RDN Score
4 out of 5

Platform and Price
Free: Apple and Android.

Pros

• Simple user-friendly design.
• Broadcast live from anywhere directly from your mobile phone.
• Automatically send a tweet to announce the start of each broadcast.
• Option to limit broadcasts to a private audience.
• Save broadcasts to your camera roll to share in other ways, such as YouTube or Instagram.
• Save broadcasts for replay within 24 hours, or immediately delete broadcasts you don't like.
• "Heart" or like broadcasts with one tap to show appreciation to the presenters.
• Interactive! Get immediate feedback by chatting live with your audience as they send comments and hearts your way.
• Follow your favorite Periscope users to get notifications when they start a new broadcast.
• Login with your Twitter account so there's no need to create a new account or name. Use your phone number to sign up if you don't have a Twitter account.
• Browse live and recent broadcasts.
• Broadcasts can be watched live on the web or via the app.
• Reach a global audience 24/7.

Cons

• Requires Twitter or surrendering a phone number to use.
• Limited search functionality.
• Replays are only available for 24 hours at present.
• Some broadcasts are "spammy" or irrelevant for professional use.
• Though you can easily block offenders, the app is rife with trolls who interrupt popular broadcasts.
• No way to fast-forward or rewind replays.
• The app needs more options to customize notifications. At the time of this review, you either get all notifications or none.
• No way to comment on replays.
• It's addictive.

Bottom Line
Get on it! Periscope is a fun and easy way to broadcast live to the world. With more and more people joining every day, this app may be a social media game-changer. If you want to start vlogging, Periscope is a great way to share your nutrition knowledge, fitness routines, cooking demos and more with an eager live audience.

Everyone has family, friends and interests outside of their careers. It’s important! But once you reach a certain level in your professional life — a high position in either your place of employment or through your volunteerism — expectations are raised for demonstrated leadership. In short, you have become more exposed.

Protect yourself and your reputation (and the privacy of your friends and family) by keeping your personal life separate from your professional social media activity. That doesn’t mean you can’t post a message of support to your local sports team or retweet (RT) a great photo, but you shouldn’t post messages about religion, politics, other sensitive issues or personal details from your professional account. Think of it as prevention: “If I do this, will thathappen?” Maybe. “Do I want to risk my reputation or my organization’s reputation over it?” No.

2. Post a Professional Photo to Your Professional Profiles

Do not use a candid snapshot that crops out someone with their arm around your shoulders, and never use a photo where tobacco and alcohol are visible.

3. Use Your Full Name and Credentials in Your Professional Profile

Your first and last name identifies you as an individual, and your credentials identify you the food and nutrition expert. Don’t be cute, HotFoodie65.

4. Disclose Your Leadership Position

This is important if you ever plan to share messaging about your organization or profession from your professional social media profiles. (Not disclosing your position could even be a potential liability.) For example, leaders of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics would use the following:

Twitter examples (limited About Me space):
i. @eatrightPRO Board of Directors
ii. @eatrightPRO House of Delegates
iii. @SCAN DPG chair

Facebook/LinkedIn examples (more About Me space):
iv. Board member for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
v. Member of the House of Delegates for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
vi. 2015-16 Chair of the Sports, Cardiovascular and Nutrition DPG

5. Disclaim Your Messaging in Your Professional Profile

Be sure you are qualified to represent your organization. For example, only the president, president-elect, past-president or a media spokesperson of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics may publicly represent the Academy. Note: Your place of employment may appreciate or require this as well.

Twitter examples (limited About Me space):
i. Tweets are my own.
ii. Opinions are my own.

Facebook/LinkedIn examples (more About Me space):
iii. Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of the Academy.

6. Don’t Be “Too Social on Social”

If you are at a business meeting or attending an invitation-only professional event, you shouldn’t post photos of wine toasts or dinners, or messaging that could be perceived as either inappropriate or an irresponsible use of organizational member dues. “Did I spend the day in meetings?” Yes. “Do I deserve a nice meal and some downtime?” Yes. “Do I really need to tweet about it or share photos of said downtime?” No, especially if your followers may feel they are footing the bill. Think of the unintended consequences before posting.

