Part III: Clean Eating Expert as Guest of #RDchat Twitter Chat

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

January 15, 2013 • 0 comments

Michelle Dudash, chef nutritionist and author of the new cookbook Clean Eating for Busy Families, weighed in as a guest contributor to the hot discussion of clean eating via the Twitter chat #rdchat. The chat was moderated by registered dietitian Janet Helm on December 12, 2012. Michelle and other registered dietitians discussed their own personal definitions of clean eating. Over the next few weeks, the chat posted here will be broken into three shorter, separate articles.

What is your definition of clean eating?

Q6: What are your pantry must-haves for getting #cleaneating meals on the table?

@michelledudash: Spaghetti sauce, whole wheat pasta, EV olive oil, whole can tomatos, expeller canola oil, brown rice, garlic, onions.

@MenuDietitian: Pantry must haves: #1: fresh ground pepper, fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar.

@nutritionjill: Canned beans, all types of fresh & frozen produce, frozen EZ shrimp.

@bethwarrenrd: Nuts, seeds, legumes, f/v, spices

@mollymorganrd: Quinoa, dried fruit, salsa

@joyofnutrition: low sodium soups

@katemyerson: lentils cook up quickly and are in my pantry at all times

@JenniferNeily: Bob’s Red Mill muesli

@michelledudash: Farro is my new favorite whole grain.

@AlexOppRD: Chickpeas

@mollymorganrd: Rice vinegar, white vinegar, sesame oil (great for stir-fry)

@alexiscott: risotto

@michelledudash: Canned tomatoes are a great example of #cleaneating “processed” food. Cooking actually increases lycopene. Beneficial.

@chowandchatter: Barley, bulgar wheat and wheat berries

@bethwarrenrd: Wild rice, oats, whole wheat orzo/couscous.

@iwasborn2dothis: Chicken of the Sea salmon packs – I get them at the Dollar Tree!

Q7: What can we do to help our audiences get a healthy dinner on the table?

@MenuDietitian: Many are afraid of the kitchen. Help with simple recipes, techniques and shopping list.

@mollymorganrd: 30-minute meal style recipes!

@chowandchatter: As dietitians we need to cook and be excited about healthy global food to inspire others.

@michelledudash: Arm them with go-to simple recipes producing delectable results and have a stocked kitchen, less or = time as take out food

@katemyerson: I wouldn’t get dinner on the table if I didn’t take 5-10 minutes/week to plan my meals when I make my grocery list.

@mollymorganrd: maybe take the Nike approach… just do it!?

@alexikscott: Teach how to cook, but also why it’s good and cheaper. So many people think eating out is less $$.

@michelledudash: Great lesson I learned from life coach: If you wait for the perfect time, conditions, the time will never come.

@NourRD: Cooking doesn’t have to be fancy, ok if it doesn’t taste great the first time. Practice makes perfect (and good is just fine). Learn to eat and enjoy leftovers! You don’t have to cook every day!

@thereallife_RD: actually taking people to the grocery and getting in the kitchen with them!

Q8: How do we get families to cook more, how do we “sell” them on how #cleaneating can be delicious, easy?

@bethwarrenrd: Cooking demos, classes, supermarket tours so you can show it is simple not overwhelming, encourage them to try new foods.

@NourRD: Change their attitudes toward cooking. It’s not painful – it can be fun!

@mollymorganRD: Show them the $$ connection!

@joyofnutriton: Start teaching kids so it becomes a family affair

@iwasborn2dothis: #cleaneating recipes can be familiar! not “weird health food”.

Q9: Do you have any favorite go-to cooking gear to make it easier to prepare nutritions clean eating meals and snacks?

@iwasborn2dothis: Love my George Foreman (grill tomatoes, eggplant spices, pepper, pineapples). Love the wok too for stir-fry.

@michelledudash: Ovenproof, stainless steel sauté pan, large skillet, sharp veg knife, shallow glass dish to nuke veg’s, cutting boards.

@mollymorganrd: Mini food-processer & slow cooker.

@AlexOppRD: I love using a Microplane zester to add fantastic, simple citrus flavor.

@joyofnutrition: Toaster oven that bakes & broils too

@menudietitian: Love convection cooker: cooks most things quickly and evenly. Good nonstick skillet, bamboo utensils

@NourRD: mortar and pestle (for garlic)

@alexoppRD: my kitchen staple is a pilon (like a mortar and pestle) that I use to mash garlic

@JenniferNeily: my handheld immersion blender has become my new best friend esp for fresh smoothies.

@bethwarrenrd: Roaster, grill pan make healthy cooking easy and tasty.

@NourRD: Must add – pressure cooker. Speeds up cooking time

@janethelm Love my mason jars! Use it to mix up dressings, good for serving drinks, desserts too!

@thereallife_RD: a Magic Bullet for quick, on the go smoothies

@jbraddockrd: I can’t forget my Vitamix! A must for clean eating!

Part 1 of #RDchat Twitter Chat

Part 2 of #RDchat Twitter Chat