Cara Harbstreet, MS RD LD’s Post

Are you a fan of BBQ? At the risk of sparking a friendly debate over which state or region does it best, my Pulled Pork Bowls use a Kansas City-style sauce, layered over crispy sweet potato fries, creamy coleslaw, and tender pulled pork. It's topped with some quick pickled red onions (although you can use any pickle of your choice) for a simple semi-homemade meal that's full of flavor. We outsource the low & slow cooking to our favorite local BBQ spots (Slap's or Joe's or Q39 depending on our mood) and order extra pulled pork by the pound for leftovers later. Get the juicy details in my latest recipe post and try these out this weekend, and sign up for my email list while you're there. You'll get new recipes in your inbox every week so you never miss out on fearlessly nourishing meals! https://lnkd.in/gWwkUXbw

Very interesting to see this new recyclable packaging for berries in the UK. As a consumer, this would definitely stand out to me in the produce department, the branding looks familiar and the colors really pop. But as a dietitian who's previously toured a US-based berry farm, I'm curious...how does it stack up against plastic clamshells for shipping, display, and storage? One of the biggest takeaways I got from my farm tour was how important it is to maintain cold storage and manage moisture for such a perishable product. Also, as some other comments pointed out, would this deter you from purchasing if you couldn't see the berries from the bottom? I can quite honestly say, I never predicted I would find product packaging so fascinating. But my passion for nutrition extends into the realms of sustainability, marketing, and branding of nutritious foods...with the end goal of helping more people eat more of them, more often. I would love to know your thoughts!

I've never been shy about proclaiming my love of #milk and #cereal. As a kid, then as an athlete, then as a busy young adult, it's served me well over the years as an affordable, easy, and nourishing pairing. So thrilled to have that shine through in my latest quotes featured in SELF Magazine! Ultra-filtered (UF) milk can be a simple swap if you're trying to get a bit of extra #protein in your morning meals. But there's other benefits, too, which you can read about in this piece. Link to the full article below, written by Audrey Bruno. My thoughts are best summarized in the quote featured towards the end: "I love how we have new options like higher protein and higher fiber cereals and UF milk to prioritize the nutrition we need while preserving the nostalgia and enjoyment.” https://lnkd.in/gDSAKf_J

Hot off the press! The 2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey is now available, and what a goldmine of insights for nutrition communicators and practitioners. Link to the full report: https://lnkd.in/gtvTW_bb After reading the full report and attending a couple of webinars with the IFIC team this week, here are a few nuggets that rose to the surface for me: 💥 We see a consistent trend in consumers who self-report following a specific eating pattern or diet in the past year. Gen Z, Millenials, and those with higher household incomes are more likely to do so, with high protein and mindful eating cited as the top two in this year's survey. While neither eating pattern was defined to avoid biasing those being surveyed, I find it interesting that protein continues to be such a priority for Americans even though it's generally something most people eat enough of. How would you define a "high protein diet"? 💥 On the flip side, most Americans consume too much sodium and saturated fat, based on the current Dietary Guidelines. And they know it, with roughly half of the survey respondents saying they try to avoid or limit these two nutrients. Perhaps another opportunity for me to continue my shameless promotion of MSG as a strategy to reduce sodium without sacrificing flavor? 💥 Or maybe not, at least until we find better ways to reassure consumers that MSG is safe. Only 5% of this year's respondents feel that MSG is "very safe", with 11% considering it "somewhat safe". A whopping 45% consider it somewhat or very unsafe, which shows we have a long way to go towards reversing the damage done by the xenophobic myth of the now disproven and thoroughly debunked "Chinese restaurant syndrome" from decades past. 💥 Sweeteners are, unsurprisingly, another contentious topic among consumers. Although 76% report trying to limit or avoid added sugar (an increase from 72% in 2023), AND the most commonly cited perceived benefit of low- and no-calorie sweeteners is "to consume less sugar"...there is still uncertainty over sweetener safety and 22% of respondents say they try to avoid sweeteners altogether. 💥 When it comes to environmental sustainability, only 5% of those surveyed define a "healthy" food as being produced in a way that's environmentally sustainable. Across all household income brackets, it ranks below taste, price, healthfulness, and convenience. And respondents say they look for recyclable packaging or packaging made from recycled materials as an indicator that a product has minimized its impact. What do you look for? So many more insights I'd love to share, but instead I'll encourage you to check out the full report yourself. See what you can glean from this year's data, especially considering there are some new questions in the mix. Big thanks to the International Food Information Council team of Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, Milton Stokes, Kris Sollid, RD, and Alyssa Pike, RD!

