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I’m a Dietitian and a Busy Mom of 3—Here’s How I Get Healthy Dinners on the Table

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Published on February 20, 2026
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Trying to cook more healthy meals at home? It's a great goal. Cooking at home can save money, and it's much healthier than relying on fast food, takeout, or frozen meals. Research even shows that people who cook at home more often eat fewer highly processed foods and, overall, have better diet quality than those who don’t cook at home.

 

Still, it can be hard to strike a balance between healthy and tasty, especially if you're new to cooking. Fortunately, cooking healthy meals at home doesn't have to be complicated. It doesn't require any special tools, expensive ingredients, or time-consuming recipes. "Some of my most nourishing meals come from simplicity," said Sharniquia White, a chef and registered dietitian. She adds that healthy eating needs to fit into real life to be sustainable.

I'm also a registered dietitian, and I consider myself an avid home cook. I've assembled this guide to healthy cooking to help you get started, no matter how much you already know about cooking, meal planning, or healthy eating. It includes tips for creating balanced meals, meal planning, and how to approach meal prep. I've also included several product recommendations, all of which I've personally tried and use regularly in my kitchen, or that another writer or editor has tested. Here's our beginner's guide to healthy cooking.

Tools for a Well-Equipped Kitchen

Here are some of the tools that I, and the experts I spoke with, consider essential for healthy cooking. A couple of these are personal favorites of mine that I've used in my kitchen for years.
frying pan

For the Brand New Cook

Caraway Non-Stick Ceramic Fry Pan

Caraway $125
If you're new to cooking, a nonstick pan can help you learn the ropes without worrying about stuck-on food or difficult clean-up. I've had this pan from Caraway for about a year now, and it is truly nonstick — I make eggs in it almost every morning, and they slide right out. It's also large enough that you can use it for things like stir-frys and pasta dishes, too.

For Busy Families on a Budget

Wildone Stainless Steel Baking Sheet with Non-Stick Silicone Mat Set

$23.74 at Amazon
$24.99Now 5% Off
Buy on Amazon $23.74

Sheet pan meals are such a great option for busy weeknights — one of our family favorites is made with bratwursts, peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes. "Sheet pans are a must-have for healthy cooking," said Shaira Daya, MPH, RDN, a preventative health dietitian and nutrition consultant, who also uses them for sheet pan meals.

I have owned this exact set of sheet pans for six years, and they're still going strong after very heavy use. They haven't warped at all, and rimmed sheet pans are a godsend in the kitchen for baking or roasting nearly anything.

This set contains three stainless steel pans, along with reusable silicone baking mats for each. Considering I've had these for 6 years already and anticipate they'll last several more, I am incredibly impressed with their value.

food storage

For More Organized Meal Prep

Bentgo Signature Glass Food Storage Set (12-Piece)

Buy at Bentgo $59.99

These food storage containers aren't just for leftovers — they're a great tool for healthy meal prep, too. I often try to do time-consuming vegetable prep — chopping, dicing, slicing — well in advance and store them in containers like these to make dinner time go a little smoother. Editor Ashley Zeigler tested these containers, and she appreciates that they're made of glass and that each lid has a tab to release air and create an airtight seal.

This 12-piece set comes with six glass containers in assorted sizes and six leakproof silicone lids.

For Cooks Who Are Counting Calories

Kitchen Aid 11lb Digital Glass Surface Kitchen Food Scale

$15.99 at Amazon
$19.48Now 18% Off
Check stock at Amazon

If you're trying to lose weight or manage your portion sizes, a food scale like this one from KitchenAid is nice to have on hand. I use my food scale daily when I'm adding half-and-half to my coffee, because I tend to be overly generous with it. Bonus: weighing ingredients for baking is much more precise than using measuring cups.

