A perfect (healthy) Valentines
date for little Miss Peggy
By:
Enrico M. Claro
Just
after the close of the hustle and bustle of the holidays comes another special occasion
to celebrate with your loved one and baby to be…Valentine’s Day! You want everything to be special, perfect
and momentous on this day of love. For
years now you have celebrated it with the mindset to top off the previous year
but now suddenly it’s going to be a bit different because in a few months time
you would be expecting your newborn.
Added pressure indeed! But there’s still hope for loving spouses out there
with a few tips you’ll sure to make this Valentine’s Date the best yet!
Good
nutrition is always on the menu —though in some restaurants, you'll have to look a
little more closely to find it. Whether it's a quick lunch or a five-course feast
at a four-star restaurant, keep in mind that it’s your baby-nourishing duty to
keep watch of your baby's nutritional best interests.
If you have a wife, fiancée or
girlfriend who is expecting, you can always customize your date to make this
holiday even more special for her by tweaking her menu a bit. Take
a look at a few of these ideas for adding to your Valentine's Day date for a
pregnant woman and show her not only that you love her, but that you care about
her comfort, health and well being too!
·
Choose
the restaurant. Pick your restaurant of choice by experience
or reputation. Certain restaurants are
better suited for the pregnant diner than others like a fish restaurant with a
salad bar but never a sushi bar. You may
want to choose out of that spicy new Indian place or that eatery that is known
for fried food.
·
Be
proactive on the special requests. You're
not the only picky eater these days. Waiters, staff and chefs in most
establishments are used to (if still not always particularly happy with)
substitutions of all kinds. Go ahead and hold the mayo, ask for your
dressing and sauce on the side; skip the bacon and blue cheese on the Cobb, see
if the steak can be served cooked through. By doing this you also show how you
care about what she eats on this special day.
·
Watch
your portions. Many
restaurants serve meals with portions large enough to feed small villages.
Resist the temptation to force finish your food for you might pay the price of
indigestion later, not to mention added pounds. An alternative is to
leave over what you're too full to eat and doggie bag leftovers for tomorrow's
lunch or dinner. Half-portions could
also be requested if desired.
·
Bread
Talk. Look
for whole-grain options when you dig into the bread basket. If you can't
locate any, ask if the kitchen has some on hand. An alternative would be whole-wheat bread.
No wheat in sight? Have some white but try not to fill up on those empty calories.
Instead, quickly order a healthy appetizer.
·
Green is
the way to go! Make a
habit of ordering a salad or grilled veggies as your first course, or a sautéed
leafy green such as spinach, kang kong or broccoli as a side.
·
Soup it
up. If there's bean or vegetable soup on the menu,
order a bowlful. Same goes for tomato-based broths and chowders (take
Manhattan when it comes to clam). Avoid bisques and other cream soups unless
they're made with milk or yogurt in lieu of heavy cream and butter. The
only way to know is to ask. Don't be shy; everybody's doing it these
days. Besides, you're date is pregnant and it's quite obvious why you're
nutrition-conscious.
·
Super side
dishes.
Even fast-food restaurants offer healthy side dishes. Ask for
steamed veggies or that baked potato instead of the fries or onion rings. Brown or wild rice is also super side dishes.
·
Fill up before dessert. Try not to save room for that dessert,
but if you're still hungry or looking for something sweet after the main
course, ask for fresh fruit, sorbet, or frozen yogurt rather than the
traditional chocolate dessert oft valentine.
For food choices here are some
guidelines:
Most restaurants have menu choices for pregnant women, but if you
are unsure about any dish on the menu, don't be hesitate to ask exactly what
they contain or how they have been cooked. If a waiter seems uncertain, you may
ask him to double-check. Here are a few guidelines to help you decide what to order
for her:
·
Entrée. Avoid eating raw fish, such as sushi and oysters, and go for cooked dishes, such
as grilled fish or prawns. Patés and terrines
could contain listeria, so are best
avoided. Chilled, savory soufflés and mousses may be made with raw egg whites,
so ask before you order.
·
Buffets. Avoid pre-prepared salads
from a salad-bar or smorgasbord as they may contain listeria. Also avoid cooked meats such as ham, salami or cooked and
cold chicken or ready-to-eat peeled prawns from a smorgasbord. Choose cooked
vegetables or a salad made in the kitchen to your order. If you choose cooked
meat dishes make sure they are steaming hot or ask them to be heated for you.
·
Main courses. Steak tartare, sushi and
other raw meat and fish dishes are potential danger areas. Instead, opt for meat or fish that is cooked
thoroughly, so that the juices run clear. If you are having steak, ask to have
it well done. Again, ask about any sauces you are not sure about; freshly made
hollandaise sauce contains raw eggs, and forms the basis for mousseline and
Béarnaise sauces.
·
Desserts. Soufflés and mousses may
contain raw eggs. Tiramisu often contains raw egg white. Home-made ice creams
may include uncooked egg, but crème brulée and caramel custard are fine,
because the eggs are cooked.
·
Drinks. Experts now recommend that
there is no safe level at which you can drink alcohol during pregnancy so it's better to
play it safe and order a fruit juice or mocktail (NHMRC 2009).
After your meal, if you love coffee, bear in mind that you should limit your caffeine intake.
You could have decaffeinated coffee, or a mint tea, which is a great digestive.
Pregnancy is an important time for her
to feel as much love and support as you can give. There are many ways to plan for a date for a pregnant
woman on Valentine's Day to show your love. The bottom-line is that the effort and
preparation you did to make her feel special and cared for is what Valentine’s
Day is all about.
A picture is worth a thousand words – To help preserve your Christmas memories you should be sure to
take lots of pictures and videos. Ready
your trusty camera or video recorder so you’re sure not to miss those precious
moments. This way you’ll have something
to pass down and share with other family members through the years, not to
mention proof of your valiant efforts this holiday season!
Lastly, Enjoy each others company – There is nothing more heartwarming this Christmas than being
with your loved ones and spreading joy and laughter together. After all you have done to make things
perfect it’s always nice to have someone to share it with. Whatever the outcome it may be the spirit of
Christmas is love and giving the whole year through.
With this in hand, you are now prepared to face the holiday season
with confidence. With the help of family and friends there is no doubt that this
Christmas will be a night to remember for everyone. It is also the time to give
back to all the moms that have gone through all the pains and pangs of
childbirth by taking charge of the household once in a while in this glorious
occasion. Let us always remember that
the emphasis of the season is not by material gifts, elaborate parties or
exorbitant spending but is centered to Jesus Christ and selfless love to
others. Happy holidays!
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