Category: holiday eating

When fall hits in Florida, you may start to feel a cool breeze and change in the air. You may also start feeling the urge to visit those picturesque pumpkin patches. Pumpkins are a symbol that fall is here, not to mention they are in season August through October, so there is no better time to enjoy your favorite pumpkin treat.

If you are craving that pumpkin flavor, check out this easy crowd-pleasing pumpkin mousse recipe.

Pumpkin Mousse

Serves: 8          Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 small packages of instant sugar-free vanilla pudding
• 2 cups of no-fat (skim) milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 15 ounce can of pumpkin
• 8 ounces of fat-free Cool Whip

Preparation

1. Prepare instant pudding according to package directions.
2. Stir in pumpkin spice.
3. Fold in cool whip and pumpkin.
4. Serve chilled and garnish with an extra dash of pumpkin spice!

“I’ll have a pumpkin spice latte, please.”
If you frequent coffee shops, you’ll probably hear this phrase more than a few times over the next several months. The infamous “PSL” is the most popular seasonal drink around, but do you know what is really in it?

According to How Stuff Works, your favorite caffeinated beverage could be loaded with calories. If you drink black coffee or coffee with low-fat milk only, you don’t need to worry much about calorie intake. But, if you regularly consume some of the “fancier” coffee beverages, you may want to take a closer look at the calorie count. Any beverages with whole milk, whipped cream or flavored syrups will add lot of calories. Here are some examples:

Serving Size Matters

Let’s take a closer look at our beloved pumpkin spice latte. First thing to decide on is the size of our drink. The size will affect calories, sugar and caffeine consumed. At Starbucks, did you know you can order a 8oz (called a ‘Short’), 12oz (called a ‘Tall’), 16oz (called a ‘Grande’), and a 20oz (called a ‘Venti’)?

Now, let’s compare Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte to a regular flavored latte from your local coffee house. For this we will go straight to the source, Starbucks. For comparisons sake, we will choose the Short Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is 8oz, contains 210 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 75 mg of caffeine. This is in comparison to other flavored lattes that have an average of 134 calories and 63 mg of caffeine.

If you are concerned about calories or sugar content, you may want to treat those specialty drinks as an occasional indulgence. For your daily cup of joe, opt for skim milk and “just say no” to whipped cream and flavored sugary syrups.

Coffee Characteristics

Not all coffees are created equal. The caffeine content of coffee can vary depending on several characteristics. If you are drinking your favorite flavored beverage for the jolt of caffeine you may want to check out these factors:

• Type of coffee beans: There are many varieties of coffee beans available, which may naturally contain different amounts of caffeine.
• Roasting: Lighter roasts have more caffeine than darker roasts, although the darker roasts have a deeper flavor.
• Type of coffee: The caffeine content can vary significantly between regularly brewed coffee, espresso, instant coffee and decaf coffee.
• Serving size: “One cup of coffee” can range anywhere from 30–700 ml (1–24 oz), greatly affecting the total caffeine content.

Regardless of your choice when you step up to the counter to order, we most importantly want you to be aware of what you are consuming. And if all this talk about pumpkin spice lattes has created the urge to have one, check out this article from Health and learn how to create your very own PSL at home.

Check out How Many Calories Are In Coffee? and How Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide from Healthline to see the breakdown of both caffeine and calorie content in your favorite flavored specialty coffee drinks.

Planning to host a kid-friendly July 4th bash or summer party? Try these quick fixes for turning high-sugar, low-activity rituals into fresh ideas and healthy fun!

1. Serve a Watermelon Cake
Kids are sweet enough without added sugar. Redefine dessert by showing off fruits and veggies in a fun way! Slice up a thirst-quenching, naturally-sweet melon and invite campers to dig in. Watch these instructions to get started.

2. Jump in!
Kids who burn more, learn more. Rather than celebrating with a movie (passive connection), choose a pool party (active connection) for kids to interact and be stimulated. They will also sleep better after physical activity.

3. Invite the Family
Provide opportunities for families to bond and strengthen their social-emotional and cognitive development. This may work best at the end of the camp day or during pick up. Involving camp staff in play is also a good way to stimulate interpersonal skills and connection.

Healthy living can be challenging in our fast-paced world of convenience. Making healthy living decisions during the holidays while having increased (yummy) food choices and visiting with family can be even more so. On average, people gain 5-10 pounds during the holiday season. At the Y, we are committed to helping members and the community achieve and/or maintain their health goals during the holidays.

Maintain Don’t Gain Challenge

All members are invited to join our Maintain Don’t Gain Challenge November 16 – December 20. Prizes will be $10 in Y Bucks for all who maintain and $20 in Y Bucks for those that lose weight. Stop by the Welcome Center at your Y to learn more.

Here are some simple health tips to consider this holiday season:

• Substitute ingredients for your favorite holiday meals and beverages (Use applesauce instead of butter for baking, drink egg nog with one part low-fat milk).
• Stay hydrated and drink more water.
• When purchasing ingredients, compare nutrition labels. Choose lower sodium options.
• Be mindful at holiday parties by looking at all food options before filling your plate.
• Remember to stay physically active and think outside the box (all activity counts!).

In addition, the YMCA offers services and programs year round to support you in reaching your health goals. Below are just a few services and programs we offer. 

Nutrition Consultations

YMCA dietitians will work with you to develop healthy habits through nutrition support. Our team will schedule appointments at your neighborhood YMCA and work with you to create individual nutrition plans, discuss how to manage chronic diseases or illnesses, and achieve personal health goals. Members receive a free 20-minute consultation with a Registered Dietitian.

Black Hog Farms Healthy Deliveries

Do you need a turkey for Thanksgiving or a ham for Christmas? With Black Hog Farms customizable deliveries, you are sure to find fresh food that will fit into your family. Order your holiday meal ingredients from and it will be conveniently delivered to your neighborhood YMCA. Members do not pay a delivery fee. Contact: info@blackhogfarm.com or 904.484.6931

ActivTrax

Join the YMCA and have the opportunity to meet with a personal trainer who will set you up with ActivTrax, a customized health and wellness system that provides guidance, tracks progress, and challenges you to meet your health goals.

Healthy Living Centers

The Healthy Living Centers are the first of their kind on the First Coast, bringing medically integrated programs from Baptist Health into the Y and making these programs more accessible to the community.

Visit your neighborhood YMCA to talk to a health professional about what will work for you or contact Sara Glenn for more information: sglenn@firstcoastymca.org or 904.265.1804