Myth: Shopping while I’m hungry doesn’t really affect what I buy.

Answer: BUSTED!

Cornell researchers recently looked at this. They had 68 adults shop in a simulated online grocery store. Half hadn’t eaten and the other half were given a snack before shopping. Those who hadn’t eaten chose more high-calorie foods than the other group. The researchers then observed 82 people shopping at a grocery store after lunch and in the hours right before dinner. The shoppers bought more higher-calorie food when it was closer to dinner time, suggesting that they were hungrier at this time of the day.

Not shopping when you’re hungry is a tip often suggested to help cut down on impulse buying. It appears that impulse buys could include purchases of high-calorie foods.

You may not be aware of the different ways that grocery stores are set up to drive your purchases. Keep these in mind during your next trip to the grocery store:

• Foods in displays at the entrance of the store and at the end of aisles tend to catch your attention. They may or may not be healthy foods or good buys or even what you need.
• Foods found in the first four feet of an aisle sell more than foods in other places. Are these foods your healthiest choices, the best buy or what you need at the moment?
• Foods at eye level sell more, too. Check to see if a healthier or cheaper product is available on a lower shelf.

For more food shopping tips, check out Squeezed by rising food prices? on MissouriFamilies.org.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: The best gift for Mother’s Day is a box of chocolates.

Answer: BUSTED! Well, sort of...

Strawberry with dark chocolate, a healthier treat!

Looking to give your mom a chocolate treat on Mother’s Day? Consider giving her strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. Why dark chocolate? Dark chocolate has substances in it – antioxidants – that appear to be beneficial when it comes to our risk for heart disease. If you decide to make strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, use the dark chocolate with the higher percent cocoa – this kind of chocolate has the highest amount of antioxidants linked to heart health and the lowest amount of sugar. Strawberries, like other fruits and vegetables, also contain antioxidants. So when you dip strawberries in dark chocolate, you are giving a gift of good health.

What are some other ways to give the gift of good health on Mother’s Day? Give her a nutrition book! Check out the nutrition and lifestyle reading list from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for recommendations. You might also consider giving her a subscription to a nutrition/health newsletter such as Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, Environmental Nutrition or the Berkeley Wellness newsletter.

Be your mom's walking buddy!

One free gift you might not have considered for Mother’s Day is your commitment to be a walking buddy with your mom. Walking is one way to increase daily physical activity. Being a walking buddy gives the gift of good health for both you and your mom!

Perhaps the most enjoyable gift your mom might like is the gift of time – make a meal for your mom on her special day so that she can relax. You can find a wide variety of healthy recipes for your meal at http://missourifamilies.org/nutrition/recipes/.

Here’s hoping you and your mom’s day is a special and healthy one!

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: It’s impossible to avoid overeating at buffets.

Answer: BUSTED!

You might think that the answer to not overeating at all-you-can-eat buffets is just willpower, but there are some strategies that could work for anyone. In fact, watching what and how some people eat at buffets has given us some helpful tips. Dr. Brian Wansink at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab had 30 trained observers watch the eating behaviors of over 300 people at buffets in six states. What did they find?

• Thin people were more likely to look over all the choices at the buffet before serving themselves. So instead of heaping everything from the buffet on your plate, look at all your choices before serving yourself. Ask yourself what you really want to eat.


• Thin people also used smaller plates. This is a strategy that has been widely recommended and used for everyday meals too. So when you’re at a buffet or when you’re serving yourself at home, use a smaller plate – it will make it look like you have more food on your plate.


• Lastly, thin people sat farther away from the buffet and chewed their food more than their heavier counterparts. Speaking from personal experience, I have found that I am more satisfied during meals when using mindful eating techniques like taking time to savor the food slowly and putting my utensils down between bites while chewing. This has definitely slowed down my eating, giving my body time to get those ‘I’m full’ signals, which results in eating less.

People of any size who engage in these behaviors are more likely to eat less at the buffet.

For more tips about mindful eating, check out the article How much are we eating? on MissouriFamilies.org.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: Baby carrots in my refrigerator have turned white on the outside and I’ve read this is unsafe to eat.

Answer: BUSTED!

This coating is called ‘white blush’ and it just indicates that the carrots are drying out. It occurs when carrots are cut. The ‘baby-cut carrots’ are really larger carrots cut into smaller pieces. As part of their processing they are then put in water that has chlorine to prevent contamination. The carrots are rinsed before packaging.

Carrots with this white coating are safe to eat. If you are eating them raw, you can put them in water for a few minutes. If you are using them in cooking, just add them along with other ingredients. To avoid drying out, keep carrots sealed in the bag they came in. Use by the date on the package.

For more information about the myths that have circulated about the safety of baby-cut carrots, check out Dispelling food-related myths: baby carrots.

Why eat carrots? They are high in carotene and are good sources of potassium, fiber and vitamin C. The fiber makes them a filling snack. Baby carrots are a low-sodium, low-calorie nibble with only about 4 calories in each baby carrot. Try adding them to a stir-fry dish. You can also dice them and add them, along with other veggies, to whole wheat couscous for a quick and filling dish. Find more carrot recipes by searching the Healthy Habits recipes index on MissouriFamilies.org.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There is no harm in having TVs in our bedrooms.

Answer: BUSTED!

It’s easier to fall asleep while watching TV when it is in your bedroom, which may sound like a good thing, but this can actually disrupt sleep patterns and cause fatigue. It’s a bad habit and contributes to the high amount of screen time we already subject ourselves to on a daily basis.

Did you know that the average person in the U.S. watches more than 36 hours of TV a week? Very young children (2 to 5 year olds) watch 25 hours of TV a week while older youth (8 to 18 years) watch about 4½ hours of TV a day! Almost 3 in 4 (71%) of 8 to 18 year olds have a TV in their bedroom.

Can all this screen time be good for us? Too much screen time, which includes watching TV, playing video games or using the computer, means we are spending less time being active. When we watch TV we see many ads for foods high in fat and sugar which may influence our food choices, especially for young children. And, as stated above, watching TV at night to fall asleep actually causes sleep disruptions.

So what’s a family to do? Here are some tips to help you ‘play more, watch less:’

►Use the upcoming National Screen-Free Week, April 29 – May 5, 2013, as a way to start changing your family’s screen habits. Get together as a family to write a list of things to do other than watching TV or spending time in front of a screen. Post these ideas on the refrigerator and start making them part of your regular routine.

►Turn the TV off during family meals and talk about everyone’s day. Keep the TV off when no one is watching. Need some background noise? Turn on the radio.

►Create an activity box and put it by the door. It’s a way to remind everyone to be more active instead of watching TV. Items you can put in the box include jump ropes, balls, athletic shoes, scarves (for throwing in the air indoors).

For more ideas for adults, families and youth, check out the MU Extension publication ‘Play more, Watch Less.’ You can download the PDF by clicking on the link.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933