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Are Meal Boxes A Scam?

Have you ever spent too much time trying to convince yourself to cook dinner, just to end up throwing in the towel and ordering takeout? You’re not alone. After a long day, the idea of gathering ingredients, finding a recipe, and preparing a meal can be unbearable. Companies that offer meal box subscription kits know this, and have seen an opportunity to market to young professionals and busy families with their easy, pre-assembled kits. Just cook and eat! Healthy, cost-effective meals for busy people, they say, but are they really cost effective or healthy?

The Facts

There are many meal subscription boxes on the market now, and all have their pros and cons. Here are four of the most popular brands, and a little more about them:

1. Blue Apron: The classic meal subscription box.

Pros: The recipes are high-quality, like what you would find on the menu of a nice restaurant. The price, starting at $9.99 per serving for three meals for two, is acceptable.
Cons: They may help reduce food waste, but each ingredient is individually packed, resulting in a lot of trash and recyclables.

2. HelloFresh: They claim to be America’s most popular meal kit.

Pros: These meals truly are quick and most of them are easy, though you can choose from 20 recipes a week and can pick something more challenging. Meals are hearty and can sometimes result in leftovers. The cost, $8.99 per serving for two people, three times a week, is the lowest of the four.
Cons: Ingredients are not locally sourced, so you might end up with shrimp from India or produce that didn’t survive the delivery.
Purple Carrot meal boxes are time consuming and cost more for a plate per person than making your own meal.

3. Purple Carrot: A vegan-only option.

Pros: Great option for vegans or the vegan-curious. A good blend of classic and exciting recipes.
Cons: You don’t get to choose your recipes. All are fairly time consuming. The meals are $11.99 per serving for two people, which is high for a plant-based meal.

4. Marley Spoon: Created by Martha Stewart herself, Marley Spoon is higher end as compared to the other three.

Pros: This brand focuses on seasonal ingredients from trusted, high quality suppliers. They offer 22 different choices each week, with vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free recipes.
Cons: At $12 per serving for three basic, 2 person meals a week, this is a pricier option. The recipes, while classic, aren’t that exciting.

The Reality

All of these brands sell themselves as healthy, cost effective, and time saving. Let’s unpack that.

Healthy. Some of these meal subscription boxes can be a little misleading with their calorie counts. For example, Blue Apron gives you the caloric content per meal, but neglects to mention that sometimes the meals are technically three servings instead of two, meaning if you divide the meal into two you’re actually getting more than you bargained for. The ingredients, while not what we’d think of as “unhealthy”, are often frozen at some point during transit. The sourcing is questionable, too; some ingredients, like seafood, come from as far away as India, which is neither healthy (the quality deteriorates as it is transported) nor sustainable.
It is healthier and more cost effective to buy the ingredients in bulk at the farmers market.
Cost Effective. All of these subscription boxes end up costing you much more than if you had purchased ingredients at the store, in bulk, or from the farmer’s market. Often you end up paying for a tiny amount of a niche spice, like saffron, or for something you already had on hand, like garlic. In the end, you’re paying for the convenience of not having to grocery shop.
Time Consuming. Some of these recipes are far more time consuming than others. Sometimes that’s fine – you might be willing to invest a little more time if you didn’t have to plan the recipe out yourself or prep it ahead of time. Other times, when you factor in cleaning up after cooking, it turns into an hour-plus ordeal.

The Alternatives

What alternatives are there to meal boxes? Well, that depends on what your goal is. If you are trying to save money, look to farmers markets, or just your local supermarket, to buy fresh produce at a fraction of the cost. In-season produce is more readily available, so it is less expensive. Frozen produce is also a cost-effective option. If you are lucky enough to live near a bulk store (or a store with a bulk-bin aisle), buying things like beans, grains, and spices in bulk dramatically reduces the cost; otherwise, wait until things are on sale at the supermarket and stock up.

the same meal put into 4 different tupperwares — *If you want to save time, then you can meal prep your meals for the week.*

If you are looking to save time, taking some time on a Sunday afternoon for meal prepping is your best bet. Splurge on a quality set of food storage containers and bulk prep batches of rice and beans, proteins, and vegetables that you can mix and match for easy, quick, reheatable dinners any night. You can also turn to crockpots for set it and forget it meals: 15 minutes of prep in the morning and a home cooked meal at the end of the day.

