Carlene Thomas, RDN

Carlene Thomas RDN, LD is a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and culinary creator in Virginia, where she produces wellness and food content with her business partner husband and five cats.

Articles by Carlene Thomas, RDN

best worst trail mix

10 Best and Worst Trail Mixes on the Market

When it comes to nuts, dried fruits, and other sweet mix-ins, less is more.

best wrost cheddar cheese

10 Best and Worst Cheddar Cheeses

Never buy pre-shredded, always go for sharp . . . and other tips on picking the best cheddar.

best and worst single cheeses

11 Best and Worst Cheese Singles on the Market

There's a big difference between cheese and "cheese food"—our nutritionist breaks it down.

frozen dumplings

10 Best and Worst Frozen Dumplings

Our RD weighs in on best and worst options among potstickers, gyozas, pierogis, and other dumplings.

superfood powders

11 Best Superfood Powders for a Health Boost

Superfood powders are the easiest way to add a large amount of nutrients to your daily eating habits.

crisp bread

10 Best and Worst Crispbreads

With a product generally labeled as healthy, it's even easier to forget to check the nutrition info.

frozen meatballs best

14 Best and Worst Frozen Meatballs

With a wide selection ranging from poultry and meat to plant-based options, here's how to tell the good ones from the bad.

sweet and sour crispy cauliflower bites

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites

Your air fryer will make these perfectly crispy, and the umami sauce will do the rest.

veggie pizza calzones

How to Make Super Fluffy Air Fryer Veggie Calzones

Giving store-bought pizza dough the air fryer treatment guarantees crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside calzones.

ranch veggie air fryer chips

How to Make Gourmet Veggie Chips in an Air Fryer

A tasty punch plus 15 minutes of frying time equals gourmet chips.

air fryer falafel

The Perfect Air Fryer Falafel

Our favorite vegan fast food item is made even healthier by air frying.

lemon pepper salmon jerky

Make Finger-Licking Salmon Jerky at Home

Using an air fryer to make jerky is a pro move for those without a dehydrator.

keto pincho ranch cheese balls

Crunchy Cheese and Ranch Pinchos

The bite-size Spanish snack goes keto.

keto chips and guac

Keto Chips and Chunky Guacamole

Hands-down the easiest and healthiest high-fat dip.

keto chartuterie platter 2

Keto Charcuterie Platter You'll Want All To Yourself

Prep once and nosh all week.

sesame soy garlic chicken wings

Sesame Soy Garlic Chicken Wings

Crisp the wings up to perfection in the air fryer, then toss them in a spicy sauce.

air fryer meatballs

Healthier Air Fryer Meatballs

Add in mushrooms for a lighter meatball.

sweet buckeye fat bombs

Buckeye Cookie Fat Bombs

Simple ingredient swaps turn the classic cookies keto.

coconut shrimp 2

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Serve these shrimp bites when you need a light, impressive party snack.

keto cheeseburger casserole

Keto Cheeseburger Casserole

Your new comfort food craving.

keto berries and cream overnight oats

Keto Overnight Oats

We use hemp hearts, walnuts, and chia seeds for the base of this oat-less oats recipe.

keto popcorn chicken

Ultra-Crunchy Popcorn Chicken

You'll be poppin' these chicken pieces in your mouth like they're popcorn.

air fryer breaded pork chop 1

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.

baby hasselback potatoes

Air Fryer Hasselback Potato Bites

The only thing more fun than a hasselback potato is a mini hasselback potato.

keto pizza cups overhead

Cheesy Keto Pizza Cups

These mini keto pizza bites feature a flavorful cheese-based dough and a no-added-sugar tomato sauce.

keto stuffed jalapeno poppers

A Fat Bomb Fit for the Appetizer Table

They're cheesy, they're gooey, they're crispy, and they're totally low carb.

keto pork bbq dip and chips

BBQ Pork Dip with Pork Rinds

Pork rinds are an ingenious sub for low-carb diets of all stripes.

oat chai smoothie on napkin

Chai Tea and Oats Breakfast Smoothie

Forgo your Chai tea latte and opt for this frozen smoothie blend instead.

cardamom pear smoothie in glass garnished with pear

Pear Cardamom Oats Smoothie

The combo of pears and cardamom will make this smoothie taste like pear crisp!

breakfast sweet potato on blue plate with blueberries and yogurt

Breakfast Loaded Sweet Potato

Forget sweet potato toast! Load your potato with yogurt and granola instead.

Next