What is good food? Within the context, the group creates two arguments, healthy food which is defined as any natural foods believed to promote or sustain good health (or foods containing essential nutrients that are grown without the use of pesticides and has a low-sodium or fat content), good tasting food defined as

Brittney Grant of Keepingupwithbritt.com

any savory food with a pleasant and fairly strong flavor (or food that is appetizing).

Both arguments are justifiable needless to say the paradigm within our food distribution system often times denies people in lower income communities the access to healthy high quality foods.

For decades, low-income communities have struggled with the lack of access to healthy, affordable food as many lack full-service grocery stores or farmer’s markets where residents have access to high-quality fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. Even with the recent rise of gentrification in many low-income neighborhoods, the quality of accessible healthy food has only merely improved. Many low-income neighborhoods remain stricken by unhealthy fast-food chains that serve high-cholesterol, nutrient–poor, foods at relatively low prices and with frequent consumption may lead to weight gain, lack of essential nutrients consumption, high cholesterol among many others.

When accessible, healthy food tends to be more expensive in terms of fiscal cost while foods containing added sugars and fats are generally inexpensive and more readily available in low-income communities. Even when healthy food is available, fresh produce including fruits vegetables, dairy and meat, it is often of the poorest quality.

In the pursuit of good food one must be willing to go the distance, whether it means traveling to neighborhoods outside of your own or shopping online to cut cost, all efforts are regarded in matters of sustaining a healthier life. Most importantly you must be willing to pay more for quality food, “good food”.

HERE ARE MY TOP 5 PLACES TO SHOP FOR “GOOD FOOD” & A FOOD KEY:

1- BUDGET FRIENDLY

2- LARGE VARIETY

3- HIGH QUALITY

4- CONVIENIENT

WHOLE FOODS MARKET- (2,3)

Although the most expensive on the list Whole Foods Market has some of the finest natural and organic foods available as it maintains one of the strictest quality standards in the industry. It’s wide variety of organic produce, large selection of locally grown food and products in addition to sustainable agriculture makes Whole Foods a lead contender of places to shop for “good food”.

TRADER JOE’S- (1,2,4)

Trader Joe’s is the most widely used place to shop for healthy food, as it is arguably the most affordable in terms of monetary cost. Trader Joe’s does an excellent job at providing great food at great prices. It offers a variety of products including gourmet foods, organic foods, vegetarian foods, frozen foods, imported wine and beer among many others, 80% of which bear one of its own brand names.

THRIVE MARKET-(1,2,3)

Although solely available online, Thrive Market has qualities of both whole foods and trader joe’s. Thrive Market is the first socially conscious online store offering the world’s best-selling natural and organic products at wholesale prices. Carrying over 2,500 of the highest quality food, supplements, home, personal care, and beauty products from over 400 of the best brands on the market at 25-50% off regular retail prices, Thrive Market is definitely one of best places to shop for “good food” at super affordable prices.

Visit Thrivemarket.com/KeepupwithBritt and try Thrive Market for FREE!

FARMER’S MARKET- (1,2,3,4)

The Farmer’s Market is the best place to get sustainable, locally – grown, organic produce. In addition to providing high quality natural and organic produce, shopping at your local farmer’s market helps. Support community agriculture and local business.

Check out grownyc.org to find local farmer’s market locations in NYC.

In search of any additional organic food markets in your neighborhood? Check out ‘The Ultimate List of Organic Stores” for yummy + nutritious food from PositiveHealthWellness.com.

https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/

Read more at Keepingupwithbritt.com

-Brittney Grant of Keepingupwithbritt.com

Mapping out life at any age can get tricky but it’s something about those twenties that can take you for a loop! Thankfully, we have Tyece Wilkins who gives her honest approach on life and motivates women to embrace the twists + turns of growth.  She is the voice behind Twenties Unscripted and author of Twenties Unscripted: A Journey of Womanhood, Writing, and Relativity. Her Twenties Unscripted mission is to cultivate a personal blog that sparks young women to connect to the best, bravest and boldest parts of themselves.

