Live your healthiest, happiest, most purposeful life
Author: Lacy Ngo
Lacy Ngo is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Human Nutrition. Lacy focuses on mindful eaitng and living and her blog provides over 400 nutrition and weight loss tips as well as inspiring faith stories
This Easy, No Bake, Healthy JLT Dip is a such a delicious and creative way to get in those gut health probiotics! Just keep reading to see how easy this recipe is!
This super easy and healthy JLT Dip (AKA Jerky Dip) recipe invloves absolutely NO COOKING! This healthy dip recipe is perfect as a party appetizer or picnic food! Great source of probiotics!
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Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1.5 Cups Greek Yogurt
2, 1.5 oz bags free range, no nitrate/nitrite added Turkey Jerky (I like the Think Turkey Jerky. You can also use grass-fed Think Beef Jerky)
1 Tomato, chopped
3 Green Onions, Chopped
1 tsp Garlic, Minced
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp black pepper
This super easy and healthy JLT Dip (AKA Jerky Dip) recipe invloves absolutly NO COOKING! This healthy dip recipe is perfect as a party appetizer or picnic food! Great source of probiotics!
Um, yeah…THAT IS IT!!! The Easy, No Bake, Healthy JLT Dip is done!
This super easy and healthy JLT Dip (AKA Jerky Dip) recipe invloves absolutely NO COOKING! This healthy dip recipe is perfect as a party appetizer or picnic food! Great source of probiotics!
Maybe you have decided to eat healthier as a family, but you have realized you NEED a meal plan to do it! Now you are wondering, ‘how do I go about developing and incorporating a meal plan for my family?’ That is why I put together this collection of meal planning recourses for you. Now you can find everything you need to start your exciting, fun, and healthy meal planning journey.
Below is a list of my favorite meal plan resources and why?
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The Best Meal Planning Books, Apps, and Products: A collection of meal planning recourses for you. Now you can find everything you need to start your exciting, fun, and healthy meal planning journey.
I LOVE to feel organized. Getting organized takes the weight off your shoulders, doesn’t it?!?! That is why I love this book! The goal of this book is to help you organized your meals for a whole year! This meal planner includes:
One year’s worth of weekly templates to plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
Grocery lists and price comparison sheets
Recipe pages
This wonderful origination tool is written by registered dietitian, Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN.
Created by a dietitian (that’s me!), The Nourishing Meal Builder shows you how to create anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, mood boosting, immune supportive meals that reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory.
The Meal Builder Cards included in The Nourishing Meal Builder takes the stress out of meal planning. In fact, you don’t have to do much meal planning ahead at all!
You simply use the food list to grocery shop! Then when you are ready to cook a meal, you use the included meal builder cards to create a nourishing meal on the spot! It’s so easy and the meal possibilities are endless!
Create anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, mood boosting, immune supportive meals that reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory.
This book also made an appearance in my “Healthy Living Books Written by Registered Dietitians,” but I thought this book fit well in this list as well. This 6-week guide includes more than 100 breakfast, lunch, and dinner solutions. In this book, you will find simple, realistic solutions as wells as assessments, food tips and meal ideas to help you live a happier, healthier, and stronger life.
If you want your meal plan to be full of flavorful, nutritious plant-based foods; then, this is the book for you. This guide, which is broken down into 52 weeks, provides 125 A-MAZING plant-based recipes!
Our lives are so busy that we often don’t have much time to plan and cook our foods. This is why meal prepping is soooo beneficial! Toby Smithson provides so many meal prepping tips and solutions in her book. This book is perfect for busy families who want to find a way to eat healthy on a busy schedule.
As soon as I discovered this book, I knew I had to include it here. Deciding what to eat on a diabetic diet, can feel overwhelming. This books takes out the guesswork by helping you easily plan your meals. Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies includes tons of helpful information like healthy eating tips for diabetes, food swap ideas, and of course, yummy recipes!
This IS the ultimate meal prep book! Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals shows you how to prep ALL your meals for a month in ONE DAY!!! I developed this book because, although I LOVE to cook, I couldn’t find the time to cook healthy meals everyday. Life. Gets. Soooo. Busy, and figuring out what to eat everyday is one more mentally draining decision you have to make.
That is why I began prepping and freezing a month of meals in one day. Over time I became extremely efficient at making all of these meals at once. I can now get all my breakfast, lunch and dinners for a whole month prepped and frozen in only 6 hours!!! This book teaches you the tricks and the steps to take in order to prep and freeze your meals efficiently too. When it’s actually time to eat breakfast and lunch, you simply throw one of these meals in the microwave for 2 minutes and IT. IS. DONE!!!! For dinner, I usually put the family-style meals in the crockpot while I am making my kids lunches in the morning. It’s so simple! With Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals, you have one less thing to think about each day. Now you can enjoy healthy meals and focus on your family instead of trying to figure out what to cook!
Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals includes the some of the most popular family recipes. From Pizza Bites and Southwest burrito dip, to Asian Chicken and rice; there is something for just about everyone.
Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook
Healthy Meal Planning Ultimate Bundle
With this Healthy Meal Planning Ultimate bundle, you are able to get a HUGE assortment of meal planning resources all at once for an amazing price! Instead of paying for each resource separately, you pay one price and get a whole collection which includes:
1072 whole food recipes
38 meal plans to choose from
Nutrition information on every recipe
AND it integrates with the Real Plan app!
You can find out more about the Healthy Meal Planning Ulitmate Bundle here.
The Real Plan App
With the Real Plan app, you can customize your meals and grocery lists from your phone! Real Plans even includes easy Instacart integration so you can get your groceries delivered!
Best Meal Prep Products
My favorite is the Baggy Rack!
Meal Plan Checklist Printable (It’s Free!!!)
I developed this meal plan checklist because I wanted to make sure I was incorporating foods that helped improve my mood, immunity, and inflammation; reduced the risk or chronic, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases like Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, heart disease, and Rheumatoid arthritis; and helped with stomach problems like cramps, distention, and diarrhea. In other words, I wanted a COMPLETE list of foods that I should include in my weekly meals all in one place.
So I made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist! You can use the checklist to make sure you are getting these amazing nutrients into your daily life! And all subscribers can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! It’s completely free! You can get this FREE Meal Plan Checklist here!
This super easy and delicious Carolina Caviar recipe (also known as Cowboy Caviar or Texas Caviar) always gets so many compliments at parties and socials and can be thrown together in minutes!
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This easy and healthy Carolina Caviar recipe involves absolutely NO cooking!!!! Carolina Caviar (also often called Cowboy Caviar or Texas Caviar) is a perfect appetizer or party food.
Ingredients
1 can Black Eyed Peas
1 can Corn
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 Onion, chopped
1 bottle of Italian Vinaigrette (I like Bolthouse Farms Italian Vinaigrette made with Olive Oil
1 tsp jalapenos, diced
1 tbsp. Cilantro
To Make
Stir all the ingredients together and you are done! Sooo easy!!!!
Serve with whole grain tortillas chips or crackers.
Did Like This Recipe?
If you liked this recipe please pin and share or if you have tried this recipe, let me know what you thought! Plus I would love to hear what are your favorite easy appetizers and party foods!
I have made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist! You can use the checklist to make sure you are getting all the amazing nutrients into your daily life! And you can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! It’s completely free! You can get this FREE Meal Plan Checklist here! You can read more about your free printable below.
The Meal Plan Checklist
What nutrients and foods should be included in most of my daily and weekly meals? And which foods do what? How much omega-3 foods should I be eating each week? How about berries? Is there some sort of Meal Plan Checklist available?
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Use the Free Meal Plan Checklist to determine if you are eating foods that help support mood, immunity, inflammation, cognitive function, gut health and reduce the risk of chronic (ex: heart disease), autoimmune (ex: rheumatoid arthritis), and neurodegenerative (ex: Alzheimer’s)
Here are a few more questions you may be pondering:
What foods are anti-inflammatory?
Are there foods that boost the immune system?
What foods help with mood, depression, anxiety, and brain function?
Can certain foods boost memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia?
What foods reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes?
What foods help with bloating, stomach distention, constipation, GERD, cramps, diarrhea, or other stomach problems?
Can certain foods reduce joint pain, arthritis pain, headaches, and migraines?
Are their foods that can help with autoimmune or neurodegenerative diseases?
The answer is yes…
Certain foods can help alleviate symptoms and/or GREATLY reduce your risk of developing MANY conditions like:
Diabetes, Inflammation, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Distention, Bloating, IBS, Leaky Gut, Heartburn, Migraines, Diarrhea, Constipation, Stomach Pain and Cramps, Fatigue/Decrease Energy Levels, Headaches, GERD, Gas, Frequent Colds and Illnesses, Autoimmune diseases, mucus drainage and phlegm, Allergies, Memory problems, Joint Pain, Hormone imbalance, mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and stress, Acne, Insomnia, Inability to lose weight, IBD, Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth, Crohn’s Disease, Lupus, Ulteracitive Colitis, Celiac Disease, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzheimer’s and Stroke
Backed by Research
While the link between many of these foods and diseases are backed by a multitude of studies, some food-disease links are still in the first stages of research. Whether backed by extensive research or just in the preliminary stages, the foods on thus dietitian’s meal plan checklist are healthy for your body so it’s a good idea to be mindful about incorporating them into our diets.
