Megan Roosevelt, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist | April 2021

Megan Roosevelt is a paid partner. All opinions and text are her own.

As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, food blogger and mama of 2 - food is a big part of my personal and professional life! I am in the kitchen many hours every day making meals for my family or to share on the Healthy Grocery Girl blog or HGG YouTube channel.

One question I am asked often is, “What do you eat?” Today, I’m excited to share with you 10 foods that I eat every week and why I love them! Before we jump into my food favorites, let’s take a moment to chat about nutrition and why plant-based foods (my go-tos!) are so wonderful!

What Is Plant-Based?

Plant-based simply means a diet based in plants. Plant-based foods include fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and legumes.

For some, eating “plant-based” means eating a 100% plant-based and vegan diet, while for others, it may mean eating predominantly plant-based yet not fully vegan. Because nutrition is not one-size-fits-all, it’s always best to eat the type of foods that best support your own personal health needs.

For me personally, I eat dairy-free, gluten-free and predominantly plant-based. This is what I have found best supports my own personal health needs.

Why Eat Plant-Based?

One of the incredible benefits to eating plant-based is the fiber content. Did you know that 95% of Americans do not reach their daily fiber needs?! Women should aim for 25 grams per day and men should aim for 38 grams per day. (Source)

All plant foods contain prebiotic fiber, this type of fiber may help your gut microbes nourish and thrive. This is important because poor gut health has been linked to digestive disorders, autoimmune conditions, chronic diseases, hormonal disorders, brain fog and much more.

Another benefit to eating plant foods is the incredible amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients found in plants. These nutrients are all so important for our overall health. Plants are pretty amazing! For example, did you know that one cup of broccoli or one bell pepper contains more than your Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of vitamin C?

Follow Your Own Food Rules

While I love to share what I eat, just a reminder again, that nutrition is not one-size-fits-all! Nutritional needs can really vary based on one's health status and wellness goals, age, weight, activity level and more. These are just a few of the many factors that can impact what, when and how we eat!

However, there is one universal trend that science can agree on regardless of your dietary label and that is the more plant foods you eat, the better!

If you’re going to do one thing to improve your health, it would be to incorporate more real, whole foods into your diet and that includes supplements made with real, whole foods such as MegaFood.

10 Predominantly Plant-Based Foods I Eat Every Week!

Personally, I have better energy, my sleep improves and I experience less digestive issues when I’m eating a predominantly plant-based diet. Below are ten foods that I eat every week, their health benefits and how I like to enjoy them!

Almonds

Almonds are packed full of nutrition and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin E and protein. Almond consumption may also help support a healthy heart by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.* I love almonds just as they are or sliced and topped on yogurt, almond butter spread on toast or in a smoothie.

Another fun idea featuring almonds, is my recipe for Lemon Muesli with Almonds from the HGG blog!

Blueberries

Blue and purple fruits, like blueberries contain the phytochemical anthocyanin. This antioxidant is powerful because it helps fight against cell damage. It may also help maintain healthy blood pressure, promote heart health, and improve memory.*

Some of my favorite ways to eat blueberries are in smoothies, on top of yogurt or oatmeal and they are also delicious in a muffin such as these Lemon Lavender Blueberry Muffins!

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are an incredible plant-based protein source and a great swap to animal protein in recipes! One cup of chickpeas provides around 1/3 of your daily protein needs! Chickpeas are also full of B vitamins, which are important to increase neurotransmitter levels and regulate our mood.

I love roasted chickpeas on top of a salad, here is my go-to recipe!

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains minerals such as copper, iron and zinc. These nutrients help to promote cell growth and may even help slow down your skin's aging process! It is also full of antioxidants that are great for brain and heart health! The higher the dark chocolate percentage, the purer the chocolate.

I eat a small piece of dark chocolate almost every day, and if I’m feeling festive I’ll make something like these: Chocolate Orange Bites from the blog!

Ginger

Ginger has been used throughout history to help maintain immune health,* support digestion and ease nausea. I love fresh ginger in my smoothies or added to a stir fry!

The whole family will love these Orange Ginger Mint Popsicles from the blog!

Lemons

Lemons are a nutrient dense and versatile fruit and I use lemons every day. They are packed with antioxidants called flavonoids, which help to protect cells against oxidative stress and damage, which may help to support healthy inflammation.* Lemons also have antimicrobial properties, which is important for immune health.

I drink hot lemon water most days of the week, add lemon juice to my smoothies and love to make my go-to homemade lemon tahini dressing!

Oatmeal

Oats contain the soluble fiber beta-glucan, which may help reduce cholesterol, improve digestion and helps to feed good gut bacteria. Our entire family loves oats including my one year and three year old!

Here is the oatmeal recipe we make almost every morning. We love to top oatmeal with fresh fruit such as berries, cinnamon and nut butter!

Kale

Kale is nutrient dense with vitamins K, A, C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, potassium and magnesium! Vitamin K is crucial for your body's ability to clot blood and heal wounds. This dark leafy green is also great for liver function. Our liver is our main detox organ where it filters toxins and cleanses the blood.

My favorite way to enjoy kale is in a salad, such as this Vegan Kale Caesar Salad!

Sweet Potatoes

This incredible root veggie contains a significant amount of vitamin A. Vitamin A is also important for vision and immune health.

I love sweet potatoes diced, seasoned, baked and added to tacos, burritos and salads! Another fun way to enjoy sweet potatoes is to turn them into noodles, such as this Sweet Potato Noodles with Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce!

Salmon

I wanted to add salmon to the list because, while it’s not a plant-based food, it’s a once a week protein staple in our house. Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids known as ALA, DHA and EPA. DHA and EPA are great for skin health! Omega-3’s are also critical for brain development and heart health.

We love to bake salmon and top with this amazing dairy-free basil pesto!

Do I Need A Multivitamin?

As a Dietitian, I always recommend trying to meet your nutritional needs through real, whole foods first. However, because some days it may be difficult to meet all of your nutritional needs, this is where a quality multivitamin and supplements can come in handy to fill in nutritional gaps.

MegaFood is such an amazing company because their premium supplements are made with real food ingredients + added nutrients.

I currently take the Baby & Me 2 Postnatal Multi. Because I am postpartum and still breastfeeding this supplement is perfect for me and contains a combination of nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D3, vitamin E, iodine, chromium and B vitamins which B vitamins are great for supporting my energy levels. It also contains Moringa Leaf, which may support milk production.*

Another MegaFood supplement I love and I take when I’m not pregnant or postpartum is the Women’s One Daily Multivitamin. This multi contains vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid and iron. This nourishing food blend supports energy and nervous system health.*

Time To Eat!

After all this food talk, it’s time to take a break and make a snack or delicious plant-based meal! For recipes ideas and more tips to nourish you and your family you can connect with me on my website HealthyGroceryGirl.com, YouTube channel or Instagram @HealthyGroceryGirl