Salad With a Side of Fries Nutrition, Wellness & Weight Loss

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Food Allergy Prevention, a groundbreaking new study from the Salk Institute that could change everything we thought we knew about food allergies. What if having no allergic reaction is not just luck but an active, complex process happening inside your body? New findings point to specific immune cells in the gut that may hold the key to why some people can eat anything without a reaction while others cannot. Could something as simple as what you feed a child early in life...

There’s SO much information about wellness hacks, it’s hard to know what’s worth trying. And then there are pharmaceuticals like GLP-1 medications that seem like the magic bullet for metabolic health. With all of these, are we setting ourselves up for the next public health crisis? Before you or someone you love considers a pharmaceutical or biohack, listen to this episode.

Jenn Trepeck of Salad with a Side of Fries breaks down why the wellness industry deserves more credit than mainstream media gives it, and why pharmaceutical solutions like GLP-1 medications and statins cannot carry...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Senobi breathing, a Japanese breathing technique that headlines are claiming can help you lose weight. The buzz is based on a 2010 study from Japan that found some pretty compelling hormonal and body-composition changes in participants who practiced this simple one-minute exercise three times a day. Could a few deep breaths in a specific posture really shift your metabolism, activate your nervous system, and burn body fat? Jenn digs into the actual study, breaks down what Senobi breathing is, why it might work...

What if the reason you are constantly craving, constantly second-guessing, and constantly starting over has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with what is missing from your plate? The hunger-crushing combo is not a diet trend. It is an evidence-based framework that helps your body feel genuinely satisfied, your blood sugar stay stable, and your mind stay focused without the obsession, the restriction, or the rabbit holes that social media and diet culture keep pulling you down.

In this episode of Salad with a Side of Fries, Jenn Trepeck and guest Abbey Sharp, registered...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Art Galleries and a study that claims visiting them can measurably improve your physical and mental well-being. Could standing in front of a famous painting actually lower your stress hormones and calm your body's inflammatory responses? The research points to some surprising numbers, but is the benefit really about the art itself, the gallery environment, or simply doing something that brings you joy? Jenn has some thoughts on the science and the study's limitations, but you might be surprised by her final...

What if the reason you’re not getting anything done has nothing to do with laziness, lack of discipline, or poor time management? Brain fog is a biological response to overwhelm, and once you understand what is driving it, clearing it becomes a matter of strategy rather than willpower.

On Salad with a Side of Fries, host Jenn Trepeck delivers one of her most personal and practical episodes yet, tracing her own experience of brain fog through months of compounding stress and sharing every tool that helped her climb back out. From targeted nutritional supplements like magnesium, as...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Boostcous, the protein-boosted, fiber-rich couscous alternative made entirely from chickpea, lentil, and pea flour. It checks a lot of boxes right out of the gate: 18 grams of plant protein, 11 grams of fiber, gluten-free, non-GMO, regeneratively grown, and even glyphosate-free with third-party testing to back it up. But does a cleaner ingredient list automatically make something a smart choice for your health goals? Jenn breaks down the nutrition facts, does the net carb math, and asks the questions the brand left unanswered. Is...

Are your go-to health habits suddenly working against you? If you are in your 40s or beyond and wondering why everything you used to do no longer delivers results, this episode could change everything.

Jenn Trepeck, host of Salad with a Side of Fries, sits down with registered holistic nutritionist and life coach Lara Frendjian to unpack why perimenopause symptoms demand a completely new approach to mornings, menopause weight loss, and daily metabolic health. Together, they explore how slow morning routines and smarter hormone balance strategies can transform energy, mood, and weight from the inside out.

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about WiO SmartFoods, specifically their Double Chocolate Chip Muffin, which claims just 48 calories, 3 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fat, and 9 grams of protein. But wait, the nutrition label tells a very different story. How can both numbers be true, and is the science behind this product the real deal or just clever marketing? Jenn digs into the brand's proprietary inhibitor technology, its FDA-compliant yet eyebrow-raising dual-label system, and some ingredients you may not recognize. There may be something to the science, or there...

Today’s episode is a blast from the past. Think back to your favorite childhood snacks: Lunchables, Dunkaroos, SlimFast bars, and fat-free everything. Did these foods quietly wire you for a lifetime of complicated food choices? If you've ever wondered why you're chasing charcuterie boards and still tracking diet trends, this episode will hit differently.

