GREENSBORO, N.C. — On a cold winter day, a yummy meal or big bowl of chili can warm us up and our spirits. But how healthy are they?
Cone Health Dietitian Kate Watts joined us today to talk about how to make delicious healthy winter comfort foods, convenient recipe alternatives, getting your kids involved in the kitchen and more.
Watts says there are ways to transform classic winter comfort foods into healthier versions without losing any of that delicious taste. You can increase the health value of dishes by adding vegetables to your meals. Adding carrots to chili, mushrooms to lasagna, or cabbage to soup will add more flavor and provide a nutrient boost.
Another option is swapping out healthier ingredients in your meals. Adding things like whole grains and beans are an affordable way to bulk up your meal while saving your meal. Substituting in oats for flour or whole wheat pasta in casserole will add fiber and extra nutrition.
A lot of people love chili during the colder months – especially at Super Bowl parties. Watts recommends to avoid using popular chili powder seasoning packets. Oftentimes, those packets are rich in unhealthy ingredients like sodium. Instead, you can make your own seasoning. You can usually find most of the ingredients used in packets in your cupboard.
Cone Health offers a variety of cooking classes at the Teaching Kitchen at MedCenter Greensboro. The classes can teach you to cook healthy. Cone Health also offers access to registered dietitians that can help you eat right.