Media Segment Ideas

Media Segment Ideas

Fad Diets: Busting the Myths

When talking to your shoppers about the foods they should eat or the weight-loss diets they may be following, you probably encounter a lot of confusion. Today, this food is in; tomorrow it is out. One day something is a “super food;” the next, it is a health risk. How can you, in your role as a dietitian or spokesperson for your grocery chain, help sort the fact from the (potentially harmful) fiction?

Here is a television segment idea to pose to your local television or radio station, to help consumers make smart choices about the foods they select.

How to Know if a Weight Loss Diet is a Fad or (Potentially) Fabulous

Weight loss diets abound, yet Americans continue to put on the pounds. And for every added pound, there is a new “sure cure” diet fix, promising to solve your weight management problems (today!) Here are questions to ask to help determine if  today’s hot diet is a smart, healthful way to permanently lose weight… or just another in a long line of fad diets:

• Does the diet promise fast weight-loss, as in more than a pound or two a week?
• Does the diet forbid a certain food or ingredient, or suggest that you eat a lot of one or two things? If so, beware! Total elimination diets won’t help with permanent weight loss; same with diets that focus on one food item.
• Does the diet have you replace meals with a specific product, like powder drinks or energy bars? If so, that’s a diet that is concerned more with selling something, rather than your health!
• Does the diet require you to drastically cut back calories, making you feel like you’re starving yourself? No way that this is a healthy, or helpful, weight-loss diet!
• Is the diet promoted by user stories, or celebrities, rather than based on science? Safe, effective weight loss diets should suggest that you discuss it with your doctor or a dietitian.

Ideas for Visuals:

• Dinner plate with menu suggestions based on “My Plate”
• Display of smart snack ideas
• Selection of magazine covers or tabloid newspapers touting “weight loss” headlines

A Warm Start to a Cold Day

When the weather may be cold and dreary, think “warm-up in the kitchen” with a hot breakfast! Your store and the Wheat Foods Council can encourage shoppers to start their day with a healthy, hearty, hot breakfast during February.

Here is a television segment idea that brings to life some delicious, healthful hot breakfast recipes:

February is Hot Breakfast Month

If you and your kids regularly skip breakfast in the interest of saving time, calories, or getting a few more minutes of sleep, remember that eating a wholesome, nutritious morning meal will probably save you time in the long run. By recharging the brain and body, you'll be more efficient in just about everything you do. Time invested in breakfast is much more valuable than the few extra minutes of sleep you might get by bypassing the morning meal.

And when it’s this cold outside, nothing tastes better than a hot breakfast in the morning. Here are some ideas for a quick, warm start to your day:

• Breakfast Pita Pizzas – Open pita bread. Sprinkle with light layer of mozzarella or other favorite cheese. Add diced tomato, chopped fresh spinach, chopped bell peppers and sprinkling of oregano for a savory pizza. Lay pita flat in toaster oven or warm oven until cheese melts. For a sweeter taste, warm pita bread first and then top with a light layer of cottage cheese. Add pineapple chunks and sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Grilled Jam and Cheese Sandwiches – Spread a light layer of cream cheese on four pieces of whole-wheat sandwich bread. Spread a light layer of strawberry jam on top; close bread pieces to make two sandwiches. In large skillet, warm 1 – 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Place sandwiches in pan and cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until other side is brown and filling is warmed.
• Warm English Muffins with Peanut Butter and Sliced Bananas – Split English muffin and slice a banana. Place English muffin slices under hot broiler or in toaster oven to warm. Remove and spread with peanut or other nut butter. Top with banana slices and place back under broiler or in toaster oven. Heat until warmed throughout and bananas begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes.

Ideas for Visuals:

Offer an on-air cooking demonstration of one of the above recipes.  

Wheat Foods for Weight Loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important that you make the most of the foods you eat. The low-calorie, low-fat diet that you follow should be nutrient-dense so that you do not come up short on essential vitamins and minerals, even as you cut back on the amount of food you are consuming.

Recipes and foods made from wheat are a good example of this kind of diet-friendly food. They provide fiber, to make you feel full, iron and also important B-complex vitamins that you need to consume every day.

Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Wheat Foods and Recipes

Here are some ideas to try:

Artichoke Wheat Berry Salad

Ingredient List: 
1 cup whole wheat berries
3 cups chicken broth
3 green onions, sliced – tops and all
1 small yellow pepper, seeded and diced
20 stuffed olives, sliced
2 - 6 ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained (reserve marinade)
1/2 cup mayonnaise, light
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Directions: 
Heat chicken broth and add whole wheat. Simmer ½ hour; refrigerate mixture overnight. In the morning, simmer wheat until soft, approximately ½ to 1 hour; drain excess liquid. Add green onions, pepper, olives and drained artichokes to wheat berries. Blend mayonnaise and curry powder into ¼ cup reserved artichoke marinade until smooth. Add to wheat mixture and mix thoroughly. Chill several hours before serving or overnight.

Note: Use only clean untreated wheat. By soaking the wheat overnight, cooking time is cut in half.

Servings: 12 
Calories/Serving: 132

Nutrition: One serving provides approximately: 132 calories, 4 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 36 mcg folate, 1 mg iron, 618 mg sodium.

Bruschetta
 

Ingredient List: 
12 slices, small Italian or French bread, toasted
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt 

 Directions 
Combine tomatoes, oil, basil and salt in a covered bowl and let marinate at least 4 hours (Do not refrigerate; tomatoes will lose their flavor). 
Use a slotted spoon to layer on to bread. 

Serve immediately.

Servings: 6 - 2 slices each   Calories/Serving: 213

Nutrition: One serving (2 slices) provides approximately: 213 calories, 6 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 61 mcg folate, 2 mg iron, 489 mg sodium.

Primavera Pasta Salad
 

 Ingredient List:
8 ounces whole wheat Rotini
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 can black olives, pitted and drained
8 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1 cup broccoli, cooked and drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 to 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Description: A pasta salad served cold.

Directions: 
Cook pasta according to directions on package; drain and rinse under cold water. Put pasta in a large mixing bowl. Mix in all remaining ingredients; toss well. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours and serve.

Servings: Provides 6 servings.
Calories/Serving: 228 calories/serving

Nutrition: Nutritional analysis: One serving provides approximately: 228 calories, 10 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 8 mg cholesterol, 43 mcg folate, 2 mg iron and 251 mg sodium.

Ideas for Visuals: Prepare the dishes shown above. Discuss calorie and fat content, in weight loss diet.