If you want to eat healthier, cooking at home is almost always better than takeout, or even these meal kits, as you control what goes into your recipes. High quality, lean proteins and local, in-season produce is a great place to start a healthy meal. If you want to learn new recipes and try new cuisines, look to your local library for cook books, or browse the many blogs available online for recipes for all levels!

The Verdict

Are meal kits worth it? Our verdict is a firm no. Meal kit subscriptions are not worth the cost unless you are incredibly busy and have money to burn. You can always try one for yourself by taking advantage of new customer offers to help bring the price down – just be sure to skip the next few weeks when signing up, so you don’t get hit with a surprise charge. Generally, these subscription services do not offer particularly healthy meals, they don’t provide leftovers, and they’re not cost effective. But, for people who are willing to pay the extra money for the convenience of fresh, pre-assembled meals delivered straight to your door, more power to you! The meals that we’ve tried are tasty, the prep is relatively easy, and often you get to learn a new cooking technique or experience a new cuisine. For the rest of us, we’ll stick with sensible meal prep, in-season produce, bulk purchases, and the occasional exhaustion-inspired takeout order.

Why Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Is So Important

When was the last time you were checked for pancreatic cancer? This “silent killer” is difficult to diagnose early on, because it often causes no symptoms until it affects the organs around it. Many cases of it that are caught early on are found simply because testing for unrelated medical conditions shows signs of the disease. Unfortunately, though, most pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed at stage 4 because of the difficulty of detecting it. It is therefore extremely important to raise awareness about this cancer, and to know the risk factors, the symptoms, and the best ways we currently have to prevent it.

What Is Pancreatic Cancer?

The American Cancer Society estimates that, by the end of 2020, approximately 57,600 people will have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that 47,050 will have died of the disease. Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow and begin to form into tumors in the pancreas. There are two main types: those that form in the exocrine (or digestive enzyme-producing) gland and those that form in the endocrine (or insulin- producing gland). Around 95% of pancreatic cancer cases begin in the exocrine gland.

Patients who are diagnosed in the early stages have better outcomes because they have more treatment options. But in order to be diagnosed early, you have to know the risk factors and the symptoms to watch out for.

Risk Factors

closeup picture of an afircan american man — *Men have a higher chance of pancreatic cancer, and so do African Americans.*

Knowing the risk factors is one of the most important first steps towards detecting pancreatic cancer early. The following factors are known to raise the risk of developing the disease:

Age– Most people who develop pancreatic cancer are older than 45, and about 90% who develop it are older than 55.
Gender– Men are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer more often than are women
Race- African Americans are more likely than any other race to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Diabetes– Many different studies show a link between diabetes and an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Smoking– People who smoke are two to three times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than are non-smokers.
Family History
Obesity– people who are overweight and those who eat foods high in fat are at an increased risk.

Symptoms

Because the pancreas is deep in the abdomen, doctors usually cannot see or feel a pancreatic tumor during a routine exam. Pancreatic cancer usually doesn’t have any symptoms in the beginning stages; unfortunately, symptoms don’t begin until the cancer has spread. But if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should see your doctor right away to discuss your concerns and get tested:

woman pointing to her back with a doctor taking a look at it. — *Back pain is one of the symptoms to look out for.*

Jaundice- yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. This happens when the growing tumor presses on the bile duct.
Unexpected weight loss
Loss of appetite
Pain in the upper belly or back
Nausea and vomiting
Swollen gallbladder or liver enlargement
Blood clots
Dark colored urine

Signs of advanced pancreatic cancer:

Extreme fatigue
Worsening stomach or back pain especially after eating or lying down
Bed sores
Swelling
Recently diagnosed diabetes

Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent pancreatic cancer, especially because there are many risk factors that you cannot control, such as your gender or family history. But there are some things that you can do to lower your risk:

Avoid Smoking
Eat healthy & watch your weight– Maintaining a healthy weight, as well as incorporating more vegetables and fruit in your diet, might help lower your risk. Processed foods, red meat, and sugary drinks can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Avoid alcohol– Some studies have linked heavy alcohol use to pancreatic cancer, because excessive drinking can lead to chronic pancreatitis.
Limit chemical exposure– Exposure to certain chemicals can raise your risk of pancreatic cancer. If you work in a place where you are exposed to chemicals, be careful and make sure you’re following proper safety guidelines to protect yourself.

