demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics.
OVEN PREPARED:
Product is fully cooked and ready to eat.

YOUNG TURKEY: Turkeys of either sex that are less than 8 months of age according to present regulations.

Label information is from the USDA.  For more information on how to read food labels, go to www.mindyblack.com