Fellow writer and dietitian Caitlin Beale says that this scale is surprisingly sturdy and high quality, considering the price point. It's slim and easy to store, and it has an 11-pound weight capacity, which is plenty for most home kitchens.

chef knife

For Budding Home Chefs

Opinel Intempora 6” Chef Knife

Buy at Opinel $90

One high-quality, sharpened chef's knife is the only knife you really need in a healthy kitchen, according to Daya. "You don't need a knife set to get a healthy meal on the table," she says. I have had this one from Opinel for several years, and it's still going strong. I have quite a few chef's knives, but this is always the first one I reach for. The handle is well-made, it's heavy but not too heavy, and the 6-inch blade is ideal for most things I need to chop, dice, or slice in the kitchen.

I honestly did not realize how much time, energy, and frustration a good chef's knife would save in the kitchen until I finally owned one. I highly recommend investing in the nicest chef's knife you can afford.

Appliances for Streamlined Meal Prep

Depending on your household and kitchen size, some of these appliances may be worth considering. One or two countertop appliances can make it much easier to prep or cook healthy meals.

For Time-Saving Ingredient Prep

Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Stack and Snap Food Processor With Bowl Scraper

$69.95 at Amazon
Buy on Amazon $69.95

This food processor is a workhorse, taking the place of several different kitchen tools and appliances. I use it to shred cheese, chop or slice vegetables, and purée fruit or soups. All of the pieces fit and snap together, too, so it's easy to keep up with everything. This food processor is truly worth the space it takes up and is priced well under $100.

It comes with a two-sided blade for shredding and slicing, as well as a pureeing and chopping blade. The first time I used it to finely dice a huge quantity of onions, carrots, and celery in seconds — which would have taken me several minutes by hand — I knew that this was a great buy.

blender

For People Who Love Smoothies and Shakes

Thyme & Table Countertop Blender Duo

Buy at Walmart $86.97

For the best smoothies, a high-powered blender that can crush ice or frozen fruits is a must-have. But blenders aren't just for smoothies — they can also be really helpful for making smooth soups or flavorful sauces for your dishes. My colleague Riley Blanton likes that this one is more affordable than comparable blenders and that it comes with a travel cup for blending smoothies or shakes.

This blender is also really sleek-looking and available in several colors. It comes with a 57-ounce pitcher and a 25-ounce blending cup.

air fryer

For Small Families

Frigidaire 5-in-1 Air Fryer Combo Oven

Buy at Frigidaire $105

For small families or people who live alone, a good air fryer can't be beat for its versatility. Air fryers aren't just for cooking premade frozen foods like chicken nuggets or tater tots; they're great for healthy meals too. I use ours regularly to quickly roast vegetables or to cook thinly-sliced chicken breasts or pork chops with very little mess.

This one from Frigidaire comes with a basket, a roasting rack, and a rotisserie kit, and has five different cooking modes: air fry, bake, reheat, dehydrate, and rotisserie. "I've tried several air fryers for Everyday Health," noted writer Ysolt Usigan. "This was my favorite one from my tests so far!"

slow cooker

For Households That Are Too Busy to Cook

Magnifique's The Claypot Multicooker

Buy at Magnifique $162

Slowcookers are perfect for busy families or long days. You can start a meal in the morning, and once you get home in the evening, it's warm and ready to eat. This nontoxic multicooker also has settings for braising, sauteing, and cooking rice, oats, and pasta. Health writer Raki Swanson tried the cooker, and she says it's worth the price because it's a slow cooker with so many other functions. The insert is also oven safe and can be used independent from the cooker as a Dutch oven.

It's available in three colors and has a four-quart capacity. It's also dishwasher- and oven-safe.

For More Convenience on a Limited Budget

Aroma 6-Cup (Cooked) Pot-Style Rice Cooker

$21.99 at Amazon
Buy on Amazon $21.99

This inexpensive little rice cooker is one of my favorite small kitchen appliances. I use it constantly for so much more than just rice! (Granted, it is excellent for making rice, too — which is something I make plenty of every week.) A rice cooker can also cook other grains, and you can even make entire meals in a rice cooker. I've made a delicious chicken, mushroom, and rice dish completely inside the rice cooker before.

