Q: What brands of kombucha do you like?

Kombucha Tea, Image Source: Getty Images

A: It’s hard to pick just one brand of kombucha! Because I like so many.

If you aren’t familiar with kombucha, it is a probiotic-tea based drink that is refreshing and lightly bubbly. It is a bit of an acquired taste so I have included a recipe below that is a refreshing way to try kombucha and get used to the taste.

A bonus is that because kombucha has grown in popularity, it is now more widely available at stores and online! For example, when I was working on my gut health drink book, Drink Your Way to Gut Health (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) just 5 years ago, there were less widely available brands of kombucha. Now you can find it widely available at major stores like Walmart, Wegman’s, Price Chopper, Target, and more.

I also like to make my own kombucha which takes some time but makes it much more affordable to drink kombucha routinely, for more on making your own kombucha, check out my book (Drink Your Way to Gut Health) for a DIY recipe to make your own.

So, if I had to narrow it down… here are three of my very favorite kombucha brands and flavors (plus one more for all those based in Canada!):

Health-Ade Kombucha, especially their Pink Lady Apple (pictured below) and their Jalapeno Kiwi Cucumber is really delicious too with a hint of spice! Each bottle of Health-Ade Kombucha has about 80 calories and 12 grams of added sugar. For more on Health-Ade, check out their website: https://health-ade.com/

I really enjoy GT’s Synergy Kombucha too! It was one of the first kombucha brands that I ever tried, and their favor varieties are incredible. Although, I enjoy a lot of the different flavors too, I especially love one of their Gingerade (pictured below). Each bottle of GT’s Synergy Kombucha has about 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar with 0 grams added sugar. For more on GT’s check out their website: https://gtslivingfoods.com/

Kevita Kombucha has a lot of great flavor options too! My favorite flavors of Kevita are Pineapple Peach (pictured below), Ginger, and Tart Cherry. Each bottle of Kevita Kombucha has about 70 calories and 16 grams of carbohydrates with 15 grams of added sugar. For more on Kevita, check out their website: https://www.kevita.com/

Lastly, if you are Canada-based, check out my all-time favorite brand of komubcha, Tonica! It is made in Toronto. My favorite three flavors are Peach, Blueberry, and Mango! What’s unique about Tonica kombucha is that the base is organic green and black tea and rooibos which results in a super smooth flavor and it only has 4 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving (250 ml). For more on Tonica, check out their Web site: https://tonicakombucha.com/

Tonica Kombucha (Canada Only) - click here

Cherry-Ginger Kombucha - Photo: Molly Morgan

Cherry - Ginger Kombuhca
Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 cup tart cherry juice (we love Cheribundi)
1 cup ginger kombucha (GT’s Gingerade)

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.

2. Add cherry juice and kombucha. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 130 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium, 31 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams sugar (0 grams added sugar), and 1 gram protein

Nutrient-Rich Foods to Include

Beyond washing your hands, cleaning surfaces, what else can you do to help keep your body ready to fight against illness? Focus on including plenty of nutrient-rich foods! There isn’t any one “magic” food, rather it is important to include a wide variety of foods that can help to support your immune system.

Check out examples of foods to include below and more on how they can help your body.

Nutrient-Rich Foods To Include - Rich in Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E

PROTEIN

Include a wide variety of protein-rich foods as protein is an important player in the immune system.

Food examples to include: yogurt (especially Greek yogurt), peanut butter, seafood, poultry, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, and seeds.

Quick ideas:
- 3 Bean Salad: combine 1 can each (drained and rinsed) of chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans. Then toss with 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and season with sea salt and black pepper.

- Snack on Bada Bean Bada Boom - roasted broad beans (available in a variety of flavors) that deliver 7 grams of protein per 1/4 cup

- Have a cup of Greek yogurt as a snack and top it with granola, nuts, and/or fruit

VITAMIN A

Think of vitamin A as a regulator - it helps in the body to regulate the immune system. Plus it helps to keep skin and tissues in the respiratory system, intestines, mouth, and stomach healthy.

