Nurture Principles

Can You Eat Well at a Gas Station?!

I know we’ve all been there before. You’re crunched for time and are on a scavenger hunt for something to hold you over until you can sit down for a real meal. You don’t necessarily want to hit the drive thru, but what are your options when you’re on the go? My latest detective work has uncovered that there are in fact healthy options in places you might not expect — gas stations, airports and convenience stores!

Next time you’re in a pinch and need to grab something on the go try one of these options and curb your hunger while nourishing your body at the same time:

Go Nuts

Pistachios: They’re nature’s perfectly packable, every day snack. You can throw them in your gym bag, keep a bag in your desk drawer or keep a stash in your car for when you’re on the go. Not only do they travel well, but the portion size leaves you satisfied — a serving is a whopping 49 kernels! You can eat 30 of them and it’s only 100 calories. Aside from the size of the portion, they’re also a good source of fiber and protein which keep you fuller longer — gotta love a snack with staying power! Learn more about this superfood at PistachioHealth.com

Drink Some Protein

Lowfat milk, kefir greek yogurt, and yogurt parfaits: I was pleasantly surprised to see one gas station carrying the high protein greek yogurts, as well as portable containers of low fat milk, and kefir (a drinkable yogurt high in probiotics – “friendly bacteria” for digestion). If you can, choose plain or vanilla yogurt. If the parfaits are in a big cup, split it. A typical serving of yogurt is smaller than your fist so chances are that may be enough for two. with pineapple and granola. Not only does dairy provide calcium, but it provides protein which gives us sustained energy.

Eggggggggs-celent Snack

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw hard boiled eggs in a container with salt and pepper. Now, you may not see this everywhere… but if you do, go for it. Just check the date. Annoying shells aside, you can easily peel and eat the whole egg. Don’t throw that yolk. You’ll get choline, vitamin D, and protein and fat for long-lasting energy.

Whole Food Bars: You don’t need to reach for that processed pastry! I keep one of these on hand as a prop, and I’m not kidding when I tell you that I’ve had the same one for years and it still looks exactly the same at it did when I bought it — THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING! It’s loaded with preservatives and sugar — 2 things we all need to consume less of. Convenience stores today carry an array of granola bars, but look for ones that are whole-food based — with whole grains, nuts, seeds and fruit. Read the labels and be weary of items with long ingredient lists you can’t pronounce.

Pre-made sandwiches: My research brought me to 7-11 where I was happy to find pre-made sandwiches made with lean turkey and whole wheat bread!  It actually had a good amount of turkey in there. Share that sammy with a friend for a snack that provides lean protein, fiber, and even a little veggies (it had lettuce and tomato – come on, we’re desperate!) Grab a side of veggies like baby carrots and celery which you can find pretty easily even at airports and gas stations.

Stay hydrated: Steer clear of the sodas and sugary juices, and stay hydrated with bottled spring, sparkling or mineral water. If you’re craving a tea, they are all good. I love green tea. Buy it hot and if you want it iced, just do a DIY iced tea at the gas station. If it is pre-bottled read the labels. Try to find a product that is just slightly sweetened.

Eating on the go doesn’t have to mean loading up on low-nutrient, calorie-dense foods. Convenience stores and gas stations are loading up on a number of healthier items, so next time you’re in a rush and need to grab something quick, put #MeFirst and keep an eye out for one of these nourishing options!

Disclosure: I received compensation for my time from PistachioHealth.com

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On August 29, join Rebecca and Leslie Goldman (author of Locker Room Diaries). This month’s topic is all about compliments. Giving and receiving compliments makes us feel good and boosts our mood – even our body image.

We are going to discuss why it may be easy for some people to dish ‘em out, but a lot of people have trouble taking them!

Come meet Leslie and all the other wonderful people supporting and striving for “me time” at the MeFirst chat.

