 *written by Molly Pass, Dietetic Intern through University of Minnesota School of Public Health Earth Day this year is April 22! In honor of celebrating, it is time to give back and Restore Our Earth. We have complied a list of 22 ways for April 22 to be more sustainable. These ideas range from household, food waste, electronics, etc., so there are plenty of options to choose from. In honor of Earth Day, I challenge you to pick 3 things from this list that you don’t already do and try to add them into your life. Remember – individual actions can collectively lead to change, so do your part today to Restore Our Earth!  1. Change your light bulbs to be LED. These lightbulbs use less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and they last much longer, so you aren’t needing to purchase lightbulbs as often. 2. Use a smart power strip in your house. By plugging electronics into smart power strips, you can save on electricity being used which can also save you money. Smart power strips shut off the power when you’re not using them which is beneficial so it’s not using power by simply being plugged in. 3. Clean out empty milk jugs for use of planters or watering cans. Although simply recycling milk jugs can be beneficial to the earth, why not get another use out of them? Rinse them out, cut the top off and use as a planter for some plants or herbs. Or, rinse it out, fill it up with water and use as a watering can instead of purchasing one.  4. Use paper bags at the grocery store or use reusable bags. Grab some of your favorite reusable bags and head to the grocery store to pack your items in it. Also, these reusable bags can also be used for packing on a trip or bringing snacks to school. If you don’t have one, there are some available for purchase at Mackenthun’s. 5. Recycle your plastic bags. Find an alternative use for these bags, or better yet, bring them back to Mackenthun’s to put in our plastic bag recycling bin. 6. Use reusable water bottles. Save money and the Earth by continually refilling your reusable water bottle when it’s time to go to work, the store, sports practice or anywhere. It is also way more fun to personalize a water bottle than using those plastic water bottles. 7. Compost your food and yard waste. Check out our recent blog post on composting to learn how you can get started today. Click here to check that post. 8. Grow your own herbs. Growing your own food or herbs is a great way to be sustainable. The easiest herbs to start with are basil, oregano, thyme, mint and parsley because they can be grown in pots and only require water a few times a week. Also invest in an herb keeper like this one to help prolong its shelf life in the refrigerator. Available here on Amazon. Please note we are not endorsing this product and is just to show an example of an herb keeper. 9. Follow proper recycling. Recycling can be so complicated and hard to follow, especially because some recycling practices vary in different cities. Check out our recent blog post for some tips on how to properly recycle. Click here to check that post. 10. Shop at thrift stores. Shopping at local thrift stores can cut down on waste production from shopping new. You can find some awesome clothing, furniture, décor and houseware products at thrift stores. 11. Switch from paper towels to reusable towels and rags. Think of how many times you grab a paper towel to clean up a mess, so next time, reach for a reusable rag or an old shirt. Once you’re done, just toss it in your next load of laundry and you can reuse it again. 12. Go Plogging. Plogging is picking up litter while jogging. This concept started in Sweden, but give it a try on your next time out. You can be walking your dog or jogging while picking up a few pieces of litter. Each piece you pick up can make a difference.  13. Time your showers. Do you find yourself sitting in the shower longer than you need to simply because its warm or it feels good? Try setting a timer to quicken up your shower and save water. 14. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or wash your face. Such a simple action can save so much water. Take a moment to turn off the sink in between uses. 15. Open up your blinds in your house. Opening your blinds in the house will allow the sunlight to brighten and warm up your space, allowing you to turn your lights off and your heat down some days to save on electricity. 16. Carpool or take public transportation. Next time you’re heading in the same direction as someone else, try carpooling to save on gas and energy, or even bike or walk somewhere if you’re close enough. 17. Reuse beer growlers. Are you a beer drinker and do you enjoy supporting local? Purchase a growler and then when its empty, take it back to get it refilled instead of purchasing another container each time. 18. Go paperless. When shopping at grocery stores or other stores, or paying bills, opt for digital letters, notices and receipts instead of printed ones to save on paper. Also, get an online newspaper subscription to eliminate the extra pages that you only read once. 19. Use paper scraps for note taking. Instead of grabbing a new notebook page every time you need to jot something down, write a few different things on a single page to reduce the amount of pages you use. Or, use the back pages of bills or junk mail instead of grabbing new piece of paper.  20. Repurpose glass jars. When you finish a glass jar, try finding another reason for its use. For example, you can use an empty spaghetti sauce container as a coin bank or a pencil holder. Get creative! 21. Reduce your food waste. Plan your meals ahead of when you go grocery shopping and only buy what you are actually planning to make to avoid having to throw food out. 22. Refuse plastic cutlery at restaurants. Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, a lot of people have been getting take out from restaurants, so next time you order, try to decline the plastic silverware. You are most likely heading home and can use your own silverware instead of wasting the stuff you got from the restaurant. Sources:
