By Jennifer Youngren, NDTR Food insecurity is a quiet reality that touches far more people than most realize. It hides behind busy schedules, rising bills, and the daily act of trying to make ends meet. Many of the people who face it are working, caring for families, or living on fixed incomes. They are not defined by struggle, but by resilience. In Suffolk County, as across the country, food insecurity is growing. The cost of rent, utilities, and basic groceries has climbed

I love Halloween. It’s exciting giving and getting candy, dressing up, and soaking in everything that comes with it. There’s no doubt that I’ll be celebrating today. But I also know that holidays centered around food can feel tricky, especially when the celebration is over and you’re left staring at a pile of leftover candy. In our house, I let the kids have a free for all. I’m not saying it’s the healthiest choice nutritionally, but I don’t tell them they can’t eat twenty Re

By Jennifer Youngren, NDTR   The human digestive system is one of the most remarkable systems in the body. It is both physical and emotional, mechanical and intuitive. When we begin to nourish ourselves consistently, the gut begins its own process of balance and renewal. It learns to trust that nourishment will come again, that digestion can occur at a natural rhythm, and that the body is safe to receive and release.   Fiber is one of the key nutrients that helps restore this

Sometimes the best meals are the ones that bring everyone together without much planning. For my family, that usually means tacos. They are easy, customizable, and somehow never boring. This year, National Taco Day just happens to land on a full moon, which makes it even better. There is a small place near me called Cactus Cafe that does dollar tacos every full moon night after sunset. You can order up to three, any kind you want, as long as you show up in person. My kids lov

By Jennifer Youngren, NDTR Some seasons of life force you to grow whether you feel ready or not. One of those seasons for me was when my daughter’s father was diagnosed with colorectal cancer while I was four months pregnant with her. I was already a mother at the time, and preparing for another child while managing his illness, which was eventually declared terminal, became one of the hardest challenges I had faced. That time taught me lessons I could not have learned in any