Meet the expert:

Leslie Goldman is a women’s health writer whose work regularly appears in O: The Oprah Magazine, Women’s Health, SELF, Runner’s World, Natural Health, espnW.com and more. A seasoned body image expert, she wrote Locker Room Diaries: The Naked Truth About Women, Body Image, and Re-imagining the ‘Perfect’ Body. (Da Capo). Follower her on Twitter @LeslieGoldman and check out her blog, www.healthbreaksloose.com

She will be tweeting from @LeslieGoldman and Rebecca Scritchfield will be moderating from@scritchfieldRD

Have a question you’d love to ask? Leave it below in the comments section and we’ll be sure to include it! Check back on Tuesday for the best of the chat! We look forward to tweeting with you! You can also RSVP on Facebook

Each month, the MeFirst chats (with the hash tag #MeFirst) will have a special guest expert and will be moderated by Rebecca Scritchfield, creator of “Me First”.

The Specifics

The format for a Twitter chat is as follows: The moderator will tweet a question beginning with Q1, Q2….containing the phrase #MeFirst. Those who wish to respond will tweet back with A1,ending in #MeFirst.

So how do you find the chat? Log into your Twitter account and search the ‘tag’ #MeFirst. This will show you all tweets containing #MeFirst. You use just like Twitter;  reply, comment, retweet, etc.  All of your tweets will automatically be tagged with #RDchat.

(Newbies: We like www.tweetchat.com for Twitter chats, very easy to use. If you don’t have a Twitter account, it’s free to sign up for one. If you want to participate, but need more help, send us an e-mail and we will be happy to get you step by step instructions.)

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When we’re busy, we might not have all the time in the world to whip up some immaculate dessert. But you can whip up something tasty with a dash of “healtification” in less than 5 minutes. You’re going to get help from the grocery store, spend two minutes at a grill, and three minutes putting them together.

Use a Hearty Fruit You Can Grill

Since it is officially peach season, I have to use them as my base, but you could use pineapple or mango. Using any fruit in a dessert is definitely healthification! I also like peaches because they can serve as a little bowl for the ice cream

Instruction: Slice your peaches in half and glaze with just a dash of honey before placing them on a searing hot grill for about 2 minutes. Remove and place in a small dessert bowl (or martini glass!) grill side up.

Add Healthification with Spices

Spices! These spices are common in peach and pumpkin pies and they have loads of antioxidants!

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Pinch ground ginger

Instruction: Sprinkle the spices on top of each grilled peach.

Grocery Store Help – a Simple Ice Cream

If you have an ice cream maker and the time, more power to ya! But I work about 60 hours a week and have no ice cream maker. (will take donations – lol!)  I think Haagen-Daz Five is the next best thing – only five simple ingredients. Here are the ingredients in vanilla bean. SKIM MILK, CREAM, SUGAR, EGG YOLKS, VANILLA (VANILLA BEAN FLAKES, VANILLA EXTRACT). You can actually pronounce them all!

Instruction: Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup on top of each spiced peach. This is all you need because IT IS REAL ICE CREAM   Seriously, it tastes amazing so you don’t need a lot. It’s also the right size for the peach. You can use a melon scoop and put about 3 tiny scoops on top of each peach.

Add Some Crunch

What’s a pie without a crust? Well, we only have five minutes.

Instruction: Place a few ginger snaps or graham crackers in a plastic bag and let your kid or hubby crunch them up. Sprinkle about a tablepoon of the crunchy cookies on top of each dish.

Wrap Up

I know the theme for recipe redux is frozen desserts. I know I kinda cheated because the frozen part of my dessert was from the store. But this is SO GOOD, SO QUICK, and SO EASY that you’ll forgive me in about two minutes.

More ReDuxs

If you like what you read here, be sure to check out the frozen dessert posts from other ReDux bloggers.

