DD – Are Chicken Nuggets Food?

Dinner Diva

Are Chicken Nuggets Food?

By Leanne Ely CNC

Remember that old fast food commercial with the little old lady asking “Where’s the beef”? We could just as easily ask “Where’s the chicken?” when it comes to those little golden nuggets found on most fast food menus these days. But listen, I get it. You’re busy, you’re tired, and you just want to get the kids fed. You don’t have the time or the energy to get a home cooked meal on the table so you hit the nearest drive-thru. Haven’t we all been there? You still want to do what’s best for your kids so you look at the menu options and see the “all white meat” and go for the chicken. It’s gotta be better than fries and a burger right? But what’s really hiding under that golden crispy coating?

Aside from a lot of genetically modified corn products and cotton oil to fry them, some chicken nuggets on the market contain synthetic non food ingredients such as:

Tertiary butylhydroquinone – A petroleum based product

Dimethyl polysiloxane – An anti-foaming agent (used in cosmetics)

To be fair these chemicals are in other foods too, such as processed store bought baked goods, margarine, cereal, potato chips and other snack foods, not just nuggets. But that’s no excuse; these chemicals aren’t food!

While there are some studies that show these chemicals in small doses aren’t harmful, there are other studies that show that they are harmful and can adversely affect your liver even at very low doses. I’m sure you’ll agree that the best thing to do is to avoid these chemicals as much as possible.

So what’s a mom to do? You’re still going to have stressful evenings.

The secret is planning. What if you had your own home made healthy chicken nuggets waiting for you in the freezer? What if your freezer was stocked with freezer meals just waiting for you to pop them in the skillet or oven? You can find a wide selection of our freezer meals at www.SavingDinner.com. And if you want to make your own chicken nuggets here’s a great recipe for you.

Healthier Chicken Nuggets

Organic, free range chicken breasts, cut into cubes
Plain Yogurt (the kind with no sugar, no flavors)
Whole Wheat Flour
Salt, Pepper, Paprika to taste
Olive Oil

Coat a baking pan with olive oil. Dredge chicken cubes in the yogurt, then cover with the seasoned flour, place on oiled baking pan into a 450 degree oven. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Turning half way through. Cook until chicken is done and outside is golden and crispy. Dip in raw organic honey and enjoy.

Variations: Use dry breadcrumbs instead of flour, dredge in buttermilk instead of yogurt, use different spices such as garlic powder, instead of paprika.

Tip: You can also place the dry ingredients in a paper lunch bag and shake to coat chicken

Now that you have a few options, ditch the drive-thru and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a little preparation and love.

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