General Questions - Eat Well in a SNAP

I’m trying to increase my fiber intake. On a package of dried fruit, the nutrition label stated 2 grams of fiber is 7% of our daily requirement, but on a peanut butter label, it said 2 grams is 9% of our daily requirement. Why the discrepancy?

It is great that you are paying such close attention to the amount of fiber you eat! Most Americans do not eat enough fiber. In fact, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reported that more than 90% of women and 97% of men don’t get enough. For reference, the daily value for dietary fiber used on the nutrition facts label is 28 grams. For more specific fiber goals based on your age and gender, check out the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The differences you noticed on the nutrition facts labels likely come down to rounding. Food manufacturers may use fractions of a gram when calculating the percent daily value of fiber. However, as you noticed, the grams of dietary fiber in a product are shown as a whole number that may have been rounded up or down. This would explain the difference.

For anyone looking to up their intake of dietary fiber, it’s a good idea to increase gradually and make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. This can help prevent constipation or stomach upset. Remember, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, beans, and lentils all naturally contain fiber and every little bit counts! For more information on dietary fiber, check out this Nutrition Facts Label resource. This Food Sources of Fiber guide is a great resource to help find high-fiber foods and track your favorites.

I am struggling with comparing Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Cacao Powder, and Carob Powder in terms of which is the better option for someone who is trying to lose weight. The intent is to add a small amount to a smoothie mix for a chocolate like flavor. Is there any insight you can provide?

Cocoa powder, cacao powder, and carob powder are fairly similar. While there are nutritional differences, for the amount you would use in a smoothie, the differences are very small.

What it really comes down to is what you like best as each has a unique flavor. Cacao powder tends to be a little more bitter while cocoa powder has a more traditional chocolate flavor. Carob powder tends to be a little sweeter and nutty in flavor, but some people don’t find the flavor chocolatey enough.

To pick the one that is right for you, it’s also important to think about the cost and how easy each one is to find. Cocoa powder is available and inexpensive in pretty much any store that sells baking ingredients. You may have a harder time finding cacao or carob powder and the price tends to be much higher.

If you already have more than one option on hand, try them out with the same recipe to see which you like better! Check out this Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie. The recipe calls for cocoa powder, but you could swap in an equal amount of cacao or carob powder to see which you like best. Happy recipe tasting!

I have Type 2 diabetes. I need a proper diet chart to follow. If you could please guide me, that would be very helpful. Thank you.

Finding a diabetes meal plan that works for you can feel challenging. But don’t lose hope! There are resources to help you on this journey.

For meal planning, your health, medications, likes and dislikes, and budget will all affect what works for you. Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Healthy Eating and Diabetes Meal Planning pages for some basic resources to help you get started.

For more support on this journey, you can meet with a health professional or attend a diabetes program designed for people in a similar situation. Many health plans cover diabetes education or support programs. Ask your doctor if something like this is available to you. They might refer you to a specific program, but if they don’t, visit this program finder or this diabetes education program finder to locate one near you.

Another option is to visit a nutrition expert like a registered dietitian nutritionist. Together you can discuss your health history, likes and dislikes, and budget to make a plan that fits your lifestyle. Continuing to work with a dietitian over time can help you track your progress and make sure the plans you come up with are working for you.

Many insurance plans cover diabetes education programs if your doctor refers you. Some may also cover individual visits with a registered dietitian nutritionist, but coverage varies. Check with your insurance provider to learn more.

Congrats on taking charge of your own health and working to find a plan that works for you!

I have coronary artery disease, Type 2 diabetes, and stage 3 kidney disease. The diets recommended for these three diseases are in total conflict. So, I am puzzled as to how I can find anything to eat that isn’t bad for one of the diseases. Low-carb is fine for two of them but bad for the third. Can’t do carnivore since meat protein is bad for the kidneys. Plant-based is very expensive and not too appealing for me. Any ideas?

Managing dietary changes for medical conditions can feel stressful. It takes planning for anyone to find a way of eating that works for them. Kudos to you for working to figure it out!