This one from Aroma is affordable for nearly any budget and can make up to 6 cups of cooked rice at a time.

Help for Beginner Cooks

If you're new to cooking, here are a few things that can help you get started. I also highly recommend looking up tutorials on YouTube to learn more about proper knife skills, how to set up your kitchen, how to organize your pantry, etc. Some of my favorite channels for this and lots of simple meal inspiration are LifebyMikeG, Ethan Chlebowski, and Brian Lagerstrom.

Prepared corn and bean stuffed peppers

Practical Cooking Experience for Brand New Chefs

Green Chef

Buy at Green Chef

Green Chef is a healthy meal kit delivery service. They send you recipes each week, along with all the groceries you need to cook them and detailed instructions. If you're new to cooking, using a service like this is a great way to learn some basics. I've tested Green Chef on several different occasions, and I've always been happy with the selection, the flavors, and the clear instructions. Here's dietitian Tori Martinet's Green Chef review.

Green Chef boxes include two to four meals per week for two, four, or six people. Their menu features options for several different healthy eating patterns, including Mediterranean, plant-based, high-protein, and low-calorie meals. Using a meal kit is a low-pressure way to get hands-on cooking experience. We all have to start somewhere!

An Approachable Cookbook for Busy Plant-Based Families

Love and Lemons Simple Feel Good Food

$18.99 at Amazon
$36Now 47% Off
Buy on Amazon $18.99

Love and Lemons Simple Feel Good Food: 125 Plant-Focused Meals to Enjoy Now or Make Ahead is a great tool for meal inspiration. It contains 125 plant-based recipes. Half of the recipes are for quick and simple meals, and the rest of them are for meals that you can prep ahead of time to eat later. Having one meal-prep day where you make some meals ahead is a great way to ensure your family is eating healthy, even when you're busy during the week.

"This cookbook helped inspire me to cook more," said our editorial director, Simone Scully. She likes the veggie-first approach and that the cookbook includes several options for customizing your meals.

A Simple Cookbook with Unique Flavors

Well Plated Every Day

$19.25 at Amazon
$35Now 45% Off
Buy on Amazon $19.25

Well Plated Every Day: Recipes for Easier, Healthier, More Exciting Daily Meals is full of healthy meals that take one hour or less. All of the recipes are based on simple, whole food ingredients that are easy to find in most grocery stores. However, the cookbook still offers creative takes, like Sheet Pan Honey Orange Pistachio Salmon and Pumpkin Gingerbread Squares.

Scully said, "I like cookbooks that feel inspirational without being intimidating, and that's exactly what this book is." She said the photography is excellent, and the recipes are easy to follow and made with familiar, everyday ingredients.

Grab-and-Go Options

Having a few easy, grab-and-go snacks can also make it much easier to stick to healthy choices when you're having a busy morning or when you'll be out of the house all day.
protein powder

For a Filling Breakfast On the Go

Momentous Whey Protein Isolate

Buy at Momentous $59.95
Protein powder is nice to have on hand for smoothies and shakes, or simply for when you need something to sustain you, but you don't have time to cook. On busy mornings, my go-to breakfast is a protein shake. This protein powder is my personal favorite — and I've tested dozens of them. It's made with simple ingredients, contains really high-quality grass-fed protein, and it's third-party tested for quality. I personally prefer the chocolate flavor. Mixed with milk, it almost tastes like dessert. However, Momentous offers several other flavors, too.

For Easy No-Cook Weeknight Meals

Mary's Gone Crackers Super Seed Organic Crackers

$9.99 at Amazon
Check stock at Amazon

Crackers may not be the first thing you think of when you think of healthy eating, but I love using them as part of healthy snacks or meals. Sometimes we will have a charcuterie board for dinner on lazy nights, with crackers, cheese, and whatever meats, fruits, vegetables, and dips we have on hand. It's always delicious. 