For now, awareness is the best defense against this “silent killer.” While there is no way to prevent pancreatic cancer, you should know the risks and the ways that you can reduce them, including staying as healthy as possible and getting screened whenever you experience any concerning symptoms.

Can Smartphones Detect Diabetes?

It’s almost impossible to walk anywhere these days without seeing a smartphone in nearly everyone’s hand. Smartphones are wildly popular, and their technology has advanced greatly in the last few years alone, so it makes sense to put them to good use. Researchers at UC San Francisco have done just that: they have developed a “digital biomarker” that uses a smartphone’s camera to detect diabetes. Diabetes is one of the world’s most prevalent diseases, making this is a potentially huge development. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, so let’s look at exactly how a smartphone can detect diabetes.

caucasian hand over the heart area. — *People suffering from diabetes are twice as likely to die of heart disease, which is why a change is needed.*

A Change Is Needed

Diabetes can lead to many other health problems. For example, those suffering from diabetes are twice as likely to die of heart disease than those who do not have diabetes. What’s worse is that half of all people with diabetes are unaware that they have it, and therefore are unaware of the risks to their health. Finding a quicker and easier way to diagnose diabetes would make a huge difference when it comes to early detection and treatment. Finding the disease early is key: the sooner people know they have diabetes, the sooner they can begin controlling it – and possibly rid themselves of it altogether. Unfortunately, doctors have been struggling for a long time to find a better way to diagnose the disease. That is, until now.

“Diabetes can be asymptomatic for a long period of time, making it much harder to diagnose,” said Robert Avram, MD, MSc, clinical instructor in cardiology. “To date, noninvasive and widely-scalable tools to detect diabetes have been lacking, motivating us to develop this algorithm.”

Creating An Algorithm

Researchers have been studying how they can use existing smartphone technology to diagnose diabetes, and have found success with the Azumio Instant Heart Rate app. This app, using a smartphone’s camera and flashlight, can detect not only irregular heartbeats, but also changes in blood volume in a vessel, just by shining the flashlight on the user’s finger. Using this technique, known as photoplethysmography (PPG), the app can detect poor blood flow, which is common in diabetes.

To put this app to work for their study, researchers created an algorithm using nearly 3 million PPG recordings from 53,870 patients. The algorithm used was able to correctly identify the presence of diabetes in up to 81% of patients. Data also showed that the algorithm was able to accurately rule out diabetes in participants in the study around 92-97% of the time.

“We demonstrated that the algorithm’s performance is comparable to other commonly used tests, such as mammography for breast cancer or cervical cytology for cervical cancer, and its painlessness makes it attractive for repeated testing,” said study author Jeffrey Olgin, MD, a UCSF Health cardiologist, professor, and chief of the UCSF Division of Cardiology. “A widely accessible smartphone-based tool like this could be used to identify and encourage individuals at higher risk of having prevalent diabetes to seek medical care and obtain a low-cost confirmatory test.”

The Possibilities

This breakthrough opens the door to endless possibilities. If researchers can use an app to diagnose diabetes, then there is hope for using smartphones as a useful tool for our health in other ways.

“The ability to detect a condition like diabetes that has so many severe health consequences using a painless, smartphone-based test raises so many possibilities,” said co-senior author Geoffrey H. Tison, MD, MPH, assistant professor in cardiology, of the Aug. 17, 2020, study in Nature Medicine. “The vision would be for a tool like this to assist in identifying people at higher risk of having diabetes, ultimately helping to decrease the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes.”