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 *written by Molly Pass, Dietetic Intern through University of Minnesota School of Public Health It’s spring time and who doesn’t love to pour themselves a glass of juice to enjoy outside! Here is some good news for you – this week’s dietitians choice is Simply® Beverages which includes Simply® Smoothies, Orange Juice and Lemonade. Not only is juice a great source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C in orange juice which can benefit the growth, development and repair of all body tissues, but juice can also be a source of fiber if you choose the correct juice – with PULP! Pulp offers fiber which helps with your digestive health and can lower your risk of other chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Although the amount of fiber in orange juice with pulp is minimal and some labels will still say 0, adding it to your diet can be a benefit overtime. The taste is the same, but the benefits are greater! Additionally, Simply Smoothies also contains fiber which will give you the same benefits as the pulp in orange juice. Simply® Beverages can be enjoyed on their own or you can get creative to use them in recipes and cocktails. Check out this recipe to make Simply® Lemonade Lemon Bars. These just might be your new favorite dessert for the family. You can find these Simply® Beverages on sale this week for 2 for $7 for these varieties: 32 ounce smoothies, 52 ounce Orange Juice or 89 ounce of Lemonade.   Each year over 900 million trees are harvested for paper alone. Green2® is Tree Free paper made from sugar cane and/or quick growing bamboo grass, the most rapidly renewable resources. We didn’t reinvent softness, strength, or absorbency…our paper products already stack up to those tests. Our Tree Free paper products are soft, absorbent, affordable, septic safe and whitened with hydrogen peroxide – a natural alternative to bleach. Hypo-Allergenic, no dyes, lotions, fragrances, corn, wheat or glue added! Green2® products are made from two renewable and sustainable resources. These two resources are sugar cane husk and bamboo grass. Sugar cane is the largest agricultural crop in the world. As it is developed for what we call sugar, it also produces a byproduct called bagasse. When sugar cane is crushed, the bagasse is extracted and can be used for bio energy or as a pulp for paper products. Sugar cane can grow back to its original height in as little as 12 months. Bamboo grass is another renewable resource that can be harvested for the production of Tree Free paper. Bamboo grass can grow up to three inches in one day. It can regenerate to its full growth in as little as six months. Source: Information taken directly from...
http://truegreenpaper.com/  April 22nd, 2021 is Earth Day - a worldwide movement promoting the need to protect all life and the environment of our world through conservation efforts. It started in 1970 organized by Denis Hayes in support of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in the United States. Earth Day was a response to the 1969 Santa Barbara, California oil spill that took harm to more than 10,000 sea life. Since then Earth Day has evolved in providing education on topics including, but not limited to recycling, composting, sustainability, renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, and plant care. Here at your Mackenthun’s Fine Foods, we take pride in supporting efforts with our community to conserve the planet. Did you know that Mackenthun’s has a 3-bin system for waste available inside and/or outside the store? They are for waste, mixed recycling, and organics. Confusing to some, check out these tips to figure out which bin you need to use.  rganics The organics bin allows items thrown in to be compost. Compost is decomposed organic matter such as leaves and vegetables scrap to be transformed into nutrient-rich soil for gardens, farming, and landscaping. What determines if an item is organic or not is its molecular makeup - the items must contain hydrogen and carbon bonds. In other words, anything that is “plant matter” can be thrown into the organics bin to be composted. This includes flowers, leaves, sticks, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetables, paper towels, napkins, newspaper, cardboard. There is even a small list of “non-plant matter” that can compost as well which are eggshells, hair, pet fur, lint, and cotton rags. Why compost? Composting not only reduces the amount of waste in landfill, it reduces carbon emissions from transportation and reduces methane emissions from waste sitting in the landfill. Be cautious of disposing organic plastics (they will be labeled as compostable plastic most of the time) - they cannot be mixed with standard organic bins and a separate organic bin designated for composting plastic needs to be available. Unlike standard composting, there are very few facilities that specialize in composting organic plastics. The process involves heavy industrial composting equipment. Unfortunately, home composting does not work for organic plastics.  Mixed Recycling Mixed recycling is the process of recycling a variety of different plastics, aluminum and tin, glass, and paper into new products. Paper is one of the few items that can be both composted and recycled. Some paper products like bath tissue and paper towels are too thin to be recycled while paper dinnerware products are contaminated with food debris and grease. Please remember when recycling products, rinse them free of food debris - it does not have to be completely clean. When waiting collection, it reduces the amount of pests and unpleasant odors. If products are contaminated with grease, these cannot be recycled and must be thrown as waste - even grease-soiled pizza boxes cannot be composted due to the risk of attracting pests and creating unpleasant odors. Please note - plastic bags CANNOT go into mixed recycling. Instead, locate a plastic bag recycling bin at your local grocery retailer as these go straight to specialized plastic film recycling plants. Plastic bags can cause problems to the machines used in standard recycling such as gumming them up like wet flour in a pasta maker. Another tricky thing about recycling is that not all plastics are created equal. Refer to the image below to learn which plastics are recyclable and what should go in the waste bin.  