Category Archives: How-To

Easy Potato Hack To Lower Glycemic Index (Cook, Chill, Reheat Method for Guilt-Free Carbs)

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russet potatoes aka idaho potatos

Potatoes sometimes get unfairly dragged into the “bad carb” conversation, but for active people, athletes, and anyone who trains regularly, they can actually be one of the best whole-food fuel sources around. They’re affordable, versatile, naturally gluten-free, and packed with nutrients that support performance and recovery. Even better, there’s a simple kitchen trick that can make potatoes more blood-sugar friendly and more filling without sacrificing flavor.

The Simple Potato Trick

To lower the glycemic impact of potatoes and increase satiety, try this easy three-step process:

  1. Cook the potatoes (boil, bake, roast, steam — any method works)
  2. Chill them in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours
  3. Reheat and enjoy

When cooked potatoes cool, some of their starch changes into something called resistant starch. Resistant starch behaves more like dietary fiber in the body. It isn’t digested as quickly in the small intestine, which means:

  • Slower glucose release
  • Less dramatic blood sugar spikes
  • Longer-lasting fullness

Research suggests that this cooling process can reduce the glycemic impact of potatoes by roughly 25–40%. Translation: better sustained energy and fewer spikes and crashes.

Even better — reheating the potatoes doesn’t destroy the resistant starch, so you can still enjoy them warm in many of your favorite dishes.

Why Potatoes Are Great Fuel for an Active Lifestyle

Potatoes are a healthy source of energy-providing carbs for the athlete.

For athletes, runners, and anyone who trains regularly, potatoes check a lot of nutritional boxes.

1. High-quality carbohydrates for energy
Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred fuel for exercise, especially endurance training and high-intensity workouts. Potatoes provide easily accessible carbs that help replenish glycogen stores after training.

2. Potassium powerhouse
One potato contains more potassium than a banana, ounce for ounce. Potassium plays a key role in muscle contraction, hydration, and nerve function, all essential for active people.

3. Naturally fat-free and whole-food based
Potatoes are a simple, minimally processed carbohydrate source that pairs well with protein and healthy fats to create balanced meals.

4. Surprisingly filling
Potatoes rank very high on the satiety index, meaning they help keep you satisfied longer compared to many other carb sources. The resistant starch trick can boost that effect even more.

This Potato Hack Works with Variety

The cooling method works with all varieties of potatoes. So whether you’re meal prepping roasted potatoes, boiling them for potato salad, or baking a batch for the week, the cook → chill → reheat method still works.

  • Russet
  • Yukon Gold
  • Red potatoes
  • Baby potatoes
  • Purple potatoes
  • Sweet potatoes (which also contain resistant starch when cooled)

How to Use Chilled Potatoes in Everyday Cooking

Once your potatoes have been chilled for 12–24 hours, you can use them in almost any recipe that calls for a softer cooked potato. Here are a few easy ideas:

Mashed potatoes
Bake or boil potatoes, chill overnight, then reheat and mash with your favorite add-ins.

Baked potatoes
Bake ahead, refrigerate, then reheat the next day for a quick meal prep side.

Roasted potatoes
Cook and chill whole potatoes, then cube and roast the next day for crispy edges.

Soups and stews
This is one of my favorite tricks. I often make my entire pot of soup with the potatoes boiled in, then chill overnight before eating. It still delivers the resistant starch benefits even though cooked alongside the other ingredients.

Notes About Raw Potato Storage

One important tip: don’t refrigerate raw potatoes before cooking them. The FDA and potato industry guidelines recommend storing raw potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place rather than the refrigerator.

The reasoning for not chilling raw potatoes is that when they are stored in cold temperatures, some of their starch converts to sugar. When those potatoes are later cooked at high temperatures, the extra sugar can contribute to the formation of acrylamide, a compound that researchers monito because it may pose carcinogenic health risks in very high amounts.

But, refrigerating potatoes after they’ve been cooked, however, is perfectly safe and is exactly what creates the resistant starch benefit. 

Here are a few recipe ideas that start with chilled potatoes:

Leftover Mashed Potato Waffles + Topping Ideas
Twice Baked Creamy Ranch Broccoli Potato Bites
Mashed Rosemary Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Freezing and Toasting Bread to Lower the Glycemic Impact (and Keep It Fresher Longer)

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What Is the Glycemic Index and Why Should You Care?