7. But Feel Free to Be a Little Social on Social

When you’re at a state annual meeting, FNCE® reception, Public Policy Workshop social outing or other social event in which you are engaging with the general membership, it’s perfectly fine to take a picture or post messages about the social event. It’s even OK if you have a glass of wine in hand as long as you don’t look like you’ve had too many and the reception is a social event that is part of a larger professional conference for which members can register and attend.

8. Be Aware Before You Share

Always think hard before you post a message on social media. “How could this wording be misinterpreted? What ramifications might come from this message or photo?” In addition, be sensitive to perceptions of endorsement. Avoid tweeting or posting about specific products or brands from your professional profile. Yes, you have a disclaimer, “Opinions are your own,” which is a legal safeguard, but the only true safeguard is: When in doubt, just don’t do it.

9. Choose Your Channels Wisely

No one has time to engage effectively across all social media channels, all the time. Decide where your organization will focus its resources. The three main channels for Academy members are:

• LinkedIn, for professional networking only. It is arguably the lowest-maintenance social channel in terms of time commitment, but it’s still smart to check once a week to ensure you don’t miss any connection requests or messages.
• Facebook, historically for social engagement but now being used (by some) professionally. FB talks a big game about privacy controls; however, its privacy rules change regularly, and it is difficult if not impossible to prevent certain kinds of sharing in your feed. It is strongly advised that you do not try to manage personal and professional “friends” and activities from the same account.
• Twitter, the highest maintenance channel in terms of response expectations. It moves fast, and you have to move fast with it — especially as leaders who will frequently be pursued by members (or potentially targeted by critics).

10. Stay Positive!

Engaging in social media can be a productive way to support messages and foster community. It’s also a playground for negative naysayers and individuals who may think they are social savvy, but actually are not. You usually can spot them through passive-aggressive (or just plain old aggressive) messages, and their social engagement is much like a bull in a china shop. Many hang their “expertise” on the number of followers they have rather than qualitative engagement metrics. The trick to dealing with a bully, harsh critic or a “friendly time bomb” is to be polite and avoid them otherwise.

By its nature, social media is an opportunity to crowdsource and share ideas, but it can be a slippery slope to ranting or negativity. Your organization’s members will look to you, as leaders, for cues on how to engage, so set a good example by keeping your posts positive and enthusiastic!

Platform and Price
Free: Apple and Android

RDN Score
3 out of 5

Pros

• Track distance, speed and calories burned.
• Get a workout using over 150 exercise routines from full-body circuit training to running programs.
• Connect with friends and compete with others by creating a team or joining an existing one.
• Earn reward points based on the calories you burn.
• Use reward points to take a trip down memory lane and play old school Atari games on your phone, unlock additional exercise routines or exchange them for items at Walgreens.
• Easily log custom exercises and activities.
• Compatible with wearables like Fitbit and Jawbone.
• Connect and share data with complementary apps like Runkeeper, HealthKit and GoogleFit.
• Sign up using Google, Facebook or an email address.

Cons  

• Lacks the polished, sleek design common in many of the other apps in the category.
• For best results, users must allow Atari Fit to read and write to the health data stored on their phone, which may raise privacy concerns.
• Workout plans are represented with a single image versus a video or animated clip demonstrating the full movement, leaving room for user error. 
• Small, difficult-to-read font at times.
• Noted some misspelled words and improper grammar usage.
• Only three games to play (Pong, Centipede and Super Breakout), conspicuously leaving out the beloved and iconic Pac-Man.

Bottom Line
Children of the '80s can briefly reminisce as Atari is all grown up and wants to make fitness a game. It's a great idea in theory, but, unfortunately, AtariFit lacks many of the features present in other fitness apps in the category.

RDN Score
3 out of 5

Platform and Price
Free: Apple and Android

Pros

• Quickly and easily produce live video streams from anywhere.
• Automatically tweets your live stream to your Twitter followers.
• Schedule a live stream for later to build anticipation and notify followers of what's to come.
• Easily toggle between front- and rear-facing cameras with a simple tap, making it easy to show yourself and what's in front of you.
• No reruns.
• Option to save stream content to your camera roll to share in other ways.
• Streams are visible on the web for anyone with a Twitter account.
• Link to your website and Twitter page at the end of your live stream programming – a big plus for driving traffic and increasing followers.

