👈🏼 Gatorade & Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (picked up at the gas station mid-morning)

👉🏼V8 Energy & Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers (grabbed on the way out the door at 6:30am)

Before we got married my husband NEVER ate breakfast. He didn’t see the value in waking up any earlier than necessary to make something to eat so mid-morning he would stop by the gas station for a gatorade and a candy bar. 

Now that we’re married he still doesn’t see the value in waking up any earlier than necessary to make something to eat (and luckily doesn’t expect me to do that for him either) BUT we did have a conversation about what I could purchase at the grocery store that he might be willing to grab on his way out the door. Not only are we saving a little $$ by purchasing V8 and crackers in bulk, his diet quality has improved a little bit too.

Gatorade Frost (16.9oz = 120 calories, 1 gm fat, 230mg sodium, 30gm carbohydrates (29gm sugars) and no significant source of Vitamin A/Vitamin C.

vs

V8 +Energy (8 oz = 50 calories, 0 fat, 55mg sodium, 13gm carbohydrates (10gm Total sugars & 0gm added sugars), micronutrients vary by flavor – Peach Mango holds 40% DV of Vit A, 20% DV of Vit C, and 30% DV of B12, where as Orange Pineapple holds 10% DV Vitamin C, 50% DV of B12, 25% DV of B6, Niacin, Riboflavin, and Thiamin.

with

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (1 pack = 220 calories, 13gm total fat (including 4.5gm saturated fat), 22gm carbohydrates, 150mg sodium, and 5gm protein)

vs

Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers (1 pack= 200 calories, 11gm total fat, 22 gm carbohydrates, 310mg sodium, 4gm protein)

For my husband this swap doesn’t cost him any extra time, its still something he’s agreeable to eating AND we can sneak in a little fruits & veggies in by including the V8. We’re also able to eliminate some sodium and saturated fat by swapping out that candy bar but I was actually quite surprised to see how similar the peanut butter cups and the peanut butter crackers stacked up to be as far as the label is concerned!

Improving your diet can be overwhelming but my point here is that even small changes make a difference. When looking at a 24 hour diet recall with a patient, I always try to encourage people to identify one area they can improve upon – then we can work together to find a sustainable way to make a change.

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