More Questions
Now you might be saying, “Yes, that is interesting, Lacy, but can I find this list of foods I should be eating all in one spot? And is there an easy stress-free way to make sure I’m getting all these crucial foods into my daily diet?
Use the Free Meal Plan Checklist Printable to determine if you are eating foods that help support your mood, immunity, inflammation, cognitive function, gut health and reduce the risk of chronic (ex: heart disease), autoimmune (ex: rheumatoid arthritis), and neurodegenerative (ex: Alzheimer’s)
You may have guessed
the answer to those questions as well. Yes, you can!
I am an organizer; so I decided I to make a sort of checklist. I knew I wanted to make a list of foods that could help improve my mood, immunity, and inflammation. But I wanted more. The checklist should also include a list of nutrients and foods that can reduce the risk or Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and stomach problems like cramps, stomach distention, and diarrhea too. I also wanted to include nutrients and foods that can help reduce the risk of strokes, heart disease, and even autoimmune diseases. In other words, I want a COMPLETE list all in one place. You can find this nutrient list as well as the list of foods that have these nutrients in The Nourishing Meal Builder ebook. But if you want something for FREE that can help you get started, you can use the Meal Plan Checklist!
This is seriously the best Healthy Chicken Salad I have ever had! This Healthy Chicken Salad is a great source of Probiotics and Omega-3s, and is perfect for picnics, showers, lunches, and parties! The recipe includes slow cooker and pressure cooker instructions!
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Chicken Salad with Probiotics: Best Healthy Chicken Salad I have ever had! This healthy chicken salad is perfect for picnics, showers, lunches, and parties! Includes a slow cooker and pressure cooker recipe!
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (If you don’t want to cook at all, use white meat chicken canned in water like the Wild Planet Organic Roasted Chicken)
2 stalked celery, washed and chopped
½ cup walnuts
½ cup red grapes, washed and sliced
1 tsp Black Pepper
½ Greek yogurt (I like Fage)
To Freeze
Mix all the ingredients except yogurt a together in a gallon size freezer bag.
To Cook in slow cooker:
To defrost, let freezer bag sit in a bowl of warm water in the sink for about 2 minutes.
Dump ingredients from the freezer bag into slow cooker.
Cook on medium heat for 6 to 8 hours or until the chicken is done.
Add 1 cup of Greek chicken with a fork while stirring the chicken and yogurt until well blended.
OR
To cook in the pressure
cooker:
Add 1 cup of water to the inner pot
Place the chicken mixture in the bottom of the inner pot.
Pour in one cup of chicken broth (you can also use water if you don’t have broth)
Place the lid on the pressure cooker and close it. Turn the steam release valve to the “sealing” position.
Press manual, or pressure cooking, or chicken setting button for 16 minutes at high heat. (Times will vary based on the size of the chicken. If the chicken is not quite done, cook it for another 1-2 minutes at high pressure.
Use the quick release when finished.
Add 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt and the chicken mixture into a large bowl. Break up the chicken with a fork while stirring the chicken and yogurt until well blended.
Want More?
Do you want more great probiotic recipes? Well, soon you can get soo much more because a book is in the works that is going to provide food lists, recipes (including probiotic recipes), and grocery lists to help you optimize your health, BUT while you wait, I made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist you can use to make sure you are getting crucial nutrients into your daily life! And all subscribers can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! You can get the Meal Plan Checklist here!
Chicken Salad with Probiotics: Best Healthy Chicken Salad I have ever had! This healthy chicken salad is perfect for picnics, showers, lunches, and parties! Includes a slow cooker and pressure cooker directions in the recipe!
These NO Bake Protein Energy Balls are made of only two basic ingredients!!! To add variety, simply change up the optional ingredients listed below! I like to add dark chocolate and cinnamon to mine. Both dark chocolate and cinnamon have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Remember when choosing dark chocolate, choose chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa.
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Easy NO Bake Protein Energy Balls Recipe
Easy No Bake Protein Energy Balls
Makes 10 balls
Basic Ingredients
1 ½ cup rolled oats or granola
½ cup peanut butter or another natural nut butter.
Optional Ingredients
Dark chocolate chips
Raisins
Dried Cranberries
Coconut
Nuts
Dates, pitted
Seeds
Cinnamon (1/4 tsp.)
Honey (1 tsp for a little sweetness)
To Make:
Blend all ingredients including which ever optional ingredient you choose in the food processor.
Roll dough into bite-size balls.
Store in the refrigerator.
This is it! How simple is that
Shop for Ingredients
Want More?
Soon you can get soo much more because a book is in the works that is going to provide food lists, recipes, and grocery lists to help you optimize your health, BUT while you wait, I made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist you can use to make sure you are getting crucial nutrients into your daily life! And all subscribers can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! You can get the Meal Plan Checklist here!
