Reading List: Better In-Flight Foods, Contaminated Beef and Proposed HFCS Ban
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In this week’s nutrition news: Home cooking makes a comeback, General Mills pledges to reduce salt levels in its products and a potato chip stand-in takes snackers by storm.
This week, General Mills joined food giants Kraft, ConAgra and Unilever with a pledge to reduce product sodium levels. The company plans to cut salt by 20 percent in about 40 percent of its foods. General Mills has already decreased salt in some Progresso soups and Chex snack mixes, but this is the first time it publicly announced its salt-slashing efforts.
More Americans are thinking outside the (takeout) box and embracing home cooking, according to a recent American Institute for Cancer Research survey. Forty percent of participants said they were dining out less often, and almost 50 percent reported they were eating less fast food. The main reason? It's just too expensive. Folks are saving more than money, though -- they're also saving calories. This is excellent news! If you're looking for recipe inspiration, don't forget to check in with Healthy Eats daily for easy, healthy meal ideas and nutrition tips.
Most folks will agree that airline food is generally less than tasty -- and not something most people are willing to pay for. Many travelers bring their own food or buy meals from airport kiosks as an alternative to in-flight fare. In response, airlines are working to create healthy and tasty choices for passengers. Air Canada offers a yogurt parfait and a vegetarian sandwich, and Alaska Airlines sells several healthy "picnic packs" of packaged foods. As a frequent flyer, I can’t wait to have better tasting (not to mention healthier) options in the skies. Read our tips on healthier flying »
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. See Toby's full bio »