Megan Roosevelt is a plant-based Registered and Licensed Dietitian, as well as the founder and CEO of healthygrocerygirl.com. She is an author, web TV host, producer, and regular nutrition expert for magazines and local and national television. Healthy Grocery Girl® provides nutrition services and multi-media resources to help people shop, cook and eat better. These include the Healthy Grocery Girl® Nutrition Plan and Online Community and the Healthy Grocery Girl® Show, a free weekly online cooking and healthy lifestyle show.
Tell us about your website, Healthy Grocery Girl. What inspired you to start this?
In college I struggled with my health, and so I can relate to individuals who are frustrated with their body and their relationship with food, and who are having a difficult time accepting themselves. Becoming an RD was an instrumental tool that helped me understand the body, how it works, and what it needs to thrive. I founded Healthy Grocery Girl® in 2010 because I wanted to empower others with nutrition knowledge, as well as provide realistic tools and resources that could be accessed at anytime and anywhere across the world. Two of our most popular resources on HealthyGroceryGirl.com include the HGG Nutrition Plan Membership and “The Healthy Grocery Girl® Show”, our free weekly online cooking and healthy lifestyle show.
What is your philosophy for optimal eating?
I believe that each person is unique and his or her dietary needs will vary based on his or her age, gender, height, weight, activity level, and health status. Nutrition is not “one size fits all,” because there is a difference between eating for weight maintenance and weight loss, as well as eating for disease prevention, management or reversal. However at the core, I do believe that individuals should eat real, whole foods that are plant-based. Food is fuel, but it is also enjoyment, pleasure and fun! I don’t believe in diets, calorie counting, or obsessing over the number on the scale. I have found personal freedom from food frustration following this philosophy and I am excited that so many of my clients and our Nutrition Plan Members have as well! Although I do recommend real, whole foods I am also a realistic dietitian. We are all busy and we are going to reach for convenience items such as boxed pasta instead of making our own. So I really specialize in helping people maneuver the grocery aisles to select the healthiest packaged items possible to pair with as many whole foods as possible. Our motto at Healthy Grocery Girl® is, “Eating healthy can be easy when we combine healthy grocery finds with real, whole foods.”
Why is a plant-based diet important to you?
Eating plant-based is important to me because it is kind. It is the only way of eating that works for me. Eating this way helps me feel great, maintain a healthy weight, and not have food guilt. Not only does it help me in the present moment, I also know that eating plant-based is preventative health care. I love that we can reduce our risk of diet related diseases based on what we eat! To me this is fascinating, exciting, and empowering and I think everyone should know about it!
What are some of your best food shopping tips?
Keep it simple. I create and I enjoy recipes that have minimal ingredients. We are all busy so the faster we can put a nourishing meal on the table the better! When it comes to shopping for packaged grocery items, always read the ingredient list first. Don’t buy items that contain artificial ingredients!
This year, you released your first book, “Superfoods for Life, Coconut.” Why did you choose to write about coconut?
Coconut is a misunderstood food. I wrote this book to clear the confusion about this wonderful super food! The book provides an overview of coconuts, fun history and facts and its reputed nutritional benefits, along with a focus on key nutritional properties and “cures” associated with coconuts (detoxification, weight loss, super immunity, disease fighting, and beauty to name a few). Each chapter also references studies and research.
What types of recipes can we find in your new book?
Superfoods for Life, Coconut shows you how to integrate coconut meat, milk, oil, butter, and flour into your diet with 75 delicious recipes for incredible health. There is also an entire chapter on DIY coconut beauty recipes, from facial scrubs to cuticle cream.
Note: I am not a spokesperson or profiting from these products or companies; just providing my own unsolicited opinion about popular products, services, and organizations in the food world today!