This recipe has so many things going for it! Bone broth and chicken broth are becoming more popular these days and for good reason. Bone broth and chicken broth may have anti-inflammatory properties and boost the immune system. Sipping on a warm chicken broth soup may even help you feel more relaxed! Spinach is another fantastic ingredient on the list. With nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, folate, and vitamin E, spinach has so many beneficial attributes like immune boosting and cancer fighting properties. Carrots and beans, two more ingredients in this recipe, are prebiotics. Prebiotics feed good bacteria and promote a healthy gut. The whole grain pasta and beans are great sources of fiber, which can help you feel full. Turkey has many beneficial nutrients as well, such as protein, zinc, vitamin B6, Selenium, Tryptophan, and B12!
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Make ahead and freeze healthy recipes using the pressure cooker or oven: Healthy, relaxing turkey noodle soup casserole: rich in anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting, and immune boosting nutrients like antioxidants, fiber, and probiotics.
Materials:
10” round extra deep casserole cake pan
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cup frozen spinach
1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup bone broth
2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1 tbs. garlic, minced
2 tbs. Steak seasoning
1/3 tsp Fennel Seed
3 tsp black pepper
3 tsp paprika
2 cups whole-wheat Linguine, cooked per package directions
To Freeze:
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and brown the meat, breaking it into small pieces. Continue cooking until the turkey is no longer pink, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain the turkey.
Dump ingredients into a 10” Round extra deep casserole cake pan
Cover pan with aluminum foil.
When ready to cook in the oven:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 ½ hours or until warm. Oven times will vary.
or
When ready to cook in the pressure cooker:
Put 2 cups of cold water into the inner pot.
Place a trivet in the pressure cooker inner pot.
Place the round aluminum dish containing the frozen turkey soup casserole on top of the trivet.
Lock the lid. Place the steam release handle pointing to sealing.
Press the steam button. Program for 15 minutes at high pressure.
Use the quick release when it is finished.
Turkey Noodle Soup Casserole: A make ahead healthy freezer meals: From freezer to pressure cooker
Related Products
Want More?
Soon you can get soo much more because a book is in the works that is going to provide food lists, recipes, and grocery lists to help you optimize your health, BUT while you wait, I made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist you can use to make sure you are getting crucial nutrients into your daily life! And all subscribers can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! You can get the Meal Plan Checklist here!
We live busy lives, and sometimes we need a HEALTHY packaged snacks to keep us going and simply make life easier!
But with so many different convenient packaged snacks in the world, how do we know which ones are ACTUALLY healthy packaged snacks?!?!
Well, I asked a few of my dietitian collegues what were their favorite healthy packaged snacks, and they had some great suggestions!!! Check them out below!
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Dietitian Approved On-the-Go Healthy Packaged Snacks. So convenient for those busy days!
Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN is the owner of Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC and Mindful Vending (a dietitian owned and operated vending company). Ngo is the author of several books, including Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals, The Nourishing Meal Builder, and Faith, Mindfulness, & Nutrition. Whether it’s through quick snacks in her vending machines, her healthy freezer meal recipes, or her Meal Builder Cards, included in The Nourishing Meal Builder, Ngo is determined to make eating healthy as easy and stress-free as possible for people with busy lives!
On-the-Go Healthy Packaged Snacks
Primal Kitchen Collagen Nut and Seed Bar
You’ll always find a Primal Kitchen Collagen Nut and Seed Bar in my bag. I love that they are made of simple ingredients and natural sweeteners. I can also count on the them keeping me full as they contain some fiber and have a balanced macronutrient profile. Plus, I think the chewy texture keeps things interesting! Stephanie Wagner, RDN, LDN of https://stephanieleenutrition.com
Blue Diamond Raw Almond 100 Cal Snack Pack
Old school Blue Diamond raw almond 100 cal snack pack! Nothing fancy, single ingredient, high fiber, good protein, excellent fats. Long shelf life so they can live in your bag till you’re ready for them, without having to worry about refrigeration. Satiety and crunch that make for a perfect snack. Nina Dahan, RD in private practice in Brooklyn NY; You can find her on Instagram @Nina_Dahan_RD
Biena Chickpea Snacks
Biena Chickpea Snacks tend to be the perfect, go to snack for me. 1/4 cup of them have the wearwith all to curb those afternoon cravings and help balance blood sugars. With flavors like honey roasted, habanero, and rockin’ ranch, they help to satisfy your sweet or savory tooth in a nutritious way. Heather Shasa, MS, RDN of Welding Wellness, LLC
Bada Bean Bada Boom