Grab And Go: No-Hassle School Year Snacks

This school year might not look exactly how you imagined it would. With 42% of parents working from home and millions of students settling into online classrooms, we are facing an entirely different set of challenges than we have in previous school years. For students (and parents!), a virtual school year can be incredibly stressful, leaving students feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and frustrated with all that’s required of them. Add “hanger” to this swirling vortex of emotions and you’ve got the perfect storm. Never fear! At least there’s an easy fix for one of these problems. Fend off fits of “hanger” by having some easy, healthy snacks on hand for the whole family.

The Science

Everyone is impacted by hunger-induced anger at times, from the littlest children to full-grown adults. It takes just one moment to tip the scales from “I’m feeling a little snackish” to full-blown temper tantrum. Why does this happen? Most of us live busy, over-scheduled lives, and ignore our bodily cues. How many times have you thought, “I’ll take my lunch break after I finish up”? As adults, we know our own limits and often ignore them, pushing our hunger, thirst, or even bathroom breaks as long as possible with the idea of increasing productivity.

But what about little ones? Well, they learn from us. If the adults in their life prioritize hyper-productivity and intense scheduling, those habits will trickle down to them. And while most adults are capable of ignoring our cues without catastrophic reactions, little bodies are much less capable of self regulation.

The physical and emotional reactions to hunger are real and undeniable – and they are deeply connected. Many biochemical studies have shown a connection between hunger, low blood sugar, and hormonal influx. Basically, when you are hungry your blood sugar levels drop. This drop causes a cascade of hormones, including ghrelin (which stimulates the feeling of hunger), cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones that trigger “fight or flight” sensations), and neuropeptide-y (which has been found to induce aggression). This hormonal onslaught results in a rollercoaster of emotions.

The Solution

The best solution to this hormonally-based emotional storm is to nip it in the bud. While things like better time management, fostering independence in your kiddos, and eating healthy, well-rounded meals at regular intervals are all great long-term solutions, in the short-term you should always make sure you have easy, quick, and healthy snacks on hand! Try these 6 quick fixes:

Snack packs: Using tupperware or mason jars, you can make your own healthy snack packs! Think pre-cut carrots and ranch, apples and peanut butter, or pretzels and hummus. Great for on-the-go or snacking at a desk.

Mini Pizzas: Everyone loves pizza! Mini-pizzas are a fun treat, and can be made on anything in just a few minutes. Load up an english muffin, rice cake, bagel, or even sliced zucchini with some tomato sauce and cheese, and throw it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. You can always play around with toppings too. Try pepperoni, basil, leftover broccoli… Whatever you have on hand.

Smoothie packs: With just a little simple prep work, you can be ready to create delicious, healthy smoothies in an instant. Set aside some time on a Sunday afternoon to chop up your favorite fruit blends and put in individual containers or ziploc baggies and freeze. Then when you’re ready for a sweet frozen snack, toss the frozen fruit into the blender with your choice of yogurt, milk, juice, or water. You can also substitute some of the fruit for a frozen vegetable to make your smoothies extra healthy. For example, steamed-then-frozen zucchini creates a lovely creamy texture without all the sugar of bananas.

Build your own parfait: Kids love taking control of their snacking, so encourage them to make their own parfaits by layering yogurt, their choice of fruit, and granola into a cup. Easy, quick, and minimal mess!

You can build your own trail mix for your kids to enjoy!

Pre-packed bento boxes: If you’re not familiar with the “bento” concept, it’s taken from Japanese culture and has gained popularity with families worldwide. One small lunch container, or “bento box,” has little organized spaces for the different parts of a meal. You can purchase a bento box, or make your own using a medium-sized tupperware container and nestling smaller containers inside of it. Again, recruiting your kiddos can help make this super fast and easy. Have them pick a vegetable, fruit, grain, and protein to pack into the bento the night before.
Trail mix: A classic snack, build-your-own trail mix is a fun and exciting way to get kids to enjoy healthy snacking. You can set up a quick trail mix bar by spreading out different types of nuts, dried fruits, and other add-ins like dried peas, peanut butter chips, or even chocolate. Kids will enjoy picking their favorite combinations, and you can put the left-overs into one big container for more trail mix.

We know this school year isn’t going as planned, but families are proving their resilience time and time again. Success comes from finding new solutions in the face of new challenges, and you can lean into this unprecedented moment by making sure your family is as well-prepared as possible – which includes having snacks on deck to defeat hunger before it arises! Do you have any go-to quick snacks? Share them in the comments below!