Food examples to include: apricots, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach red bell peppers, apricots, or eggs.

Quick ideas:

- Roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish at dinner. Place cubed sweet potato on a baking sheet, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and roast at 425 degrees F for 25 - 30 minutes. Stirring throughout.

- Combine dried apricots with almonds as a snack

- Have a hard boiled egg as snack or sliced on top of a salad

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it is a protector - plus it helps to stimulate the formation of antibodies.

Food examples to include: green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, strawberries, tomato juice, oranges, grapefruit, clementines, or Mandarin oranges.

Quick ideas:

- Slice red pepper and have them with hummus or guacamole

- Stir fry peppers with your favorite stir fry sauce and protein for dinner

- Have an orange sliced as a snack or a quick side dish with a meal

VITAMIN E

Vitamin is also an antioxidant which can help to neutralize free radicals in the body.

Food examples to include: sunflower seeds, almonds, vegetable oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut butter, and hazelnuts.

Quick ideas:

- Use vegetable oils to make your own homemade salad dressings - a quick ratio to use: 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, 1 tablespoon honey mustard, season to taste with garlic powder, sea salt, and cracked black pepper.

- Snack on sunflower seeds or top salads with shelled sunflower seeds

- Have a peanut butter and banana sandwich as a quick meal or snack

Bottom-line is switch it up and get a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods. AND KEEP WASHING YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY (at least 20 - 30 seconds with warm soapy water!).

Omega-3 Rich Products Worth Trying

Sure you’ve heard the advice, shop the perimeter. But I have say that while sure, there are loads of important foods to include in the perimeter of the store, there are some gems in the aisles as well that are worth including routinely in your grocery cart. Captured here are a few of my favorites that deliver omega-3 fats!

Note: This isn’t an add, rather just highlighting products I love!

Barlean’s Omega-3 Oil

This omega-3 oil is a product from Barlean’s that is made from fish oil but let me tell you, there is no fishy taste (or after taste). It is a perfect way to get a boost of omega-3’s into your eating routine.

How much to add-in? 1 tablespoon per day for adults or children over the age of 4. This will deliver 1500 milligrams (1.5 grams) of omega-3 fats, in comparison a 3.5 oz piece of salmon has about 1.8 grams.

How to add it in? It is seriously so delicious just have a spoonful or it. Or it tastes really delicious added into smoothies or drizzle on yogurt.

Where to find it? You can find it in the “natural food” section of some grocery stores in a refrigerator or some vitamin shops (e.g. Vitamin Shoppe) have it as well. Or you can order it direct from Barleans.com. Also it may seem a little pricey yet, one bottle has 29 servings so it really goes a long way.

Note: If you are adding this product in, you don’t necessarily also need to have other sources of omega-3 within the same day - for example, skip the fish oil capsule, chia seeds, or instead of salmon have a different type of fish.

Chia Seeds

Tiny little chia seeds are worth every penny! Plus there are tons of ways to work them into your eating routine. For example, you could make up a batch of Reese’s Bites - click here for the recipe! There are two big nutrition benefits of chia seeds: the omega-3 fats and fiber. Each tablespoon serving of chia seeds adds about 2 grams of omega-3 fats and about 5 grams of fiber.

How much to add-in? Add in a tablespoon of chia seeds as a source of omega-3 fats for the day. Keep in mind, as mentioned above, if you are adding in other sources of omega-3 fats like salmon, walnuts, omega-3 oil, etc. you can alternate the sources because you don’t need them all every day.

How to add them in? A very cool property of chia seeds is they are hydrophyllic, which means they absorb water - in fact, about 10 times their weight in water! This makes chia seeds really great for thickening sauces, smoothies, chia pudding, or energy bites. Click here for a delicious chia pudding recipe from my Fuel2Win sports nutrition project.

Another use for chia seeds is to use them as an egg replacement in baking. For each egg: In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Then use in place of eggs in your recipe. This works really well for quick breads and muffins.

Where to buy them? Look for chia seeds in the baking aisle of the grocery store. You may also find them in a “health food” aisle or section or you can buy them on-line from brands like Bob’s Red Mill.

