Healthy Habits Santa Cruz

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Healthy Habits Santa Cruz

Maggie Rich, CFNC 🥑🍎🫐
Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor
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Currently developing elementary nutrition curriculum. EAT SMARTER, LIVE BETTER 🤍

Teachers, administrators, and parents can learn more at HealthyHabitsSC.com!

10/05/2026

I posted a question on my story: how would you describe a whole food? Honestly, a lot of you were closer than you think.

Here’s the actual answer, pulled together from your guesses:

🌾 A whole food is close to how it grows in nature. Nothing taken out, nothing artificial added.
🥑 It is not just fruits and vegetables. Whole grains, beans, nuts, eggs, meat, and fish all count too.
🧀 It usually doesn’t have an ingredient list, because it is the ingredient. Mozzarella, prosciutto, and pesto ranch all start from whole foods, but by the time they’re turned into those products, they’ve been processed.
🍚 Whole also means nothing has been stripped away. Brown rice still has its bran and germ. White rice has had both removed, which is what makes it the processed version.

And here’s the part that usually surprises people: processed doesn’t automatically mean bad. Most of what we eat has been processed in some way. When something does have an ingredient list, look for a short one where you actually recognize what’s on it. Fewer ingredients usually means less processing.

Most meals, including the ones in this carousel, end up being a mix of both. That’s normal. The goal isn’t to eat 100% whole foods all the time, it’s knowing the difference so you can make informed choices.

What’s one food you’ll look at differently after this?

10/02/2026

Forget about everything you were shopping for in the summer, it’s FALL! Happy October! 🎃

🍊 Persimmons, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, good for your eyes and your immune system.
🟣 Pomegranates, beets, and cabbage bring antioxidants that help protect your cells from everyday wear and tear.
🥦 Broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, and celery bring fiber, vitamin C, and more to support digestion and keep you feeling good.
🍎 Apples, pears, grapes, and figs are still in season too, giving you fiber and natural sweetness without the sugar crash.

This is why I always tell people to eat the rainbow. It’s not really about the colors themselves; it’s that different colors usually mean different nutrients, so the more variety on your plate, the more your body benefits!

What are you looking forward to adding to your grocery list this month?

09/30/2026

I roasted pumpkin seeds and walnuts, blended them with a little water and oil, and topped it with flaky sea salt. That’s it. That’s the nut butter.

IT’S DELISH.

Balanced snack alert: apple slices dipped in this give you fat from the walnuts and seeds, fiber from the apple, and protein from those same walnuts and seeds, all in one bite.

Simple ingredients, way more flavor than you’d expect.

09/24/2026

I cook two meals for my mom every week (it’s a fun deal we have). 👩🏽‍🍳

Want to see what I make her every week? My TikTok is linked in my bio. It’s where I post my more casual, everyday stuff 💛

09/14/2026

Balanced snacks don’t mean getting rid of the fun stuff.

The formula is simple: start with a carbohydrate your kid loves, then add an anchor, something with fat, fiber, or protein to go with it.

🫐 Berries with Greek yogurt and granola
🥒 Crackers with hummus and cucumbers
🍿 Popcorn with nuts
🧀 Cheese with fruit
🍪 Even a cookie with milk works when it’s part of the bigger picture

You’re not taking anything away. You’re just giving their body more than one kind of fuel.

I break this down (plus the sugar label mistake almost every parent makes) in episode 8 of Raising Healthy Habits.

Full episode is up on Spotify, link in bio to listen 🎧

09/02/2026

Eating in season is one of my favorite things to talk about as a Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor 🌱

Produce picked and eaten at its peak tends to taste better and hold onto more of its nutrients. A lot of out-of-season fruits and vegetables get picked early and shipped long distances to reach us, which is part of why they don’t always develop the same flavor or nutrient content along the way.

Buying what’s naturally growing right now also means fresher food, a shorter trip from farm to table, and more support for local farmers.

This September on the Central Coast, you’ll find crisp apples, juicy figs, sweet corn, and more, plus two I’m excited about this time around: bell peppers and pears. 🍎🌽🍐

What’s on your list this month?

08/27/2026

Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor here 👋

New episode of Raising Healthy Habits is live: Sugar, Snacks, and Energy Crashes. If you listen to any, listen to this one!

ALL MY PODCAST EPISODES ARE LESS THAN 15 MINUTES LONG (you’re welcome).

I cover the glycemic index, what’s actually happening during an energy crash, how to read added sugar on a label, balanced snack examples, and more.

Link in bio to listen 🎧

08/20/2026

Back-to-school snack shopping is happening right now and 65% of kids already exceed the recommended added sugar limit. 🍎

3 swaps that keep the convenience parents need, minus the sugar spike:

🧀 Cheez-Its (0g added sugar) > fruit snacks (10g added sugar)
🥜 Trail mix with nuts + Craisins (2-5g) > trail mix with M&Ms (11g)
🍫 Larabar (3.5g added sugar) > Pop-Tarts (16g added sugar)

Plus a few always ready-to-go picks: string cheese, hummus + veggies, apple + nut butter, edamame, popcorn. These are all ZERO added sugar, depending on your selections.

Nutrition education isn’t just for kids, it’s for the parents raising them too. Read the label, not the marketing. 🏷️

08/07/2026

August is one of the most abundant months of the year for fresh produce.

Summer favorites are still at their peak, making it the perfect time to enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables before fall arrives.

One of the healthiest things you can do isn’t chasing a single “superfood”—it’s eating a wide variety of plant foods.

Each fruit and vegetable contains its own unique combination of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and beneficial plant compounds. The more variety you eat, the more nutrients you’re giving your body.

This month, fill your cart with colorful favorites like blackberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, figs, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, sweet corn, eggplant, avocados, and more.

Instead of asking yourself, *”Did I eat healthy today?”* try asking:
🌈 **”How many colors did I eat today?”**

It’s a simple habit that naturally encourages more whole foods and more variety.

Save this post to reference at the grocery store or farmers market—and challenge yourself to try one seasonal fruit or vegetable you’ve never bought before.

What’s your favorite August produce? 🍑🫐🌽

07/02/2026

July is peak produce season.

Farmers markets are overflowing, gardens are thriving, and it’s one of the easiest times of the year to fill your plate with colorful, whole foods.

From blueberries, plums, and cherries to peaches, melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, and fresh basil, July offers almost every color of the rainbow.

Different colors support the body in different ways:

• Red foods like tomatoes, raspberries, and cherries provide antioxidants that support heart health.
• Orange and yellow foods like peaches, apricots, melons, and corn provide nutrients that support healthy vision and immune function.
• Green foods like cucumbers, basil, avocados, and summer squash provide vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that support overall health.
• Blue and purple foods like blueberries, plums, and eggplant provide plant compounds that help support brain health and healthy aging.
• White foods like garlic contain natural compounds that help support the immune system.

No single fruit or vegetable does it all—but together, they help provide the wide variety of nutrients our bodies need.

Save this post to reference at the grocery store or farmers market. July is one of the best months of the year to eat the rainbow. 🌈☀️

What’s your favorite July produce item? 🍑🫐🍅

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