Emma Stirling – The Scoop on Nutrition
Greek Yogurt Pavlova Popsicles

Cherie Schetselaar – Grain Crazy
Blackberry Lemon Almond Torte

Emma Cutfield-The Hearty Heart
Coconut Ice, Blueberry and Cocoa, Joint Healing Dessert

Carlene Helble- Carlene’s Figments
Peanut Butter Banana ‘Ice Cream’ Sandwich

Janel Funk – Eat Well with Janel
Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream

Kat Lynch – Eating The Week
Coconut Chia-Seed Fruit Pops

Dr Barb, Nutrition Budgeteer
Simply Fruit Mango-Pineapple Sorbet

Rebecca Scritchfield – MeFirst
5-minute Frozen Peach Pie

gretchen – kumquat
chocolate “ice cream” bars

Emily Greenfield – The Nutriscientist
Honey and strawberry semifreddo

Liz Marr – Liz On Food
Peach Lavender Ice Cream

Elizabeth Jarrard- Don’t (White) Sugar-Coat It
Adult Popsicles: Frozen Boozy Treats

Regan – The Professional Palate
Frozen Samoa Pie

Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex – Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen
Healthy Blueberry and Mango Snow Cones

Jessica Fishman Levinson – Nutritioulicious
Watermelon Sorbet

Alexandra Caspero- Delicious Knowledge
Mango & Coconut Popsicles

Karman Meyer- Nutrition Adventures
Coconut Ice Cream with Strawberry Puree

Yuri – Chef Pandita
Acerola Chia Lime Popsicles

Kristen Bourque- Swanky Dietitian
Peanut Butter Coffee Popsicles

EA Stewart-The Spicy RD
Luscious Lemonade Pie

Danielle Omar – Food Confidence RD
Banana Soft Serve

Katie Caputo- East Meats West
Auntie Rosie’s Ice Cream Pie

Alysa Bajenaru – Inspired RD
Coffee Granita

Kara Lydon – Peace, Love, and Food
Peanut Butter Banana “Ice Cream” With Dark Chocolate

Serena Ball- Teaspoon of Spice
Splendid Key Lime Frozen Yogurt

Nicole Ferring Holovach – Whole Health RD
Peaches and Rum Ice Cream Pie

Lisa @ Healthful Sense
Peanut Butter Vanilla Soft Serve

Jackie Mills – Delicious Diabetes Cooking
Summer Fruit Popsicles

Audra Losey – Nutrition Know How
Mocha Pops

Kristina LaRue – Love and Zest
Frozen Berry Yogurt

Stephanie Howard – Give them Something Better
Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

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By Janet Helm, RD mom of twins and blogger at Nutrition Unplugged: Thoughts, opinions, musings and discussion about nutrition, food trends, diet myths, new products and fad-free healthy eating. @JanetHelm on Twitter.

Guilt-Free: I know it’s probably well-meaning, but I cringe each time I see “guilt-free” on a food label, in the title of a recipe or on a restaurant menu.  Sure it may be reduced fat, sugar-free or whatever, and that’s fine.  But no food should evoke guilt.  The same product with a little more fat or sugar shouldn’t make you feel guilty for eating it.  So let’s stop using this adjective, thank you very much.

Skinny:  Why is skinny the new ideal?  I know the term is in the title of many popular diet books (I wrote about that recently), and Skinnygirl is Bethenny Frankel’s entire platform — which scored her an amazing deal with Skinnygirl Margaritas.  But I think it sends the wrong message.  Maybe skinny helps sell a lot of books, and a lot of booze, but I still don’t like it.

Natural: It’s the big buzz word on package labels, and there was even a recent food fight with the FDA to determine if high fructose corn syrup really qualifies as natural.  We’re arguing over technicalities and the word has lost all meaning. I  think if a food wasn’t actually plucked from a tree or grown from the ground, then it shouldn’t claim to be natural. A vegetable is natural, an extruded veggie straw made from dehydrated vegetable powder isn’t — no matter what the label says.

Detox: I’m so tired of this word. Enough said.

Cleanse: It seems as though cleanse is the cousin of detox.  Why has this word captured the public’s imagination?  It rose to mainstream status with the Master Cleanse and became big in the world of dietary supplements, such as Jillian Michaels’ detox and cleanse diet pills (that I wrote about not so long ago).  But why has a respected culinary magazine like Bon Appetit jumped on the cleanse bandwagon?  I hated to see the magazine create The Food Lover’s Cleanse.  Sure, they tried to put the focus on real foods and justified going down this path with the message “forget juice fasts and calorie counting…”  I liked that, but why embrace the mythology of cleansing?  Why elevate the terminology?  Why legitimize the concept?  Just don’t think we need to jump on the bandwagon to grab attention.

