healthy snack recommendations from a nutritionist

I’m a Nutritionist and These Are the 7 Healthy Snacks I Always Keep in My Purse

By Sarah Garone / September 18, 2023 / Comments Off on I’m a Nutritionist and These Are the 7 Healthy Snacks I Always Keep in My Purse

Like any busy mom, I’m constantly running around from errands to appointments to football practice (my son’s, not mine!). In the hustle and bustle, it’s a near guarantee that my kids or I will find ourselves hungry at snack time. And since we usually don’t have time to stop off for a nourishing mini-meal, I’ve…

Read More
woman eating sandwich with processed meats

7 Diet Habits Derailing Your Skin Health

By Sarah Garone / August 25, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Diet Habits Derailing Your Skin Health

Skincare is about so much more than finding the right acne wash. Among other factors, diet can play a significant role in the appearance of your skin. While the American Academy of Dermatology Association cautions against putting too much emphasis on diet for skin health (as in, removing a single ingredient like gluten probably won’t clear up…

Read More
Italian Tomato and Red Onion Focaccia on a counter with tomatoes shallots and oil

7 Trader Joe’s Frozen Meals That Fit in a Heart-Healthy Diet

By Sarah Garone / August 15, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Trader Joe’s Frozen Meals That Fit in a Heart-Healthy Diet

Eating for heart health involves sticking to a few basic principles: cutting back on sodium and saturated fat, upping your fruit and vegetable intake, focusing on lean protein, and opting for whole grains, to name a few. Heart-healthy eating patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets emphasize choosing whole, minimally processed foods as much as…

Read More

8 Canned Mocktails To Take to the Beach

By Sarah Garone / August 14, 2023 / Comments Off on 8 Canned Mocktails To Take to the Beach

A visit to the beach isn’t complete without a cooler of cold drinks. Kicking back with your feet in the hot sand practically requires something cool to sip on! But whether you’re the designated driver or are just trying to cut back on alcohol, you might prefer to pack zero-proof beverages for your beach day.…

Read More
Quick Hummus Bowls

8 No-Cook Mediterranean Diet Dinners for Easier Weeknight Meals

By Sarah Garone / August 7, 2023 / Comments Off on 8 No-Cook Mediterranean Diet Dinners for Easier Weeknight Meals

Following a Mediterranean diet is totally worth putting in some time and effort. This anti-inflammatory eating plan centered around whole grains, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils has benefits galore, from reducing your risk of heart disease to possibly extending your life. But in the summertime, you might not feel like heating up the kitchen…

Read More
woman holding turmeric supplement

The Leading Supplement for Healthy Inflammation Response

By Sarah Garone / July 25, 2023 / Comments Off on The Leading Supplement for Healthy Inflammation Response

If you live with discomfort in your joints, your body might feel like a rusty door hinge that just can’t seem to get enough oil. That’s because, as we age, the cartilage in our joints begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change.

Read More
kirkland snacking nuts as a costco weight loss snack

9 Costco Snacks That Actually Help You Slim Down 

By Sarah Garone / July 9, 2023 / Comments Off on 9 Costco Snacks That Actually Help You Slim Down 

Healthy, sustainable weight loss is usually a slow process made up of tiny little choices we make every day — even as little as our snack choices! Though snacks might seem like small potatoes compared to the content of your meals, choosing the right items to munch on contributes to weight loss in some important…

Read More
moment spiced mango drink with healthy ingredients to feel relaxed

7 Healthy Ingredients That Make You Feel Relaxed

By Sarah Garone / June 14, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Healthy Ingredients That Make You Feel Relaxed

Between work pressures, family commitments, global political drama, and climate woes, it’s fair to say we live in a stressful world. Just getting through your everyday life can easily run you ragged. Sometimes, don’t you just want to step back and feel relaxed?

Read More
a person mixing together a kombucha

7 Best Drinks For Your Immune System, Say Experts

By Sarah Garone / May 31, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Best Drinks For Your Immune System, Say Experts

These days, there’s no shortage of immune-supporting supplements to choose from, and Americans are reaching for them in droves. About 58% of people over age 20 say they take supplements in general—and the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements reports that sales of immune-targeted supplements markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as folks…

Read More
Vegan Risotto with Miso and Spring Vegetables

7 Spring Dinner Ideas That Make the Most of Vegetables

By Sarah Garone / April 29, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Spring Dinner Ideas That Make the Most of Vegetables

People love to joke that spring is the shortest season: one day you’re shivering in freezing temps and a week later, you’re scorching at 90 degrees. The seemingly fleeting nature of this beloved season is one more reason to enjoy the tasty produce it has to offer — like veggies! Asparagus, radishes, peas, leeks, beets,…

Read More
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

9 Slow Cooker Recipes That Harness the Power of Beans

By Sarah Garone / April 6, 2023 / Comments Off on 9 Slow Cooker Recipes That Harness the Power of Beans

Is there any food as humble-yet-perfect as beans? Whether you’re a vegetarian or just want to incorporate more plant-based protein into your diet, beans are an immediate go-to ingredient. And when you whip up these slow cooker bean recipes for set-and-forget cooking, you can enjoy their creamy texture and ample nutrition even more conveniently. Despite…

Read More
woman biting into a chocolate bar

I’m a Nutritionist and I Eat Dessert Every Day—Here’s Why

By Sarah Garone / March 22, 2023 / Comments Off on I’m a Nutritionist and I Eat Dessert Every Day—Here’s Why

Listening to some official reports about sugar and health, you might think that sweet foods are a curse straight from the netherworld. Greater consumption of sugar has been linked to increased risk of everything from obesity to higher odds of heart disease to disrupted mental health. These are real, serious effects of overdoing it on…