These are organic, gluten-free, and made with simple, whole-food ingredients. I love the Super Seed varieties, which are made with a blend of seeds. They're nice and crunchy but sturdy enough for dipping too. Super Seed crackers are available in Everything, Seaweed & Black Sesame, Jalapeño, Basil &Garlic, Rosemary, and Classic.

What Are the Components of a Healthy Meal?

What exactly should a healthy, home-cooked meal include? It's surprisingly simple. "Just a protein, a vegetable, and a carbohydrate, seasoned well," says White. Your meal will also include some fat, which is naturally present in some foods or added during cooking for flavor and to prevent sticking in the pan.

None of these meal components is more or less important than the others. The balance ensures that you're getting the nutrients and energy you need from each meal, that the meal will sustain you for a while, and that your body can break down and absorb all of the nutrients in the food.

Here's a little more about each of these components.

Protein

The protein on your plate is what the whole meal is typically built around. Proteins are foods like meat, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, and some plant-based meat alternatives. Many other foods contain protein, but when we discuss "putting a protein on your plate," these are typically what we're referring to.

Any of these whole food proteins is a great choice, and you may have certain ones you gravitate towards based on your budget, diet, and personal tastes. The important thing is to make sure you have a good source of protein with each meal.

Protein helps you stay full, and it's extremely important for maintaining muscle mass and for helping your body create new tissues. Protein contains several unique amino acids, and some of the amino acids that the body needs can only come from food. In addition to building or maintaining muscle, protein is crucial for joint, cartilage, and skin health, too.

 

Most adults need at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, if you're highly active, trying to build muscle, or trying to lose weight, you may benefit from eating more protein.

 Some of the protein sources that I reach for time and time again for quick, easy, and healthy meals are lean ground beef, boneless skinless chicken thighs, salmon, shrimp, and eggs.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are foods that your body can easily break down into glucose, or sugar, to use for energy.

 In the context of planning meals, this category typically includes foods like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, grits, and quinoa. Beans are also rich in carbs, even though they're typically considered a source of protein when meal planning. Fruits, sugary drinks, chips, and sweets are carbs as well.
Carbs are often unnecessarily villainized. While you may choose to limit your carb intake if you're on a low-carb diet like keto, most people benefit from having a source of carbohydrates with each meal. Carbs are an important energy source and can also provide dietary fiber to support digestive health.

Your best bet for healthy carbs is to stick to whole grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes and sweet potatoes), and fruits. However, there are several high-protein or high-fiber pastas — usually made with beans — available that can be a great alternative to regular pasta.

Some of my favorite better-for-you carbs are hand-cut potato wedges, sourdough bread, and rice.

Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables, or vegetables that are low in carbs, add color and volume to your plate. They are a rich source of fiber, which can help with digestive health. Fiber also binds with cholesterol in food and can help with your cholesterol levels.

Another plus for vegetables is that they're full of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. This is why you've probably heard the advice to "eat the rainbow," because different colored fruits and vegetables contain different antioxidants with a wide array of potential health benefits.

Vegetables are also ideal for people who are trying to lose weight. You can eat a large quantity of most vegetables for very few calories, which can help you feel full while still keeping your calories within a weight-loss range.

These vegetables include lettuces, greens, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, zucchini, cucumber, yellow squash, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and more. My family loves roasted broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, salads, sauteed mushrooms, and tomatoes in all forms.

Fat

Like carbs, fat has been unfairly villainized in the past as a primary contributor to heart disease. However, we've learned that the health effects of fat are a bit more nuanced than that.

 Dietary fat plays several important roles in both health and cooking.
Eating foods with fat helps boost the absorption of essential vitamins and good-for-you antioxidants. Fat also adds lots of flavor to dishes and helps prevent sticking during cooking.

 Fat is found naturally in many foods, including meats, nuts, fish, eggs, beans, avocados, and coconut.