Enlightened makes multiple flavors of crunchy fava beans called Bada Bean Bada Boom! My two year old and I are obsessed with them. No sugar, high fiber and protein, and free of common allergens, which is key since my son has multiple food allergies. Sometimes they are available at Costco too! Sabrina Ramme, MS, RD of https://thesensitivetable.com
RX Bars
I love RX bars because they are a portable snack that holds well in my purse or car, has a short and recognizable ingredient list, and just enough protein to leave me satisfied. Plus, they are easy to find at almost any grocery store! Josten Fish, RDN muscleandmanna.com
Power Up Snacks
Power up snacks! I always have a baggie of the trail mix in my bag, whether I’m going to the theme parks or the beach. My 2 and 6 year old girls love them! They have different varieties but the dried fruit/nut combo always leaves me satisfied. Ginger Sandifer MA, RD, LD/N. @veggiesandwine
Farm and Oven Bites
I love Farm and Oven Bites! Finding a veggie snack that doesn’t need to be refrigerated isn’t the easiest, but these packaged bites contain 40% of your daily vegetable needs, are high in fiber, and also packed with probiotics. With flavors like Beet Dark Chocolate, Zucchini Lemon Poppyseed, Pumpkin Maple Pecan, and Carrot Cinnamon even the pickiest veggie eater will love these! Casey Seiden MS, RDN, CDN, CDE
Sargento Balanced Breaks
They’re a perfectly packaged snack of cheese, dried fruit, and nuts. They’re so easy to throw into my bag or purse for days when I’m on the road, and even great for taking on a plane. They have around 7g protein and 2-3g of fiber per package, so they will be a satisfying snack without overfilling you. – Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT, creator of the couples blog & podcast Nutrition Nuptials (www.nutritionnuptials.com)
Quaker Peanut Butter Sandwich Minis
I like the Quaker Peanut Butter Sandwich Minis. The first ingredient are whole grain oats! They contain a nice balance of protein and carbs to keep you feeling energized and satisfied, and they taste great. Even my husband thinks “they taste like little cookies”. -Heather Steele, RD/LD www.nurtureandnourishnutrition.com
Nature’s Whole Wheat Bakery Fig Bar and Applesauce Pouch
I always keep a Nature’s Bakery fig bar and an applesauce pouch in my purse and car. I love the fig bar because it’s made with whole grains. Both items are shelf stable and easily portable! – Caitlin Jindrich, RDN, LD
Theo Chocolate Organic Dark Chocolate Bar 85%
I love all the snack suggestions by my fellow RDs, but I thought I would throw in one of my favorites as well. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I like to eat an antioxidant rich dark chocolate bar. I love the Theo Chocolate Organic Dark Chocolate Bar 85% because the bar keeps it simple with only three ingredients: cocoa beans, sugar, and vanilla beans. Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN at Mindfulness in Faith and Food
Is it Healthy? How to Determine if you have a Healthy Packaged Snack
I hope you found some great on-the-go healthy packaged snacks from reading this post. I also wanted to provide a way for you to determine if other snack foods are healthy…
I use this checklist myself when I am trying to choose new healthy packaged snacks to try!
Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN is the owner of Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC and Mindful Vending (a dietitian owned and operated vending company). Ngo is the author of two digital books, Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals and The Nourishing Meal Builder. Whether it’s through quick snacks in her vending machines, her healthy freezer meal recipes, or her Meal Builder Cards, included in The Nourishing Meal Builder, Ngo is determined to make eating healthy as easy and stress-free as possible for people with busy lives!
How to finally know if something is healthy by reading the label.
We live busy lives, and sometimes we need a HEALTHY grab-and-go snack to keep us going and to make life easier!
Argh! But there are so many different convenient packaged snacks out there, how in the world do we know which ones are ACTUALLY healthy?!?!
Well, I have come up with a “Is it Healthy?” packaged snacks checklist. The more checks the food gets the healthier it is.
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Is it Healthy? A Dietitian’s Label Reading Checklist to help you determine if your packaged snacks and foods are healthy.
Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN is the owner of Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC and Mindful Vending (a dietitian owned and operated vending company). Ngo, who is one of top experts in faith-based mindfulness and nutrition is the author of several faith-based mindfulness and nutrition books including, Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals, The Nourishing Meal Builder, and Faith, Mindfulness, & Nutrition. Whether it’s through quick snacks in her vending machines, her healthy freezer meal recipes, or her Meal Builder Cards, included in The Nourishing Meal Builder, Ngo is determined to make eating healthy as easy and stress-free as possible for people with busy lives!
Is it Healthy? Checklist
Minimal Refined Grains
Look for whole grain or whole wheat not just multi-grain on the package when you are looking for a healthy grain-based packaged snack. Multi-grain does not mean the same thing as whole grain. (All though sometimes it is.) The take home message is make sure whole grain is one of the first ingredients listed on the back label.