As you work through this process, know that you are not alone! Diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease are connected, so many people are dealing with this same challenge. You’re right, there isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach when managing multiple health conditions. But nutrition experts like registered dietitian nutritionists can review your medical history and help you navigate eating with these three conditions. Adding a registered dietitian nutritionist to your medical team is a great way to build confidence that you’re doing the right things for your body. Together you can discuss your health history, likes and dislikes, and budget, and make a plan that will work for you. Continuing to consult with a dietitian over time can allow you to track progress and ensure the plans you come up with are working for you and your medical conditions.

For help finding a nutrition expert, visit the Find a Nutrition Expert tool. People with kidney disease can also use the CKD Dietitian Directory.

For people who have diabetes or kidney disease and are on Medicare, insurance will cover some dietitian visits with a doctor’s referral. If that’s you, talk with your doctor to get the ball rolling! People who have other insurance might have some visits covered or may need to pay out of pocket. Check with your insurance provider to learn more.

Are brand name grocery foods and drinks healthier and more nutritious than store brand or generic foods and drinks?

Generic or grocery store brand foods and drinks are generally just as healthy as name-brand products. They are often designed to be similar in both taste and nutrition. Many generic foods are made in the same facility with very similar recipes as name-brand products. The Nutrition Facts label and list of ingredients are a great way to compare brands and help you choose the best product for your needs. And don’t forget taste! It may take some trial and error to find the products that best meet your flavor and nutrition needs.

Check out How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label for more information.

How often can you cook with extra virgin olive oil and how much can you use daily without affecting your heart?

When it comes to oils, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends cooking and choosing foods with oils high in unsaturated fats, like olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, etc., when possible. This strategy helps to limit excess saturated fats while providing essential fatty acids.

When cooking with oils, it’s helpful to keep in mind that each oil has a different “smoke point”. When oils are heated above their “smoke point”, they begin to break down and can develop a foul odor or taste. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the “smoke point” for olive oil is approximately 410° F. For higher temperature cooking, choosing another oil high in unsaturated fats like canola oil (“smoke point” of 435°) or peanut oil (“smoke point” of 450°) may be beneficial.

The amount of heart healthy oils recommended as part of a healthy eating plan varies depending on a person’s individual calorie needs. In general, an adult should aim for 5-7 teaspoons of oils daily. This includes oils in prepared foods, used during cooking, or as garnish on dishes. Aim to include more oils high in unsaturated fat, like olive oil, to help meet the dietary guidelines recommendation to limit saturated fats. Check out these tip sheets for more strategies on choosing heart healthy fat sources: Cut Down on Saturated Fat tip sheet & Rethink Fats tip sheet.

I am 27 years old. I aspire to be a bodybuilder in the very near future that is vigorously active every day and eats a healthy, balanced 3,000 calories per day from fibrous foods, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts to give myself healthy energy and to build muscle mass. Based on my knowledge, if I am vigorously active every day as a bodybuilder 2,000 calories per day will not meet my needs. Would a diet of 3,000 healthy, balanced calories per day from fibrous foods, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts to give me healthy energy and to build muscle mass, be nutritionally appropriate?

Great to hear your interest in a healthy approach to bodybuilding. Kudos to you for focusing on eating fruits and veggies as well! Choosing nutrient-dense foods like veggies, fruits, grains (at least half of which are whole grains), lean proteins, healthy oils like those found in nuts and fish, and low-fat or fat-free dairy can help you ensure an overall healthy dietary pattern.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides a chart with estimated calorie needs by age, sex, and physical activity level (sedentary, moderately active, and active). This can be a starting point for individuals to estimate their energy needs. 3,000 calories per day is the general recommendation for a 26-30-year-old male with an active lifestyle. An active lifestyle in the Dietary Guidelines is defined as physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour in addition to normal daily activities.

Keep in mind that this is just a general recommendation and determining if this will work for you will depend on many factors. It may be helpful to ask for a referral to a Registered Dietitian specializing in nutrition for athletes. They could review your specific medical history and training plans and calculate your unique hydration, protein, carbohydrate, and fat needs for before, during, and after workouts to help you meet your goals.

How can I get help with meal planning on EBT?

Meal planning is an excellent way to stretch your food dollars and make mealtimes less stressful because you have a plan for what you’re going to make each day.

A good starting point is to do a quick inventory of what’s in your fridge and pantry each week before grocery shopping. Check to see what staple foods you might be running low on and which foods you need to use up in the next week before they spoil.

