As health and wellness coaches at Wellness Corporate Solutions, Heather Calcote and Jared Rice strive to promote healthy living and behavior change among employees. The two are also registered dietitians and active athletes. But do their own meals, both at work and at home, match up? They both decided keep a food diary for one day and compare their diets. One obvious difference: Heather likes her snacks. See how they matched up below.
Breakfast
Heather: “I almost always have the same breakfast at home: oatmeal with half a banana, a spoonful of natural peanut butter, and a drizzle of agave. I drink a cup of coffee with almond milk and a big glass of water. Usually I work out (run or yoga) in the morning, so this fills and warms me up after I get home. I love this mix of carbohydrates, healthy fat, protein, and fruit because it keeps me satisfied for a few hours.”
Jared: “I eat breakfast every day before leaving my apartment, without fail—I can’t get going without it. Here I went with steel-cut oats and added some pumpkin purée to make it especially seasonal. I set the oats to soak the night before with the spices and vanilla extract, so it’s simple and quick in the morning. I always add nuts and a little maple syrup at the end.”
Morning Snack
Heather: “Since my breakfast is pretty dense, I’m usually craving some fresh fruits or vegetables and hummus for a snack. Today was an organic grapefruit. Snacks are a great way to get in extra fruit/veggie servings, and I don’t usually expect them to hold me over for too long.”
Lunch
Heather: “Always brought from home! Again, I always mix carbs and proteins, and think of ways I can make a meal colorful and full of variety. I usually do leftovers or some sort of grain (quinoa, brown rice, etc.) with a bean and mixed veggies. Today was the latter, with black beans, brown rice (cooked with cilantro), mixed bell peppers, avocado, diced tomato, salt and pepper, and a generous squeeze of lime juice.”
Jared: “I always bring lunch to work, and it’s almost always a collection of repurposed leftovers. I strive to include a whole grain, a protein source (sometimes vegan), and some vegetables. Today that meant some raw baby spinach on bottom, brown rice, roasted cauliflower, and homemade lentil soup on top to tie everything together. Heated in the microwave, it was delicious!”
Afternoon Snack
Heather: “Homemade trail mix (almonds, roasted pepitas, and raisins), or what we call the “snack pack” trail mix from Trader Joe’s (cashews, almonds, and dried cranberries in a single-serving bag).”
Jared: “I have this reputation around the office for never being without my little bag of nuts. I’m referring to a small reusable snack bag that I bring almost every day filled with that week’s assortment of raw unsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds), raisins, shredded coconut, and the occasional dark chocolate chip. I might bring a piece of fresh fruit like an apple or pear, or some raw vegetables with hummus.”
Dinner
Heather: “I’m in the process of testing out some new seasonal recipes. This one involved modifying a slow-cooker soup recipe to fit my 30-minute window. It was a spiced pumpkin and white bean soup made up of organic canned pumpkin, white (navy) beans, sautéed onions and garlic, low-sodium vegetable broth, and light coconut milk. I seasoned it with garam masala, turmeric, pepper, and cayenne. It turned out great!”
Jared: “I love to cook—especially hearty soups and stews in the winter. Again, I like the whole meal in one dish. But I don’t always have the time, so an admittedly common shortcut I keep in my fridge is a rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods. I’ll usually warm part of it in the oven and then prepare some simple single-veggie sides to go along with it. Tonight I paired it with some roasted sweet potato spears and sautéed kale with onions for my green fix. And, of course, I made plenty, so things will be even simpler the next night.
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