I admit, food safety is not the sexiest, most glamorous topic. But as a registered dietitian, I consider it one of the most important! It's a big deal for two main reasons: 1. My brand of "fearlessly nourishing meals" means you shouldn't feel afraid of the food in your kitchen. Becoming familiar with "best by"/"use by" dates and how long to store open containers are just a couple of ways you can stay informed about what is and is not safe to eat. 2. Many people care about sustainability. And rightly so. But did you know food waste also creates GHG emissions? Right now, a lot of attention is cast toward plant-based eating or reducing environmental impact beyond the table. But reducing the amount of food wasted at the household level is another way of doing your part for planetary health. Bonus benefit: You might save some $$$ in the process! Read my latest quotes for Parade, along with Isabel Smith and Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC:

Here's how I see it: 1 - No one is immune to their personal biases, even reasonable and well-educated people. This journalist has made it abundantly clear that his bias is anti-processed foods in any form. 2 - Plant-based meat analogs are here to stay, whether we like it or not. Will plant-based meat alternatives ever dominate the market share historically owned by animal proteins? Too soon to tell, and I predict a lot of that will be determined by consumer demand. That leads me to... 3 - Consumer demand is, unfortunately, often driven by misinformation, incomplete information, or out-of-context information. My job as a registered dietitian is not to tell people how or what to eat, but to provide enough information for someone to feel like they can make a truly informed decision about what they eat. When we talk about the impacts of dietary changes for personal and planetary health, the information needs to be evidence-based and put into context. Don't forget the key drivers of food purchases: taste, cost, and availability. Improvements in one domain won't necessarily override the others. Many people are genuinely curious about trying new foods, plant-based or otherwise, but might still return to other eating patterns due to lifestyle and taste preferences, cost, or personal values. Unless we're including all of that + an honest conversation about the role of the social determinants of health, I'm very bored by these journalistic hot-takes about processed food.

Cherry season is officially here! While I'm currently behind pace on my personal consumption goal, there's lots of time left this summer to stock up on sweet cherries. My top three ways to enjoy them (in no particular order): - Pitted, chopped, and mixed into overnight oats with milk, almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. An easy, no-fuss breakfast or post-workout snack that can be made in advance! - Savory sauces, like a sweet cherry agrodolce. The restaurant dish that inspired it used roasted chicken but my favorite pairing is pork tenderloin medallions - Straight off the stem! We keep a bowl of fresh cherries in the fridge and usually snack on them while we make dinner or relax on the back deck So many great ways to enjoy cherries, what's your favorite? #haveaplant https://lnkd.in/gD96HQ9x

Why is there such a keen interest in raw, unpasteurized milk? This new article from Healthline explores the factors driving people towards this high-risk food. The usual suspects are involved - time and money - but social media is also contributing . Inside, you'll find great quotes from Kathleen Garcia-Benson, RDN, CSSD, LD, NASM-CPT, NBC-HWC, Emily Van Eck, MS, RDN, myself, and others. We bust some of the most common myths around raw milk and emphasize what I've been saying all along: pasteurization is an effective method for keeping milk and dairy products safe to consume. Be a smart shopper, it can help keep you and your family safe from an unnecessary bout of food-borne illness! https://lnkd.in/gkpC4SKK

I posted this a year ago on social media (original video removed) and it’s unfortunately still as relevant as ever. Have you seen an uptick in videos or content promoting raw milk? I find it even more concerning now that more cases of H5N1 HPAI virus (avian flu or bird flu) have been documented in more states. The No. 1 thing I want you to know ➡️ You can get the same nutritional benefit from drinking pasteurized milk as you can from raw milk, except it doesn’t come with the risk of an unplanned trip to the hospital. I was recently interviewed about this given the spread of dairy farms reporting viral fragments of H5N1 HPAI in unpasteurized milk samples. Viral fragments are not the same as a live virus, although raw milk is considered a high-risk food regardless because it can harbor pathogens including salmonella, E. coli, listeria, among other things. The FDA has issued several updates, emphasizing that they have testing protocols in place and are advising dairy farms to monitor cows who need to be quarantined and treated. Milk from symptomatic cows is discarded and dumped, and if it’s used for other animals it should be pasteurized. Another important fact ➡️ At this time, it’s unknown if this virus can infect people who drink raw milk. The three reported cases so far were farm workers who handled infected dairy cows, then later reported conjunctivitis (pink eye) and mild symptoms. At this time, the CDC is *not* reporting an increase in human cases of H5N1 HPAI. The FDA and USDA report that milk from the grocery store (which has been pasteurized in order for it to be sold there) is safe. Pasteurization is incredibly effective. It’s been used for over 100 years as a way to protect public health and is credited with significantly reducing the number of people who got sick or ☠️ from drinking raw, unpasteurized milk. The bottom line ➡️ If you choose to drink milk, I urge you to drink pasteurized milk and avoid raw milk. All of the FDA updates I cited are online, the last one was posted yesterday (June 12), including the letter sent to State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal Health Partners. It’s hard enough to stay healthy and well these days. Please don’t risk it or undermine your other efforts by drinking raw milk. #junedairymonth #gotmilk #rawmilk #milk #dairy