grazing board with cheese, meats, fruits, spreads, and crackers

The Ultimate Grazing Board Perfect for Any Type of Gathering

By Kiersten Hickman / November 29, 2023 / Comments Off on The Ultimate Grazing Board Perfect for Any Type of Gathering

For me and my friends, it’s not officially a party unless a grazing board is involved. Whenever we decide to gather—whether it be for a big party or simply to watch a movie on a Friday night—we always have to get a variety of cheeses, meats, fruits, and dips in front of us. Otherwise, well,…

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woman drinking water glass

Why Drinking Water Is Important for Your Gut Health, Says Expert

By Kiersten Hickman / November 28, 2023 / Comments Off on Why Drinking Water Is Important for Your Gut Health, Says Expert

Water is essential for a healthy life. Not only does it help with hydrating your skin, regulating your body temperature, maintaining blood pressure, detoxing your body, and other important bodily functions, but getting enough fluid intake is also connected to the makeup of your gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of…

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Our Top Holiday Gift Ideas for 2023, From the Clean Plates Team

By Kiersten Hickman / November 21, 2023 / Comments Off on Our Top Holiday Gift Ideas for 2023, From the Clean Plates Team

Finding the perfect gift for the holidays is never easy. How do you find the perfect gifts for the people you love with so many options out there? Especially with Black Friday around the corner—with all of those deals you can’t help but avoid—having a list of holiday gift ideas ready to purchase would be ideal. If…

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roasted turkey on a plate with vegetablese

This Is the Best Way To Cook a Turkey This Thanksgiving

By Kiersten Hickman / November 8, 2023 / Comments Off on This Is the Best Way To Cook a Turkey This Thanksgiving

The world was completely turned on its axis during 2020, and so were our usual Thanksgiving plans. While I typically attended a massive Thanksgiving hosted by my parents, during a year of social distancing and forced solitude, I was assigned the task of hosting a small Thanksgiving for my immediate family. This, of course, meant…

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slices of a vegan pumpkin roll cake

9 Healthy Fall Desserts We Can’t Wait to Bake This Season

By Kiersten Hickman / October 12, 2023 / Comments Off on 9 Healthy Fall Desserts We Can’t Wait to Bake This Season

As the weather gets colder and the leaves start to turn, it really can only mean one thing — it’s time to get those ovens going. The idea of turning on the oven certainly isn’t a sweet one during those hot summer months, but in the fall, the game is certainly on. Especially when you…

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woman holding gut healthy foods whole grain toast with avocado and salmon

The 8 Best Gut Healthy Foods To Eat, Says Gastroenterologist

By Kiersten Hickman / October 8, 2023 / Comments Off on The 8 Best Gut Healthy Foods To Eat, Says Gastroenterologist

Did you know your digestive tract contains more bacteria than there are stars in the Milky Way? The gut microbiome — the microbes that exist within your intestines — plays a powerful role in your overall health. The microbiome is in charge of stimulating the immune system, breaking down toxic compounds, and synthesizing vitamins and…

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woman using the Flashfood app to find cheap groceries

Want To Save Money on Groceries? This App Is Here To Help

By Kiersten Hickman / April 27, 2023 / Comments Off on Want To Save Money on Groceries? This App Is Here To Help

Are you finding it difficult to shop for groceries due to rising food prices and inflation? If so, there’s a new app you need to download to your phone. Flashfood is an innovative app that connects consumers with grocery stores to offer discounts on all the foods that they need. With Flashfood, families have even…

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woman eating healthy bowl with foods that reduce cortisol levels

These Eating Habits Can Reduce Cortisol Levels, Says Expert

By Kiersten Hickman / April 23, 2023 / Comments Off on These Eating Habits Can Reduce Cortisol Levels, Says Expert

Some stressors are inevitable. You hit your knee on the table, you miss the bus, you’re late to work and realize you forgot your lunch at home — all stress that are pretty much out of our hands as soon as they occur. But what if we told you there were stressors that you could…