Jenn Trepeck of Salad With a Side of Fries opens the snack drawer of nostalgia and compares iconic 90s foods side by side with their modern counterparts, reading actual ingredient labels from both eras. From Slim Jims to grass-fed jerky, from Crystal Li...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Biena Edamame and whether this crunchy, protein-packed, roasted soybean snack deserves a spot in your healthy snack rotation. Are these little bites truly a nutritional powerhouse, or is the marketing just noise? Jenn digs into the ingredients, the nutrition facts, and even the sourcing of the soybeans to give you the full picture. Is this an airport find worth tracking down at your grocery store, or are there enough red flags to give you pause? Tune in to find out where Jenn...

What if the bloating, mood swings, and unpredictable cycles you have been blaming on your hormones are actually your gut sending out a distress signal? The truth is that your digestive health and your hormonal balance are far more intertwined than most people realize, and addressing one without the other may be exactly why nothing has worked so far.

On Salad with a Side of Fries, host Jenn Trepeck welcomes Bridget Walton, functional hormone specialist and founder of I'm Hormonal, for a candid, science-backed conversation about the connection between hormones and gut health. From estrogen metabolism and...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Form Bars by Form Nutrition. A bar that boldly claims to raise the bar with 15 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber, and just one gram of sugar. It sounds almost too good to be true, so does it deliver? Jenn digs into the ingredients, the nutrition facts, and the marketing claims to find out what this bar is really made of. There are some things she genuinely likes and some things that give her pause. Does the fiber content make it better...

What if your gut has been signaling a problem for your brain for years? That is exactly what the latest science on the gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease is revealing, and it begins with something as overlooked as constipation. If you have ever dismissed a sluggish digestive system as no big deal, this conversation may be the most important one you hear all year.

Salad With a Side of Fries host Jenn Trepeck welcomes Martha Carlin, microbiome researcher, founder of The BioCollective and a woman who traded a corporate career for a microscope after her husband was...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about the Jacob Bar, a protein bar claiming to be the world's cleanest. Could this be the bar that finally checks every box, or is the marketing getting ahead of the ingredients? Jenn digs into the nutrition facts and the ingredient list to see if Jacob Bar lives up to its bold claim. There are some things she genuinely loves about it, and a few things that give her pause. So is this the clean protein bar you have been searching for, or...

Do you have a habit like smoking or late night snacking that you want to kick, but no matter what you try, you just can’t seem to quit? The answer isn't weakness, and it isn't a lack of motivation. It lives in the 88% of your brain you're not consciously controlling, and therapeutic hypnosis (hypnotherapy) may be one of the most underestimated tools available to change it.

On Salad with a Side of Fries, host Jenn Trepeck and guest Rita Black, a leading clinical hypnotherapist and author, pull back the curtain on hypnosis and hypnotherapy for weight lo...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Hard. This word may be deciding how your brain approaches a new habit or behavior. You have probably said it a hundred times that something is just too hard. What if the word itself is the thing standing in your way? Instead, swap ‘this is hard’ for ‘this is a challenge’. Is that any better? Jenn breaks down the surprising brain science behind the words we use every day and why some words send us straight into avoidance mode before we even get star...

Your grocery cart full of “healthy” food labels might be lying to you. The foods you reach for because they sound clean, light, or natural may be doing very little, or worse, working against your health goals. This episode is the April Fools reality check nobody asked for, but everybody needs.

Jenn Trepeck, host of Salad with a Side of Fries and certified health and lifestyle coach, walks through four categories of foods marketed as healthy that are anything but: breakfast staples, popular snacks, trendy drinks, and wellness-washed products. Backed by real-food labeling lawsuits and honest nutrition brea...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Pure Genius Protein Shots, the pocket-sized protein product co-founded by Mel Robbins that is making waves in the wellness world. Is this sleek little bottle actually bridging your protein gap, or is it just clever marketing wrapped in a compelling personal story? Jenn digs into the ingredients, the nutrition facts, the science behind the protein blend, and the team of doctors behind the brand. But here is the thing: the product might check a lot of boxes and still not be what...

Can’t stop thinking about food, no matter what you do? That constant mental chatter is not your fault. There is a reason your brain keeps circling back to food.

In this episode of Salad With a Side of Fries, Jenn Trepeck breaks down the real science behind food noise and why it is not a lack of willpower. She explains how emotional eating, hormone balance, and nutrition habits shape your relationship with food, while offering practical strategies to quiet the mental chatter and regain control in a sustainable, empowering way.

What You Will Learn in...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Salad Power Smoothies, a vegetable-packed smoothie pouch that promises to deliver twice your daily vegetable requirement in every serving. The mission sounds incredible, the ingredients are clean and organic, and the convenience factor is undeniable. But is a drinkable salad really as good as eating one? Jenn breaks down the nutrition label, does the fiber math, and weighs the cost against the benefits. There may be more to this little pouch than meets the eye, but there may also be a catch...

