Dare You To...

Housekeeping first: we've got three lucky winners for the PopChips Giveaway! Random.org helped me select entries 19, 24, and 100: Laurel C, Kabri, and Heff (my first Facebook fan--paid off)!  Congratulations!
Thank you to all who entered; stay tuned for the next great giveaway :)

With that in mind, let's talk about smart snacking.


"Oversnacking" is something I've been struggling with recently, so I thought I'd share the principles guiding my own snacking choices going forward.

There are many components that go into snacking in a smart way, but today I'd like to focus on what I see as the two main dimensions: QUALITY and QUANTITY.  I'll give my quick advice on these, with some wise words from Michael Pollan's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual along the way.

But first, the obvious question: why snack at all?  Snacking isn't for everyone; some people get by very well on a solid three meals a day, period.  We're not all like that, though.  Some …

Just for giggles Friday:  Did you hear about the hipster who burned his tongue on pizza? He ate it before it was cool.
Hey, remember when I accepted your dare to do a post on fiber?  Well, here it is!
I've received questions about fiber, and it's all over the health news nowadays, too. Fiber is in the spotlight!  Sure, you know by now that you're supposed to get enough fiber in your diet, but how much?  what kind? in what foods? why? SO MANY QUESTIONS! 

Read more for the what, why, and how:
What is fiber? 
Fiber, aka "roughage" or "bulk", is a carbohydrate that comes from the part of plant foods that the human body can't fully digest.  Instead of being broken down and absorbed, it goes straight through and out of the body, intact.  There are two different types of fiber: (1) Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel.  This gel then prevents other materials, like fats and sugars, from being absorbed.  As a result, it can lower blood cholesterol and …

This weekend, after an afternoon shopping the Black F discounts, my mom, sister, and I did some food shopping together.  Unloading the bags at home, I noticed my mother bought organic bananas.  This was likely an effort to make me happy (thanks, Mom!), but I was quick to inform her that her "organic budget" would be better spent elsewhere.

Who else is confused about why and what to buy organic?  Let's discuss.