There's no need to avoid fat completely, but there's also no need to go overboard with it. The staple fats at my house are avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil, butter, and coconut oil. I especially love avocado oil for sauteing or roasting vegetables, and olive oil is great for making homemade salad dressings.

How Do You Plan Healthy Meals?

Meal planning can be as simple or as complex as you'd like it to be.

It's always good to have at least a rough idea of what you're planning to eat in a given week, though. "Most of us get derailed from healthy home cooking when we don't have a meal plan in place," said Daya. "A meal plan helps you avoid the 5:00 p.m. panic of what to cook for dinner."

Personally, I'm not a strict meal planner. I keep a running list of all of my family's favorite meals, and when we find something new we really like, I add it to the list.

Every week, I jot down a few ideas for meals we'd like to have. I don't schedule the meals for a specific day, so we can choose what sounds best each night. I also keep my kitchen stocked with plenty of staples, meats, and frozen vegetables to make some of our favorite meals or throw together a quick, simple pasta or stir-fry in a pinch.

When I'm absolutely stumped, I simply follow White's advice: a protein, a vegetable, and a carbohydrate, seasoned well.

Some of my favorite meal combinations were born from this approach. Here are a few real examples straight from my kitchen:

  • Sausage with sautéed okra and roasted potato wedges
  • Salmon with asparagus and seasoned rice
  • Grilled chicken breast (or thigh) with roasted Brussels sprouts and macaroni and cheese
  • Lemon butter shrimp with Parmesan pasta and roasted broccoli

Expert Tips for Cooking Healthier Meals at Home

Meal Prep

Interested in meal prep? It can be a game-changer for work lunches or busy weeknights. However, White notes that many people get burnt out eating the same thing every day for several days in a row.

"Instead of prepping full meals," she said, "I encourage people to prepare flexible components like roasted vegetables, cooked grains, or a protein they enjoy that can be mixed and matched throughout the week."

Cook Once, Eat Twice

It can be really helpful to make double on days that you're cooking already. Since you're already in the kitchen, it doesn't take a ton of extra effort, and you can keep those extras in the fridge for later that week or in the freezer for later. "On busy evenings or when cooking plans get derailed," said Daya, "I lean heavily on leftovers that I've labeled and stored in the freezer."

Need some more ideas? "A roasted chicken can become grain bowls, wraps, or soup later in the week," said White. I often make double batches of meatballs, taco meat, or shredded chicken when I'm going to be preparing these foods anyway. That way, I've got the protein sorted for a future meal. I've found that most soups freeze well, too.

Don't Fear Convenience

Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to cook everything completely from scratch or only use fresh ingredients.

Processed foods aren't automatically unhealthy simply because they're processed. Most foods in the grocery store are processed to some degree. While it's important to limit highly processed foods, like chips or snack cakes, there are some processed convenience foods that can absolutely be part of a healthy cooking routine — especially for people who are busy or on a budget.

"Frozen vegetables, canned beans, rotisserie chicken, and pre-washed greens are all nutritious options that make home cooking more realistic," said White.

I keep frozen and canned veggies on hand so we can always have a vegetable side with our meals, even if we don't have any fresh produce on hand. I also love canned tuna and salmon — both are inexpensive and loaded with protein and nutrients.

"Frozen spinach and kale can be folded into most meals, adding fiber and essential vitamins without really affecting the flavor or texture of what you're cooking," said Daya.

Make It Tasty

It's also extremely important to enjoy what you eat. "Flavor is not optional when it comes to healthy eating," said White. "Food should taste good." Here are some ways that you can make healthy eating tastier and more enjoyable for everyone in your household:

  • Add, don't take away: A piece of broccoli dipped in ranch dressing is healthier than a plain piece of broccoli that goes uneaten. I try to take this approach to many "healthy" foods, especially for my kids. It works in reverse, too! For instance, if we're about to eat something sugary, I try to balance it out with a little protein and fat, even if it's just a glass of milk.
  • Make room for "unhealthy" foods: A big part of a healthy lifestyle is also managing stress, so try not to stress out about having a 100 percent healthy kitchen. You can fit any food into your meal plan on occasion, no matter its ingredients or macros. Our family has pizza Fridays and "special breakfast" Saturdays, and I don't worry too much about these because we strike a balance with our other meals throughout the week.

