Take Control of your Movie Theatre Experience

This is a topic of frequent discussion with clients – what can I eat at the movies? Since the usual movie fare of popcorn with cheap oils, hot dogs, soda, nachos with sodium laden condiments, and candy hardly qualifies for a health contest how can you transform your movie experience into an enjoyable and healthful experience?

LA Times writer Mary MacVean wrote an article earlier this year on Snack Bar Health Reform.  She interviewed some key chefs to see what they would recommend for healthy movie food available for purchase.

Evan Kleiman, chef-owner of Angeli Caffe and host of the weekly radio food show “Good Food” on KCRW suggested fruit and veggies with peanut butter for dipping.

Stefan Richter, the chef at LA Farm in Santa Monica suggested hummus or a fruit and cheese platter.

These are wonderful choices but since movie theaters seem more interested in selling snacks than providing health options what can one do for healthful choices at the movies?  Here’s your grocery list for a good movie viewing experience:

1.  A baggie of your favorite mixed raw or dry roasted nuts with a few chocolate chips or dark chocolate squares to sweeten up the mix

2.  3-4 cubes of your favorite hard sliced cheese with apple slices or grapes

3.  A cup of your favorite tea or a decaf latte with extra foam and some cocoa powder on top to sweeten a little

4.  Celery topped with natural peanut, almond or cashew butter and a few raisins, also known as ants on a log in a children’s world

One thought to consider:  are truly hungry when you attend a movie, or is it just a habit to eat while watching?  A few years ago I started bringing a bottle of water and made sure I ate a meal or a snack prior to the film. 

If you are hungry, consider one of the above options.  Otherwise, maybe rethink your default response of movie eating.  You don’t have to be lured by the sounds and smells of fellow movie goers consuming unhealthful fare. Healthful eating can make your experience even more enjoyable….even at the movies.

Organizing Your Food World

This morning I dropped by the grocery store to pick up a few items and was pleasantly surprised to run into a client.  I could not help looking in her grocery cart.  Most of the time, I’m “off duty” in the store but curiosity got the best of me.  For the record, she got a passing grade.

We spoke for a few moments and she reminded me of one of the things that helps an individual with being successfully nutritious:  planning and organizing your food.

Many times a day I hear “if I could just get organized I would be okay.”  Surprisingly, when you get in the mindset of organizing your food, things fall into place.

Plan your Week- Start with Breakfast

Making a list once a week of what you need for most of your meals is the first step.  If you eat yogurt or cottage cheese with nuts and fruit for breakfast, or eggs with fruit, make sure you have enough of those items to last the week.  If you are on the run, make be sure you have some sliced cheese and a fruit and you’re good to go.

On to Lunch

For lunch, Jeffrey’s Chicken Salad is a good one for lunches and easy to make with baked or leftover chicken.  A container of the chicken salad and a fruit works well for an easy lunch.  CORE (clean out the refrigerator) salad is also a good lunch time item – put whatever leftover veggies, fruit, protein (chicken, meat, fish, hard-boiled eggs and cheese) over lettuce with some lemon, olive oil and vinegar.

Healthy Snacks?

For snacks, Trader Joes sells 1 ounce bags of nuts and sliced hard cheeses.  Have one of these and some fruit and it will last you till dinner.  My clients know I like the Mauk Family Farms Wheat Free Crusts – very satiating and provide that crunch we desire without having to fall into the temptation of processed carbohydrates.

Weekend Cooking for Dinners?

For dinner, making 2 entrees on the weekend you can heat up during the week and adding a salad is easy for those that work full time.  After working all day, the last thing I want to do is come home and make a full dinner.  Having these entrée items to choose from can prevent an on the way home unhealthy takeout.

At first it takes more forethought and getting into a new routine.  After a few weeks, you’ll be on autopilot and wonder why you ever had a hard time with your food.  An ounce of planning prevention provides low stress nutritious living.

Crunchy Wheat-Free, Gluten Free Snacks

Years ago wheat-free snacks lacked taste and crunch. There has been an explosion of snacks in the last 2 years which are tasty, crunchy and made of nuts, seeds, vegetables and spices. These make an excellent snack choice for those with carbohydrate sensitivity, diabetes, celiac disease and other medical issues.

My favorite variety is Wheat Free Crusts by Mauk Family Farms. These “crackers” are made of sunflower, sesame and flax seeds along with spices and will make an wonderful substitute for crackers.

Another company that makes many varieties is Lydia’s Organics. These “crackers” are usually made of almonds, sesame seeds, vegetables and spices. The Luna-Nori, Italian and Sunflower “Bread” have a great taste and pair well with cheese or peanut/almond and cashew butters.

Finally Matter of Flax is a excellent choice that makes their “crackers” of flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and spices which make them each a little different – Italian, Mexican, and Indian are a few of the flavors.

They all have a little kick and will satisfy that carby crunchy need without breaking your “carb” bank.

What About those Snacks?

In this morning's LA Times Family Circus cartoon Billy asked his Mom "how much of a snack do I get to eat before it becomes a meal?" This question comes up frequently with clients. Is snacking okay? How many calories constitutes a snack before it becomes a meal? Is it okay to snack, or am I supposed to wait till the next meal?

Snacking is an important part of eating. If you go more than 5 to 6 hours between meals it is essential to have a snack to prevent a drop in your blood sugar or overeating at the next meal. The size of snacks depends on your activity level, weight, and age. In general, snacks fall in the 200-350 calorie range while meals are over 500 calories.

Examples of healthy snacks are:

1. 1 ounce of raw or unsalted dry roasted nuts (about 15-20) with a medium piece of fruit


2. 1-2 slices of cheese with and medium piece of fruit


3. 1-2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter with fruit or celery


4. 1/4 cup of guacamole with cut up vegetables


5. 1/2 cup of plain yogurt or cottage cheese with nuts or nut mix (below)

My upcoming nutrition book with recipes has a healthy delicious nut mix that is a flavorable topper for plain yogurt or cottage cheese, and works well by itself for a snack.

Healthy Nut Mix

Serves: 10 ¼ cup servings

¼ cup raw steel cut oats
½ cup of raw pumpkin seeds
¼ cup of raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup of unsweetened dried coconut
½ cup of coarsely chopped raw cashews
¼ cup of sliced raw almonds
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1.5 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon of honey

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together and spread on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees till golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring once through the cooking process. Remove from oven and let cool on the cookie sheet. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for a month.

So thank you Billy for posing the question for our blog today and no need to feel guilty about snacking. It is important to health, vitality throughout the day, and reasonable eating!