Any way, those are the five food/nutrition-related words I hope to see less often.  What about you?

Photo credits:  Flickr users joewhk, chipdwood, geann candare, cheeryobs.

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By: guest blogger – Adele

It’s time to welcome a new guest blogger! Adele is a business woman in Toronto, Canada. She has been cooking for one for about 5 years and wants to give you her insight! Adele started her own website www.morethancereal.com because as her friends began moving out of their parents they started asking her for her delicious recipes for one.

Rebecca asked Adele a few questions about cooking for one, and the following are Adele’s answers:

Rebecca: Why it is so hard for people to cook these days?

Adele: Tons of reasons!

• Everyone tends to blame it on how busy everyone is these days, but that was even true in my parent’s generation.
• I think that eating lost its importance for a lot of people – family dinners went by the wayside and food-on-the-go became the norm. It seems that many singles I know eat only when they have the time or it becomes necessary to do so (it is honestly sickening to hear the response to the statement, “you look like you lost weight” to be “ya i’ve been busy”).
• Being single, if you have no one else that you have to worry about feeding, why worry too much about feeding yourself? Especially being single and female – society stresses more about restricting what you eat to stay thin than on the fact that food is needed for survival and good health. I see it a lot with friends and co-workers – they will put way more effort into the diet of the day than they will on learning to cook and eat.

Rebecca: What is even more challenging about cooking for one?

Adele: Ever look at the instructions for cooking rice or grains?

• I hate to admit that my 3^rd grade teacher was right and that one day I would need fractions, but when it comes to cooking for one, you really need to know how to change portions. But cooking aside, I find the hardest part of the meal process to be grocery shopping for one. Buying a whole head of broccoli you better really like it, because you are going to be eating it 4-5 times that week. It is really hard to get variety in food to eat balanced when you are single – it is easier to stick with things that you know will keep (dry pasta come to mind) than to buy a couple difference vegetables.

Rebecca: what are key strategies for making cooking for one “worth it”, can it really be quick and easy.

Adele: I’ve found a ton of things that help make cooking for one less of a hassle.

• Buy vegetables from the salad bar at the grocery store. First thoughts? “but that is so expensive!” but here’s the deal, lets say you buy a head of broccoli for $2 or you buy 4-5 pieces for $1.50. If you aren’t going to eat the whole head of broccoli, you are actually probably paying more per lb because you are throwing out most of it!

• Make friends with the butcher!
  • If you are someone who doesn’t like reusing or leftovers (I have those weeks myself) make friends with your local butcher – they are most than happy to do things like sell one chicken breast, one pork chop or one sausage. If you don’t have a butcher close by, never leave the grocery store without freezer bags – and make sure that the first thing you do when you get home is to put what you won’t need that week into the freezer (we’ve all put it off longer than we should and seen the scariness that happens in the back of the fridge!).

• Plan out your meals.
  • I find planning out a weeks worth of meals is especially important when you are cooking for one. Taking a Sunday afternoon to cook up a bunch of chicken, some rice or other grain (the things that take most of the time to cook) can make it easier to get things done during the week.

• Get multi-purpose ingredients.
  • I now use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream and mayo – close enough that you really won’t miss the other stuff.
  • I keep olive oil, some different vinegars, and dried herbs and make my own salad dressing and marinades (honestly super simple to do) that way I don’t get stuck either with one bottle that I have to keep using.

Rebecca: what tips do you have for the “boxed meals” crowd?

Adele: I use to be one of you, then one day I read the ingredients.

• Read the ingredients.
  • I know it seems simple and quick and easy and don’t get me wrong, it is, but do you really want to be eating more chemical than food? I have lots of recipes that you can make in the same 5 minutes it takes to microwave up something.

• Another option is to make your own.
  • Why not having a cooking day like I mentioned above, but instead of just taking what you need on that day, you package it up into glass containers to use throughout the week? Add some chicken, veggies, rice, and a little chicken broth into the containers and microwave as needed – maybe try different spices each day.

Here is a grocery list that Adele has created. Use this as a template for your shopping list. This will make cooking for one a lot easier.

