Kent State Interns

 Popcorn is an awesome, easy snack. Anything I can throw in the microwave and eat 2 minutes later is a win in my book. The American Heart Association even calls it a healthy snack (well, if it’s air-popped and lightly seasoned). My problem with the store-bought popcorn is it’s often too oily, salty, and expensive! However, last week a classmate shared a piece of information that blew my mind: You can buy popcorn kernels, put a half cup in a brown paper lunch bag, fold it over, and microwave it – and it pops exactly like the storebought microwave popcorn! WHAT? WHERE HAS THIS INFORMATION BEEN MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE? So not only can I control the amount of salt or oil I add, it’s also much cheaper. It also adds almost no extra time to the process. I was buying Orville Redenbacher’s Simply Salted Naturals. 6 bags for $5.99. If we do some difficult math, that comes to $1 per bag. Now for $6.14 I can buy almost 3 pounds of Orville Redenbacher’s Whole Grain Popping Corn. It conta

 Ever read an article or seen something online from a random person demonizing certain foods or food groups? No? I do not believe you...  In today's society, we are saturated with various messaging; some good and some bad. A negative (and common) message most have come across is that, "Carbs are bad" or "Carbs are the enemy." Attached are typically photographs of bread, rice, pasta, and dessert foods with a continuation of the message promoting protein foods. And while I am not here to take away from the importance of protein and the roles it plays in the body, I AM here to stress the importance of carbohydrates and the roles IT plays in the body.  Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. What does that mean? It means that there are specific processes in the body ONLY MEANT for carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are present in the body, it will go through these specific processes and give us energy. But not just energy to go for a run, lift

 It is no secret that Ohio is no stranger to low temperatures in the wintertime! As unfortunate as this can be, do not let inclement weather stop you from reaching your exercise and nutrition goals. It can be hard to find motivation to cook nutrition and delicious meals every evening & find time to exercise --> especially when the sun sets at 5pm :(. Here are some tips and tricks to stay fit during the cold winter months!      1. Meal Prep: Taking time to plan out weekday evening meals on the weekend helps set you and your family up for success! Create a calendar to map out what everyone would like to have during the week, and prepare as much of the meal as you can on Sunday. This decreases the amount of time spent cooking during the week and creates more opportunities to do other fun activities in the evening. * B O N U S  P O I N T S * if you can plan a meal ahead of time that only requires a quick pop in the microwave to be eaten.    2. Pack Your Bag the Night Before:   Wan

  Sleepy Interns💤   Finals are around the corner and everyone knows how important sleep is. We’ve only been told a million times now to get a good night’s rest before our big exam. Well guess what, we would if we could. I don’t know about you, but when I have a big day coming up, my mind seems to be racing on repeat and sometimes I really just can’t sleep. That’s usually the time I roll over and grab my melatonin gummy out of my nightstand drawer.    Melatonin gummies are great, but maybe not a necessity anymore. As dietetic students, we’re always taught to treat with food first right? Well maybe foods the solution to insomnia as well?    Here are five foods to consider switching out your bedtime snack for, for optimal sleep. Each of these contain their own natural form of melatonin and have shown to improve sleep.    1. Almonds 2.   Bananas   3.   Cherry Juice   4.   Walnuts   5 .   Seeds     So next time you roll over for that melatonin, reach for the almonds instead!  -A.C. https:/

Traditional Thanksgiving meals are all about delicious, comfort foods. All the carbs, am I right 🙂 (My favorite macronutrient). Indulge in your favorite Thanksgiving foods! But also include some delicious, healthier options as well. Try my homemade sweet potato casserole that has a little health kick to back it up. I mean look at that picture, it just looks like it tastes amazing! Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A, B6 and C, potassium and fiber. You can eat and serve them so many different ways. This casserole is not just for Thanksgiving, I make it numerous times throughout the year for a healthy, nutritious side dish. I have used this recipe for years and it’s always a hit with my family. 3 pounds sweet potatoes (3 large or 5 medium) 2 ½ Tbsp maple syrup ½ unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice) 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 egg (flax egg or egg alternative) 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg Pinch of allspice ¼ tsp salt Topping: ¼ cup whole wheat flour ⅓ cup rolled oats ⅓ cup p

  Fat gets a bad reputation, but Fat is actually very important to our health, just as protein and carbohydrates. In fact, there are essential Fatty Acids. When a nutrient is labeled as “essential” it is another way to say that that nutrient is not able to be made in the body, and that it is necessary to consume in the diet in order to get it. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are shown to help protect against different diseases and conditions such as heart disease and stroke, as well as, different cancers. Adequate Intakes for Omega-3 Fatty Acids for all people ages 14 and up are: 1,600 mg for Males and 1,100 mg for females Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Omega-6 Fatty Acids are two essential Fatty Acids. Americans tend to consume enough omega-6 fatty acids in their diet, but often struggle to get enough omega-3 fatty acids. Good Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids are: 4 oz Salmon (1,773 mg) 2 oz Anchovies (1,200 mg) 1 Tablespoon Walnut Oil (8,000 mg) Here is a tasty recipe using Walnut Oil: Spiced Pear Tarte

  As Seen on…       To no surprise, Tik Tok has become one of the top apps on the app store, if not the top. And for anyone who has ever used the app, you can quickly see how time seems to slip away from you (guilty). And yes, 99% of the content comes from extremely unreliable sources, and is most likely made up simply for views and likes. But what’s that 1% that is valuable? The FOOD. The recipes posted on Tik Tok, especially the viral ones, are seriously recipes I will keep forever. Not to mention, it’s a visual learner's dream when it comes to creating food this way. So here’s my favorite Tik Tok entree and dessert that I've discovered over the years. I hope you’ll try them out!   “Tik Tok Pasta” This super creamy pasta is not only easy to make, but can quickly become a well balanced meal of carbs, protein, fats, and not to mention a serving of your veggies :)   8 Basil, fresh leaves 2 Pints cherry tomatoes 2 tsp garlic ¼ cup Parsley

None of us like throwing away money but this is exactly what happens when we let food rot in the fridge or when we have too much of an ingredient left over but not enough for another recipe. I'm talking about that tub of fresh berries you forgot about behind that pizza box all week or that half a can of tomato paste that the recipe didn't call for. I know that I can get super frustrated when I have to throw things away and I'm sure you do too!  Did you know that nearly 40% of all food produced in the United States is wasted(108 billion pounds)? What’s shocking is that about 39% of that is specifically from food wasted in our homes.  Wouldn't it be amazing if there was an easy way to save money on groceries and also save the planet? Well we're in LUCK! There are lots of simple things we can do in our kitchens that will not only save us money on that weekly grocery bill but also help reduce food waste!  Obviously the easiest way to reduce food waste is to create a mea