This month’s Nutrition Blogger Spotlight features Jessica Levinson, who blogs at Nutritioulicious. Read on to learn more about her!
After last month’s Nutrition Blogger Spotlight with Rachel from Delicious Balance, I decided to keep the party going! Truth is, there are so many fabulous nutrition bloggers out there, so why not take a moment to get to know them a little bit better? This month, I asked Jessica Levinson of the blog Nutritioulicious to step into the spotlight.
Every Monday, Jessica shares her family’s weekly meal plan along with recipes. She also shares recent read-worthy nutrition articles and blog posts from around the web. The mother of two adorable twins, Jessica is also the co-author of We Can Cook: Introduce Your Child to the Joy of Cooking with 75 Simple Recipes and Activities (Barron’s, 2011), a cookbook for children ages 3 to 6.
I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica at Blog Brûlée, a weekend conference for healthy food bloggers, in 2014. She has such a kind spirit and has been a mentor to me, even though she may not realize it! Be sure to hop over to her blog for kid-friendly recipes, meal planning tips, and much more, after reading the Nutrition Blogger Spotlight.
What inspired you to start your food blog?
When I was first starting to build a private practice I also worked as a nutrition editor for an online website and realized how much I loved writing about food and nutrition. I decided to start my own blog so that I could share my own thoughts about food and nutrition and it evolved to what it is today, which is more of a focus on recipes, healthy eating tips, and meal planning.
My goal with everything I post on the blog is to help people – families in particular – get nutritious and delicious meals on the table that the whole family will love, without feeling stressed about doing it.
What is your philosophy on healthy eating?
I truly believe in the philosophy everything in moderation and that no foods should be off limits. The majority of the food we eat should provide good, balanced nutrition, but there is room in a balanced diet for those crave-worthy indulgences. I don’t believe in breaking food into categories like good vs bad, clean vs dirty.
A big part of my philosophy is in the name of my brand: Nutritioulicious. Food should be nutritious – good for you, providing you with the nutrients you need to stay healthy and at a healthy weight – and delicious – full of flavor and enticing to all your senses. People often equate healthy food with bland/boring food, and that’s not true.
What are your tips for eating well during the busy work week?
My number one tips is to plan. Every week I share my Menu Plan Monday posts to keep myself on track for what I’ll be cooking for dinner for my family and to inspire others to do the same. Along with my menu plan I organize a grocery list that keeps me focused at the supermarket. Thinking through everything in advance takes time and effort, but it’s the only way I can ensure I can get healthy meals on the table during the hustle and bustle of the workweek and that I have ingredients on hand – in the fridge, freezer, and pantry – for all the meals and snacks that my family will want during the week.
Sweets or savories?
I’ve always had a huge sweet tooth, ever since I was little. These days I have more cravings for savory food than I used to, but if there are sweets in front of me, I can’t resist!
What items do you always keep stocked in your refrigerator?
Skim milk, kefir (my girls are obsessed with it these days!), cottage cheese, yogurt, hummus, sriracha (my husband’s obsession!), Dijon mustard, a whole array of fruits and vegetables (I currently have strawberries, grapes, apples, oranges, pears, lemons, limes, asparagus, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, artichokes, mushrooms), corn tortillas, cheese, peanut butter, wine 🙂
What’s your most used kitchen appliance?
Hmmm…this is a tough one – I have a lot that I use often. I’d say my hand juicer and microplane zester get the most use. I use fresh citrus juice and zest a lot in my cooking. Some of my other faves are my mini food processor and immersion blender.
What is one thing on your bucket list to do that’s not related to your career?
I love traveling so any travel excites me. A couple of the places high up on the bucket list are Argentina and New Zealand. It’s hard to separate that from my career though because I love exploring the food in all the places we travel, but that’s just one of the many reasons I want to go!
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Thank you, Jessica, for sharing a bit about yourself for the Nutrition Blogger Spotlight. I’m feeling pretty motivated to get back to regular meal planning after reading through some of Jessica’s Menu Plan Monday posts! How about you? Hope you all enjoy the rest of your week 🙂