A Whole Grains, fruit, vegetable, protein food, or dairy food is listed as the first ingredient (Ex: Quinoa, Blueberries, Kale, Nuts, Yogurt)
A Note on Whole Grains as the First Ingredient
Sometimes the food item may advertise that they contain whole grains on the front of the package, but when you read the label you find enriched grains listed as the first ingredient. Enriched means that healthy nutrients that were removed during processing were added back into the product. So Enriched grains are better than refined grains, but not as healthy as whole grains. Take Whole Wheat Goldfish as an example… When you read the back label, you find enriched grains listed as the first ingredient. These Whole Wheat goldfish are still healthier than the regular Goldfish, but they are not as healthy as a 100% whole grain snack like say popcorn for example.
Minimal Added Sugar
Fortunately, food labels are required to list the added sugar. When selecting a food, choose foods with no more than 10% of daily calories from added sugar. (No added sugar is best!)
Foods like fruit and dairy are naturally higher in sugar. For these foods, you only need to focus on added sugar. But if the food is not naturally high in sugar, try to keep the sugar content to less than 35% of the weight of the serving. To figure out the percent total sugar by weight, multiply the grams of sugar by four (there are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates) to obtain the total number of calories. Divide the number of daily calories from sugar by the total number of calories that you consumed that day.
Is it Healthy? Label Reading Checklist to help you determine if your packaged snacks and foods are healthy.
Simple Ingredients List
The simpler the ingredients list the better! Let’s look at Triscuits as an example. Triscuits get to check off quite a few of the checklist boxes. For one, Triscuits have only 3 simple ingredients and whole wheat happens to be the first ingredient. Triscuits also has zero Trans fat and zero added sugar.
Minimal Trans Fat
Look for snacks that have less than 5% trans fat. (No trans fat is best!)
Look For Lower Sodium Products
Look for snack products that have no more than 200 mg of salt per serving.
Contains Some Good Stuff (Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber, Antioxidants, Omega 3s, Probiotics, etc)
Read the labels to see if the snack contains some of those amazing nutrients that fight diseases, promote health, and boost immunity. Aim for snacks that say 20% or higher percent daily values for these health promoting vitamins and minerals. A food is considered a good source of fiber if it contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
For Weight Loss
I think it is important to focus on nourishing your body more than weight, but you may have decided to lose weight for your own personal reasons. Maybe you want to see if you will have more energy if you lose weight or maybe you want to see if less weight will help with joint pain. If weight loss is a goal, look for filling foods like high fiber and protein foods. When eating a packaged snack for average daily snacking, lower calorie (less than 200 calorie) snacks may be helpful as well.
*When you are eating a packaged snack in place of a meal (like on hectic days) or if you are eating a snack to fuel/replenish for/from a high intensity or long duration activity, you will often need to eat more than 200 calories.
Want More?
Soon you can get soo much more because a book is in the works that is going to provide food lists, recipes, and grocery lists to help you optimize your health, BUT while you wait, I made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist you can use to make sure you are getting crucial nutrients into your daily life! And all subscribers can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! You can get the Meal Plan Checklist here!
Below is a list of nutrients and their benefits based on research! You can learn how to easily incorporate these nutrients into your weekly meals with the FREE Meal Plan Checklist.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
About the Research
The MIND, Mediterranean, and Blue Zone diets as well as Gut healthy foods, ALL encourage eating a diet high in the nutrients listed below. All of these diets have been shown to reduce the risk of a multitude of diseases and conditions. Moreover, the studies that were done on each individual nutrient on the list show the same benefits.
I have listed a huge sample of the research articles at the bottom of this article. Please feel free to look up these studies on your own. They are absolutely fascinating and exciting. You can find research in the reference section that discusses the Mediterranean diet, MIND diet, gut health, individual nutrients as well as how specific food, nutrients and diets relate to specific medical conditions.
So why the MIND, Mediterranean, Blue Zone, and Gut Health Diets?
24 nutrients to incorporate into your diet according to a dietitian; also remember to get a free meal plan checklist!
The Mediterranean Diet
In my opinon and based on research, the Mediterranean and MIND diets are two of the most impactful diets when it comes to health and quality of life. Maggie Moon talks about both the Mediterranean and MIND diet in her book, The MIND Diet, when she says “…studies have shown that Mediterranean-style eating patterns are linked with lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and now the MIND diet has been shown to protect against cognitive decline in aging”.”
MIND Diet
Based on the research, I can concur with Maggie Moon when she writes, “The two key MIND diet studies show how the diet keeps the aging brain seven and a half years younger and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 53%.”
