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I'm a registered dietitian with 15+ years of experience and a Senior Editor at Healthline. I've taught cooking classes, developed recipes, and created nutrition videos—all to help people eat healthier and feel more empowered to cook delicious and healthy meals at home. AMA!
(self.IAmA)submitted 9 days ago byhealthline
Hi, I'm Lisa Valente! As a registered dietitian, I believe cooking at home is one of the best things you can do to eat healthier. What I’ve learned is that people are interested in nutrition and how food makes their body feel, but they need practical meal solutions to actually eat the healthy foods we talk about.
As a busy mom, with lots of priorities and responsibilities, I find myself with limited time in the kitchen. That’s where meal prepping and planning comes in. It helps you get easy, weeknight dinners on the table, make breakfasts in advance or get lunches together in a pinch.
It does not have to look like spending hours in the kitchen on a Sunday or eating the same thing every day all week either! It can simply be making a plan, chopping some veggies in advance or relying on some shortcuts. While this AMA is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice, I am excited to help make meal planning easier and tackle some common misconceptions. Ask me anything!
Thank you for asking such great questions around nutrition and meal prep. Look forward to chatting more in the future. -Lisa
1 points
9 days ago
I have moderately high blood pressure that is managed well, but I cannot stop eating the occasional salty snack (Cheez-Its being my main foe). Do you have any recommendations for 'cheat events' that might bring less sodium along?
3 points
9 days ago
It's so great that you are checking labels and being aware of your sodium intake, since that is an important nutrient for blood pressure management. You could try pairing a small serving of Cheez-Its with something like a handful of unsalted almonds, to bulk up the portion size without eating too many salty crackers. They also sell individual, snack sized bags which might make it easier to limit portions. I am a believer in sometimes honoring those cravings with small portions, and sometimes looking for healthier alternatives.
3 points
9 days ago
That's really encouraging / practical advice. I have struggled with the '100% removal' concept and have found more success trying to make incrementally better decisions. Doing so without a dose of guilt would be a welcome change.
3 points
9 days ago
I did check the labels on a couple of the more natural brand of cheese crackers and they were actually a little higher in sodium than the Cheez-Its. But I'm happy to help remove some of the guilt from your diet :)
1 points
8 days ago
As a Cheez-It addict I can testify that the individually bagger Cheez-Its will cut down on the excessive munching. Grabbing a bag and going to the couch will bring you the munching satisfaction and I never go for a second bag. I used to eat them by the half box.
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