Family-Friendly Meals

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Family-Friendly Meals

The following Daily Dish is part of a series on The South Beach DietT Family.

For more family-friendly information, log on to southbeachdiet.com and click on

Diet Tips in the left-hand navigation bar. You'll find an entire section devoted

to The South Beach DietT Family.

Whether or not your family members are following The South Beach DietT

alongside you, you CAN succeed

at meeting your goals while also meeting your family's food needs -

without doing double duty in the kitchen!

With a little forethought and planning, you can purchase and prepare South

Beach DietT-friendly foods the whole family will enjoy. And as a side benefit,

your loved ones will enjoy better health as you lose weight and become more

vital. Just keep these guidelines in mind when preparing family lunches.

Lunches

a.. Go for whole-grain breads. Keep your cupboards stocked with a

variety of whole-grain breads. Whole-wheat sliced bread, whole-wheat pita,

whole-grain pumpernickel, and whole-grain tortillas are some family-friendly

varieties to choose from.

South Beach DietT-style: Enjoy whole-grains breads beginning in Phase 2.

b.. Serve salads. Make hearty, family-worthy Cobb or chef-style salads

with dark, leafy greens, tomatoes, avocados, turkey bacon, and lean deli meats.

South Beach DietT-style: Select a commercial salad dressing with less

than 3 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoon serving, or create your own dressing

using extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon or lime

juice, garlic, and fresh herbs.

c.. Consider bean-based soups. Lentil, split pea, and black bean are

nutrient-dense, fiber-rich choices that will satisfy the entire family.

South Beach DietT-style: Opt for vegetable, bean, or broth-based

varieties over creamy soups that are high in saturated fat. Pass over soups that

contain refined carbs (like white rice or pasta), and concoct a homemade version

using the whole-grain equivalents instead.

d.. Enjoy lean deli meats. Choose lean deli meats like turkey breast,

chicken breast, and ham. Make sure you select varieties without added sugars

(for instance, avoid honey-baked ham), and serve deli meats with South Beach

DietT-approved condiments like Dijon mustard and mayonnaise.

South Beach DietT-style: Forgo the sandwich bread and opt for a roll-up

if you're in Phase 1. Otherwise, you can surround your deli meats with

whole-grain sliced bread, pitas, and tortillas.