Thanksgiving can be a challenging day in itself for those of us trying to make healthy food choices. For strategies to help you tackle temptation and make Thanksgiving a little bit healthier, you can read Thin Out Thanksgiving. But there’s another day that could derail your healthy eating plans this week–Black Friday.

If you are planning for a long day of shopping on Friday, you aren’t alone. People all over the country are getting ready for pre-dawn lines, mobs of shoppers and a marathon of deal grabbing. Here are a few ways to keep yourself from falling prey to temptation while you are out and about.

1. Get a good night’s sleep. If you’re planning to hit the lines at your favorite store before dawn, make sure you get to bed early. You will want to get at least six hours of sleep, but as always, seven to eight hours is best. A good night’s rest will ensure you have the energy and stamina you need to get through the long day ahead of you.
2. Eat breakfast (or carry something with you). Depending on what time you plan to start shopping, you will want to make sure you either eat something before you leave the house or pack something to eat while you are in line waiting for the stores to open. Don’t depend solely on coffee and fast food to get and keep you going first thing in the morning.
3. Dress in layers and be aware of the weather forecast. This is especially important if you plan on getting in line early and live in an area where mornings can be cold this time of year. Remember that stores will be warm, and you might get even warmer running up and down aisles, but you may need a coat, scarf, hat and gloves before you get into the stores.
4. Pack snacks. Since your day may be longer and will likely start much earlier than usual, you will want to make sure that you have some healthy snacks on hand in case you are not able or willing to eat meals when your body starts sending you hunger signals. Apples, bananas, cheese sticks and other portable snacks are perfect for tossing in your purse and grabbing when you need extra energy.
5. Take time out for meals. You will probably want to push through the hunger and shop until you drop, afraid you will miss out on early bird specials and the best sales. But the money you save won’t be worth much if you start snapping at your shopping buddy or pass out in JCPenney due to low blood sugar.
6. Have fun. Yes, there’s pressure to grab deals and hurry to other stores. Yes, the checkout lines will be long and unbearable. Yes, the crowds will be pushy and impatient. Don’t let stress take the fun out of the day. Enjoy the company of your shopping companions, treat others kindly (even if they’re not so kind in return) and remember to savor the experience. It is the holiday season, after all.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels this weekend!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Each year, the American Cancer Society marks the third Thursday of November as the Great American Smokeout®. On November 19th, the American Cancer Society

[encourages] smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing cancer risk and creating more birthdays. Researchers say that quitting smoking can increase life expectancy – smokers who quit at age 35 gain an average of eight years of life expectancy; those who quit at age 55 gain about five years; and even long term smokers who quit at 65 gain three years.

If the promise of more birthdays doesn’t convince you to quit, you can find plenty of other reasons why you should at the American Cancer Society’s website, including a guide to quit and access to a Quit Line for additional support.

What do you say? Join the 34th Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 19th and send those cigarettes packing. You’re worth it!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

It’s likely that these days you are feeling the pressure of the economic downturn. Tighter budgets may be affecting your shopping habits and the quality of your meals might be suffering. After all, you can grab an entire meal at McDonald’s for $5 or high-fat ground meat for a couple dollars a pound, while a pound of fresh fruit or vegetables can cost more than a bag of chips. That does not mean you can’t feed your family the healthy way with less money, but in order to make budget friendly choices you need to know a few tricks.

Shop in Season (and Locally if Possible)

There are a lot of benefits to buying fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season–and local produce is even better if you can get it. Consider this: local produce does not need to be shipped across the country (or around the world) so it is picked when it is perfectly ripe and the cost of getting it to a local market is much lower. Not only can you find great deals on fruits and vegetables at the farmers market or local farm stand, but the produce there is full of flavor and bursting with nutrition.

Not all of us are lucky enough to live where farmers markets and locally grown produce are available all year round though. Unfortunately, much of the produce you will find in the grocery store has been shipped from far away, and therefore had to be picked long before it was ripe. This affects flavor, and cost, in a big way. That does not mean the grocery store is a lost cause and you have to resign yourself to huge bills when it comes to produce purchases. If you shop wisely, you can find deals on produce at the grocery store, too.

Start by shopping for what is in season. It may not be local, but at least it will have the best flavor and greatest nutritional value. Shopping in season means buying citrus fruits in the winter; peaches, nectarines and berries in the spring and summer; and apples and pears in the fall. It means building your menus around fresh produce during the natural growing seasons in your area and settling for something a little less than fresh the rest of the year.

If You Can’t Shop In Season, Go Frozen

By “less-than-fresh” I don’t mean settling for flavorless, unripe fruits and vegetables from the produce section, whether they are or in season. If you can’t find quality fresh produce, try getting the majority of your produce from the frozen food aisle during the off-season. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthy as fresh in-season produce because they are picked as soon as they are ripe and immediately frozen, helping to retain all of the vitamins and nutrients.

One of the best things about frozen vegetable is that they often go on sale and, unlike for bananas and green peppers in your produce section, you can often find coupons in your Sunday circulars for popular brands. Stock up on them when they are at the best prices and you can have enough vegetables to get you through the long winter without breaking the bank.

Plan Your Meals (But Be Flexible)

No matter when or where you are shopping for your produce, the best way to take advantage of deals is to plan meals around what is available, rather than shopping for a specific dish or recipe. This may seem difficult at first, but once you get an idea of what is in season and when, it will get easier. Cooking this way allows you to buy what is cheapest and work with it, rather than spending outrageous amounts on vegetables or fruits that don’t even taste that great.

Even in your planning, remember to be flexible. Come up with a group of 5 to 10 recipes for each season that you are comfortable with and then play with ingredients as their availability shifts. Substitute similar foods. Try a little less of this and a little more of that. You will learn quickly which fruits and vegetables work well in which recipes. Even if the dishes don’t turn out perfect, you can enjoy the full flavors of good food and the extra money in your pocket from shopping wisely.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

According to the FDA, the Jelly Belly Candy Company is recalling all 7.5-ounce cylinder-style packages of 49 Flavors Jelly Belly jelly beans shipped between September 29 to October 30, 2009. This recall is important for people who have peanut allergies or sensitivity because the packages do not list peanut butter and peanut flour in the ingredient statement.

This recall includes lot codes 090925, 090928, 090929 or 091001 with the UPC code 071567989398.

For more details regarding this recall, visit the FDA website.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."