Practical kitchen hacks that make healthy eating easier—and smarter. If you love bread but worry about how the carbs (source of glucose) affects your blood sugar, here’s a surprising and simple tip: freeze it—and then toast it. Not only does this extend your bread’s shelf life, but it may also reduce its glycemic index (GI), offering benefits for energy, appetite, and long-term health. (first study)

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates based on how quickly they raise blood sugar after eating. Foods with a high GI (like white bread) cause a quick spike, followed by a crash—leaving you hungry and low on energy. Foods with a lower GI cause a slower, steadier release of glucose, which supports stable energy, better focus, and fewer cravings.

Freezing Bread Lowers the Glycemic Index

Yes, really! Studies have shown that freezing bread, then toasting or reheating it, changes the structure of the starches. Here’s how it works:

  • Freezing transforms some of the digestible starches into “resistant starch*,” which resists digestion in the small intestine.
  • This slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, reducing the glycemic impact.
  • Toasting after freezing enhances this effect even more.

For example, white bread that’s been frozen and toasted may have a GI that’s 30–40% lower than its fresh counterpart! The research I’ve read says about 30% reductions in glycemic load after freezing and then an ADDITIONAL 10-15% if toasted.

*Resistant starches not only lessen glycemic load, they promote good gut bacteria and also help you feel full longer.

How to Do Freeze Bread for the Best Result

  1. Slice first: If you bought fresh bakery bread, slice it before freezing so you can pull out one piece at a time.
  2. Store it airtight: Use a freezer-safe bag and remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
  3. Toast from frozen: No need to thaw—just pop it straight into the toaster or toaster oven.

Other Benefits of Freezing Bread

  • Reduces food waste: Bread stays fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer.
  • Saves time: Batch prep sandwiches or breakfast toast ahead of time.
  • Prevents overeating: It’s easier to practice portion control when you defrost just what you need.
  • Keeps variety on hand: Stock different types (whole grain, sourdough, sprouted, etc.) without worrying about spoilage.

Pro Tip: Choose the Right Bread

While freezing and toasting helps with any type of bread, start with the best foundation. Look for breads that are whole grain or sprouted grain, high in fiber lower in added sugars, free from artificial preservatives or fillers. Bonus points for breads made with seeds, nuts, or legumes—they offer additional nutrients and even more fiber. This is my personal favorite bread HERE — but you do you!

Artisan bread from the Wildgrain subscription box, save $30 with code THEFITFORK at http://bit.ly/Wildgrain

Favorite Ways to Eat Frozen-Then-Toasted Bread

  • Smashed avocado with a poached egg
  • Nut butter and banana slices
  • Cottage cheese, berries, and a sprinkle of cinnamon
  • Turkey and spinach for a protein-packed snack

How To Hull Strawberries with a Straw: Healthy Snack Hack

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Hulling a strawberry with a straw is a simple and effective method to remove the stem and the flavorless core. It’s quick, easy and efficient — especially if you are preparing a bunch of strawberries at once for a fruit tray, summer snack, or as an ingredient for recipes. Also, this strawberry hack is safe for kids — no knife needed and they will have lots of fun with the ‘chore’.

Lean how to hull a strawberry quickly and efficiently with this food prep hack that just uses a drinking straw! No knife, so safe for kids to help out making recipes and snacks.

What you need: Fresh strawberries and a straw. A sturdy straw works best, such as a metal straw or a reusable plastic straw). Even a higher-quality disposable straw (like from fast food) will work — but a paper straw will definitely NOT hold up.

HOW TO HULL STRAWBERRIES WITH A STRAW

  • Wash berries under cool water to remove dirt and pesticides.
  • Hold strawberry with one hand, straw with the other.
  • Insert straw into bottom of berry, directly opposite of the stem.
  • Push and/or gently wiggle straw upwards to effectively remove core and stem in one motion.
  • Pull out straw, which also removes core/stem.
  • Pull stem out of straw and repeat with remaining strawberries. Compost or toss away this part.
  • Sometimes on bigger berries, a bit of leafy section will remain. Just nip that off with a paring knife.

By following these strawberry prep steps, you’ll have perfectly hulled strawberries ready for your recipes or as a healthy snack! Washed, dried, and hulled strawberries should remain fresh for about a week if stored in an air-tight container lined with paper towels. I find the paper towels help help soak up any additional moisture and lengthen the storage time.

SIX STRAWBERRY RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

Six healthy strawberry recipes you'll love all summer and beyond

Strawberry Cottage Cheese Protein Waffles

No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bomb for One

Spicy-Sweet Strawberry Radish Salsa on Wedge Salad

Strawberry, Cucumber & Sugar Snap Salad with Blue Cheese

Strawberry Seed Pizza

Strawberry Tart with Paleo Crust

How to Make the Best Popped Quinoa

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Toasting quinoa gives it a great texture, fabulous aroma, and magnifies the nutty flavor. Plus, it’s a great way to add more of this ancient grain (which is actually a seed), into your diet – the health benefits of quinoa are plentiful. It’s a good source of plant protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats, just to name a few.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.
Whether you call it Toasted, Puffed or Popped, prepping quinoa this way will make you smile.