Your future is not determined by one dramatic decision or change. Your future is built quietly, habit by habit, in the choices you make every single day. If that idea both excites and unsettles you, this episode of Salad with a Side of Fries is exactly what you need to hear.

Host Jenn Trepeck welcomes Allison McCune Davis, author and natural health educator, for a rich conversation about what it truly takes to live long and live well. From healing her own body in her forties to completing a 75-day challenge at 60, Allison shares her three-pillar framework...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about STUFF, Stand Up For Fitness, and why even the most dedicated gym-goers might be living a sedentary lifestyle without realizing it. Could your daily workout actually be giving you a false sense of security when it comes to how much you truly move throughout the day? Jenn breaks down simple, realistic ways to weave more movement into your routine without breaking a sweat or requiring multiple gym visits a day. But here is the real question: Is five minutes of standing every...

Do you know where your food comes from? Most of us buy and consume food every single day without understanding who grew it, how it was raised, or what the labels actually mean. What if the fear driving your grocery store decisions is based more on marketing than reality?

On this episode of Salad With a Side of Fries, Jenn Trepeck welcomes fifth-generation dairy farmer and environmental scientist Tara Vander Dussen of Discover Ag Podcast and Discover Ag TV for a grounded, no-nonsense conversation about the food system, family farms, organic versus conventional choices, and how consumers...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Dunkin's Protein Drinks. Dunkin’ has officially jumped on the protein bandwagon and is rolling out a new line of protein drinks that have everyone asking: Are these actually a good source of protein? Jenn went straight to the source, visiting multiple Dunkin’ locations, digging into the nutrition facts PDF, and asking the questions most of us never think to ask. What she found might surprise you. On the one hand, Dunkin’ uses a real, recognizable dairy-based milk with a clean ingredient list and no...

Did you know that consuming alcohol, even casually, is classified in the same cancer risk category as tobacco and asbestos? Today’s conversation is all about the alcohol-cancer connection, the sober curious movement, and how we can make informed choices about our health.

On Salad With a Side of Fries, Jenn Trepeck welcomes Cecily Mak, a former Silicon Valley attorney, breast cancer survivor, and author of Undimmed, for a conversation that is equal parts eye-opening science and deeply personal storytelling. Cecily shares how losing her mother to esophageal cancer and later facing her own breast cancer diagnosis le...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about zero-calorie drinks and whether they are really the guilt-free option we have been led to believe. A well-known Copenhagen study compared four groups of people who drank a liter a day of regular soda, diet soda, milk, or water for six months, and the results were surprising enough to stop anyone mid-sip. Could a beverage with absolutely no calories still be working against your blood sugar, waistline and your metabolism? What do your gut, your pancreas, and even your taste buds have...

What if the reason you cannot lose weight, think clearly, or stop craving sugar after dinner has nothing to do with discipline and everything to do with your hormones, your gut, and what you are eating at breakfast? These are the questions your doctor might not be asking or answering, but Jenn is.

On this episode of Salad With a Side of Fries, Jenn Trepeck pulls back the curtain on the powerful Happy Healthy Hub community by sharing this Q&A from inside the hub. Covering hormonal weight gain, natural cholesterol remedies, healing leaky gut, taming food...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Javvy Coffee. With bold flavors ranging from chocolate raspberry truffle to brownie batter s'mores, and promises to help you "get healthier, lose weight, and reach your fitness goals," this coffee concentrate brand is making some serious noise on social media. But when Jenn digs into the nutrition facts and ingredient lists, things get interesting. Zero calories but full flavor? Natural ingredients but mysterious "natural flavors"? A serving size that seems suspiciously small? And why can't she find any information about who actually...

Are you dreading menopause? What if the menopause horror stories you've heard aren't the whole truth? Women across five continents have shared surprisingly different experiences with this inevitable life transition, and their insights might completely change how you approach your own future health.

Jenn Trepeck hosts returning guest Zora Benhamou on Salad with a Side of Fries for a groundbreaking conversation about menopause around the world. As a gerontologist who's interviewed over 300 women from Vietnam to France, Zora reveals which symptoms appear universal, which treatments different cultures embrace, and why almost no one's mother prepared them for...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Okinawan Sweet Potatoes. You've probably seen these purple beauties in your grocery store, but what’s so “super” about them? With their striking white exterior and vibrant purple interior, these potatoes offer substantial nutritional benefits, from high antioxidant levels to potential longevity benefits. Here's the catch: they also contain a whopping 61 grams of carbs per cup. How can a high-carb food support blood sugar balance? Well, the secret is in the way you prepare them. Jenn breaks down the fascinating science behind these...

