The United States Department of Agriculture says twice a week, make seafood the protein on your plate. Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry.
Last night I got my fish fix at a famous Boston-based seafood restaurant - one that brings back warm memories of meals shared with visiting family when I lived here for graduate school. In fact, all warm memories I have from Boston are of me being indoors in some capacity. This is a magnificent town, but chilly already!
Anyway, the menu at the restaurant was filled with too many delicious options, and I'm not particularly decisive, so I implemented a trick I often use in this situation. I decided to pick only from the appetizer menu - it helps me make a decision and ensures that decision will be a reasonably sized one. When eating out on the road, there isn't a place to put leftovers, so appetizer portions - in this case, grilled calamari over orzo pasta - are perfect.
For more out to eat tips and tricks, watch cookbook author, Nina Simonds and Nutrition professor at Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Eric Rimm as they navigate the very same seafood restaurant menu. The video is one in a series called, "Pyramid on a Plate" - a fun idea that shows how to make healthy choices at a variety of restaurants.
I am a registered dietitian with the National Fisheries Institute, so fish is my nutrition forte. I earned my BA in Communication from Southwestern University, just outside of Austin, TX. During college, one of my very favorite evening outings was a leisurely trip to the grocery market. My passion for food was undeniable, so I combined both of my interests by earning my MS in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University in Boston, MA. As well as my Registered Dietitian (RD) credential through the University of Delaware.
Beyond reading scientific studies about docosahexaenoic acid and selenium, I love to entertain, travel, watch reality TV, grill outdoors, and go to spin class. I live in Kailua, HI on the island of Oahu where my husband serves as a US Marine Corps JAG.
People in Hawaii eat more fish and shellfish than average, but over 80 percent of typical Americans don't eat seafood at least twice per week. Doctors and dietitians like me say that's the goal, so BlogAboutSeafood is here to show you just what plenty of seafood looks like in an RD's real-life diet.
Photo by Marco Garcia