Product Highlights - Bada Bean!

There are tons and tons of new products on the market all the time! It can be overwhelming to keep up and to know what is really worth the money. Here one of our favorite tried and true products that we think are worth considering to add to your shopping list!

Bada Bean Bada Boom

The product: Bada Bean Bada Boom from Enlightened

I have sampled these crunchy protein-packed beans with hundreds of people and the overwhelming majority of people LOVE them!!

Why are they so great? They are full of flavor plus they deliver protein and fiber, so it’s a snack that actually will fill you up. Each serving has only 100 calories, while delivering 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber! And for those that need gluten free foods, they are gluten free!

What are they? They are fava or broad beans that have been tossed with sunflower oil, rice flour, and seasonings. If the fact that they are beans, scares you away… don’t let it! Give them a try, you will likely be very surprised.

Where to buy? Look for these beans in the “health food” section or you can buy them on-line as well from Amazon or their Website. Note - they also come in single serving packs, which are great for on the go snacks.

As a side note - my favorite flavor is Sweet Sriracha! Although there is a new flavor available now, Zesty Ranch and I have a feeling that will be a favorite with everyone in my house.

If you try them, let us know what you think!

Note: This is not a product endorsement, just a product we love!

It's All About Balance - Tips for the Holiday Season

With Hallmark movies getting ready to air on TV and Halloween candy everywhere, here are some practical tips for balance with the influx of treats this holiday season.

PLAN IT

It is a given that there will be more sweets around this time of year, come up with a plan to enjoy them. For example - have a sweet treat on a specific night per week. Having a plan can help to take it off of the mind knowing that on the specific day it will be time for something sweet. Plus it can help you from having to say no so often!

PICK AND CHOOSE

When thinking about excess, think about sugar in drinks too. For example a 20-fluid ounce bottle of regular soda has about 17 - 19 teaspoons of added sugar.

Instead of having a sugary drink with a meal - have a glass of water or milk instead to cut back on added sugar.

DONATE IT

Send a gratitude package with some sweets to service menu through programs like Operation Gratitude, click here to learn more about the program OR Soldiers’ Angels, click here for more details.

Or look for other ways in your community to donate excess candy!

FUN - YET HEALTHIER

Serve up trays of creatively arranged or designed fruit. Pictured here - Mandarin orange ‘pumpkins’, apple monster mouths, strawberry mummies, ghost pumpkins, or monster kiwi. Fruit kebabs are are great way too to creatively display and serve fruit.

Wishing you a healthy holiday season ahead! Stay tuned for more tips and ideas!

Snack Picks for Busy Days

Snacks can help to fuel the body on even the busiest of days! What you eat and do not eat, will make a difference in helping you power through the day. Here are some practical snack ideas to keep on hand.

Trail mix - a quick handful of trail mix can deliver a mix of healthy fats, some protein, and quality carbs. Opt for those that have mostly dried fruit and nuts.

Apple and Peanut Butter

Pair up apple slices with peanut butter or your favorite nut butter like almond butter for a perfect mix of energy.

On the go tip: Bring along single serve peanut butter cups (e.g. JIF Natural) or nut butter packs (e.g. RX Nut Butter or Justin’s Nut Butter) to go with apple slices.

Carrots and Hummus

Crunchy baby carrots and your favorite hummus is a delicious savory snack! There are so many great types of hummus now, mix up which one you choose to keep your taste buds interested.

On the go tip: Opt for single serving cups (e.g. Sabra) of hummus to go with the carrots!

Pistachios

Perhaps the best thing about pistachios is that 49 pistachios is a serving, which is more than compared to other nuts. Plus cracking pistachios takes a bit of time, which helps to make a serving of this snack last a little longer.

On the go tip: Buy single serving packs of pistachios (e.g. Wonderful Pistachios) that are already portioned out for you! Even switch it up with flavored pistachios like salt and pepper or sweet chili.