Season, season, season: "Herbs, spices, sauces, citrus, and healthy fats add enjoyment and satisfaction," said White, "which makes it easier to maintain nourishing habits long-term." Utilizing salt-free seasonings can be especially helpful if you're on a low-sodium diet for heart health.

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SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Author

SaVanna Shoemaker is a registered dietitian and health writer. As a registered dietitian, SaVanna has worked with pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children, people with chronic kidney disease, and people who are critically ill. She is particularly interested in culinary and functional nutrition for weight loss and female hormone health.

She's currently a contributor for Everyday Health and Yahoo Life, and her work has also appeared in Forbes Vetted, Healthline, Greatist, mindbodygreen, and Bicycling magazine, among other outlets.

SaVanna lives with her husband and three kids in Little Rock, Arkansas. She enjoys cooking, reading, writing fiction, and weightlifting.

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Julie Cunningham, MPH, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Julie Cunningham is a registered dietitian-nutritionist and a certified diabetes care and education specialist.

Cunningham received a bachelor's degree from Appalachian State University in North Carolina. She subsequently completed a master's degree in public health nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Cunningham has worked in women's and children's health, cardiology, and diabetes. She has written for Abbott Nutrition News, Edgepark Medical HealthInsights, diaTribe, Babylist, and others. She is also the author of 30 Days to Tame Type 2 Diabetes.

A resident of beautiful western North Carolina, Cunningham is an avid reader who enjoys yoga, travel, and all things chocolate.

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Ray Finch is a content specialist with expertise in fact-checking, copy-editing, sensitivity reading, and content management, and has worked with publishers including Health.com, Parents, VeryWell Mind, Medium, Everyday Health, and VeryWell Health.

Their longtime interest in mental health, chronic illness, disability, neurodivergence, and LGBTQIA+ issues was sparked first by their own firsthand experiences, and was further refined during their academic career, having earned dual bachelor's degrees in Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies.

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Katie Tuttle is an editor and writer specializing in food, nutrition, and product testing. Her work has appeared in EatingWell, Food & Wine, The Spruce Eats, and Real Simple. She has written about meal kits, kitchen tools, fitness, and wellness, and has tested and reviewed a wide range of products, with a particular focus on meal delivery services and their impact on nutrition and convenience.

Beyond food, Katie has covered fitness and wellness topics, drawing from her own experience as a powerlifter and an occasional runner. She’s always interested in how products and services can make healthy living more accessible and practical.

When she’s not researching or writing, Katie is usually surrounded by houseplants or spending time with a foster dog. She firmly believes there’s no such thing as too many books or too much coffee.

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Ashley Ziegler

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Ashley Ziegler is a full-time writer with extensive experience covering women’s health, babies' and kids' health, mental health, and wellness. Her work has appeared on websites including The Bump, Health, Pregnancy & Newborn, People, Parents, Romper, Scary Mommy, and more.

Before transitioning into her full-time writing career, Ashley worked in the departments of pediatric cardiology and general medicine at Duke University Medical Center, and later at the North Carolina Medical Board. During undergrad, she majored in communications at Purdue University and then earned her master’s degree with a concentration in healthcare management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Ashley lives with her husband and two young daughters in North Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking, taking barre classes, and catching up on her favorite podcasts.

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Caitlin Beale, MS, RDN

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Caitlin Beale, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian and freelance health writer with experience in clinical nutrition, education, research, and private practice. Caitlin’s special interests include women's health, gut health, autoimmunity, and reproductive health. Committed to the belief that health information should be accessible to all, she is passionate about empowering individuals to make positive changes for their well-being. Caitlin holds advanced training certificates in women's health and integrative and functional nutrition.