Blue Zone Foods
In business, we look to the businesses that are getting it right and try to follow their lead. We use the term benchmark to refer to something that serves as a standard best practice. Perhaps we should do this with nutrition as well. Are there areas where people seem to be getting this “living a healthy life” thing right? Maybe we should see what they are doing and try to incorporate some of their practices into our lives. Turns out we already have our “healthy living” benchmark. We call these areas the Blue Zones.
The Blue Zone research is a bit different. The Blue Zone refers to areas in the world where people are living long, high-quality lives. The people living in these 5 Blue Zones have lower rates of chronic disease, and have reported a higher satisfaction with their quality of life and well-being. The 5 regions where you can find the world’s longest living people who are living without significant memory or physical problems are:
Loma Linda, California
Ikaria, Greece
Okinawa, Japan
Nicoya, Costa Rica
Sardina, Italy
So what are these Blue Zone guys and gals doing that the rest of us aren’t?
These Blue Zone inhabitants share several common characteristics.
First, their diets are 90-100% plant based. Their diets are mostly beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. They also eat small amounts or fish, lean meats, and eggs; and the most common oil used in the Blue Zones is olive oil. They eat foods that contain natural sugar but rarely eat foods that contain added sugar or heavily processed foods. Fermented vegetables are common in the Blue Zone areas. They mainly drink water, but also drink coffee, tea, and small amounts of red wine. (Since this post focuses on the top most impactful nutrients, I highly recommend reading books that go into more detail about the science behind the benefits of these nutrients. For further reading on the subject I recommend: Health Takes Gutsby Diane Rishikof, RDN; The MIND Dietby Maggie Moon, MS, RD, and Anti-inflammatory Eating for a Happy, Healthy Brain by Michelle Babb, MS, RD, CD)
A Little Caveat
One last thing before we get to the much-anticipated list….
I do want you to read this with a grain of salt. Yes! Let’s celebrate that these foods are strongly linked to all kinds of benefits and can reduce the risk and improve all kinds of conditions, but there is no guarantee.
The point is, I don’t want you to food obsess. These foods are amazing, and we should try to eat them and enjoy them often. But when you are craving foods on the “less healthy list” and decide to occasionally eat them, that is okay too.
The Impact of Nutrients in Our Bodies
I think a lot of us have heard of many of these nutrients, and we know that they are beneficial. But when I say these nutrients are crucial, I hope I have convinced you of the magnitude of this statement.
These nutrients are crucial to the body because they have been shown to prevent or reduce the risk, treat, or reduce the symptoms of the conditions listed in the table below:
Top nutrients to incorporate into your diet according to a registered dietitian
As you go through the nutrient list, you will notice that many of these nutrients help with the same condition in multiple ways. For example, leafy greens are a probiotic. Probiotics improve gut health, which can help with immune function. Leafy greens are also a source of folate and fiber. Both of these nutrients help with immune function as well!
Without further ado, let’s checkout these nutrients.
List of Nutrients and How They Help:
Antioxidants
Reduces oxidative stress and protects your cells from free radicals.
Vitamin A
Alpha-Carotene and Beta-carotene found in fruits and vegetables are a pre-cursor to vitamin A. In other words, the body makes Vitamin A from Beta-carotene.
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Promotes a healthy immune system
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Help with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Has Cancer fighting properties
Reduces risk of heart disease and stroke
Promotes healthy skin and hair
Promotes healthy vision
May improve energy levels/ fatigue
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Aids in addiction recovery
Vitamin E
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Boosts immune function
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Helps with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Reduce the risk of cancer
Reduce risk of heart disease and stroke
May improve energy levels/ fatigue
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Aids in addiction recovery
Vitamin C
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Promotes a healthy immune system
Has anti-inflammatory properties
May improve energy levels/fatigue
Help with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Reduces the risk of cancer
Promotes strong muscles and bones
Supports healthy skin and teeth
Reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Aids in addiction recovery
Flavonoids
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Promotes a healthy gut (See benefits of a health gut)
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke
Reduces the risk of cancer
May reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia
Helps with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Aids in addiction recovery
Polyphenols
Prebiotic (good bacteria in the gut feeds on prebiotics)
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
May reduce the risk of cancer
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Promotes a healthy gut (See benefits of a health gut)
Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke
May reduces cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia
Helps with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Selenium (Some nutrients like Selenium may fall into multiple categories. Selenium has antioxidant properties and is a mineral.)
