Earlier this month, a new study showed fewer schools are selling snacks and drinks like candy and soda. Now, a panel recommends the government make healthy changes to school meals, even though it will increase costs. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) says as obesity continues to rise, breakfast and lunch at schools should be lower in calories, and have more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help kids adapt better eating habits. The IOM says the changes could increase the cost of breakfast by as much as 25 percent and lunch by 9 percent.

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Here’s a great way a produce truck is Making a Healthy Difference in a Detroit community. According to the story on MSNBC, the neighborhood has 26 liquor stores but only one grocery store, so a community group is peddling fresh fruits and vegetables like ice cream. Five days a week, the Peaches & Greens truck goes up and down the streets, bringing affordable produce to those who can’t make it to grocery chains in the suburbs. Great idea, huh?

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Thanks to eatbetteramerica for this healthy grilling recipe using foil packs – it makes cleaning up so easy!

Individual foil packets make this dish a snap to prepare. You can easily make the packets ahead of time—just refrigerate until ready to grill. From Prevention Healthy Cooking.

Prep Time:10 min
Start to Finish:35 min
Makes:4 servings

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
2 green and/or red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 lb red potatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Directions:
1.Spray unheated grill rack with cooking spray. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.
2.Place each chicken breast in center of a 12-inch by 18-inch piece of foil. Divide bell peppers and potatoes evenly over chicken breasts.
3.In small bowl, stir together barbecue sauce, orange juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Evenly drizzle over chicken and vegetables.
4.Bring up 2 long sides of each piece of foil and double-fold with a 1-inch wide fold. Double-fold each end to form a packet.
5.Place packets, seam side up, on rack. Cover and grill packets 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of breast reads 160°F and juices run clear. Place packets on plates. Cut a large X across top of packet; fold back foil.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving: Calories 300 (Calories from Fat 45); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 85mg; Sodium 400mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 8g); Protein 33g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 50%; Calcium 6%; Iron 20% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Vegetable; 4 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 4 oz-equivalents Meat & Beans, 1 c Vegetables
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Re-printed with permission.

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This summer, I tried yellow tomatoes for the first time. What new fruits and/or veggies have you tried lately?

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Making a one-pot meal uses less energy than cooking with several burners plus the oven. Here’s one from A Healthier You that’s ready in less than 30 minutes. It also makes clean-up faster, too! Happy Earth Day!

Ingredients
1½ Tbsp margarine
1 tsp garlic powder
½ cup onions, chopped
1 lb 4 oz chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
10-oz package cut green beans, frozen
¼ tsp pepper

Directions
1.Melt margarine in heavy skillet. Add garlic and onions; stir until blended. Cook over medium heat, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.
2.Place chicken in skillet. Cook over medium heat, until chicken is thoroughly done and no longer pink in color, about 12 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
3.Place frozen green beans, pepper, and cooked onions in same skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until beans are tender, about 5 minutes.
4.Add chicken to vegetable mixture. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Makes: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 cup

Each serving provides:
Calories: 190
Total fat: 11 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 57 mg
Sodium: 109 mg

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After looking at nearly 200 studies that included millions of people, there are still some questions about how some foods affect the heart. Researchers found vegetables, nuts and the Mediterranean diet made the list of foods that are heart-healthy, while the list of foods bad for the heart featured starchy carbs like white bread and trans fats, which are in many cookies and French fries. But the study says there is no strong evidence yet about whether foods like meat, eggs and milk are good or bad for the heart.

Want more News Nuggets? Follow me on Twitter!

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You’ve probably heard how a Mediterranean-style diet can be good for your heart. Now a new report in the Archives of Neurology finds eating a diet filled with vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and fish – foods common in the Mediterranean-style diet – is also good for the brain and may help prevent dementia.

Want more News Nuggets? Follow me on Twitter!

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Need new ideas on how to fight fat? Want to share your tips and tricks with others? Stop by the FatFighterTV Video Forum – all the details here.

Every week, we feature a different video from the forum. This week, it’s all about my fellow fitness blogging pal, workout mommy. She just happens to have the same problem I have – the dreaded sweet tooth! But since she’s getting in shape for a trip to Florida (I’m so jealous!) she is trying to fight it! Check out her video here. And get motivated to move it at her blog here.

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy! All you have to do is make a short video (like 30 seconds or less) that answers the question, How do YOU fight fat? Show us one healthy thing you do to lose/maintain your weight – no fads, no quick fixes, nothing illegal. But you can make it funny if you want – even adding a punch or a kick is cool, since it is about fighting and all!

Just upload the video over here. I will approve it and let you know when you will be featured.

Let’s all help each other fight fat… and have fun!

Oh, and you can put the widget below on your website, Facebook page, or wherever else you may hang. Just click on “Steal this!”

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Whoa – that’s more than 10 pounds a month! And I bet some of that potato eating happens on Thanksgiving, huh?

More T-Day info for you – we’ve got some Turkey Trivia, tips on how to Trim the fat, not the flavor, the low down on that turkey’s temperature, HG’s Save-the-Day Stuffing, and Too-Good-to-Deny Pumpkin Pie. Enjoy the holiday!

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*Note to self* – eat more vegetables, nuts, and fish. And now is a good time to do it. A new report says if you stick closely to a Mediterranean-style diet, it dramatically reduces your risk of cancer, heart disease, and other major chronic illnesses.

The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, grains, and healthy fats like olive oil and it’s low in red meat, dairy products and alcohol. It also includes, nuts, beans, and seeds.

Scientists analyzed the results of 12 major studies that looked at more than 1.5 million people. They found the chance of developing all types of cancer was six percent lower in those who followed the Mediterranean diet, being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease went down 13-percent, and the likelihood of dying overall dropped nine percent.

The study is published on bmj.com

I tend to eat a lot of the foods in the Mediterranean diet, but I often have chicken and turkey too… and of course, the “occasional” gourmet chocolate. How about you – what’s your eating style?

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