Cons

• Unpolished design and interface will leave you asking if there's more to it.
• Broadcasts are not saved in the app. If viewers miss it, there's no opportunity to catch the rerun via Meerkat.
• Requires Twitter to sign up.
• Take heed: what happens on Meerkat, happens on Twitter. What you say or retweet in Meerkat is mirrored on Twitter with no apparent way to opt out.
• Meerkat automatically follows popular Twitter accounts when you sign up. You can easily unfollow them, but some users will be annoyed by this feature.
• The interface is a bit confusing and regularly sends you back to Twitter.
• Cannot interact with live streams via the web — only in the Meerkat app.
• Difficult to search and identify other live streamers you may be interested in watching.

Bottom Line
It's a little awkward. But with a mascot as cute as its name, Meerkat can work for those who only want to share and tune into what's happening in the moment and don't mind the cluttered user experience.

RDN Score
5 out of 5

Platform and Price
Free: Apple

Pros

• Polished and clean design makes the app incredibly easy to use.
• Scan receipts, documents, photos and business cards directly from your phone or tablet.
• Scannable immediately begins to look for documents to scan when it's opened.
• Scannable focuses and enhances the brightness, contrast and clarity of the image for a clean file.
• Seamlessly save scanned files to your device, Evernote and the cloud, or share with colleagues and friends via text or email.
• Enable calendar access to automatically share documents with meeting attendees.
• Automatically save business card contact information to Evernote or Outlook, and pull in information from a connected LinkedIn account.
• Save files as PDFs or JPGs.
• Produce single-scan or multi-scan document files.
• Includes a useful Knowledge Base to help you become more familiar with the app.
• Connect the app wirelessly to any ScanSnap scanner in your network.

Cons

• Available for iOS only at the time of this review.
• Cannot save and store documents to the app itself.

Bottom Line
One of the fastest, cleanest scanner apps on the market, Evernote Scannable does what it promises and lives up to its name. 

RDN Score
4 out of 5

Platform and Price
$4.99: Apple and Android

Pros

• Sleek, polished design with a user-friendly interface.
• Discover your perfect bedtime.
• Awaken with the Revive Cycle Alarm that gently wakes you over a 5-minute period.
• Recharge with a power nap using the app's music and gradual waking alarm and learn why just 29 minutes is the recommended duration.
• Includes a relaxation program designed to help reduce stress and anxiety before bedtime, but can also be used during the day for meditation.
• Program a daily alarm so you can set it, forget it and wake up at the same time each morning.
• Get a personalized sleep report on sleep quantity, quality and efficiency. Use the report to achieve better sleep habits and hygiene with continued use.
• Opt in to the dashboard emails each week to monitor and track progress.
• No advertisements.

Cons

• To get the full effect, you must play the Sleep Genius music aloud on a sound system while attempting to fall asleep or use "sleep safe" headphones (which may not yield the best sleeping experience).

Bottom Line
If you are having trouble sleeping, using the Sleep Genius app may be worth a try. Though you can get access to binaural beats and pink noise using other means, the app puts it all in one convenient package. 

RDN Score
5 out of 5

Platform and Price
$2.99: Apple

Pros

• Sleek design and user-friendly interface.
• More than 100 easy, affordable and mostly healthy recipes.
• High-quality food photography makes the recipes look appealing.
• Short videos demonstrate recipe instruction and ease of preparation.
• Recipes list calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates information labeled "macros."
• Recipes are searchable by category or ingredient.
• Search recipes that are vegetarian, low- or high-carbohydrate, ideal post-workout and more.
• Highlighted collections pull together recipes for busy students on a budget, meal prep favorites and more.
• Scale recipes up or down with a couple of taps.
• Add ingredients to the shopping list, shop by aisle and mark off items as you shop.
• Toggle between U.S. and metric units within each recipe.
• Save recipes to favorites for easy recall.
• Add your own notes to recipes to easily recall changes or add your own spin.
• Seamless integration with the Fit Men Cook community – encouraging users to make a recipe, photograph, hashtag and share it on Instagram.
• Integration with the Apple's health data allows users to easily add and record recipe nutrient data by serving directly into the HealthKit app.
• Share recipes with friends via email.
• Available in English and Spanish.

