I'm an Imperfect Dietitian and My Key to Eating Healthy Meals Is Convenience

Welcome to our series #CartedByT30, where experts, influencers, and anyone who just really knows how to nail down a grocery list show us exactly what goes in their carts. Tune in to our Instagram to see their weekly haul from their favorite grocery store, farmers market, or online food retailer and to find out how much it really costs to eat healthily.

Kylie Sakaida, MS, RD, LDN doesn’t consider herself to be a "perfect” dietitian. Instead of encouraging her clients to stick to a regimented diet that restricts certain foods, Sakaida focuses on a more sustainable and realistic approach to nutrition and wellness. Through her quick and easy-to-follow, healthy-ish recipe videos, Sakaida has amassed over two million subscribers on TikTok. Ultimately, her goal is to help people nourish their bodies and optimize their health in a way that's convenient for their lifestyles. 

Curious to see the staples this registered dietician always has to have on hand? Keep scrolling to see more.

My Food Philosophy

As a dietitian, I believe that one of the best ways to promote a healthy lifestyle is to teach people how to make sustainable and realistic changes in their lives, changes that are rooted in moderation and balance. 

My goal is to dispel the myth that all dietitians have "perfect” (organic, non-GMO, vegan, unprocessed) diets because 1) we don’t, 2) that’s not what a "healthy” diet actually looks like, and 3) this limited way of thinking can make people feel overwhelmed by the amount of change needed to live a "healthy” life, which can, in turn, lead people to make unsustainable lifestyle changes and make them feel guilty if they don’t live up to others’ high (and often unrealistic) standards. 

When we think about food and nutrition in a restrictive way (e.g., "I have to avoid all sugar, carbohydrates, and processed food”), we actually lose focus on important elements that we need in our diets (i.e. vegetables, fiber, protein).  So, to push back against those restrictive ideas, I focus on the concept of "adding, not subtracting,” which means we want to ask ourselves about what we’re missing in our diets instead of fixating on what we need to restrict. 

For example, let’s think about breakfast. Instead of cutting out all cereals because they have carbs and sugar, it’s more helpful to focus on finding ways to incorporate more fiber and protein, since they can both help us feel full and stay satiated, which will lead to a more satisfying and filling meal! I also believe that all foods can fit into a balanced diet—and, yes, that includes chocolate. 

Overall, I want to normalize what a balanced lifestyle can look like and to help people make positive and sustainable changes in their routines.

My Grocery Haul

Tofu

Since I grew up eating Asian and Hawaiian food, I love tofu in any form. It's extremely versatile, and it takes on whatever flavors you season it with. One of my favorite ways to prepare it is called Hiyayakko, which is a Japanese dish that consists of chilled tofu, dried bonito flakes, grated ginger, green onions, and soy sauce. 

Lactose-Free Milk

I love to use milk (lactose-free, in my case) in smoothies, shakes, overnight oats, and cereal. Dairy milk is one of those foods that are a complete protein and provides nutrients like vitamins B12, D, A, and zinc into my diet.

Rotisserie Chicken

I bet you know that rotisserie chicken is inexpensive and convenient, but did you know that it can be a great protein option for quick dishes? I love to include rotisserie chicken as a lean protein source in my sandwiches, wraps, and pizzas. 

Frozen Veggies

I always keep frozen veggies (e.g. frozen spinach, and mixed vegetables) in my freezer because they’re convenient, affordable, and easy to prepare!  Some people claim that fresh veggies are nutritionally superior to all other types of veggies, but that’s just a myth! 

Frozen veggies are just as, if not more, nutritious than fresh and can be a wonderful option when you’re trying to find a convenient way to add vegetables to your diet. 

Salad Kits

If you haven’t noticed already, I’m a huge fan of convenient foods, and salad kits are one of the easiest ways to incorporate more veggies into a meal. Having pizza and need a veggie? Salad kits are perfect. Have leftover chicken but don’t know how to make it into a meal? Salad kits are there for you. 

Lactose-free Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is popular in the nutrition and fitness community for many good reasons: it’s high in protein, versatile, and easy to add to snacks and meals. I personally love to add Greek yogurt to smoothies, and I also mix it with peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon to make a delicious dip for my fruit! 

Brussels sprouts

They’re one of my favorite vegetables because they taste so delicious when they’re roasted, and they’re easy to incorporate into many of my meals. From a nutrition perspective, they’re also high in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. 

White Rice

I typically recommend that at least half of the grains you eat should be whole grains. While I'll happily eat whole grains such as bread and quinoa, I have to admit, I really prefer the taste of white rice over brown rice (can you tell I love my Asian food?).

Whole Grain Bread

As I mentioned above, at least half of the grains I consume are whole grain, including bread! Whole grain bread contains more fiber and nutrients than white bread since whole grains contain all parts of the grain kernel—that includes the important fiber-rich bran and nutrient-rich germ. One of my favorite easy breakfasts is peanut butter toast, which I always have on whole grain bread! 

Frozen Fruit

Similar to frozen veggies, frozen fruits are also nutritionally equivalent to fresh fruit. In comparison to fresh fruit, it costs less and doesn’t spoil within five seconds of leaving the grocery store.