Caitlin was born and raised in northern California, where she resides with her family. An avid lover of sunshine and the outdoors, she finds joy in activities such as visiting the beach, exercising, cooking, and indulging in a good read. You can find Caitlin’s writing in a variety of outlets and brands, including Motherly, Nourish, Signos, Greatest, Pure Encapsulations, Abbott, and Clue, among others.

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Riley Blanton, MS, LMFT, PMH-C

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Riley Blanton, MS, LMFT, PMH-C, is a clinician specializing in reproductive mental health care in Wichita, Kansas, and an experienced freelance health writer. Her articles have covered topics such as mental health, pregnancy, perinatal and postpartum health, abortion care, the foster care system and adoption, women's health, and the care of children with disabilities. Her work has been published in Health, Parents, Verywell Mind, and Verywell Health.

Riley served as the communications director for the Kansas State Chapter of Postpartum Support International, an organization that aims to promote the awareness, education, prevention, and treatment of perinatal mental health issues affecting parents, families, and caregivers and she remains a member of this organization. She is also the founder of the research-based website Postpartum Brain and a private practice, Holding New Therapy, that specializes in perinatal mental health.

She received a master's degree in marriage and family therapy from Friends University, where her thesis focused on the relationship stressors that can arise with child-bearing couples. She also received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Old Dominion University.

In her free time, Riley enjoys reading voraciously, baking with rambunctious toddlers, and writing poetry.

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Ysolt Usigan

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Ysolt Usigan is a veteran writer, editor, and commerce journalist with more than a decade of experience creating lifestyle, health, wellness, and shopping content for brands including BestProducts.com, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, WhatToExpect, SheKnows, and RetailMeNot.

Ysolt specializes in product testing and reviews, shopping guides, and service journalism that help readers make smart, confident choices.

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Raki Swanson

Tester

Raki Swanson is a Minnesota-based freelance health writer and married mother to two adult children. She has experience covering mental health, fitness, food, and lifestyle topics, as well as significant experience reviewing and testing products for the Marketplace team, including online therapy, fitness gear, and food.

She received a bachelor's degree in applied psychology from St. Cloud University in Minnesota. She has also worked as a business development manager at a Fortune 500 company in Minnesota, and spent several years living in the south of France while growing up, which inspired her love of travel and food.

When she's not writing, you can find her reading, blogging, and enjoying being an empty nester with her husband, two dogs, and tabby cat named Kevin.

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Simone Scully is the editorial director for service commerce and marketplace content at Everyday Health. She has nearly 15 years of experience as a professional health and science journalist, covering topics such as the psychological impacts of living with chronic conditions, nationwide gaps in menopause healthcare, grief, neonatal loss, and the latest wellness trends over her career. Her byline has been published by over 35 publications, including Healthline, Well+Good, InStyle, Psych Central, Romper, Narratively, Nautilus magazine, and more.

Before joining Everyday Health, Simone was an editorial director of health and parenting commerce and service content at Dotdash Meredith. She oversaw a team of editors and writers that published content across nine different sites, including the Verywells, Parents, Health, and Shape. Prior to this, she also worked as an editor at The Weather Channel's Weather.com, Upworthy, theSkimm, and Business Insider. A project Simone oversaw at Weather.com on the health and environmental impacts of global water shortages won several awards in 2020, including the CMA award for Best Series of Articles, an IAC award, and an Eppy award, among others.

Simone received a master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where she focused on science and health long-form reporting and photojournalism. Her master's thesis explored the treatment of prolonged grief disorder following a miscarriage or the loss of a child. She was also awarded the John Horgan Award for Critical Science and Health Journalism at graduation.

Born in Minnesota, Simone lived 14 years in France until she graduated high school, then three years in London to get her bachelor's degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She currently lives in the Hudson Valley of New York with her husband, son, dog, and cats. When she's not working, you can find her writing fiction or plays, hiking in national parks, or tending to her garden and indoor plants.

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Resources
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