Sexual health and wellness aren't just about pleasure; they are a critical health marker revealing what's happening inside your body. If you've noticed changes in your libido, you're receiving valuable information about your overall wellness. Are you ready to decode what your body is telling you?

Host Jenn Trepeck welcomes Dr. Diane Mueller, a leading authority in sexual wellness and functional medicine, to explore why your libido is a health marker you can't afford to ignore. Together, they uncover the connections between sexual desire, cardiovascular health, hormonal balance, and stress management, while addressing the physical, personal, and...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about the C-C-C, which stands for Catch, Challenge, Change. Do your negative thoughts secretly sabotage your health goals? When that inner voice says "you're too busy," "you have no willpower," or "you've failed again," is it telling the truth or just repeating old patterns that hold you back? Jenn introduces a practical mental tool to interrupt the defeating thought loops we all experience on our wellness journeys. But here's the real question: are you actually too tired for that workout, or is something...

Have you noticed that our food pyramid looks a little different? With the FDA’s 2026 release of the updated food pyramid and dietary guidelines, Jenn is here to unpack why these changes matter and what they might mean for your health and your plate.

In this episode, host and health coach, Jenn Trepeck breaks down the controversial new dietary guidelines released by the FDA in 2026. From the seemingly dramatic increase in protein and dairy intake recommendations to her concerns about food quantity versus quality, what do these changes mean for us on an individual level or for ou...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Carpe DM Pasta, the wheat-based pasta alternative that promises 55% less net carbs and a whopping 24 grams of fiber per serving. With modified wheat starch as the fiber source and backing from General Mills, this pasta raises intriguing questions. Could those 24 grams of fiber, still trigger unexpected blood sugar responses? What about wheat sensitivity concerns, even with European-style semolina? And are you missing crucial micronutrients when your fiber comes from grains instead of vegetables? Jenn breaks down whether this high-fiber alternative is truly...

Are you struggling with unexplained fatigue, stubborn weight gain, or brain fog despite doing all the "right" things? Mineral balancing might be the missing piece in your wellness puzzle. In this episode, we will explore how mineral deficiencies impact everything from thyroid health to energy levels, and why most people are walking around undernourished without even knowing it.

Join Jenn Trepeck on Salad With a Side of Fries as she chats with Sophie Shepherd, founder of She Talks Health and a functional medicine expert. Sophie shares her transformative story of reversing Hashimoto's disease and gut dysfunction through...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about NEAP Foods Protein Gel, the innovative portable protein option created by a runner-turned-strength-trainer who wanted a better alternative to chalky shakes and heavy bars. With 20 grams of protein, zero sugar, and minimal ingredients all in a convenient squeeze pouch, this gel may catch some attention in the fitness world. Jenn dives deep into the ingredient list, from bovine collagen to beneficial amino acids like L-tryptophan and L-methionine, and shares her thoughts on how it stacks up against other protein supplements. Could this...

Does your New Year's plan already feel like a struggle? Here's the truth bomb you need—motivation is fickle and commitment is your secret weapon. If you're tired of the same old "just have more willpower" advice, this conversation is about to change everything about how you approach changing your habits.

Jenn Trepeck keeps it refreshingly honest on Salad with a Side of Fries as she chats with Dr. Sherry Price about what actually works when you're trying to create sustainable habits. Dr. Price gets vulnerable about her struggle with overdrinking and why the "perfect plan" kept fa...

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-sized bonus episodes offer tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn is talking about Your Face and how the expressions you make while working out might be completely sabotaging your fitness goals. Could clenching your jaw and squinting through that last rep actually be telling your body you're in danger and ramping up your cortisol levels? On the flip side, what if something as simple as smiling or laughing during exercise could rewire your brain to associate movement with joy and reward? Jenn explores the fascinating connection between your facial expressions and your autonomic nervous system—bu...

Ready to stop playing food detective and actually feel good, enjoying food again? If you're exhausted from cutting out every food under the sun and still dealing with food sensitivities, this episode is for you.

Jenn Trepeck is joined by the Autoimmunity Nutritionist, VJ Hamilton on Salad With a Side of Fries for an honest talk about gut health, chronic fatigue, and why that endless list of food sensitivities might not be about the food at all. VJ gets personal about her own autoimmune disease journey and shares the functional medicine secrets that have helped her and...