• Package of 4-5 boneless chicken breasts
• Bag of baby spinach
• Broccoli from the salad bar
• Rice (if you don’t already have some in your cupboard)
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Couple cans of beans (black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans whatever you like really)
• Frozen corn

Adele also gave us a possible week menu. Why not create a menu for your week? It will help you when you go shopping, and will put ease the stress of having to pick out what you will eat every night!

• Sunday night - Chicken breast with brown rice and steamed spinach
• Monday night - Chicken Broccoli stir fry
• Tuesday night - Spinach salad with chicken and chick peas – simple olive oil and balsamic dressing
• Wednesday night - Chicken and rice soup with spinach
• Thursday night - Chickpea and chicken salad with greek yogurt
• Friday or Saturday night – Black beans with chicken and corn
• If on Friday or Saturday you will be going out, or want a break – take out sometimes makes sense!

For other dinner recipes, check out Adele’s most popular recipes!

Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry:

http://www.morethancereal.com/MtC/Chicken_Broccoli_Stir_Fry.html

Kidney Beans with Tuna:

http://www.morethancereal.com/MtC/Kidney_Bean_and_Tuna_Salad.html

Chicken, Black beans and Corn:

http://www.morethancereal.com/MtC/Black_Bean_-_Corn_-_Chicken_-_Tex-Mex_like_dish.html

Chickpeas with yogurt:

http://www.morethancereal.com/MtC/Chickpea_Salad.html

What are some of your favorite one person meals?

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It’s Time for another #RecipeRedux – If you don’t remember, this is the healthy cooking challenge I’m taking part in. This month, we’re not cooking at all… we’re drinking!

Especially when it is hot out, we may not feel like eating much… this is why I love my healthy and delicious banana split smoothie recipe! (Talk about #MeFirst, huh?)

Prep Time:

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pineapple (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• ½ cup of strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 ripe banana, sliced
• 1 container of Greek-style yogurt, fat-free or low-fat (8oz)
• ½ cup fat-free milk
• 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce
• 1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix well.

Variations:

• Non-Dairy Option: use soymilk and soy yogurt.

Try this the next time you and your family are in the mood for a cool treat. This “banana split” recipe is an easy and delicious way for your family to prepare a healthy meal or snack together. Made with nutritious fruits and low-fat dairy, it’s a smart choice for a healthy breakfast or on-the-go in the hot summer.

Other Re-Duxers Worth Reading

• Gretchen, kumquat   Ginger Ale
• Dr. Barb, Nutrition Budgeteer         Triple Cherry Chiller
• Carlene Helble, Carlene’s Figments            Mint Berry Seltzer
• Kara Lydon, Peace, Love, and Food Blueberry Basil Lemonade Fizz
• Deanna Segrave-Daly, Teaspoon of Spice Cantaloupe Basil Aqua Fresca Fizz
• Jessica Fishman Levinson, Nutritioulicious Blueberry Basil Cooler
• Marie Spano, Performance Nutrition          Post-Workout Power Smoothie
• Elizabeth Jarrard, Don’t White Sugar-Coat It        Southern Blackberry Smash
• Emily Greenfield, The Nutriscientist Apple, pear and strawberry smoothie with Chia
• Kristen Bourque- Swanky Dietitian            Fresh Fruit and Club Soda Cooler
• Regan Jones – The Professional Palate Berry-Lime Bubbly
• Kat Lynch – Eating the Week Sparkling melon fizz – nice & naughty
• Lisa @ Healthful Sense Berry Refreshing Chia Seed Smoothie
• EA Stewart-The Spicy RD Gingery Peach Float
• Alysa Bajenaru – Inspired RD Blackberry Banana Swirl
• Ann Dunaway Teh, Eat to Nourish, Energize & Flourish Pregnancy Mocktails
• Yuri – Chef Pandita   Green Tea Ginger Limeade with Chia Seeds
• Karman Meyer-Nutrition Adventures Orange-Mint Iced Green Tea
• Cherie Schetselaar-Grain Crazy Mango Strawberry Smoothie
• Emma Stirling – The Scoop on Nutrition Recipe Redux Tangelo-ade
• Carrie Miller, Nutrition Know How, 12 Smoothie Recipes to Beat the Heat
• Alexandra Caspero- Delicious Knowledge Strawberry Splash Mojito
• Carrie Miller – Nutrition Know How  Beat the Heat with a Smoothie