Since Tyece began documenting her twenty-something journey, Twenties Unscripted has appeared in major media outlets such as USA Today and xoJane. After being named by Clutch Magazine as one of the “Top 5 Most Underrated Blogs You Should Read”, Twenties Unscripted went on to win Best Personal Blog in the 2013 Black Weblog Awards. The blog later received the 2015 Black Weblog Award for Best Writing in a Blog. Tyece was dubbed “The One Who Keeps It Real” on My Creative Connection’s second annual list of “45 Millennials of Color Who Are Blazing Their Own Paths.” She has also contributed to many online publications including For Harriet, Brown Girl Bloggers, The Frenemy and Thought Catalog.

Tyece also shares her journey as a speaker and spoken word artist. She has spoken at Southern Illinois University as well as D.C. Blogger Week and has had her work spotlighted by Busboys and Poets as well as WRTR Real Talk Radio. Each year she curates and directs a one-night showcase entitled, “See. Speak. Feel.” where she brings together local artists and performers across the D.C. metro area to share their work with an intimate audience. “See. Speak. Feel.” has been featured in media outlets such as The Washington Afro American and East of the River magazine.

Tyece earned a bachelor’s in communications from the University of Maryland. She resides in the D.C. metro area.

Let’s get to know Tyece a little better…

Sharing your journey and being authentically you not only liberates yourself but encourages others to as well! What first sparked the idea of you launching Twenties Unscripted?

I started Twenties Unscripted at a very different time from the current online world we live in. It was less noisy. Less crowded. Less focused on some of the pomp and circumstance that runs rampant now. So when I started it, I didn’t see it as a launch as much as the continuation of doing two things I loved-writing and blogging. I’ve been blogging since 2009, but after attending the Blogging While Brown conference in 2012, I was encouraged to really get serious about the online space I was carving out. Shortly after the conference, I purchased the domain for Twenties Unscripted and hired a graphic designer to help me with the look and feel of the site.

You recently transitioned your blog into your book, Twenties Unscripted: A Journey of Womanhood, Writing, and Relativity. What did you learn from the process of you writing your 1st book?

Phew, I’m still learning a lot after having written the book even though it’s been a year since it was published! But, there are a few key lessons that reverberate in the back of my mind when I think about the book. Don’t be afraid to leave it all on the page. There were a few people who really wanted to probe about certain stories I told, and it was important for me to create boundaries. I published the work I did for a reason; I left certain stories out for reasons as well. As an author, it’s not your job to explain your work. It is your responsibility to write honestly and deeply enough that the work speaks for itself.

Also, a book is a forever kind of thing-for better or worse. Sometimes it’s easy to forget this. The world is so social media driven and we have access to so much content that’s here today and gone tomorrow. But, a book is a much more permanent part of your creative history. I have to be willing to stand by the words in that book. The beauty of that, however, is that even a year after publishing the book, it is still reaching new audiences every day. It’s a marketing tool that I always have now to promote, and I absolutely love that.

Being a performer, entrepreneur & writer can be tough to juggle. How do you continue to stay centered and productive?

Something I learned the hard way was the importance of carving out time for myself. I spent a lot of the early years of Twenties Unscripted mistaking creative/writing time with time for myself. The two are definitely not the same. While I love everything I do and have done with Twenties Unscripted, I am not my blog. But, I only realized that after countless breakdowns and burnouts. So, now I am a lot more intentional about making time for the woman behind the words and about doing things simply because I want to do them, and not because they provide any professional gain.

We tend to pull characteristics from others in our lives or from people we admire, who inspires you and why?

I have been blessed beyond what I deserve when it comes to the people in my life and the countless ways their presence inspires me. My mother has a heart that stretches from coast to coast, an inner fight that has pulled her through some of life’s ugliest trenches, and faith like I’ve never known. My father works harder than any other person I’ve ever met. My sister Alexis lives and loves with her heart wide open and is always so unafraid to put herself out there. My sister Makeeba stares every challenge square in the eye and somehow finds the nerve to rise above it. I am surrounded by hard work, heart, and resilience and have been insanely fortunate to inherit these things from my family. “Inspired” would be an understatement.

