When buying ingredients at the grocery store the thought of what products are actually in season doesn't cross most people's minds. But, eating seasonally is SOOO important for your health!!

Your body is programmed to eat what is growing around you based on the weather.

Choosing local farmers (try the farmers market!), shopping the seasonal produce (usually it's found in bulk and at great prices!), and basing your menus on what is in season (which is exactly how we build our menus!) is a crucial step in living a healthy life. :)

If you want delicious meals that have the best seasonal ingredients delivered right to your door sign up for Basically It Meals here!

Celery is an AMAZING food with so many health benefits. Here are some ways I look to incorporate celery into my diet:

Celery juice mixed with aloe Vera juice. I had some seriously dry skin at the start of this season. I used this combo to help me rehydrate and acclimate to the weather change!

Make your own homemade celery juice! This is one of my favorite ways to get my daily nutrients.  All you need is organic celery and a juicer! I find it way more cost-efficient than hitting the juice shop. Sometimes I like to add extras like lemon and ginger. Ginger is especially great for cold and flu season

These 3 super juices will rock your world, especially in the cold and dry winter months!

1. Celery juice! This has been so popular lately, and for good reason! The minerals and salts found in celery juice are great for hydration. Drink this one each morning on an empty stomach for max absorption.

2. Aloe Vera juice. You can buy at the store or make at home in your juicer. Either way, aloe is healing for the gut and great for dry skin this time of year.

3. Beet juice. Stop cringing!! It’s not so bad. Beets are not only in season now but loaded with antioxidants for harsh winter. Not to mention, all that gorgeous color gives you a great glow from the inside out (no tanning bed necessary!).

If you didn’t know already, there are tons more tips and recipes like this in The No-Diet Diet Club! Click here to get on the waitlist!

Who else loves wine!! If you didn’t know, I host a weekly Facebook live called, Wine About It at @BasicallyItMeals where I take questions and cover a topic you are interested in!

The advice you get gives you a clear next step and teaches you how to easily implement healthy changes in your life. Did I mention there’s wine? Ya, we get to drink wine together, too! I’m live every Thursday at 5:30 pm Central so I hope to see you there!

Check out last week's episode here!

Italian tip: get your veggies in interesting ways! On top of pizza, or in a sauce; it makes no difference!

Veggies can enhance the flavor of everything, not to mention the nutrition value. Get a rainbow of colors each day, this ensures your plant foods can work synergistically with one another!

I teach you exactly how to do this in No-Diet Diet Club which is launching in 2020!! Click here to get on the waitlist

Ask the nutritionist!

Each week, we are doing #askthenutritionist, where we will answer your question of the week, and also take your questions for future editions!

This week's question: “My iron levels are low, should I be taking an iron supplement?”

The answer is not necessarily. There are a few reasons why your iron might be low and you may be able to make tweaks that allow you to bypass iron supplementation. If you have a heavy menstrual flow, you may consider an iron supplement around your time of the month (but no more! Heavy iron supplementation can reduce your absorption of iron from food).

It is also possible you have an issue with absorption in your gut. You may try a few things for this: cutting out gluten (super easy if you use a gluten-free meal service), drinking aloe vera juice, and taking a probiotic. A few dietary tweaks you can make to up your dietary iron include: steamed dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach, sprouts), red meat, organ meats, and...

REAL olive oil means it is pure, not watered with other oils, and it has some real health benefits!

1. Pure olive oil is loaded with antioxidants that not only protects you from aging but can reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases.

2. Although olive oil is a fat (the highest in calories of the macronutrients), it is not associated with weight gain. When you are using quality olive oil the nutrients nourish your body instead of helping it hold onto weight.

3. Real olive oil is incredible for your skin!! All the nutrients and antioxidants help to protect your skin from the aging process and keep you looking good.

If you aren’t keeping it clean at lunch, you are probably feeling pretty sleepy by 2 pm. Perhaps the only thing you are looking forward to is your next meal, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 4 ways to keep it clean at lunch and thus keep your energy up the rest of the day!

1. Pack it with you!! One of the easiest ways to ensure you don’t fall to temptation at lunchtime is to pack your lunch ahead of time. If you don’t have time or don’t know how let Basically It Meals do the work and delivery for you, or join No-Diet Diet Club here and learn how

2. Skip the beverages. Do not fall victim to lunchtime special drinks (soda, diet soda, sweet tea, fancy coffee drink or milkshake). All that sugar is going to leave you feeling blahhhhhh

3. Large portions will also leave you feeling BLAHH. When you overeat, your body has to do a lot of work to process it all and this often results in lethargy. Order the lunch-sized portion, OR go with Basically It Meals...

An actual photo of the biggest heads of garlic I have ever seen!

Italian food rule #1: quality of quantity. If it is not up to par, it is not eaten. You look at the tomatoes there set to ripen; some are so red they are almost worthy of Rudolph’s nose, but the Italian will tell you “no, not ready!”. The food attitude is a little bit of the highest quality product possible because there is no point in a lot of merda (-->Italian curse word).

This is exactly the properties upon which our meal service is based!! Quality balanced meals. Proportioned for your convenience. Local, seasonal, flavored to perfection. That is how you should be eating at every meal!!

If you are in St Louis, give us a try by visiting Basicallyitmeals.com!

There are 3 healthy habits everyone should take with them on vacation; even winter vacation!! 

1. Share all your meals! You want to taste everything and eat very little. This is so easy to do on vacation; goodbye bottomless pasta bowls, hello two bites of pasta, a few other items and done.

2. Slow down. American food culture tells us to order the largest portion possible, eat as fast as possible, and get on to the next thing. However, other cultures regard the meal as an opportunity to nourish the body, get a break from the bustle, and connect socially. Meals are often slow and extended, with many small portions. No one leaves stuffed, or feeling heavy or lethargic; in fact, it is often the break they needed to get through the day! So eat slowly, and enjoy the opportunity to nourish your body and connect with loved ones!

3. Throw food away. This is a tough one for many, including me sometimes! However, eating all the food in front of you when you are already past full does not...