Disposing Other Materials Lightbulbs, batteries, electronics, ceramic, scrap metal, aerosol cans, paint...where do we dispose of them if they are no longer needed or working? These can neither be thrown in the organics, recycling or waste bin. Instead, there are special facilities that these items go to to be disposed of. For example, retailers like BestBuy allow for disposal of electronics, Home Depot for batteries, and Ace Hardware for oil-based paints. For more information on where to recycle these items appropriately, contact a retailer or your local county recycling center. Sources:
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/zero-waste/compost/why-should-i-compost https://www.kare11.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-you-have-to-wash-recyclables/89-487133563 https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepinus/residents/recycling/zero-waste/zero-waste-guide-composting-organics-recycling-101.pdf?la=en&hash=4B8822153BBD8D3BFCEE81BAEAFFA26E6151B594 https://apps.npr.org/plastics-recycling/ https://www.paintcare.org/drop-off-locations/ https://www.ecocycle.org/plastics-recycling  *written by Molly Pass, Dietetic Intern through University of Minnesota School of Public Health This week’s Dietitian’s Choice is Creamette Pasta! Pasta is such a versatile ingredient that can be used in SO many different recipes. When looking at the options to purchase in the store, you might be overwhelmed by the various different kinds that are available: angel hair, farfalle, cavatappi, linguine, manicotti, shells and penne, to name a few. So what do you do? Do you just grab whichever shape you think looks better? Possibly, but did you know that certain shapes of pasta are best suited for certain recipes and flavor profiles? Hari Cameron, a 2016 James Beard Best Chefs in America semifinalist stated that when selecting the perfect noodle shape for your dish, you need to “take into account how heavy the noodle is compared to your sauce and making sure the two are balanced. As a whole, a big, thick, hearty noodle can stand up to big, thick, hearty sauces, whereas thinner and lighter noodles need to be treated with lighter style sauces and more finesse.” For example, if you are making a seafood sauce, it is best to select a lighter, thinner noodle since the sauce is typically lighter compared to a tomato-based sauce. Another example would be when you are using a pesto-based sauce. It is best to use curved shaped pasta as the pesto will better be able to attach onto the various curved shapes and it will hold the flavor better and longer. Try this pesto-based recipe to see how the noodle shape might have an impact on taste. The recipe calls for “any pasta,” but I challenge you to try it with cavatappi or rotini and then try it again with thin, long noodles. You’ll be amazed at the difference that it will make on the flavor! Save this Pasta Selection Guide (image at top of this post) for future use for the next time you are debating on the type of pasta to purchase for a new pasta recipe you want to try. Or try making your favorite pasta dish with a different shape the next time you make it. Stop by Mackenthun’s this week to pick up various Creamette pasta shapes, so that you are ready for the next time you choose pasta for dinner! Creamette pasta is on sale now as the Dietitian’s Choice until Thursday. You can find them for 99 cents a box for select varieties. Healthy Pasta with Pesto & Broccoli Healthy Pasta with broccoli, sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and your pasta of choice in 30-ish minutes. Quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinner. By Olena Osipov for IFoodReal, February 23, 2021. Ingredients
Directions
Sources https://www.delish.com/cooking/g26990388/best-sauce-for-pasta-type/ https://ifoodreal.com/healthy-pasta/ #recipe #pasta #lowlactose #vegetarian
 *written by Molly Pass, Dietetic Intern through University of Minnesota School of Public Health Boom, Chicka, Pop! This week’s Dietitians Choice is Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop. On sale this week for 2 for $5 on select varieties! Aside from the great deal, why should you consider purchasing this product? Well, did you know that popcorn is considered a whole grain food product? Dietary recommendations suggest that you make half of the grains you consume be whole grains, so why not eat popcorn? Whole grains offer fiber and B vitamins and a diet that is high in whole grains can possibly reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Don’t let your snacks get boring! You can enjoy this product on its own or you can try making your own trail mix and add the popcorn right in! Mix in your favorites to make the best trail mix combination that is personalized to you! Examples of mix-ins could be nuts, seeds, dried fruits, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, popcorn, pretzels and more! You can also add seasoning to your trail mix if you are looking for a different flavor like ranch or wasabi. Get creative with your snacking and pick up a bag of Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop today!   image taken from jerseybites.com *written by Molly Pass, Dietetic Intern through University of Minnesota School of Public Health Today is National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day!
