Steps to Good Eating: Foundation for a Healthy Diet: Breads, Cereals, Rice, & Pasta

Foundation for a Healthy Diet:

Breads, Cereals, Rice, & Pasta

Tips For Home Baking

• Use two egg whites in place of each whole egg in most quick breads, cookies, and cakes. (Yes, this will work in baked goods.)

• Use low-fat (1 percent or 2 percent) or skim milk.

• Add a small amount of vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg to sweet baked products to enhance flavor when you reduce sugars.

• Use 3 tablespoons cocoa in place of each ounce of baking chocolate.

• If fat is needed to replace the fat in chocolate in baked goods, use 1 tablespoon or less of a vegetable oil or a margarine in which the first ingredient on the ingredient label is a liquid oil (as opposed to a hydrogenated fat).

Rice And Pasta Pointers

• Fat and sugars are not necessary ingredients in pasta sauces.

• Salt and oil are not necessary when cooking pasta, rice, and hot cereals.

• Try cooking pasta or rice in unsalted broth or unsalted tomato juice.

• Reduce or omit salt from pasta and rice casseroles when using other ingredients containing salt, such as cheese, canned soup, or canned vegetables.

• Try some of the flavored pastas available. Pasta comes in a variety of shapes that add interest to your recipes.

• Serve brown rice. Brown rice adds texture, fiber, and flavor to many dishes.

• Try these rice and pasta dishes:

  —Brown rice stuffing /dressing (cooked brown rice, onion, celery, chopped chicken livers and gizzards, and seasonings).

  —Brown-rice pilaf (a seasoned rice) made with unsalted chicken or beef broth. Check the nutrition label for sodium content of canned broth. Buy the brand lowest in sodium or make your own broth to control the amount of sodium.

  —Macaroni salad made with whole-wheat macaroni for added flavor and fiber.

  —Chilled cooked pasta with pieces of raw vegetables to give extra texture and fiber.

Quick-To-Fix Breads

• Serve breads and rolls with little added margarine or butter.

• Use ready-to-heat or ready-to-serve rolls or breads. Try whole-grain types.

• Try whole-wheat flour in your quick mix recipe. (See Extension Circular HE-86, “Quick Mix.”)

  One serving equals:

1 slice bread

½ English muffin or regular bagel

½ bun or pita

6 saltine-type crackers
 

1 small, plain muffin
 
1 small waffle, about as big as the palm of your hand

1 pancake, about the size of the palm of your hand

½ cup cooked rice (white or brown)

½ cup cooked pasta

1 ounce cold cereal (amount varies;read labels)
 

½ cup cooked cereal

2 cups plain popped popcorn

1 small tortilla

1 slice of a small pizza that has been divided into 8 pieces

Total servings eaten.

I ate ________ servings yesterday.

I will eat ________ servings today.

Also see Extension publication EFNEP-0210, "Food Guide Pyramid: Daily Food Guide."

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.