What advice would you give girls who want to follow their dreams and passions?

Something I wrote earlier this year was that “Sacrifice is the price of admission for success. That is a ticket that you can’t bootleg or knock off, as much as some people will try.” Success is not an instant thing nor is it a singular moment; success is the trail you trek by taking measured steps. So, don’t just be willing to sacrifice-be 100% ready to do it.

We are all about empowerment, what does EMPOWERMENT mean to you?

Empowerment means crafting a lifestyle that gives you the space and freedom to offer your most authentic self to the world. Empowerment also means surrounding yourself with the right people to enliven and embolden that most authentic self.

Time for the Faves! Celeb Crush? Artist? Food? Movie?

Celeb Crush – Lenny Kravtiz

Artist – I’ll go for my big three:

Poet: Nikki Giovanni
Spoken word artist: Rudy Francisco
Writer: Cheryl Strayed

Food – shrimp and buffalo wings (not together!)

Movie – Can’t ever just pick one! My top 5:

Love Jones
Hitch
Deep Blue Sea
Mona Lisa Smile
The Social Network

Check out more Tyece here!

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Writing comes from sweet spirits of the heart and teen blogger Cheyenne Jackson lets her soul flow with each piece she shares. Hailing from Ohio, the 18 year old pours herself into her blog called Vintage Ghosts. She uses this honest platform to be vulnerable and genuine which encourages her readers to do the same.  She shares her passion of cooking, activism, art, personal updates, reviews, beauty diy’s and much more. The sincerity of her blog is that she takes you on an honest journey of ups and downs as she navigates this thing called life with a curious appetite.

This young activist is unapologetic and stands for change! She is a huge supporter of #BlackLivesMatter, the LGBT community, and Color Of Change.

Cheyenne launched the Ghost Movement for anyone that has ever felt invisible or left unheard. This movement is for the people that have ever felt silenced for sharing their opinions. And to speak up about social injustices they feel that needs to be said or heard including slut-shaming, racism, bullying, homophobia, and mental illness. This movement is for those to influence change one step at a time and not feel alone.

This beautiful + brilliant blogger plans to use her art skills after High School in the study of Culinary in New York or France.

Let’s get to know Cheyenne a little better!

You’re a fly teen blogger covering all topics from tasty treats to beauty goodies to personal struggles. What made you want dive into blogging?

Thank you! I dove into blogging to express myself. I’m multi-talented so I was like why not showcase my talents and connect with other people that liked the same thing as me? I wanted to create a blog that not only covered food and beauty. But my life, sharing my journey with others. Covering a wide range of topics some teens would be uncomfortable to talk about. My goal was to make a blog for people like me feel free to visit and know there are others that can connect.

Blogging is a great outlet to share your journey, how does your site allow you to express yourself and your dreams?

Blogging has allowed me to share and express myself in many ways. On Vintage Ghosts I focus on being as open and honest as possible with my readers. It allows me to share my journey through life, whether they may be good times or bad. But it allows me to share my creativity with them and my dreams I hope to make happen someday.

You describe yourself as an introverted teen! It’s awesome that you’re discovering key personality traits about yourself already! How do you recharge as an introvert and do you get pressure from your peers to be more extroverted?

Thank you! I think having a good amount of alone time works for me. I love my friends and enjoy being around them, but I also need down time. Most of my friends are extroverted. So a great thing about our friendship is we both respect each other’s personalities. We don’t pressure each other to be a certain way. I believe that’s one of the great things about having friends that are extroverted. Although you may be different in ways you still respect each other’s differences and characteristics.

Being young and having responsibilities can sometimes get to be a bit overwhelming, how do you motivate yourself when you’re feeling a little defeated?

I try to remind myself no matter how hard things get I’m not alone. And that’s something I try to share with my readers as well. We all feel defeated at times but we’ll move pass it eventually, and become better and stronger. I also try to remember how far I’ve come and how much more I can not only bring others, but to the world.

