Make every bite count, and stick to New Year’s resolutions while following the new 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
DENVER – January 26, 2021 – As Americans look for new ways to enjoy healthier lifestyles in 2021, lean beef is not only delicious, it’s a great source of several nutrients. And, thanks to its versatility, it’s easy to incorporate beef into healthy meals and snacks with recipes big on essential nutrients, such as high-quality protein and iron, while delivering on great taste.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services recognized the role of lean beef in a healthy diet across all life stages and ages with the jointly released the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) (link), on December 29, 2020. Its main message is to “Make Every Bite Count,” by choosing nutrient-rich foods. That’s easy to do with beef! No other protein food – whether plant or animal-based – delivers the same nutrient-rich package as beef in about 170 calories, on average, per three-oz. serving of cooked beef.
“As 2021 kicks off with goalsetting and resolutions to be healthier, we want to remind Americans that beef is nourishing and supports health at every life stage,” said Shalene McNeill, Ph.D., Registered Dietician, Executive Director, Nutrition Science, Health & Wellness at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “With its unique package of high-quality protein, iron, zinc, choline and B vitamins, beef delivers essential nutrition that helps Americans thrive. Americans say beef is one their favorite protein foods, and science consistently shows lean beef can be their preferred protein in a variety of healthy diets. Giving people practical and realistic dietary advice helps them build better, balanced diets that feature foods they love, like beef, which pairs perfectly with other nutrient-rich foods that Americans don’t eat enough of each day.”
As beef can be both enjoyable and help you stick to your 2021 resolutions, the experts at Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. are here with recipes that won’t derail goals of healthy eating for the new year. Try out the following recipes, which are also certified by the American Heart Association for meeting the heart-healthy criteria:
- The Athenian Meatloaf with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce is a twist on a household dinner staple that fits perfectly into the wildly popular Mediterranean diet. Paired with Greek yogurt and vegetables, this meal defies expectations and is budget-friendly.
- Fans of Top Sirloin Steak can see it in a new light, as it takes center stage on this Steak, Green Bean and Tomato Salad. This is a great recipe for those who want to incorporate more vegetables in their diet, with the delicious taste of beef. As a bonus, salads are the perfect place to use beef leftovers and keep meals exciting!
- Comfort meets nutrition and nostalgia with these Sweet & Sloppy Joes. This recipe is not only delicious, cost friendly and a kid favorite, parents love it too with the addition of vegetable juice to pack in the nutrients.
For these recipes and even more ways to incorporate lean beef into your recipes and stick with your resolution all year, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com
About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
About NCBA, a Contractor to the Beef Checkoff
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The Beef Checkoff Program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