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woman holding a breakfast bowl of plant based foods

How To Eat a Climatarian Diet To Save the Planet

By Kiersten Hickman / April 20, 2023 / Comments Off on How To Eat a Climatarian Diet To Save the Planet

Our everyday choices in the kitchen really do matter. Not just for our health (although that is very important), but also for the earth. While the food on your plate may seem harmless when it comes to big-ticket issues like reducing greenhouse gases, global warming, or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch floating in the ocean…in…

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woman sipping on tea reading a book in bed

The 3 Best Drinks To Help You Sleep Better at Night

By Kiersten Hickman / April 19, 2023 / Comments Off on The 3 Best Drinks To Help You Sleep Better at Night

Having a hard time getting your ZZZs in at the end of the day? If you’re tossing and turning at night and your go-to melatonin supplements just aren’t doing the trick anymore, you may actually benefit from sipping on one of these drinks to help you sleep, recommended by a sleep doctor. “Certain foods have…

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The Easiest Chopped Chickpea Salad

7 Mediterranean Diet Lunch Ideas We Love Right Now

By Kiersten Hickman / April 16, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Mediterranean Diet Lunch Ideas We Love Right Now

There’s a reason why the Mediterranean diet is continually rated the best overall diet for your health year-after-year — because it works! Not only does it help with weight management, lowering disease risk, and longevity, but it’s also full of delicious foods packed with nutrients that your body craves. And yet, with so many nutritious…

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Dark Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

9 Healthy Quinoa Recipes for Nutritious Meals in a Pinch

By Kiersten Hickman / April 13, 2023 / Comments Off on 9 Healthy Quinoa Recipes for Nutritious Meals in a Pinch

Quinoa is one of those pantry staples that you likely always have on hand…but never know what exactly to cook with it. Sure, it’s an easy swap for rice or pasta when you’re looking for a healthy carb with your dinner, or it can be tossed into any salad to give your meal an extra…

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pouring olive oil onto a hot pan

Yes, Your Olive Oil Could Be Expired. Here’s How To Find Out.

By Kiersten Hickman / April 12, 2023 / Comments Off on Yes, Your Olive Oil Could Be Expired. Here’s How To Find Out.

Be honest — how long has that bottle of olive oil been sitting on your counter? If it’s been sitting out on your counter and constantly exposed to the sun, we hate to break it to you…but you’re probably cooking with expired olive oil. Not what you were expecting, was it? Well, it’s true. According to…

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young woman cooking vegetables

The Best Healthy Habits to Improve Your Gut Health Naturally

By Kiersten Hickman / April 11, 2023 / Comments Off on The Best Healthy Habits to Improve Your Gut Health Naturally

Hate to break it to you, but it’s true; your gut health is connected to everything. From mental health to chronic disease risk, even weight management and digestive health, the health of your gut microbiome plays a significant role in it all. And while many people online would say that a pill or a supplement…

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woman holding a cup of tea in the evening

The Best Tea for Sleep So You Can Finally Get Some Rest

By Kiersten Hickman / April 11, 2023 / Comments Off on The Best Tea for Sleep So You Can Finally Get Some Rest

Having the hardest time falling asleep and just wish there was a magic potion that could finally give you some ZZZs? Well, we can’t promise a magic potion — but a cup of herbal tea might do! Turns out, many herbal tea blends can actually help you finally get the rest you deserve, and we couldn’t…

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minneola tangelos on a table

9 Folic Acid Rich Foods You Should Add to Your Diet

By Kiersten Hickman / April 3, 2023 / Comments Off on 9 Folic Acid Rich Foods You Should Add to Your Diet

At this point, I think it’s safe to say that eating whole, real foods is our best bet in order to get all of those daily vitamins and minerals we need. Fruits, vegetables, protein, healthy fats, whole grains — eating a variety of these foods will help you reach those daily and weekly nutrition goals.…