Cons

• Font on some screens is small. App doesn't appear to be supported by Dynamic Type as it doesn't adjust to the preferred reading size.

Bottom Line
Appealing to the fitness-minded and general population alike, the Fit Men Cook app is well-designed and will encourage users to get in the kitchen to cook.

In 1882, when Henry W. Putnam patented a secure stopper for jars, glass was the primary material used for food storage containers. During the 1950s, a variety of lightweight, colorful and convenient plastic containers became a popular choice. But unlike naturally impermeable glass, plastic inevitably degrades over time.

Practical from dishwasher to cupboard to refrigerator, clamp-lid glass jars can be used (and recycled) indefinitely. Use them to store dry goods such as oats, beans and snack foods, or refrigerated foods in brine such as sauerkraut or pickled eggs. Clear glass varieties not only make for an attractive and organized display of dry goods on your countertop and shelves, but also are great storage containers for leftovers in your refrigerator, allowing you to see exactly what and how much food you have left inside the jar. The secure closure ensures the contents are sealed safely inside, and unlike with threaded screw-top jars that can be difficult to open, clamp-lid jars don’t require much wrist or hand strength to open and close.

Smaller clamp-lid jars are especially versatile. Seven- to 12-ounce containers are ideal for preparing and serving single-sized salads, beverages and casseroles. If making several at once, place them on a cookie sheet for easy handling. Enjoy the convenience, portability and unique design of clamp-lid jars throughout the kitchen and pantry, and even in your lunch bag.

Hindus believe Lord Krishna is the personification of love, joy and knowledge. He is considered the most personable Hindu deity, always ready to answer the prayers of his followers. A brave hero, wise teacher and loving friend to all, Krishna has had an overwhelming influence on Indian philosophy and culture.

The legend of Janmashtami begins about 5,000 years ago, when Mother Earth and her children were grieving terribly under the dark rule of the demon kings. The outlook was so bleak that Lord Vishnu, the Godhead of the Hindu trinity, chose to be reborn as baby Krishna to bring love and peace to the world and end the rule of evil kings.

Celebration and Fasting Janmashtami festivities last two full days, which generally fall in August or September. Devotees spend the first day of festivities fasting, singing and preparing Krishna’s favorite foods — mostly sweet, milk-based dishes — to offer their Lord at midnight. Beautifully decorated temples and homes exude an aroma of rich desserts and flavorful spices.

Many devotees fast on the first day of Janmashtami. In Hinduism, fasting is considered a sacrificial gift that allows individuals to grow closer to God and repent for sins. In a phalahar fast, worshippers are allowed to consume fruit, water and milk but must refrain from cereal and salt. The most devoted followers keep a nirjal fast, which excludes food and water. During the fast, devotees spend the day preparing Krishna’s favorite dishes, singing songs and chanting mantras. At midnight, the carefully prepared food offering, or prasad, is given to Krishna. Fasting is broken by eating the prasad.

Temples at Midnight

Festivities peak at midnight, the time of Krishna’s birth. Devotees flock to temples adorned with sparkling lights, hanging flowers and colorful decorations. Holy mantras are chanted, and a conch is blown to symbolize the destruction of evil. A representation Krishna, such as a small statue or figurine, is bathed in a mixture of honey, ghee, sugar and curds, then placed in a cradle. It is believed that those who visit the temple to rock the cradle will have a wish granted. The sweet aroma of Krishna’s favorite dishes fills the air as they are placed in front of the cradle. Some Krishna temples prepare as many as 108 dishes, a sacred number in Hinduism.

Breaking the Butter Pot

Dairy products, such as milk, butter and curds, are important staples of Indian cuisine. This is reflected in one of the holiday’s most beloved traditions, Dahi Handi. This ritual, carried out on the second day of festivities, is a celebration of Krishna’s playful and mischievous side. In a daring public display of acrobatic strength and balance, Dahi Handi participants, or govindas, build a human pyramid to reach a dangling butter pot suspended out of reach. The last govinda climbs to the top and strikes the pot until it cracks, spilling curds onto those below.

