of Agriculture, frozen meat takes
approximately one and a half
times as long to cook; Yarnell
also recommends using a meat
thermometer to ensure chicken
is cooked to 180 degrees.)
Sharon Dodge, diagnosed
in 1996 and whose husband, a
commander in the U.S. Navy, is
away from home for long peri-
ods, recommends indoor grills.
“My kids and I do a lot of easy
stuff like grilled fish and salads.”
Yarnell likes slaws as healthy
sides. Raw cabbage, carrots,
broccoli or zucchini can be
shredded in a food processor
and mixed with a little mayon-
naise or olive oil, with chili
sauce to give a “kick.”
Not every meal has to be a
masterpiece. A simple home-
made dinner of scrambled eggs,
toast and some fruit is healthier
than a cheeseburger with fries.
veggies and meat into one in the
morning—when energy levels
are higher—for a hot meal at the
end of the day. Other kitchen
aids include rice cookers (which
can also cook other grains like
quinoa or barley), immersion
blenders, and Magic Bullets (a
type of blender that makes individual servings) for soups and
smoothies. Even an electric can
opener makes a difference.
Online grocery shopping and
delivery can give a whole other
meaning to “ordering out.”
Explore what’s in the area to see
what’s possible.
And when out and about,
always carry homemade snacks
like nuts, dried or fresh fruit,
baby carrots, or cheese sticks to
head off impulse splurges at the
nearest vending machine.
For more tips and tricks, visit
nationalMSsociety.org/diet.
Tips and tricks
Buying pre-washed
and chopped fruit
and vegetables
can save valuable
prep time. So does
cooking extra for
delicious leftovers
later. “I make and
freeze extra soup,
lasagna or quiches,
so if I’ve had a busy
day, I can just go
to the freezer and pull something
out,” said Yarnell.
The right kitchen technology
also helps. Many people with
MS like slow cookers. They put
When eating out
A fast-food meal is
not the end of the
world, especially
when following a
few steps:
• Do a little
research. All fast
foods are not
created equal.
There are books
such as Rodale’s
The Eat This
Not That! Diet that compare
fast food options by brand.
Yarnell also recommends
looking for places that serve
food as close to whole or
unprocessed as possible. “For
instance, look for hand-cut,
skin-on French fries instead
of ones made from pro-
cessed potatoes filled with
additives.”
• Look at the ingredients.
Some salads can contain
more calories than a ham-
burger, due to add-ins like
cheese, mayonnaise, sugar or
bacon.
• Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat specials. They may
seem like good deals, but not
when the costs on your heart,
energy levels and waistline are
factored in.
• Drink water instead of soda.
Substitute salad for fries.
Don’t ravage the bread basket. Get a hamburger instead
of a cheeseburger. Ask for
mustard instead of mayo.
Don’t supersize.
• Plan beforehand to order
as close to lean meat and
vegetables as possible. Otherwise, it’s too easy to be lured
in by what sounds “good”
when you’re hungry.
The real secret
Enjoy yourself. The more cooking becomes a pleasure, the less it
will seem like a chore. Take your
time, enlist family and friends to
help with prep work, savor your
ingredients, turn on pleasant
music—and time in the kitchen
might become a time to relax.
Marcella Durand and Greta M. Herron
are on the staff of Momentum.