May reduce the risk of cancer
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Promotes a healthy gut (See benefits of a health gut)
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke
May reduces cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia
Helps with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Glutathione
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Promotes a healthy immune system
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Help with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Has Cancer fighting properties
Reduces risk of heart disease and stroke
May improve energy levels/ fatigue
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Helps with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
May improve energy levels/ fatigue
Helps your body use energy from food
Promotes a healthy immune system
Reduces the risk of cancer
May improve GI Inflammation (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Aids in addiction recovery
Supports healthy bones, muscles, and nerves
Minerals
Potassium
Needed for heart and muscles function
Helps maintain water and electrolyte balance in your body
Zinc
Deficiency may increase depression and anxiety symptom
Promotes a healthy immune system
Aids in addiction recovery
Iron
Promotes healthy immune function
Magnesium
Helps your body use energy from food
Supports healthy bones, muscles and nerves
Deficiencies are associated with increase anxiety symptoms, breast cancer, increased risk of heart disease, and increased inflammation
Calcium
Important for bone health
Aids in sleep (Sleep also reduces the risk of these chronic conditions. Isn’t it amazing how connected everything it?!?!)
Fiber
Some fiber is Prebiotic (Good bacteria in the gut feeds on prebiotics; all prebiotics are fiber, but not all fiber is prebiotic)
Promotes healthy gut bacteria and bacteria balance. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Reduce the risk of cancer
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Promotes healthy digestion
Could reduce joint pain and arthritis inflammation
Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke
Helps you feel full after eating; thus, helps with satiety and weight loss
Reduces the risk of some cancers
Help with mood and mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Protects against diabetes
Other Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin D
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
May improve mood and help with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
May improve gut inflammation
Low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with: Autoimmune diseases , Skin issues ,Reduced immune function, Increased inflammation, Cancer, Mood disorders such as depression, stress, anxiety, Increased symptoms from ADD and ADHD, and Joint pain and Arthritis
Vitamin K
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Important for Bone health, Heat Disease, and Blood clotting
*If you are taking a blood thinner, you may have to decrease your vitamin K intake
Healthy Fats
Omega-3 Polyunsaturated fat
May help with joint Pain/arthritis
Has anti-inflammatory properties
May help with ADD/ADHD symptoms
May improve energy levels/ fatigue
Helps with mood and mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Reduces the risk of heart disease
Improve Gut microbial health and gut inflammation (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above!!!)
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Again, remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
May improve memory
Aids in addiction recovery
Monounsaturated Fat
Reduces the risk of heart disease
Promotes a healthy immune system
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Prebiotics
Promotes a healthy gut (Good bacteria in the gut feeds on prebiotics, and remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Promotes a healthy immune system
*Note that prebiotics can feed bad bacteria too, so if you have more bad bacteria in your gut and not enough good bacteria then eat foods that promote gut bacteria balance like probiotics, omega-3, and antioxidants, and limit foods that decrease gut health like heavily processed foods, fried foods, and refined sugars.
Probiotics (Live good bacteria found in foods)
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
Boosts immune function
Has anti-inflammatory properties
Helps with mood and mood disorders like depression, anxiety, stress
Reduce the risk of cancer
Reduce risk of heart disease and stroke
May improve energy levels/ fatigue
May reduce cognitive decline and the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Aids in addiction recovery
Other Helpful Nutrients
L-glutamine
Promotes gut health by repairing the gut lining. (Remember poor gut health, alone, has been linked to many of the medical conditions listed above)
L-Thiamine
Anti-anxiety properties: relaxes or calms the brain without making you drowsy
Melatonin or Melatonin Precursors (Tryptophan and Serotonin)
Helps you sleep better at night and relax during the day
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy
Aids in addiction recovery
About These Nutrients
I have not listed every essential nutrient for a couple of reasons. One being you only need trace amounts of many of the nutrients not listed, and we are currently getting plenty of them in the American diet. These are nutrients like Sodium, Chlorine, Phosphorus, and Copper. Plus many of the foods that contain these crucial nutrient listed above also contain these other essential nutrients so if you are eating the foods that contain the nutrients listed above then you are getting enough of the other nutrients.
Some of the crucial nutrients listed above are considered essential nutrients, meaning the body cannot function properly without them. Others listed are not considered essential, but are nutrients that promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases and conditions.
I also did not list every function of each crucial nutrients. In other words, these crucial nutrients do even more for your body than what is listed here!!!! In this post, I focused on how these nutrients aid in prevention or treatment of chronic conditions.
What Foods Should I Eat to Help My Mind, Body, and Spirit Function and Thrive?
So now that you know how impactful these nutrients are to your health, you may be asking, so how do I make sure I am eating these foods on a regular basis?
Create anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, mood boosting, immune supportive meals that reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory.
The Nourishing Meal Builder ebook can help with that! The Nourishing Meal Builder goes into MUCH more detail by providing food lists, Meal Builder Cards, and discussions of the research! BUT if you are looking for something FREE, I have something for you as well! I made a simple, easy Meal Plan Checklist you can use to make sure you are getting these amazing nutrients into your daily life! And all subscribers can print and start using the Meal Plan Checklist now! You can get the Meal Plan Checklist here!
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