I’m a vegan registered dietitian and here are a few reasons why I recommend processed foods! There is a lot of hate on processed foods, namely “ultra-processed foods” and correlations between their consumption and poor health outcomes.  I take issue with this for a couple reasons. One, demonizing food and sweeping generalizations are unhelpful and often harmful. I specialized in disordered eating and see firsthand how food fears can have a significant, negative impact on someone’s mental and physical wellbeing.  Secondly, populations who tend to rely on processed foods the most are ..read more

After returning from my second maternity leave I realized it’s time for my annual business reflection! Life and business have changed yet again, and that’s a big theme in this season of life. Speaking of themes, if I had to come up with one for my business right now, it would be something about closeness, peace, acceptance and satisfaction. I’ll explain more! My Family Has Grown I had another baby! Wow, going from one to two kids is intense. Especially when your first kid is just shy of 2 years old and still needs you a lot. Not to mention trying to recover from a c-section and being physical ..read more

Have you ever heard the recommendation to eat every 3 to 4 hours? There are several reasons why registered dietitians endorse this. Dieting, fasting and ignoring hunger are not health-promoting behaviors. Eating regularly is important for both physical and mental health! When it comes to nutrition, there are a few core building blocks required for a good foundation: Adequacy (eating enough food) Consistency (eating at regular intervals) Variety (eating a diversity of foods) Of course there is more to nutrition than these building blocks, but if these aren’t in place, more detailed nutrition ..read more

Shift a month-long challenge into a lifelong commitment to compassion! Veganuary is a 31-day challenge to “try vegan” for the month of January and beyond. The focus is on a plant-based diet and the vision is a vegan world without animal farming or slaughterhouses. More than a month-long challenge, Veganuary is a UK-based nonprofit organization that “encourages and supports people and businesses alike to move to a plant-based diet as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving the health of millions of people.” Many folks may not realize who created Veganuar ..read more

Have you ever wondered how it’s possible to meet your nutrient needs without tracking your food intake? You’re not alone! As a registered dietitian, this is a common question I receive. And, it’s a piece of advice I see doled out to the general public on social media that makes me cringe! The reality is we don’t need to meticulously measure and analyze every bite we eat in order to eat plenty of nutrients.  And, as someone who specializes in disordered eating, I’ve seen firsthand (and have experienced myself) how food tracking can become disordered. This may not happen for everyone, but ..read more

I am delighted to bring you this guest blog post from fellow vegan mama and registered dietitian Karla Moreno-Bryce, MDA, RD, LD. Karla is a vegan pediatric nutrition coach and is my go-to resource for all things vegan kids nutrition. This is a must-read post if you are or will be involved in feeding vegan kiddos!  Check out the guest post I wrote for Karla’s blog all about helping kids with body image.  The round, 3-compartment pink silicone plate included white rice, a mixture of steamed veggies, and some strawberries.  It was a photo a past client shared with me of their dau ..read more

A common topic in nutrition is the concept of balanced meals. But what does that even mean and why is it so important? If your first thought upon seeing the title of this post is “borrrrrrrrring,” I totally get it! And, something I tell my clients often, is that sound nutrition guidance is kind of boring. Because it’s relatively simple and it’s a lot of stuff we’ve heard before.  And yet, diet culture makes us think that true nutrition strategies are too simple to be helpful or are somehow not impactful. Instead we’re lured by outlandish claims, miracle cure-alls and quick fixes. Those d ..read more

As a registered dietitian, as a vegan, and as a human who eats food, I love soy! If you’re unfamiliar with soy foods or have heard confusing information about them, you’re not alone. Some folks didn’t grow up eating soy foods (myself included) and fear the unknown, while others have been misled by false information about the health effects of soy.  I’m here to share with you the top reasons that I love soy and feed it to my family daily! And no, this post is not sponsored by the soy industry or any food brand.  First things first, we need to clear the air on some common soy myths.&n ..read more

Ever since taking the leap out of “traditional” full-time employment into self-employment as a nutrition entrepreneur, I’ve written an annual update and reflection.  I do these as much for myself as I do for you because I’m terrible at maintaining a personal journaling routine and these posts are really fun and helpful to look back on! This past year brought huge change as I navigated life as both a business owner and a new mom. I had more “firsts” in business and as in past years, have continued to learn and grow. That is one thing that I know will never change! Last year’s post had a t ..read more

Fortified foods are an easy way to help us meet our nutrient needs and even prevent some health issues! They can be especially important for vegans. However, there is some confusion and fear about fortified foods going around the internet. Read on to learn what food fortification is, why it exists and how these foods fit into every day eating. What is Fortification? Fortification is adding nutrients, specifically vitamins and minerals, to a food that weren’t originally in that food.  As opposed to enrichment, which is when nutrients are added back into a food after being removed (for exa ..read more