Boomer Health: 'Today' show's Joy Bauer is keynote speaker at More than a Meal Breakfast on Friday

Joy Bauer loves coming to South Florida.  

When she takes the stage at the Kravis Center on Friday as the keynote speaker at the Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches’ annual More than a Meal Breakfast fundraiser, it’ll be the second time she’s done so.

The nationally renowned nutritionist, lifestyle expert and best-selling author — who’s probably best-known for her frequent appearances on NBC’s Today show and being host of NBC’s Health + Happiness — was such a fun, informative, entertaining hit when she spoke to local Meals on Wheels benefactors in 2019 that organization board member Susan Kirpatrick said “she’s back by popular demand.” 

Which is fine with Bauer, both because of how much she enjoyed interacting with attendees at the inaugural More than a Meal Breakfast (“They were so enthusiastic and compassionate — and really knowledgeable about nutrition and fitness,” Bauer recalls) — and, perhaps more importantly, because of how enduring and deep-rooted her connection to Meals on Wheels is. 

“When I was growing up, my mother and I would deliver meals to Meals on Wheels recipients,” she says. “We did it for years and got to know the people we delivered to. We developed some really meaningful relationships with those people.” 

So when she speaks to locals she plans to “inspire them to be their best selves and help others be their best selves.”

Attendees who purchase VIP tickets will be invited for a meet-and-greet session with Bauer and receive a signed copy of her latest cookbook, "Joy Bauer’s Superfood! 150 Recipes for Eternal Youth."

Finding positives in the pandemic 

Bauer — who prior to becoming a media star was the director of nutrition and fitness for the Department of Pediatric Cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, as well as the clinical dietitian for the hospital’s neurosurgical team — says she’s seen a couple of silver linings related to the pandemic. 

“First, the pandemic shed a real light on how important it is to be as healthy as possible,” she says. “Maximizing your health not only enables you to live an active lifestyle but should you ever become ill, it puts your immune system in a better position to battle disease and help you recover.” 

In the past two years, Bauer says she’s received more inquiries than ever across all her social media platforms asking for advice about health and nutrition. 

Bauer, who serves as the official nutritionist for the New York City Ballet, has also found that “the pandemic has driven people to rediscover the advantages of cooking at home.” 

And that played right into Bauer’s wheelhouse: “People were literally hungry for healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes.” 

With so much of what’s currently happening in the world out of our control, Bauer believes that “because what we put in our bodies is something we can control, food can be a source of positivity and emotional comfort.” 

Don’t try to be perfect 

When it comes to following a nutrition plan, Bauer subscribes to the “90-10 plan.” 

That is, as long as you follow a healthy regimen 90% of the time, you can use the other 10% of the time “to indulge.” 

As she stresses, “It’s not about trying to be perfect.” 

That said, she also offers plenty of options to “‘healthify’ your favorite foods.” 

For instance “if you love pasta, there are plenty of delicious low-carb options out there. Or you can use spiral-cut zucchini to provide the texture of pasta.” 

Likewise, replace mashed potatoes with “mashed cauliflower and you might not even notice the difference.”

Both zucchini and cauliflower turn these traditional favorites into "nutrient-dense dishes that have just a fraction of the calories of pasta and potatoes."

Of course, Bauer recognizes that in these inflationary times “we’re all experiencing sticker shock at the grocery store,” so she has a few tips to help make your dollar go farther: 

1. Make a list before going shopping — and stick to it. “That way, you’re not impulsively sticking things in your shopping cart.” 

2. Buy fresh produce if you’re going to use it in the next few days — “but don’t be afraid to buy frozen vegetables.” 

3. Home-prepared meals need not be elaborate productions. “We’re all busier than ever so you want to be as efficient as possible in the kitchen. The recipes I follow are about as quick and easy as they come — and require little or no preparation.” 

Having authored 14 best-selling books and created a website (joybauer.com) that provides innumerable free recipes, Bauer is passionate about making her favorite mantra true for as many folks as possible: “Life is hard — food should be easy.”

IF You Go 

What: More than a Meal Breakfast benefiting Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches.

When: 7:30 a.m. Friday 

Where: Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.

Admission: $175 and up

Info:mowpb.org