Power-Up with Main Dish Salads Kids Activities Blog

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Welcome to week 2 of the Texas Beef Council’s Healthy Meals to Fuel the Family series.

Spring is the perfect time to incorporate a healthy, one-dish salad in your meal plan! Quick, easy and delicious, colorful salads are a great way to include nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy and lean protein, like beef, on your plate. For picky eaters, try pasta salads with one or two favorite vegetables or create an at-home salad bar where everyone can make their own!

Below you will find the following:

Three suggested main dish salads with nutrition & recipe tips along with online resources
Nutrients in Breakfast
Nutrients in Lunch
Nutrients in Dinner
Holly’s Notes

Three Great Main Dish Salads featuring Beef

Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea and Pasta Salad with Gremolata Dressing
Beef, Mango and Barley Salad

Nutrition Tips

New BOLD Study: A healthy diet and lifestyle not only give you energy, but are some of the best weapons for fighting heart disease. The good news is that a heart-healthy diet includes many of the foods you love! Research has shown including moderate amounts of lean proteins, such as lean beef, in the diet may help reduce the risks of heart disease by increasing satiety, improving muscle composition and reducing blood cholesterol levels.

A new study called BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) shows that eating lean beef every day can be good for heart health by improving cholesterol levels. Participants in the study ate 4 ounces of lean beef every day on the BOLD diet. After 5 weeks, they saw a 10% decrease in LDL bad cholesterol levels and significant reductions in total cholesterol. The study proves that nutrient-rich lean beef, in addition to being satisfying and great-tasting, can be part of a solution to building a heart-healthy diet.

Protein’s Role in Optimal Health

Provide energy
Help metabolize other nutrients
Deliver oxygen to muscle tissues
Boost immunity
Brain power
Enhance weight loss via satiety
Greater blood glucose control
Positive lipid profiles
Maintain lean muscle mass

Recipe Tips

Creating healthy meals requires time, effort and dollars! Following are some helpful tips to include lean beef in your meal plan while staying within your budget:

A Cut Above the Rest. Beef cuts from the chuck, round and sirloin are great for economical family meals. Examples like the Sirloin Tip Roast and Shoulder or Chuck Steak are typically less expensive and very versatile. Grilled, broiled or cooked, these cuts can be added to all of your favorite recipes and provide a power pack of nutrients.
The Skinny on Ground Beef. Ground beef is another versatile beef option that will save you money. Purchase 80% lean ground beef, which is less expensive than 95% lean, and use the simple rinse process to reduce the fat content by half. (Provided in last week’s resource sheet.)
Freeze and Save. Stock up on your favorite, inexpensive cuts when they go on sale and make sure to store and freeze them properly. Beef can be frozen in its original, transparent packaging for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, prevent freezer burn by re-wrapping beef in moisture-proof, air-tight wrapping materials such as heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer paper or plastic freezer bags. Steaks and roasts can be stored for 6 to 12 months in the freezer while ground beef can be stored frozen for 3 to 4 months.
Crock Talk. Use your crock pot to create two or three meals in one! The slow cooking process naturally tenderizes beef, leaving it flavorful and juicy. Add your favorite vegetables and other parings, and the crock pot becomes a great way to help save you money while preparing a healthy meal for your entire family. Enjoy a second meal with the leftovers by simply shredding the roast and topping tacos, nachos or including in your favorite sandwich.