Nutritious choices made simple ®
As a Registered Dietitian, Garrick brings knowledge of nutrition and public health to Guiding Stars. Garrick develops, manages and coordinates nutrition and wellness programs and tools utilizing Guiding Stars for our clients and community. He is passionate about helping people lead healthier lives and making the healthy choice the easy choice. Garrick has experience in community, research, and clinical nutrition and most recently worked for the University of New England as the Senior Nutrition Program Coordinator for Maine SNAP-Ed. There he managed and trained nutrition educators in a statewide nutrition education program for low-income Mainers.
Garrick earned his bachelor's in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine and his master's in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Rhode Island. Garrick grew up in central Maine and feels fortunate to be living and working back in Maine.
On a normal day, managing diabetes requires constant attention to blood sugar levels and thoughtful choices in your diet. During the holidays, things get even more complicated for diabetics. Parties, travel, and a never-ending barrage of sugary treats can disrupt their routine and create a real health challenge. I’ve compiled some tips from the CDC and the American Diabetes Association to help people with diabetes enjoy a healthy holiday season.
There are a lot of meal gatherings this time of year. Hosting friends and family for a holiday or celebratory meal can be a lot of fun, but it can also induce stress for the host. On top of all the planning, cleaning, shopping, and cooking involved, there may be a financial burden. Feeding a crowd of people can get expensive quickly no matter what your budget is. The task of host does not need to be so difficult or costly. I’ve compiled some tips below for hosting a nutritious meal for your guests without spending too much money.
The last thing you want to do as a guest is show up and take up valuable counter and oven space to prepare your dish. We’re planning to bring Southern Cornbread in a cast iron skillet to this year’s meal. I will bake the recipe ahead and cover the skillet with some aluminum foil to transport it in the car. When we arrive, I will heat it up on the stovetop to serve it warm.
No one wants to cook when they have weak muscles, a headache, a stuffy nose or feel sick to their stomach. Complicated recipes with too many steps can ratchet up the misery for parents and caregivers. I’ve pulled together some simple and nutritious dinner options for when you’re feeling ill, but still need to prepare a meal. Avoid overspending on less nutritious options and nourish yourself and your family with these manageable meals.
Although anyone can get food poisoning, some people are more at risk. Those groups include pregnant women, young children, older adults and people with immune systems weakened from medical conditions (e.g., diabetics, cancer patients). It’s especially important for these groups and their caregivers to follow safe food handling practices. Here are 4 basic food safety principles from the CDC that we should all follow to reduce the risk of food poisoning:
Instead of planning every weeknight meal, it works well for my family to grocery shop for three dinners and make them when we have the time. We also keep other key ingredients stocked, which allow us to quickly put together a balanced meal on busy nights. Here is an example from Cooking Light:
Another school year is upon us. Before sending their children to school, parents will weigh the pros and cons of participating in school lunch versus packing lunch at home. In addition to cost and convenience, nutrition is an obvious factor in this decision.
In most minds, dorm room dining does not evoke Instagram-worthy images of nutritious foods. Students typically do not have access to a kitchen and can feel resigned to warming up easy mac or ramen noodles in a microwave or splurging on a fast food delivery order. Yet, with some ingenuity, it’s possible to eat healthy and on a budget from a dorm room. Here are a few simple strategies and recipes from Guiding Stars to help college students eat healthy dorm room meals and snacks without spending all their cash.