Kent State Interns

  What Working Behind the Scenes at Food Brands Has Taught Me Let's talk about the side of nutrition you don't always see... When I tell people I'm studying to become a registered dietitian (RD), I think most automatically picture me working in a hospital, creating meal plans, or telling people what to eat. And honestly, I get it. That's what I pictured for a long time, too...but one of the coolest things about dietetics is that nutrition goes so far beyond what ends up on someone's plate! Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to experience several different sides of the profession through my dietetic internship. From working with patients in the hospital to stepping behind the scenes at Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) / food and beverage brands like Kate Farms, Orgain, and The a2 Milk Company, I've gotten a pretty unique look at just how many places nutrition expertise can take you. And while I've learned plenty about marketing, product positioning...

Happy soup season, everyone! If you're like me, you've been looking forward to soup season since July. Soups are generally easy and always delicious. They offer so much opportunity to be creative and are such a great way to get in lots of nutrients and hydration. Soup is one of those foods where you can throw a bunch of stuff in a pot (veggies, protein, seasonings, and broth) and it's almost always going to turn out amazing, even if you didn't go in with a plan.   Unfortunately, some soups can be super high in sodium or fat, or very low in fiber, depending on how many vegetables are in it. This is especially true for store-bought/canned soups. I want to challenge you to make at least one homemade soup this year! Here are some tips and tricks for making a more nutritious soup this soup season: Use a low-sodium broth or stock. For creamy soups, try a low-fat or fat-free option such as skim or 2% milk. You can also use veggies such as butternut squash as the base for your ...

Did you know that October is National Eat Better, Eat Together Month? I know I didn’t! My mom always made it a point that we needed to eat as a family, and there were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. In fact, I looked forward to eating at the dinner table with my family. Growing up with three older brothers made dinner quite entertaining every day! Little did I know, before going to school for nutrition, that eating together has so many more benefits than just entertainment. The Benefits of Eating Together Well-Balanced Meals Children are more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains when they regularly eat with their families. Having exposure to different foods gives children the opportunity to try and learn to like new foods that are beneficial to their health. When we model healthy eating behaviors at the dinner table, children are more likely to carry those habits with them as they grow older. My mom always prepared two vegetables for us so we could choose which one we wa...

Nothing screams "fall" quite like a cozy baked good, especially when it's pumpkin!  Everyone knows pumpkin is delicious, but did you know that it's also incredibly nutritious? These are some of the nutrients you can get from eating pumpkin, along with their health benefits:  Vitamin E: An antioxidant that strengthens your immune system.  Iron: Reduces fatigue by aiding in the transport of oxygen to your body tissues. It can also support the immune system! Magnesium: Helps to maintain cardiovascular health and bone health.  Vitamin C: An antioxidant that supports immune health and also helps collagen formation (think strong skin, bones, and other connective tissues) and iron absorption.  Potassium: Helps maintain healthy blood pressure, allows muscles to contract, and aids in overall fluid balance in the body.  Carotenoids, tocopherols: Antioxidant effects, which reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. This nutrient also promot...

Happy Fall! If you’re anything like me, once the weather gets colder and the leaves start turning colors, I immediately yearn for apple picking. Not only is it a great Fall activity, but you also have apples for months! The apples in the grocery stores are picked months before they hit the shelves and are always covered in a waxy coating. The wax coating is used to prevent rotting and lock in the moisture, so it definitely serves a purpose. There’s just nothing compared to a fresh picked apple. Whenever I go apple picking, I always pick way too many. I don’t know if it’s the sheer excitement over the apples, or if I just have a bunch of dessert ideas for them. Either way, my apple picking bags are filled to the brim. A great tip for apple picking is to ensure the apple stem is still on the apple after it is picked. When the stem comes out, it can rot way faster! If you put your apples in the fridge, it will also assure they stay fresh longer than if they’re just resting on the counter....

The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, and the urge to bake a cozy late-night treat is stronger than ever. When I think of Fall, I immediately conjure up dozens of ideas for a homemade treat: apple crisp, banana bread, pumpkin cookies. Anything with a touch of apple, pumpkin, or anything cinnamon is usually a win for me. With a sweet treat of course comes sugar. During the colder months, many individuals worry about sugar consumption and weight gain due to the amount of busy holidays lined up, since these holidays usually bring large social meals, and of course, a hoard of delicious desserts.  Some individuals try to cut down their sugar consumption by replacing real sugar with lower calorie or non-nutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These low-calorie sweeteners have become some of the most common food additives in regular and functional products. The use of these sweeteners seems to be at an all-time high with around 140 million American...