According to legend, the children of Vrindavan village were deprived of milk products because every drop had to be given to Mathura, the home of evil King Kansa. In response, Krishna and his friends made a human pyramid to reach the pots hanging from ceilings and distribute the prized butter to local children.

Foods of Janmashtami

Food prepared as an offering for Krishna is made with only the finest ingredients in highly sanitary conditions. Because Krishna was known for his sweet tooth and love of milk products, most dishes prepared for Janmashtami are desserts with a milk or yogurt base. Meals are typically vegetarian, as Hindus strongly promote nonviolence and believe all animals have souls. As providers of precious milk, cows are considered sacred in Hinduism, so there are no holiday beef dishes.

According to industry experts, several factors converge at the front end that cause consumers distress: After browsing the aisles and selecting their items, shoppers head to the checkout area to unload groceries onto a conveyer belt and part with their money — stressful tasks for some shoppers. A long line can foster feelings of boredom and frustration.

“Checkout is the most dreaded part of the shopping trip, and waiting simply exacerbates the problem,” says Steve Zoellner, director of Shopper Merchandising Solutions at Mondelēz International. When there’s a wait, shoppers go into “coping mode,” often choosing to distract themselves with their mobile phones, for example.

Adding to shoppers’ already negative feelings are cluttered displays of product selections they don’t need or that aren’t complementary. (Have you ever wondered why the lint rollers are hanging between the pantyhose and flashlight keychains?)

The checkout area is the retailer’s last chance to make one more sale, so it’s to their advantage for the front end to be inviting and encourage “impulse purchases.” But only 18 percent of shoppers purchase an item from the checkout area, according to the 2014 Front-End Focus research study. Rather, 84 percent of consumers say looking at products at the checkout counter just gives them something to do while waiting in line, and 66 percent believe items at checkout are unnecessary purchases.

With the right product selection, the checkout area could be a significant source of impulse purchases — perhaps as a little treat for completing a shopping trip. Beverages, confectionery (such as candy, gum and mints) and magazines are considered “power categories” because they generate more than 90 percent of impulse sales at checkout.

They may be small-ticket items, but increasing checkout purchases by just 1 percent could boost a store’s average front-end sales by nearly $300 per week, or about $15,350 annually. This sales lift is no small increase in an industry with razor-thin profit margins: In 2013, the average net profit for supermarkets was just 1.3 percent, according to the Food Marketing Institute.

Understanding that power categories dominate at checkout, some supermarkets are devoting lanes to health-focused items. An example is Hy-Vee, which operates more than 230 retail stores in the Midwest. Most stores feature at least one “Healthy Bites” checkout lane with a wide selection of “better-for-you” impulse items.

The Sycamore, Ill., location has two Healthy Bites lanes, says Hy-Vee dietitian Lisa Brandt, RDN, LDN. The lanes are stocked with fresh apples and bananas, fruit-and-nut bars, small packages of nuts and trail mix, fruit leather and “all-natural” peanut butter, and single-serving bags of multigrain chips, popcorn and crackers. Healthy Bites coolers are stocked with plain, sparkling and coconut waters, unsweetened teas and 100-percent fruit juice boxes.

“Moms especially like giving their kids a treat they can feel good about,” says Brandt, adding that Hy-Vee shoppers appreciate the convenience and wholesomeness of Healthy Bites offerings.

Earlier this year, Elisabeth D’Alto, RD, LDN, a dietitian with East Coast retailer ShopRite, began pilot-testing more nutritious offerings at two checkout lanes at her store in Lutherville-Timonium, Md. The lanes are stocked with fresh fruit, nuts, bars, baked chips and popcorn, plus an endcap cooler with plain bottled water. More offbeat offerings include dry-roasted edamame with goji berries, single-serving packages of water-packed tuna with crackers, and dark chocolate-covered berries. D’Alto makes sure the lanes feature gluten-free, dairy-free, reduced-sodium and reduced-sugar selections, as well.

The pilot test came about after talking with shoppers and store associates during tours and nutrition consultations. “I see a lot of seniors, millennials and moms with kids who need or want to get healthier,” D’Alto says. “I wanted to see how we might generate buzz around checkout with these offerings.” She is encouraged by positive feedback, and if the lanes become permanent, D’Alto hopes to add non-food items such as exercise bands, water bottles and containers for packing nutritious lunches.

