On this week’s show, we’re celebrating National Family Meals Month with tips for gathering your family around the table more often and simple ways to get more seafood onto your weekly meal plan. Eating seafood at least two times a week is a recommendation in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and on this episode, I’ve got tips for making that goal an easy reality. I also have a brand new recipe for Parmesan Salmon Sticks with Zesty Avocado Dipping Sauce that I share on the show that’s sure to get you one tasty step closer. My salmon sticks recipe is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and on the show, I’ll tell you why omega-3s are considered an essential fat that plays a vital role in heart, eye, and brain health.
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I partnered with GOED, the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s for this show. All opinions are my own.
“Make a commitment to add one more family meal to your schedule each week.”
– Liz Weiss, MS, RDN
Show Highlights:
- Benefits of eating family meals together. For more info, visit the Food Marketing Institute’s Family Meals Month page.
- Why engaging kids in food shopping, prep and meal planning boosts family mealtime.
- Why removing distractions from family meals is important.
- Flexibility with family meals is key. Breakfast together counts as a family meal.
- The importance of incorporating seafood into your diet – It’s rich in protein and healthy omega-3 fats.
- Recipe inspiration for adding more seafood to your diet:
- Canned tuna or salmon salad with shredded carrot, light mayo, and Dijon mustard stuffed inside a pita pocket or served on top of halved avocados
- Wild halibut Baked in Parchment with Cilantro and Ginger
- Omelet with leftover baked tilapia or lox (smoked salmon) with sauteed baby spinach and the cheese of your choice.
- Fish tacos.
- The benefits of incorporating omega-3s in your diet (read on for Omega-3 Smarts).
- My son Josh is moving to a new apartment in New York near Russ & Daughters. Read more about this iconic “appetizer” shop in the Lower East Side of NYC.
- Corny salmon cakes and Teriyaki Salmon, Snow Peas, and Carrots on the LHT blog.
- Parmesan Salmon Sticks with Zesty Avocado Dipping Sauce.
Omega-3 Smarts:
– EPA and DHA omega-3s are nutrients that play a key role in heart, brain and eye health throughout life.
– According to PubMed, there are more than 30,000 studies on EPA and DHA omega-3s, including more than 3,000 human clinical trials, making EPA and DHA among the most studied nutrients in the world.
– EPA and DHA omega-3s may help maintain healthy blood pressure and healthy triglyceride levels and improved blood vessel function.
– Just as calcium is essential for building strong bones, DHA is a building block for the brain.
DHA not only is important for brain development – it actually is a significant percentage of the fatty tissue that makes up the brain.
– Pregnant moms pass DHA to their growing babies through the placenta, and in breast milk after birth. Therefore, it’s important that pregnant and nursing mothers eat enough fatty fish or take an omega-3 supplement not only for themselves, but for their growing babies.
– The body’s highest concentration of DHA is found in the retina of the eye. Therefore, DHA plays an essential role in eye health, especially for infant eye development.
– There are three simple ways to get recommended amounts of EPA and DHA: eating fatty fish such as salmon, consuming EPA and DHA-fortified foods and beverages, or taking omega-3 supplements.
Plant-based sources of omega-3s do not provide the same benefit. You need to get EPA and DHA directly from the diet (such as by eating fatty fish and by taking an omega-3 supplement).
FYI: 3 ounces of salmon has 1, 670 milligrams of omega-3 fats while 3 ounces of tuna has 325 milligrams.
- You should aim to get 250mg to 500mg of EPA and DHA per day.
Links:
My email: [email protected]
- Super Healthy Kids
- The Parents On Demand Network
Liz’s Color, Cook, Eat! coloring book series
GOED’s consumer site, Always Omega-3s, and their QUIZ to determine if you’re getting enough omega-3s in your diet.
Food Marketing Institute: Family Meals Month
Fish in Parchment Recipe by Pamela Salzman
Parmesan Salmon Sticks with Zesty Avocado Dipping Sauce
Have a question about the show or a suggestion for a future show? Ask away by posting a comment below or joining my Podcast Posse.
Awesome episode! This is a great way to celebrate Family Meals Month!
Glad you enjoyed the show, Amy.
Dear Liz! Thanks for this episode, very good info. I was wondering if you checked marion nestle’s website when you did your research for this episode?
I know Marion but did not refer to her site during this show. What info do you think would be helpful from Marion for this episode? Do tell…