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The dog days of summer are scorching up the thermometers. Yesterday (7/21/2011) the heat index is at 115 degrees F! You (and many people) may complain of a decrease in appetite and general lack of interest in firing up their stoves. But we still need to eat. Some foods can actually help you get a little relief from the heat because they are cold and hydrating.

Rebecca went on Let’s Talk Live to show how you can increase the nutrition in your meals and stay cool in the summer heat wave of 2011! No cooking required!

Check out the video by clicking on this link: Cool Foods for Hot Weather

Breakfast –  Blueberry Fruit Shake:

Ingredients

This is a fast and easy recipe (only 5 ingredient). All you have to do is mix it up and you have a healthy breakfast; it has a good balance of carbs and protein!). It will also keep you cool in those scorching hot summer days.

http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/blueberry-fruit-shake/

Lunch – Lemon Blueberry and Chicken Salad

Let the grocery store do the cooking. Pick up a rotisserie chicken and take advantage of the berry season. This is a great choice for a quick and healthy summer lunch. You can make it ahead and enjoy all work-week. Add in more nutrition with spinach or arugula, and also add a whole wheat wrap or pita.

http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/recipe/lemon-blueberry-and-chicken-salad/

Dinner – 3. Gazpacho

http://ediblenutrition.com/ediblenutrition/?p=77

Disclosure: Blueberry Council is a client of mine.

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An extreme heat wave has been sweeping the nation. Some people have even died, unfortunately, due to complications relating to the heat. The weather is not letting up either. My own area, Washington D.C. is facing the hottest weather of the year this week.

During the summer it is important to take care of your hydration levels, especially during a time of extreme heat! This next week is supposed to be setting records for high temperatures, so make sure you keep you, and your family, well hydrated. Rebecca went on the set of CNN on Monday, July 18, and talked about how to stay hydrated in extreme heats.

CNN Consumer Watch – Eating in the Heat Wave

I was on CNN discussing some of the foods to eat and avoid during a heat wave. [watch the full clip].  Of course, I said a lot more than what actually made it on air. Thank goodness for a blog!

Eat, Even if You Don’t Feel Hungry

Your appetite might be lower, but you still need energy.

Choose the right foods.

• Fruits and veggies are almost 100% water so they will hydrate and nourish you. Try frozen fruit or a fruit and yogurt smoothie.
• Avoid high sugar beverages (energy slumps and lacks nutrition) and too much caffeine (those Sbux trenta iced coffees may be a little too much for your poor heart if you aren’t used to it.) Instead, drink pure water with a little citrus, berries or mint mixed in if you need flavor.

Keep it cool.

Eat cold foods over hot ones – try gazpacho or ceviche if you’re out at a restaurant. Skip the fried stuff, where the extra fat can be difficult on the digestive system.

Pee clear.

The ultimate test is for your hydration. Get that pee nice and clear to a lemonade yellow and you should be on top of your hydration. Might sound “gross” but hey, it’s something quick EVERYONE can do.

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Join in the twitter party! Rebecca will be tweeting about how ALL desserts can fit into anyones eating plans! Just log into twitter and use the hastag #GoUnDiet to see what Rebecca and other panelists have to say!

For more information on this twitter party, go to Health Castles website:

http://www.healthcastle.com/goundiet-party-whats-dessert-summer

#GoUnDiet Twitter Party

Party Topic: What’s for Dessert in the Summer

Party Hashtag: #GoUnDiet

When: Wednesday July 20 @ 8pm (EST) (5pm PST)

Where: TweetGrid or Twubs

Panelists:

• Mom Panelist: @sthrnfairytale
• RD Panelist: @ScritchfieldRD
• Moderator: @HealthCastleGlo

Join us and see how you can add in delicious summer desserts to your day!!

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