Meanwhile, innovations and new offerings may make checking out the most fun part of a shopping trip. Research that observes shopper behavior suggests several tactics to enhance the experience:

• Look for opportunities to go high-tech, such as engaging shoppers through touchscreens to interact with product-related content.
• Remove extra displays that block shoppers’ movements and clutter their views of prime impulse products.
• Create a cohesive experience with harmonious signs and product assortments.

“We need to improve the traffic flow and make it easier for shoppers to navigate the checkout area,” says Zoellner. “The front end can be a unique and inviting shopping destination.”

Matcha is traditionally used as a ceremonial Japanese tea. In an elaborate ritual, matcha is blended with hot water using a bamboo whisk that has been carefully cleansed. The custom of drinking tea may encourage a sense of calm and focus, and evidence now supports that green tea also may boost mental alertness due to its caffeine content. Like other green teas, matcha also may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, coronary artery disease and other conditions, though more research is needed to confirm these effects.

Matcha is no longer confined to the chawan, a Japanese drinking bowl. It can be found around the globe in lattes, smoothies and as an ingredient in sweet and savory recipes. Online purveyors and specialty stores sell the green tea powder throughout the world.

With an earthy, vegetal taste, matcha’s flavor intensity and quality vary based on how it is produced. From inexpensive blends of low-grade matcha powder with added sugar and milk solids to pricey organic high-grade matcha in online specialty shops, quality determines cost and availability.

Like all “true” teas, which excludes herbal teas, matcha comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. For matcha, pre-harvest shading intensifies the concentrations of theanine and catechins in the tea leaves before they are picked, steamed, air-dried and stone-ground into bright green powder. Because the entire leaf is dissolved in water versus the more common steep and sip preparation, a cup of pure matcha is potent — and it shows. Scientists discovered that the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) concentration in matcha is at least three times higher than other green teas. EGCG is a polyphenol studied for its potential anti-cancer and anti-viral properties.

Matcha was originally produced only in Japan in small batches. To meet global demand, the powder is now produced in parts of China and may not follow the traditional production methods. Purity and quality are key concerns. The International Standards Organization’s tea subcommittee has started to explore setting a standard of identity for matcha and other green tea powders to determine what can be called matcha versus “matcha-style,” for example. As the tea craze continues to draw fans around the globe, exploring the history of matcha is a reminder to pause and enjoy this beautiful green tea with mindfulness and intent.

When chard is harvested early, the young and tender leaves can be eaten raw, adding a beet-like flavor to salads and sandwiches. Mature chard can be sautéed, steamed, simmered or boiled. Because stalks of mature chard are slightly tough and must be cooked longer than leaves, they often are prepared separately and combined before serving. The stalks also can be served alone, stuffed and baked, or used to add a crisp texture to stir-fries and soups. Cooked chard leaves add flavor, texture and nutrition to soups, risottos and egg dishes, such as omelets or frittatas, or as a filling in ravioli or vegetarian lasagna. For a simple, savory side dish, lightly season and sauté the leaves and stalks with flavorful ingredients, such as olive oil, garlic, wine and lemon juice.

Nutrition Profile of Chard

Chard boasts an impressive nutrition profile. Like other leafy greens, its nutrients are more concentrated after cooking. One cup of cooked chard contains 35 calories and delivers about 700 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin K, 210 percent DV of vitamin A, 45 percent DV of vitamin C, 20 percent DV of potassium, 20 percent DV of iron, 15 percent DV of fiber and 10 percent DV of calcium. It also contains 313 milligrams of sodium (13 percent DV in one cup, which may be a consideration for individuals watching sodium intake).

In addition to containing the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein, this vegetable is a source of phytonutrients called betalains, also found in beets. Chard’s antioxidants and phytonutrients may offer protection against oxidative stress and inflammation-associated diseases.

Foodservice Chard Advice

Chard is available year-round, but its peak season lasts from June through August. Fresh young chard — such as red, green and gold baby chard — is sold alone or in mixes with other baby greens. It is available in bulk bags, prewashed and ready to serve. The leaves should be crisp with no browning, holes or bruised spots, and stalks should be unblemished.