We tend to pull characteristics from others in our lives or from people we admire, who inspires you and why?

I tend to get inspiration from everyone. There’s something from each person that inspires me differently. I’m a very diverse and open person. My inspirations can come from many people for many different reasons. From my art to my activism, to my writing, to my cooking.

We are all about empowerment, what does EMPOWERMENT mean to you?

Empowerment means to me reminding people that no matter what obstacles we may face in life, we can do almost anything. It begins in believing and empowering yourself to know you can go after any dream, or achieve any goal.

Time for faves! Celeb Crush? Artist? Food? Movie?

My celebrity crush would have to be Jaden Smith. I love his music and his artistry. I enjoy many artists and their creativity, so I don’t think I can say I have a fave. I love sweets so I definitely have to say ice cream is my favorite food. As for my favorite movie; The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It helped me so much during my earlier stages as a teen, while I was still figuring myself out.

Check out more of Cheyenne here!

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Angel is inspired by singers like Whitney Houston, Beyoncé and Selena Quintanilla, and performers like Prince, and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Angel wants her music to resonant with many and transcend genres. She wants the music she creates to be timeless, so right now she is developing her writing skills. Angel’s goal is to became the ultimate performer and hopefully a household name.

Check out more Angel here!

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SnapChat: itsherangel

Summer is officially here which means more time in the sun. Here are some facts and tips to help you stay safe not only all summer, but all year around.

THE FACTS

Sunlight is made up of UV rays, waves of light that comes from the sun and is invisible to the naked eye. There are three types that can be easily broken down like such:

UVA = causes the breakdown of elastin and collagen, which causes the skin to sag aiding in the aging of skin

UVB = causes the skin to burn

UVC = only reaches the earth’s surface through holes in the ozone layer

UVA rays (long waves) are powerful enough to penetrate both clouds and glass

They are present during all daylight hours throughout the year. For UVB rays (short waves), they do not significantly penetrate glass, but they do reflect off both snow and ice double exposing you to their harm. UVB rays are most prevalent during the months of April and October between the hours of 10a.m. and 4p.m.

Excessive exposure to UV radiation can cause genetic mutations in the body causing skin cancer. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer once in their lifetime, and despite your skin tone or ethnicity, everyone… everyone is at risk of developing skin cancer.

We know, it’s a lot of information but we need you beauties to be informed! Skin cancer is a very serious issue, but with these tips and some of our favorite sunscreen products, we will help you get all the protection you need!

THE TIPS

There are two types of sunscreens on the market right now. Physical and chemical. Physical sunscreens work by reflecting UV rays off top of the skin and because they filter UVA and UVB rays they’re considered broad spectrum. Chemical sunscreens penetrate the skin and can take up to 30 minutes to take effect. Those with sensitive skin tend to like a physical sunscreen being that it doesn’t penetrate the skin. While those with deeper skin tones might prefer a chemical sunscreen due to the fact physical sunscreens tend to leave a gray cast.

To keep it simple, just remember the number 2! Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, use up to two ounces on the body (one shot glass full) and replace your sunscreen every 2 years!

Simple enough, right? Right! Here are so of our best sunscreen for all your sun care needs!

Best In Overall Body

• Supergoop Antioxidant- Infused Sunscreen Mist with Vitamin C Broad Spectrum SPF 50
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45

Use a SPF between 30 and 50. Anything lower will not give you the protection you need, anything higher will cause you to neglect your skin and not apply every two hours.

Best For Face

• Murad Invisiblul Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 PA+++
• Shiseido Environment Oil-Free UV Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 42 for Face

Both sunscreens can be used on all skin tones without the fear of making face complexions appear ashy. Also, if you use a face treatment serum that allows your dark spots and age marks to diminish, using a sunscreen is vital. Using a product like Clinique’s Even Better Serum, and not using a sunscreen will reverse the treatment making dark marks appear darker.