A High-Flying New Fitness Trend

There is no shortage of fitness trends out there (think pole fitness, aerial yoga, prancercise…), but there is one that brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “clowning around.” Circus fitness merges functional with fun to create an exciting and engaging new style of workout. The workouts can range from practicing handstands and cartwheels to flying on a trapeze, and everything in between. You can leave your red rubber nose at home though – this type of movement is an art form, and while it’s fun and sometimes silly, it should still be taken seriously!

How It Works

Often affectionately referred to as “clown school,” circus classes are usually held in gymnasiums, warehouses, or big studios with soft floors. Usually you’ll start with a fun but challenging warm up, including some cardio, big arm stretches, hip releases, and overall mobility to prepare for some tough work. Then, at most studios you will move to one of the circus apparatuses:

Aerial silks: Possibly the most iconic aerial apparatus, silks are a pair of long strips of fabric suspended from a rig on the ceiling. Performers will climb, tie, drop, and twirl in and on them.

Rope: Much like silks, but not quite as flashy, the rope is a true testimony to strength. Rather than hanging down in a pair like silks, a rope is a single strip of heavyweight, rough canvas. The acrobat uses their feet and sometimes hands to maneuver the rope into dazzling knots, shapes, and drops – similar to silks in visual.

Sling: Much like a hammock, this is essentially a silk, but in loop form, in which the performer can swing, circle, and do inversions in. This is also commonly transformed into a “strap”, with a small loop to go around the wrist, from which an acrobat can be lifted into the air and suspended by just their arm.
Trapeze: Another common and iconic apparatus, the “high-flying” trapeze is a bar suspended by ropes that is used to swing, flip, and catch a partner from. Most circus studios don’t have the space to accommodate this act, and the safety net it demands, so instead have the “static” trapeze, which swings much less and is used for solo or partner moves.
Learn how to hang on a hoop hanging from the ceiling.
Tightrope: The tightrope in your circus gymnasium won’t be suspended 20 feet in the air, but it is still difficult to master! Instructors will start you out much closer to the ground, with thicker straps, as you work to greater heights. This helps new performers safely work on their balance and step precision as they practice within their comfort zone.
Lyra: A lesser-known apparatus, the lyra is a large metal hoop suspended much like a trapeze, in which the performer can swing, spin, hang, and climb.

Functional Fitness

Circus fitness is incredibly unique. It’s not every day that you get to scale ropes or hang from a trapeze, and you’d be hard-pressed to find other exercises that utilize your own bodyweight quite as effectively. Professionals make it look easy, but using your own two arms and legs to climb a slippery piece of silk is no easy task! It requires grip and grit as you realize the only thing between you and a 20 foot fall is your own strength.

Building up that strength is at the heart of circus fitness, which, because of its focus on core stability and making your muscles work together to support you, doubles as functional fitness training. Trainers will usually start and end sessions with working on grip and core strength, as these two things are the keys to strong climbs. They will never send you up higher than you can safely descend, and will allow you to build up strength – and confidence – until you are ready for inversions (or poses in which your heart is higher from the ground than your head).

Is Circus Fitness For You?

caucasian arm showing off the muscle — *Circus fitness will help strengthen your hands and grip.*

Circus arts, much like yoga, pole fitness, or dance, is a creative expression medium that primarily features long, lean bodies. Never fear if that’s not your body type – circus training truly is for every body. Because circus fitness works hard-to-train muscles and increases overall strength, it can have a myriad of benefits for your daily life, including increased core stabilization (which can help with improving posture and alleviating some back pains), greater flexibility, better balance, and general conditioning. You might not be able to climb the silks right away, but while you’re practicing, you’ll work your core, arms, and back, as well as strengthen your hands and your grip strength, which will prepare you for climbing with ease.

If you’ve ever seen Cirque Du Soleil or another professional circus troupe, you might be hesitant to try your hand at circus classes. The beauty of circus training, however, is that it is what you make it. There is something invigorating about trying new, somewhat scary things, and it can leave you feeling empowered, brave, and stronger than ever. If you step out of your comfort zone, you might be surprised at what you find!