 The process of toasting quinoa is also referred to as “popping” or “puffing.” Store-bought puffed quinoa (like quinoa cereal) is very light and crispy. This is achieved through commercial-grade equipment and not 100-percent replicable at home. But just throwing quinoa kernels into a skillet (as is the usual method mentioned on internet sources), yields a very dry, hard result – almost like chewing on sand.

The best method for popping quinoa at home, in my opinion, is to cook it first, dry it out in the oven, and then pop on the skillet for a few minutes. I think you get a bigger “finished” kernel with better textures – it’s crunchy-chewy, but doesn’t feel like a mouthful of pea gravel.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars. For more meal prep tips and quinoa recipes visit thefitfork.com

Here is the step-by-step on how to pop quinoa (you can also check out my PIN TUTORIAL).

Rinse quinoa in bowl of water and drain off in an extra fine-mesh strainer to remove the natural coating which can have a soapy, bitter taste. However, some people don’t notice an unpleasant taste, then lucky you – skip this somewhat tedious step!

Simmer 1 cup of rinsed quinoa with 1 ¼ cups of water for 15 minutes, with lid on – or until water is absorbed.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

Dry out quinoa (which will have expanded to 3 cups) by spreading out on a rimmed, standard-sized sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes 175F degrees to further dry out excess moisture. Every 10 minutes, use spatula to stir up quinoa, break apart any clumps, and keep from sticking on the pan.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

Skillet pop quinoa after you remove it from oven. Work in 1-cup batches, toast in large non-stick skillet, stirring constantly (no oil needed). Quinoa will be toasted properly when you hear the tiny popping sounds and it is turning golden brown and developing a crunchy texture.

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor -- eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

You can use popped quinoa or toasted quinoa in a variety of ways. For example, add salt and eat like popcorn, sprinkle on salads or on yogurt, use in granola-bar type recipes. It’s one of my favorite ways to meal prep quinoa.  What you don’t use can be kept in the fridge in a zip top bag for a week.

Pumpkin Seed Popped Quinoa Balls
How to make toasted, puffed, popped quinoa
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Popped Quinoa (also called Puffed Quinoa or Toasted Quinoa)

Popping quinoa gives it a wonderful aroma, crunchy yet chewy texture, and nutty flavor — eat like popcorn, toss on everything from yogurt to salads, or use as an ingredient in recipes like energy balls or granola bars.

Course: meal prep, side, Snack
Keyword: meal prep, quinoa, whole grains
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dry uncooked quinoa, any color
  • 1 1/4 cup water
Instructions
  1. Rise quinoa in bowl of water and drain off in a fine-mesh strainer to remove the natural coating which can have a soapy, bitter taste. However, some people don’t notice an unpleasant taste, then lucky you – skip this somewhat tedious step!
  2. Simmer 1 cup of rinsed quinoa with 1 ¼ cups of water for 15 minutes, with lid on – or until water is absorbed.
  3. Spread out quinoa (which will have expanded to 3 cups) out on a rimmed, standard-sized sheet pan.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes 175F degrees to further dry out excess moisture. Every 10 minutes, use spatula to stir up quinoa, break apart any clumps, and keep from sticking on the pan.
  5. Remove quinoa from oven and, working in 1-cup batches, toast in large non-stick skillet, stirring constantly (no oil needed).
  6. Quinoa will be toasted properly when you hear the tiny popping sounds and it is turning golden brown and developing a crunchy texture.
  7. You can use popped quinoa or toasted quinoa in a variety of ways. For example, add salt and eat like popcorn, sprinkle on salads or on yogurt, use in granola-bar type recipes. What you don’t use can be kept in the fridge in a zip top bag for a week.

Procrastinator’s Guide to an A+ Graduation Party — Fast & Cheap

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What a school year it has been! Whether college, high school or even just kindergarten, celebrate your special 2021 graduate with a hearty congratulations, keepsake mementoes and a really fun graduation party – whether virtual or in-person!  

Don’t let the fact that graduation 2021 is sneaking up on us limit your party planning. Check out my Procrastinator’s Guide to an A+ Graduation Party and get going!