Popcorn

This whole grain snack is so tasty! Plus a serving of popcorn is adding in whole grains and fiber to your day. And for an added bonus, 3 cups of popcorn is a serving, which is much larger than a portion size of other crunchy snack foods (a serving of chips is only one handful). Opt for air popped popcorn at home or choose light versions of microwave popcorn or bags of popcorn.

On the go tip: Opt for individual serving bags of popcorn (e.g. Angie’s Boom ChickaPop or similar)!

Lunch Ideas to Switch it Up!

Tired of the same old lunches? Here are some nutrient-rich ideas and product tips to switch up lunches either for yourself or the little ones in your life! Happy lunch packing!

Crunch + Protein

When you are looking to add something crunchy to a lunch, rethink-it and add-in roasted chickpeas. They come in a wide variety of flavors and some treat-like flavors too (e.g. milk chocolate!). What I love about these - each serving is about 130 calories plus it delivers 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. The fiber is important because it will help to slow down blood sugar level increases, in turn providing better long lasting energy.

Click here to buy some today or check your local stores like Target or Wegmans for them as well!

Click here to buy roasted chickpeas!

Add a Protein Boost

Pack along a milk box to add a boost of 8 grams of protein to lunch! I love these Horizon Organic milk boxes, they are also available in flavored options like chocolate and strawberry, which are perfect for refueling after practices, workouts and games. Plus for an added bonus these milk boxes are shelf-stable and they don’t have to be refrigerated, which makes them really portable and easy to bring along.

Salads for Lunch

If your little ones are tired of sandwiches, switch it up with a salad! They can be really quick and easy to make. Start with a base of leafy greens, then top it with sliced veggies or fruit, sunflower seeds for crunch, and some sliced cheese. Or even add some baked chicken or tofu for a protein boost. Drizzle it with your favorite salad dressing.

Note - also pictured here is a mini yogurt parfait, which are great to pack along with a salad or even with a sandwich. Check out the Back to School Lunch Favorites for more on parfaits - click here.

Warm Up with Soup

Soup can make a great addition to lunches. Plus choosing a vegetable-based soup like Tomato Soup, is a great way to squeeze in extra vegetables. Remember to send the soup warm in a thermos style container so it will still be warm to enjoy at lunch time. Send along the soup with a half of sandwich, salad, or a parfait to complete the meal.

Pictured here is Pacific Foods roasted red pepper & tomato soup, a favorite at our house! Also check out the Pacific Foods new line of bone broth soups.

Product Picks

I'm on a constant quest to try new foods, and products! Here are a couple of recent options that were a hit. 

Cotton Candy Grapes from the Grapery

UNIQUE + DELICIOUS CANDY GRAPES

These Cotton Candy grapes from the Grapery are full of flavor and delicious. They are super sweet and definitely have a cotton candy-like taste. 

In my opinion they are worth putting on your shopping list and can even double as a dessert. 

The Grapery website explains more about the way that these grapes get their unique flavor, its really interesting and worth a read, click here! And don't wait, they are only available for a short period of time, according to their website now through September 20. 

Pressed By KIND Bars

ON-THE-GO FRUIT

Sometimes schedules call for on-the-go options and Pressed by KIND bars are a perfect way to add in fruit on busy days or in lunch boxes! Plus the bars have a simple ingredient list and each has 2 servings of fruit per bar.

For example, the Cherry, Apple, Chia bar ingredient list is literally - cherry, apple, and chia. There is not any added sugar or sweeteners, which is great! Each bar has 130 calories and delivers 3 grams of fiber. 

They are also available in additional flavors including: Mango Apple Chia, Dark Chocolate Strawberry, Dark Chocolate Banana, Strawberry Apple Cherry Chia, and Pineapple Banana Kale Spinach. You can order Pressed by KIND bars direct from KIND Snacks website or look for them in grocery stores, Target, and more.  

Green Giant Riced Veggies 

INNOVATIVE VEGGIES

One of the newest ways to enjoy veggies is 'riced' veggies. The texture of veggies when they are chopped fine is so interesting and especially cauliflower, takes on the texture of almost being rice-like. 

You can make your own riced veggies but these frozen bags are super convenient! Plus they come in great flavor combinations like pictured here, Cauliflower with Lemon and Garlic. 