Such a simple taste combination that offers great health benefits. About 25% of peanut butter is protein, so it is a good, quick source of plant-based protein. Peanut butter also contains vitamin E, niacin, manganese, vitamin B6 and magnesium which all have very important functions in the body such as strengthening your immune system, protecting your brain and decreasing inflammation. Peanut butter does contain fat, but they are mostly the good fats that we need in our diet. Protein can be high in calories, so maybe refrain from consuming the entire jar, but just be mindful of that. Jelly, on the other hand, contains pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber that is found in some fruits and it acts as a thickener which gives jelly the thick consistency. Although jelly only contains a small amount of pectin, some studies have shown pectin to lower blood glucose, help with gastrointestinal issues and decrease colon cancer risk. What are you waiting for? Go make yourself something with PB&J like a sandwich or even these wings that we served yesterday in our hot bar: https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/pbj-wings-recipe *written by Andrew Akhaphong, Mackenthun's Registered & Licensed Dietitian  Parkinson’s disease is a progressing neurogenerative disease that causes nerve cells in the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination to weaken and fade away. These nerve cells known as neurons depend on dopamine produced by the substantia nigra of the brain to communicate fluid movement and coordination. The cells in the substantia nigra also wither resulting in a decrease of dopamine available to the human body. According to Harvard Medical School, more than 10 million worldwide are currently living with Parkinson’s Disease with nearly one million in the United States. If you have experienced or observed the impacts of Parkinson’s Disease on a loved-one, the journey can be a difficult one. Here are some well-being tips to optimize their journey into a good one.  Preventing Weight Loss In the state of Parkinson’s Disease, following popular diets may not be as important in this stage of life. Because Parkinson’s Disease causes issues with involuntary movement, the individual is expending more energy because of these involuntary movements leading to the risk of unintentional weight loss. The primary goal to prevent weight loss is to focus on calorie-dense foods while keeping in mind of the nutritional value. Examples of calorie-dense foods include oatmeal made with heavy cream, apple crisp with whipped cream topping, mashed potatoes made with heavy cream and butter, fried chicken with potato wedges. It does not hurt to supplement with a multi-vitamin in addition to calorie-dense foods. Looking into adaptive equipment may help an individual receive independence with feeding during meals. A registered dietitian and/or occupational therapist may help provide guidance on this. Tools like divided plates, swivel silverware, and 2-handled gripped cups may work wonders in not only providing independence with eating, but also reducing the risk for unintentional weight loss. Preserving Available Mobility As humans we use movement to express our needs, wants, emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Humans also use movement to be able to get from Point A to Point B. As Parkinson’s Disease progresses, the chance of losing independence with mobility increases. A concern of limitations in body movement for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease include pressure wounds. Pressure wounds are defined as injury to the skin caused by prolong pressure to the area. An example is sitting to long in a chair for extended periods of time without changing position. This occurs more in older persons when tissue integrity becomes weaker. To preserve available mobility focus on activities that use multiple body parts while ensuring the individual is protected from injury and harm. Examples of activities one could partake in is doing puzzles, knitting, kneading bread, making circles in the air with the arms or ankle. Any kind of body that focuses on small and large movements may help preserve mobility as long as the body is able. Take a Trip to Memory Lane For some individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, they may experience memory loss. The memories are there. The problem is neurons do not have enough dopamine to send signals to the memory bank to retrieve memory. Activities that target the memory bank and ability to understand words may help preserve what is available. Activities that involve matching pairs, word finds, discussing a memory from a beloved photo, or reading a passage from a book or newspaper out loud are great options. Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-facts-about-parkinsons-disease https://www.healthline.com/health/dopamine-effects https://www.precisionnutrition.com/healthy-movement https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055 https://www.michaeljfox.org/news/memory-thinking-change |
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