Once you have a list of what you have on hand, think about what meals these foods can be used in. I like to have a list of 5-10 meals that I know my family likes and that use staple ingredients to make meal planning less stressful.

Choose the meals you want to make for the week and then compare the ingredients to what you have on hand to make your grocery list. Fruits and veggies are key to building healthy, balanced meals, but remember that they don’t have to be fresh. Choose the most cost-effective variety of fruits and veggies that your family likes – fresh, canned, or frozen are all excellent choices! If you have access to multiple grocery stores, it can also be helpful to look at weekly ads to see if there are any good deals on foods you regularly eat.

Using a meal planning template can be helpful to organize your ideas and keep you on track throughout the week.

If you are looking for recipe ideas on a budget, check out the MyPlate Kitchen recipes, Michigan Harvest of the Month™, Eat Well on $4/Day – Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown, and Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Homes.

The Shop Simple with MyPlate app can also help you find budget friendly recipes as well as stores and farmers markets that accept EBT and offer fruit and vegetable reward programs and incentives. Some Michigan farmers markets also have food navigators who can help you make the most of your food dollars. Check out the Eat Well in a Snap Food Navigator directory to see if your local market has a food navigator.

Lastly, if you have access, you can ask your doctor for a referral to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who can help you dive deeper into meal planning that meets your lifestyle, health needs, and budget on a more personal level.

I’m vegan but I’m concerned I’m not getting the necessary nutrients that animal products provide. So I decided to introduce eggs into my diet. How many eggs per week should I eat in order to get the full amount of micro and macro nutrients that I need?

Eggs are a nutrient dense food that can be a beneficial addition to a dietary plan. Eggs are a good source of vitamin B₁₂ and contain protein, vitamin D, and small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which are all nutrients that may be limited in a traditional vegan diet.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) 2020-2025 include a Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Pattern that lays out recommended servings to eat from the different food groups each day or week to meet individual energy and nutrient needs. The Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Pattern recommends 3 eggs per week across most energy levels. Historically, there has been some question about the link between eating eggs and heart health. The most recent studies suggest that up to one egg per day is unlikely to affect heart health for most people.

The Healthy Vegetarian Dietary Pattern in the DGAs includes eggs, but studies show that replacing eggs with vegetarian protein source like beans, peas, lentils, soy products, and nuts has minimal impact on overall dietary quality and meeting recommended nutrient needs.

Here is more information about some of the nutrients found in eggs and plant-based alternative options.

Protein – Eggs contain about 6g of protein per large egg. Plant-based protein sources include nuts, tofu, beans, peas, and lentils, whole grains, vegetables, and seeds.
Vitamin B₁₂– Eggs are a good source of vitamin B₁₂. B₁₂ is limited in a vegetarian or vegan diet and may require supplementation or careful planning to include food sources such as tempeh, nutritional yeast, or fortified foods like cereals or fortified soy milk to meet individual needs.
Vitamin D – One large egg contains about 6% of your daily recommended vitamin D. Vitamin D can also be found in fortified milk and milk alternative products.
EPA and DHA – EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids that are found in eggs in limited amounts. You can purchase eggs that have been enriched with higher amounts of EPA and DHA. Flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, soy, and canola oil are also sources of these nutrients.

For a more in-depth dive into your individual nutrient needs and to develop a meal plan that is well aligned with your priorities and the foods you like to eat, ask your doctor for a referral to a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

How long can I keep leftover food?

Depending on the ingredients and storage conditions, leftover foods can stay fresh for a range of time. In general, if a dish was cooked safely and then rapidly cooled and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it’ll likely stay fresh for 3-4 days. If that same food was stored in the freezer, it is technically safe to eat indefinitely though will maintain quality for 3-4 months.

Be sure to reheat cooked leftover foods to a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If reheating in a microwave, stir well and allow the food to rest for a few minutes after microwaving to ensure even heat distribution and prevent bacteria from hiding out in cold spots.

FoodSafety.gov is an excellent resource for food storage and safety information. Check out the FoodKeeper App for tips to help maximize the shelf life and for information on how to best store specific foods. You can also find guidelines for storing cold foods using their Cold Food Storage Chart.

For more information on food safety, visit the How to Prevent Food Poisoning page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.