Healthful Dining At Your Desk by Mindy Hermann, R.D. (NAPSA)—Manyof us eat more food at work than we do at home simply because working hours span mealtimes and snack times. We grab breakfast foods from home or pick up something to eat at our desk. Lunch comes from a brown bag, the cafeteria or a restaurant. For some, snacking helps break up the afternoon and boosts energy levels for the rest of the workday. Breakfast at your desk should be con- Mindy Hermann venient, tasty, nutritious and mess-free. cult, and resisting the lure of office goodies can be a challenge. Hayes recommends stocking your desk with nutritious, nonperishable snacks. If you have been told to eat less sodium to help control your blood pressure, limit snack foods that are overly salty. Area grocery or health food stores may offer more lower-sodium choices. Banana-Wheat Muffins Streusel 1 tablespoon Gold Medal all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon butter or A quick rule: Include whole grains, dairy and a fruit. Oneoption is yogurt (dairy) topped with Whole Grain Total (whole grain) and diced peaches (fruit). A muffin made with whole grain cereal, along with milk anda margarine, softened 4 cup slightly crushed Whole Grain Total cereal Muffins % cup mashedripe bananas Packing lunch takeslittle time and allows you to choose what you 3 tablespoons vegetable oil banana, is also satisfying and easy to eat. want to eat. “Peel and wash vegetables, rinse and spin lettuce, slice cheese and fill water bottles on Sunday for the entire week,” says Dayle Hayes, R.D., a nutrition consultant and author in Billings, Mont. “Wrap single servings of luncheon meats in plastic wrap, label and freeze. In the morning, use the frozen meat for a sandwich. It (about 2 medium) 4 cup milk 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar l egg 1% cups Gold Medalallpurpose flour 2”, teaspoons baking powder “4, teaspoon salt 1% cups slightly crushed Whole Grain Total cereal 1. Heat oven to 400F. Grease bottoms only of 12 reg- couple extra servings when youre making dinner so that you have ular-size muffin cups. Stir together streusel ingredients until crumbly; set aside. 2. In large bowl, stir together bananas, milk, 3 table- Food safety is essential to prevent spoilage. Pack breakfast and lunch with cold packs if a refriger- flour is moistened; stir in 1% should be defrosted by lunchtime.” Hayes also suggests preparing a lunch leftovers. ator is not available. Heat chili, soup and other hot foods until very hot; then pack in a clean, insulated container warmed with boiling water. Open only when ready to eat. Snacks may be the most diffi- Note to Editors: This is Series V-21 of 26. spoons brown sugar, oil and egg. Stir in 1% cups flour, bak- ing powder andsalt just until cups slightly crushed cereal. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups,filling each about *% full. Sprinkle streusel evenly over batter in muffin cups. 3. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