Surviving A Quarantine With Kids

Got cabin fever? Bored being stuck with your family all day? We get it, but being quarantined with kids does not mean you have to suffer. While it can be challenging to find things to do around the house, there are some activities you can do both indoors and outdoors to keep your kids (and yourself) entertained.

Indoor Activities

Elephant Toothpaste– This is a great science experiment for kids! First you carefully pour ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide into a clean 16 oz plastic water bottle. Next add 10 drops of food coloring, then 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap and swish it around to mix it. Now, in a separate small cup, combine 3 tablespoons of warm water and 1 tablespoon of dry yeast and mix for 30 seconds. Finally, pour the yeast-water mixture into the bottle and watch the foam rise!
Bake Together– Baking with your kids allows them not only to “help you,” but it is also a way to incorporate math and science into your quality time. They can learn about different measurements and fractions, as well as the results of mixing different ingredients together. An added bonus is all the cookies and brownies you get to eat together!
Facetime With A Princess– There are some princesses who would love to Skype or Facetime with your child, sing with them, and do activities with them! You can download an app or visit a site, such as Glass Slippers Productions, where you pay a real- life princess to interact with your child.
Photography Journal– Help your child capture memories with a photography journal. Instead of just having them write out their day, take pictures throughout the day, print them, and have them arrange the photos into a journal.
Dance Class– Make your spare time fun with a yoga class or dance class in the middle of your living room. If you’re not feeling creative, YouTube has some great programs you can follow. Dance like nobody’s watching!
Cardboard Box Fort– Grab a couple of large cardboard boxes, break them down, and build a fort with your kids. Then you can help them decorate the fort.
Listen To An Astronaut Read From Space– NASA offers some pretty cool activities to do on their site in order to help pass the time, but an especially fun one is watching an astronaut read a book to you while they float around space!
Build A Birdhouse– Got any popsicle sticks laying around? Grab them, and if you don’t have any, then grab some sticks from outside and build a birdhouse. Paint it and then hang it outside!
Hold a Fashion Show– Have everyone in your house gather some clothes, put together crazy combinations, and then walk the runway. The rest of the family then critiques each outfit – all for fun of course. Whoever is the most silly or chic, wins!
Facetime With Family/Friends & Play Pictionary– Stay connected with your friends and family. Try using the app House Party. This video chatting app can help you and your kids connect with multiple family and friends. You can all play pictionary or other games on the app with them.

Outdoor Activities

Body Painting– Let kids paint themselves with washable paint and then let them wash it off afterwards. They can become living picassos.
Sun Melted Crayons– Have some broken crayons laying around? (Don’t we all?) Well make them into art! Get some aluminum foil, place cookie cutters on the foil, then put crayons into the cookie cutters and place in the sun to melt them. Once it is all melted, voila, newly shaped crayons to use!
Balloon Volleyball– Set up a little court in your backyard with a rope and use a balloon to play volleyball. Who knows where the wind will shift the balloon!
Driveway Bull’s Eye– Draw a bullseye on your driveway with some chalk, then throw a sponge in a bucket of water. Have each person stand behind a line and take a turn throwing the sponge at the bullseye.
Glow In The Dark Bowling– Grab some glow sticks and 10 bottles of water. Put the glow sticks into the bottles of water and line them up like bowling pins in the yard at night. Use a soccer ball and see if you can get a strike!
Aqua Limbo– Everybody limbo, with some water! Use the stream from a water hose as the limbo line for everyone to go under.
Ice Painting- Freeze water mixed with washable paint in ice cube trays. Then use them to create art on some paper!
Squirt Gun Painting– Fill up a water gun with paint instead of water, and have at it at a sheet of paper.
Treasure Hunt– Want to keep the kids busy for a while? Send them on a treasure hunt! Find a couple of knick knacks around the house or outside, with each location providing a clue to the next.

Being stuck at home can be tough, but with a little creativity, you can make the most of it. By using the above ideas, you can keep everyone’s spirits up, and focus on using this time to reconnect with your family. Or, at the very least, you can grab a few minutes to yourself!

Tag: health