My sister's been trying some better nutrition lately and she gave me this idea for a new blog after trying the half and half thing with yogurt. When you go half and half with yogurt, you substitute half of your flavored yogurt with plain yogurt. What that does for your nutrition is huge. It cuts in half the added sugars that come with a cup of flavored yogurt; it boosts up the calcium you get from your yogurt; and it leaves a half cup of flavored yogurt to mix with plain yogurt tomorrow. Please keep in mind that throughout this blog I'll be mentioning plain yogurt which will mean plain … [Read more...] about Go Half and Half with Yogurt for Better Nutrition
Tomatoes Check All the Boxes of Fresh, Delicious, and Convenient
Imagining meals without tomatoes is hard for me to do. Sometimes I add them to my breakfast with a sliced cucumber and dollop of hummus. Other times I add them to my lunch sandwich -- to make a tasty ELT. At dinner, tomatoes pop up in a side salad, sauce, soup, or just on my plate and ready-to-eat. I don't think I'm alone in counting on tomatoes to be there for me. Maybe you can relate. I've had quite a few grocery store checkout line chats and/or farmer's market chats with total strangers who share their 'tomato love stories' with me. See how many varieties you know here. Fresh and Delicious … [Read more...] about Tomatoes Check All the Boxes of Fresh, Delicious, and Convenient
A Grocery Cart of On-Budget, Smart Nutrition
Are you ever surprised at your grocery tab at checkout? I've been surprised many times at how high my tab is because, well, good food is not cheap. But, this time, I was surprised that I got in-and-out of the store for less than $20! You can see my entire cart in the picture and I'll admit it wasn't a full week's worth of food. Still, I was feeling super proud of my smart shopping skills and staying on-budget as I headed home from this mid-week grocery run. If you're interested in some insights on a nutritious grocery cart fill-up, then take a look at my earlier blog here. On-Budget Smart … [Read more...] about A Grocery Cart of On-Budget, Smart Nutrition
10 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays with Less Sugar
Holiday Mindset What's your mindset going into holiday season? If you make your mind up to indulge less and pay attention more to what you eat and drink, then you may be pleasantly surprised. Getting to a New Year with healthier habits in place is a feeling of confidence and victory - and who doesn't like that?! May I suggest you pre-think the sugary foods you normally eat or drink from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day? Then, try your best to eat less, fewer, smaller. Or, sub in something less sugary that you feel good about. 10 Ways to Enjoy the … [Read more...] about 10 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays with Less Sugar
How to Eat More Vegetables
The Why? There are probably more than 100 reasons why to eat more vegetables. I don't want to get boring or teachy-preachy, though. So, I'm going to boil it down to 10 quick reasons why: 1.Colors 2. Flavors 3. Crunch 4. Creamy 5. Sweet 6. Delicious 7. Filling 8. Fun shapes 9. Inexpensive 10. Nutritious The How? There are at least 50 ways to eat more vegetables. Here are 10 of my favorites: 1. Add some sliced cucumbers to your breakfast. 2. Pack a big handful of carrots, radishes, celery into your lunch. 3. Keep a couple cans of tomato juice or V8 in … [Read more...] about How to Eat More Vegetables
Kids & Desserts
Kids and Desserts - Memories I still remember being a kid and asking for a sweet dessert after dinner - every night. But, that was not what happened in my family. Mom treated us once a week with a sweet dessert, usually a small scoop of vanilla ice cream in a small 7-Up Float. Yep, it was super sweet, but small, and I'm grateful now for my mom's wisdom and follow-through with managing desserts for her kids. Kids and Desserts - The Downside Giving kids a lot of sugary desserts has definite downsides - for example: too many dental visits with big bills too scrawny appetites for … [Read more...] about Kids & Desserts