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person eating potato chips

New Research Shows How Certain Foods Can Increase Your Dementia Risk

By Kiersten Hickman / March 21, 2023 / Comments Off on New Research Shows How Certain Foods Can Increase Your Dementia Risk

At this point, we’ve heard quite a bit of research regarding poor diet and how it can increase your risk of dementia risk. Foods that are fried or highly processed can have a negative effect on brain health, and researchers have made the link between chronic inflammation in the body and increased disease risk. While…

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supplements to boost your immune system

5 Supplements To Boost Your Immune System

By Kiersten Hickman / March 9, 2023 / Comments Off on 5 Supplements To Boost Your Immune System

We all know how important it is to take care of your immune system. The immune system is vital for fending off illness and supporting your organs and cells, protecting your body from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins. While your diet and your exercise routine do play major roles in the health of your immune…

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athlete opening an energy drink

Is Caffeine Poisoning Real? An Expert Weighs In.

By Kiersten Hickman / March 3, 2023 / Comments Off on Is Caffeine Poisoning Real? An Expert Weighs In.

The term “caffeine poisoning” has gained some popularity over the past few days due to a report of a college athlete who allegedly experienced it. Matthew Mayer, a basketball player for the University of Illinois, recently reported that he was out sick due to alleged caffeine poisoning. Mayer said that he consumed an energy drink…

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bowl and spoonful of zero calorie sweetener

This Popular Sweetener Has Been Linked to Heart Attacks, Says New Study

By Kiersten Hickman / March 2, 2023 / Comments Off on This Popular Sweetener Has Been Linked to Heart Attacks, Says New Study

Zero-calorie sweeteners have certainly gained popularity over recent years. They taste sweet, they don’t have any calories, and they don’t come with the same risks as sugar — such as blood sugar spikes and crashes. Some of these sugar substitutes are also popularly used in diet-focused foods, particularly in foods that are keto (short for…

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woman holding healthy bowl with blueberries and strawberries

Follow These 4 Simple Habits for a Healthy Heart, Says Dietitian

By Kiersten Hickman / February 28, 2023 / Comments Off on Follow These 4 Simple Habits for a Healthy Heart, Says Dietitian

We know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease accounted for one in every five deaths in the United States in 2020, and over 805,000 people have a heart attack every year. Coronary artery disease — the buildup…

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Epic Fish Tacos

8 Healthy Taco Recipes That Make Weeknight Meals a Breeze

By Kiersten Hickman / February 22, 2023 / Comments Off on 8 Healthy Taco Recipes That Make Weeknight Meals a Breeze

Tacos really do make for easy weeknight meals. Cook up your meat of choice, grab some tortillas and toppings, and dinner is ready to serve. And yet, while the typical combo of ground meat and taco seasoning does work for moments like this, sometimes you just want to spice things up—figuratively and literally. That’s why…

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One Skillet Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Italian Sausage

10 Tasty Ground Sausage Recipes for Easy Weeknight Meals

By Kiersten Hickman / February 15, 2023 / Comments Off on 10 Tasty Ground Sausage Recipes for Easy Weeknight Meals

Who doesn’t love an easy recipe made with ground meat? Whether it’s ground chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, or even ground pork, this type of meat is cheap and easy to cook with, making for easy weeknight meals when you need something in a pinch. So of course, we had to round up some of…

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woman eating a salad with lean steak after a workout

The 3 Best Workout Recovery Tips From a Sports Nutrition Consultant

By Kiersten Hickman / February 9, 2023 / Comments Off on The 3 Best Workout Recovery Tips From a Sports Nutrition Consultant

While New Year’s resolutions aren’t meant for everyone, some may find success in revamping their routine and creating a healthier lifestyle for themselves in the new year—including a regular workout regimen. If you find yourself now working out regularly, you may be thinking about the best workout recovery tips to fuel your body well. What…

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