Navigating labels and digging through the latest health trends can get confusing–and fast. That’s why we’re talking with Dallas nutritionists, dietitians, and other health professionals to make sense of it, topic by topic.
Dr. Lona Sandon, PhD, RDN, and LD, assistant professor and program director at UT Southwestern’s Department of Clinical Nutrition, is a busy bee. Between meetings, teaching, and research, we caught up with her to see what she eats in a typical day. The good news is: it sounds incredibly tasty.
“I eat food that I like and enjoy the taste of,” she told us. “There is no sense in eating food that you don’t like, no matter how healthy it is. I aim for nutrient rich foods that come with a big nutritional bang for their buck.”
Breakfast: 7:45 a.m.
- Oatmeal made with 1 percent milk, a hint of maple syrup, frozen blueberries, and walnuts
- ½ cup 100 percent orange juice
- A cup of coffee with 1 percent milk
Sandon also gravitates toward peanut butter toast with a banana or yogurt with a banana and nuts for breakfast.
Lunch: Noon
- Asian-style salad; mixed greens and cabbage, grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds, and sesame dressing
Sometimes Sandon will make a peanut butter and jelly or turkey sandwich with an apple and yogurt.
Snack: 4 p.m.
- Almonds
Pre-workout snack: 5 PM
- A glass of milk
Dinner: 7:30 p.m.
- Spaghetti with chunky marinara sauce, ground turkey, and parmesan cheese
- Glass of milk
Her other dinner favorites include a baked potato topped with olive oil, black beans, avocado and salsa or rice and beans with chicken and steamed veggies.