Read More
healthy oat waffles with blueberries

7 Small Tweaks to Improve Your Diet Quality Instantly

By Sarah Garone / March 11, 2023 / Comments Off on 7 Small Tweaks to Improve Your Diet Quality Instantly

They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the same is often true for the journey of more nutritious eating. Though some people may do well making drastic dietary changes overnight, for most of us, incremental modifications lead to greater positive change. Fortunately, taking things slow and steady doesn’t…

Read More
cooked tofu in a bowl with vegetables and rice

The Best 8 Foods for Your Mental Health

By Sarah Garone / January 29, 2023 / Comments Off on The Best 8 Foods for Your Mental Health

Folks have long bandied about the phrase “you are what you eat,” but it might be more accurate to say “you feel what you eat.” The more we learn about diet and mental health, the more it seems these two critical elements of well-being are interconnected. A growing body of research shows that what we…

Read More
fresh salad in a bowl

What Is the Leaky Gut Diet? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

By Sarah Garone / January 18, 2023 / Comments Off on What Is the Leaky Gut Diet? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Maybe lately you’ve been feeling a little sluggish, rather bloated, and – ugh — is that a pimple breaking out on your forehead? As you try to identify a cause for your symptoms, you might consider stress, hormones, or perhaps a poor diet. Or could it be a leaky gut? This recently identified condition is…

Read More
peanut tofu skillet with veggies

Grocery Prices Skyrocketing? Make These Meals Under $10

By Sarah Garone / January 14, 2023 / Comments Off on Grocery Prices Skyrocketing? Make These Meals Under $10

Though grocery prices have been rising for a while now, it can still be a shock to show up at your local supermarket and realize that food costs have jumped again. Wasn’t that $5 loaf of bread just $3 last week, and those $7 eggs formerly $4? Sometimes it’s hard to know whether to laugh…

Read More
plant based bean stew with tomatoes veggies and grilled bread

The 6 Best Plant-Based Protein Sources To Add to Your Diet

By Sarah Garone / December 17, 2022 / Comments Off on The 6 Best Plant-Based Protein Sources To Add to Your Diet

Looking to eat more plant-based protein sources? You’re in good company. According to the International Food Information Council’s 2022 Food and Health survey, plant-based diets are the fourth most common eating pattern among Americans, with 12% of us striving to go veg. There are tons of benefits to a plant-forward lifestyle, including reduced risk of…

Read More
man eating chips on couch with a beer

6 Eating Habits That Might Be Increasing Your Stress

By Sarah Garone / December 7, 2022 / Comments Off on 6 Eating Habits That Might Be Increasing Your Stress

When you think about the connection between stress and eating, your thoughts probably drift to the pint of ice cream down in a single sitting after a difficult day or the greasy cheeseburger crammed between errands. Though it’s true that the pressures of life can drive us toward less-than-healthy eating habits, the link between stress…

Read More
pantry lentil marinara

9 Pantry Dinner Ideas When You Need Something Quick

By Sarah Garone / December 6, 2022 / Comments Off on 9 Pantry Dinner Ideas When You Need Something Quick

It’s 5:30 on a weeknight and you’ve just crashed through the door after a stressful day. So…what’s for dinner? Will it be takeout (again)? Or the package of Top Ramen that’s been hanging around the back of your pantry like a lonely, salty ghost? Or maybe, just maybe, could there be a way to toss…

Read More
costco sign outside the store

10 Frozen Foods at Costco Nutritionists Love To Buy

By Sarah Garone / November 13, 2022 / Comments Off on 10 Frozen Foods at Costco Nutritionists Love To Buy

Besides the allure of low price and high quality, Costco is also a surprising source of good-for-you foods, especially in the freezer cases.

Read More
digging into a bowl of yogurt with blueberries and walnuts

The 7 Best Foods for Your Brain Health, Say Dietitians

By Sarah Garone / October 23, 2022 / Comments Off on The 7 Best Foods for Your Brain Health, Say Dietitians

Your brain is, arguably, your most important organ. The gray matter inside your head not only controls all your other organs, it’s the source of your personality, memory, and intellect. Within your body, there’s nothing that doesn’t happen under its watch! Yet, in our pursuit of a healthy diet, we often focus on other goals…

Read More
outside trader joe's grocery store

I’m a Nutritionist and I Always Buy These 9 Trader Joe’s Products

By Sarah Garone / September 26, 2022 / Comments Off on I’m a Nutritionist and I Always Buy These 9 Trader Joe’s Products

When I moved to a new house 11 years ago, I was thrilled with its location near freeways and good school — but possibly even more excited at its proximity to the closest Trader Joe’s. A mere two miles were now all that stood between me and the iconic California grocery chain. And believe me,…

Read More
old healthy woman teaching a young woman how to make pasta

6 Healthy Habits Straight from the Blue Zones

By Sarah Garone / September 17, 2022 / Comments Off on 6 Healthy Habits Straight from the Blue Zones

On the surface of things, it might not look like people who live in the six blue zones (Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; and Nicoya, Costa Rica) have much in common. But look a little closer and you’ll find that people living in these locations bear some striking similarities, both in…

Read More
tea and berries in bed

The 7 Best Foods for a Better Night’s Sleep, Say Dietitians

By Sarah Garone / September 4, 2022 / Comments Off on The 7 Best Foods for a Better Night’s Sleep, Say Dietitians

For as long as we can remember, folklore has held that eating certain foods will influence your dreams. For example, legend says eating the Welsh cheese dish rarebit will cause strange and bizarre nighttime visions. Or avoid spicy food if you don’t want nightmares. While science hasn’t nailed down the exact effects of your dinner…

Read More