Once cup of riced veggies has only 30 calories and is a perfect side dish! Or try plain riced cauliflower as a stand-in for rice with stir-fry or even made into a fried 'rice' dish. Look for riced veggies in the freezer section of the grocery store. Click here for more information on Riced Veggies from Green Giant. 

Note: These product picks are not an advertisement, just products that Creative Nutrition Solutions owner and registered dietitian, Molly Morgan loves! 

Back to School Lunch Favorites

Packing lunches is back on the to do list of many people! Here are some tips and products to help keep school lunches interesting! 

Opt for Fun Lunch Boxes

Lunch boxes like Yumbox (pictured here) are perfect, especially for little guys and girls. These would be best for ages K - 5 as far as portioning and the amount of food you can fit into the box. 

One of the best parts of this design is there is just one easy to use flap that they need to open to get into their meal! And the Yumbox is truly is leak proof; we have been using this style lunch box for two years without any leaking issue.

Check out the Yumbox site for different styles, colors, and designs, visit: https://www.yumboxlunch.com/

Wrap it Up!

Wraps for lunch are a great way to use up leftovers and have a lot of variation in a lunch. For example, grill extra chicken the night before, then cube that up for lunch the next day.

Opt for whole grain wraps and also load the wrap up with plenty of veggies for filling!

To make lunch preparation easier in the morning, start the week with a container of chopped wrap fillings like cucumbers, carrots, peppers, onion, and spinach. This will help lunch come together quickly in the morning. 

Pack a Parfait

A fruit and yogurt parfait can make a filling lunch or addition to a lunch! Fill reusable containers with layers of Greek or Icelandic yogurt (e.g. Chobani, Siggis), fruit, and granola (e.g. KIND Snacks Healthy Grain Clusters).  Even consider a drizzle of Barlean's Omega Swirl Oil for a boost of healthy fats. 

Try parfait combinations like:

Vanilla yogurt + blueberries + oats & honey granola
Vanilla yogurt + banana + peanut butter granola
Mango yogurt + diced mango + maple granola

Fueling the Athlete

Creating a winning combination for lunch to fill and fuel up an athlete can be a challenge! Check out the Fuel2Win for On the Go lunch ideas! Click here to download the handout. 

Also check out delicious recipe ideas like PB Chip Energy Bites which could be a great addition to a lunch! 

Grocery Shopping with Kids

I actually love grocery shopping and although it can take a little extra patience, I enjoy grocery shopping with our kids. Although I may wind up spending a few extra dollars when the boys grocery shop with me, I think in the long run, it is actually a good thing and helps them to actually eat the food we serve at the dinner table. 

The boys at the Wegmans check out with veggie balloons that a produce department worker gave them because he observed them being such great helpers picking out fruits and veggies while we shopped. 

Not that I have it perfect, but here are some tips to grocery shop with your kids!

1. Have a plan AND a list - Talk with your kids about food for the week (breakfast, lunches, snacks, dinner). Of course, you can't say yes to all their ideas or requests - for example, our youngest would opt for pancakes or waffles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if we let him - having their input can help helpful. Then build your grocery list because especially when kids are with you...  without a list it would be nearly impossible to leave the store with everything you need.

2. Give them mini jobs at the grocery store - While the 'job' may vary slightly based on their age, giving them little things to do while you are shopping can help keep them focused on the list and a little less likely to get distracted by things you do not need.

Examples:
Grab a bag and pick two bunches of broccoli. 
Pick which lettuce pack you think looks the best for salads this week.
Get 5 of the (tell them specifically which brand or color package) yogurts with the green label.
Pick two boxes of the little bunny crackers. 
Pick any bag of frozen veggies. 

3. Pick and choose somethings to say yes  - Our boys will ask for many things that we don't need in a shopping trip. I find if I tell them yes, to some things that are healthier choices, like a new flavor of KIND Snacks Bar, a different fruit than what was on the list, etc. It makes all the times I say no to the stuff that is sugary, too pricey, or that we just don't need. 

Happy grocery shopping!