Mature chard is typically sold by the head or in bunches, such as rainbow chard. Mature chard can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days, and baby chard can last slightly longer. The stalks of mature chard can be stored longer if separated from the leaves. Large batches of the vegetable’s leaves can be blanched and frozen for later use, but stalks do not freeze well.

2 Chard Recipes

• Coconut-Ginger Braised Chard
• Chard and Wheat Berry Frittata

Unfortunately, there also are those who exploit this opportunity, and often in anonymity, in order to stir the pot. The first step to dealing with negativity is to determine whether the feedback is constructive criticism or an antagonistic attack. Overly aggressive tone or posts that are off-topic or unnecessarily controversial are generally the marks of a cyber-bully. These should not be confused with critics, who offer respectful discourse despite disagreeing or have a legitimate complaint. Rather, cyber-bullies of the worst order (known as trolls) are hell-bent on doing damage to their victims’ brand or image.

Online opposition often is more passive-aggressive than direct conflict or face-to-face disagreement, and blogs and social platforms make it easy for some to channel their inner bully. Whether due to opposing views, jealousy or pure boredom, these individuals take to social networks with the goal of enraging, rather than engaging, through online activities that range from tactless tweets and comments to blitzs of unkind and even vulgar remarks and posts.

Here are some tactics for dealing with negativity online:

1. Stop It Before It Starts

If you don’t already have a commenting policy on your blog or social media page, write one now. A strong commenting policy clearly states what will and will not be tolerated and expected actions against violators. For an example, see the Stone Soup comments policy (located on the right side of this page). The notion that online comments should never be moderated or dissenters blocked is often confused with the general recommendation to encourage constructive online discourse — and anyone on the receiving end of online bullying should feel empowered to protect themselves.

2. Take the High Road

It may sound counterintuitive, but maintaining a positive and approachable tone as you thank commenters for their input, even if you disagree, can help neutralize the situation and give your fans another reason to support you. This is especially effective with critics who are focused on an issue, rather than launching a personal attack. You needn’t continue to acknowledge the same critic over and over. If he or she continues to post negative comments, the line between criticism and harassment has been crossed. Skip to steps 4 and 5.

3. Correct Misinformation

Cyber-bullies often perpetuate misinformation or intentionally skew data in order to fit their agenda and gain traction. If this is the case, address misinformation by sticking to the facts (and ignoring their rudeness). You probably won’t change the bully’s mind, but in the end, your image or brand will prevail among those watching and you may even gain new supporters.

4. Ignore, Ignore, Ignore

Trolls take pleasure in name-calling and posting rude comments just to see how their victims respond. Don’t give them the satisfaction of a knee-jerk reaction, which will only encourage them. Instead, bite your tongue. The troll likely will get bored and go elsewhere. It also will demonstrate to other bullies that you will not stoop to their level. If abuse is occurring on a platform where you can control the post, such as Facebook, hide it from your feed and get familiar with the privacy settings and options for the social networks you use, such as requiring approval for tags, mentions and wall posts. In addition, many platforms such as LinkedIn allow community members to flag comments as inappropriate.

5. Ban or Block Them

This often is considered a last-ditch effort since it means losing a follower and potentially alienating others, but blocking certain users can be an effective way to prevent them from engaging with you. For a troll whose comments tread into harassment territory, report the user to the platform’s safety center. (And in the case of a physical threat against you or others, take a screenshot and call the police.)

Just as in real life, some bullies in the virtual world don’t recognize their behavior as inappropriate. They may justify it as “activism” or claim that participating in social media means you accept the risk of being criticized. While many social media platforms are indeed public, they are not an open invitation to hurl abuse at people, no matter how strongly one may disagree with another’s views.

If you see someone being attacked, one way to lend support without getting involved is by engaging with the victim outside of the dispute, such as “liking,” “favorite-ing” or retweeting their posts. For the more stouthearted social engager, an intermediary comment (“I can see both your points and there are many perspectives to consider”) or even a direct callout on bad behavior (“Whoa, that is not cool”) can have an enormous impact on an otherwise intimidating interaction.

For those who find themselves a target of negativity, keep your chin up. Follow these tips and remember: The more time you spend interacting with a hater, the less time you have for engaging with your true fans and supporters.