Best in Beauty

• Peter Thomas Instant Mineral SPF 45
• Supergoop Refreshing Setting Spray

Either one of these products can be applied directly over makeup, giving you the protection you need and helping your makeup to last all day.

Lips & Hands

• Sugar Lip Treatments SPF 15
• Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Correcting Hand Cream SPF 15
• Deborah Lippmann Rich Girl Hand Cream SPF 25

The first signs of aging can be seen though our hands and lips, these are two of the most common places we tend to forget when we apply sunscreen.

–Autumn Marie

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these chill treats for the 4th of July!

Red, White & Blue Yogurt Pops

This one’s ridiculously easy to make. Place the mixed blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sliced bananas, yogurt, and sugar into a blender. Cover, and blend until fruit is chunky or smooth, as desired. Fill paper cups 3/4 full with fruit mixture. Place the cups in the freezer for at least 5 hours.

 

(Brit.co)

Triple Berry Frozen Smoothie

Sip away your weekend with this festive triple-layer smoothie for the perfect drink to all your BBQ’s you’ll be hitting up!

(BoredFastFood.com)

Red, White, and Blue Chocolate Strawberries

Don’t feel bad about your chocolate-covered strawberry! It’s a holiday and of course it’s a healthy + pretty dessert you can take a bite of and not feel guilty!

https://misterbitters.files.wordpress.com

 

Eat + Slurp Up!

Squad UP– Girl talk, manicures, facials, and good music…sounds like the perfect nails right?? Well all of that you can do in your own house. One of you and or your girlfriends pick a place where you guys can have a fun girls night sleepover. Enjoy doing your nails while watching all of the gushy teen chick flicks you can find and let loose. Create a music mix for girls night in and it’s the perfect way to have ‘All

Giphy.com

Festivals- The weather is definitely heating up  at a rapid pace, it’s time to enjoy the outdoors still before it’s too late. There are still tons of Summer festivals that take place all around. Just look up festivals near your locations and you will be surprised how many are in your area. So grab your cut offs and score a cup of  fresh lemonade cider & some funky jewelry.

(Tumblr.com)

Throw It Back-  Skating isn’t just for ol’ school night right? Do something that even your parents used to enjoy. The rink never gets old with a good dj or hitting the bowling alley with a side nachos is always the perfect answer to summer!

Giphy.com

Swap Out- You like her necklace, she loves your earrings…so why not do a swap out?? You ask what is a swap out? Well gather your girlfriends and trade different fashion an beauty goodies! Pick out different beauty products that hasn’t worked for you and fashion items that you never wear and bring them over friends house and got to town! Invite 4-5 girls and you will be surprised the selection you will have. Just like shopping!

Giphy.com

 Arts & Crafts – Yes, I know you’re not in elementary school anymore but who said arts & crafts are just for kids?? Take those old pair jeans and  change it to a skirt or that old sweatshirt to a cute little headband. Not into sewing?? Ok, take all your old magazines that go back 3 years because I know you have them and cut out anything you love! From celebs to places to fashion items and make collage! It can be an inspiration board so every time you look at it you’ll be reminder of where you want to be in the future.

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We’re sure you peeped this already but hey, you can now keep it on repeat for your summertime soundtrack!

Check out Beyoncé – Sorry featuring superstar Serena Williams—>

Brighten up your closet with a dose of chill and a dash of cool with Tyler, The Creator’s latest fashion line, Golfwang. His skater life streetwear lets you be comfy while still having a dope spin of style. The artist introduced his flavorful collection mid June of 2016. Since creating his own lane of music his eccentric fashion follows in his visual pieces. The entire collection includes pants, shorts, accessories and overalls. The prices range from from $12 socks to $100 outerwear. All of the pieces were drawn and designed by Tyler himself.

Some pieces may be a little pricey before heading off to college but treat yourself to a statement piece before you hit the campus.

Check it out!

Golf Sunglasses- Round Yellow

Cheetah Button Up

Golf Le Fluer Dad Hat Pink

Moleskine Pink/White

Get linked up! GolfWang.com