Procrastinator’s Guide to an A+ Graduation Party – Fast & Cheap

Get Quick Customized Gradation Announcements & Party Invitations: Let the world know that you are celebrating the accomplishments of your scholar with a custom graduation invite – not those generic, cookie-cutter ones through school ordering.  I always head over to BasicInvite.com where, I can better show off my personal style while quickly creating high-quality but inexpensive cards using their trendy to traditional templates. Simply tweak the text, color and layout as needed, and upload cherished photographs of your own. The whole process takes minutes, no more than 7 days to ship, and nothing puts a personalized touch to a 2021 graduation announcement more than a photo of your own graduating Senior smiling ear-to-ear.  

As a perfectionist regarding quality and content (yet also someone prone to typos), I really appreciate how Basic Invite allows me to order a printed sample of my actual invitation before placing the final order – I can ensure everything is spot-on perfect before ordering the hundreds I need to share with my world. 

Promo Alert: BasicInvite.com is offering 15% off graduation invitations (really popular right now is the nurse graduation announcement – go future nurses!), party invitations, thank you cards and most all products with coupon code 15FF51 

Give Yourself Permission to Use Non-Professional Photos: This is a huge graduation party hack that will save you so much time, money and stress. Instead of forking over a small fortune in sitting fees and then still having to order the photos and digital rights, just simply snap your own! With the camera quality of the latest cell phones these days, you don’t even need a fancy DSRL camera and studio set up. Plus you have senior photo access instantly when making cheap graduation announcements and other keepsake memorabilia.

Serve Food Graduates Really Want: The great news is that most graduating seniors and their young adult and teenage guests don’t want fussy, gourmet food. They just want good eats, like the meals they enjoy on the weekends with their friends when socializing. For graduation party food themes, think pizza, sub sandwiches, tacos or a burger bar that can provide additional options that satisfy a variety of diet types (like plant-based or gluten-free). All of these simple graduation food ideas can be pulled together quickly by ordering out or even pulling it all yourself with simple hacks like you can find in my past post on Burger Bar Tips & Tricks. Also, I think it’s fun to serve non-alcoholic mocktails, the kids feel grown up and I know everyone is safe. Since my son is heading to Texas Tech University this fall, I created this virgin Michelada – aka, Red Raiderade!

Do-It-Yourself DJ: No need for a live band DJ . . . or boring parent “elevator music.”  Put your graduate to the task of putting together his or her own playlist for the graduation party Your son or daughter likely already has a huge collection of music enjoyed by their peer group – just ask for them to use the “clean” lyric versions to be friendly for all age-groups and temperaments. Blast it from the home entertainment center, a portable pull-around speaker by the pool or in your Zoom session, whever you are!  

Zoom Everyone Together: For those who can’t make it to the party due living far away or the need to still remain social distanced, can still attend the party via Zoom, Google Hangouts or other virtual meeting services. Use the chatroom functions to break out in to smaller conversations, or play big party games! You can even use a far-away guest to make a special speech via one of these meeting services, and play it on the big screen.

Sentimental Slide Show: Search through your digital photos and pull photos from your graduate’s life, from birth to current day – choose a selection of snapshots that are sentimental, milestone-marking, silly and maybe even a little embarrassing. Use Windows Movie Maker or even a phone app to upload photos, make transitions, add text and music. This is always the most popular graduation party entertainment around – grandparents “ooh and ahh,” parents tear up, and the teenage guests always get a good chuckle with the “vintage” photos. Success Tip: include as many photos as you can with your graduate and guests you know are coming to the party.

In-A-Flash Party Favors: Graduation party favors are a thoughtful way to let guests know you appreciate their stopping by to share in the graduate’s big day and accomplishments. There is no need to spend hours or big bucks on these takeaway trinkets, I prefer to make it a little treat they can immediately enjoy. In the past, I’ve done tiny mortar boards made out of a mini peanut butter cup with a cardstock square and tassel on top or “Commence-Mints” (above) made with mints and a simple printout made at home.  

Thank You Cards: To many teens, the “thank you” requirement for a graduation gift or money might must mean saying, “Dude, thanks,” or sending out sentiments of appreciation via text or email. Take your son or daughter’s etiquette to the next level by ordering custom thank you card for them to personally write out and hand or snail-mail deliver their appreciation to the gift-giver. They may even want to drop a note of thanks to special teachers, mentors, coaches or individuals who wrote letters of recommendation for their college applications.  Again, I order mine from Basic Invite because they are quick, high-quality and customizable. (Don’t forget to use their 15% off Promo Code: 15FF51)

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BasicInvite.com, however all opinions, comments, and enthusiasm remain my own.