7 Bowl Toppings to Avoid

Find out what to nix the next time you build your bowl.

7 Bowl Toppings to Avoid

The bowl trend has been sweeping the nation for a few years now, making its way from foodies’ kitchens to small, health-conscious restaurants in big cities, and now, many popular fast food chain restaurants jumped on the bowl mania bandwagon. These meals consist of layers of ingredients eaten out of a bowl—with a fork or a spoon—often packing a few different food groups into one vessel. While a smoothie bowl or acai bowl might work more fruits into your daily diet—including greens—if you pile on toppings with abandon, you could be adding a ton of extra calories, fat, and added sugar to your diet. Here are seven toppings to be mindful of if you’re watching your weight, and tips on how to make healthier choices when you’re ordering or creating these bowl-based meals.

More: The Monday Dieter Protein Bowl Cheat Sheet

Be Mindful When Choosing Toppings

Be Mindful When Choosing Toppings

There are some [positive] nutrition benefits from the bowl trend,” says Sonya Angelone, R.D.N., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The good news is that these bowls are a convenient way to get more produce since most of them include fruits or vegetables. Whether you’re eating a burrito bowl, an acai bowl or smoothie bowl at breakfast, a quinoa bowl, or a poke (POH-keh) bowl, there are some pros and cons to be aware of, Angelone advises. “Bowls are a fun way to eat a variety of foods and flavors and a great way to stock up on produce. However, they can be pitfalls with high-calorie ingredients that undermine the healthful benefits of bowl dining,” she says.

More: 7 Salad Toppings to Avoid

2 Foods You Can Re-Grow Instead of Throwing Out

No need for food waste here!

Have you ever gotten to the last little bit of a vegetable or fruit and thought they only thing left to do was toss it? Or maybe you didn't get to one before it looked like it should be thrown out? Well there's no need to create more food waste! Here are two foods you can regrow right at home instead of throwing out.

Leftover Ginger

  1. Fill a bowl or cup with water and place your bit of ginger root inside.
  2. After a few weeks, watch for little sprouts to form.
  3. At this point, transfer the ginger to some potted soil. Give it plenty of space and moisture.
  4. After a few weeks, harvest your new ginger root!

Sprouted Potato

  1. Note where the sprouts (or eyes) are on the potato. Cut it in half so there are sprouts on both halves.
  2. Let the halves dry out overnight on a paper towel.
  3. Plant the dried potato halves in soil, cut side down.
  4. Small potatoes will be ready to harvest in about 10 weeks, while larger potatoes will be ready in about three to four months.

There's no need for food waste here when you know the tips and tricks to use up all your food at home. And click here to see which foods you can keep past the Sell By date!