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We recently got the chance to interview the twin duo, Symone and Chantel, behind the Double Dose of Vitamin C (cool name or what). 👯 The Winnipeg-based twin sisters are registered dietitians who share their tips and tricks with the world through their Instagram. And that's how we got a chance to e-meet them and do our first (and definitely not the last) collaboration.
Grab a snack, put on some good music (how about our SOUND ON December Spotify playlist). Read on to learn about Symone and Chantel's journey, their favorite snacks and how their most perfect day looks like! Enjoy! 😊
Favourite healthy snack?
Symone: Whole grain crackers with hummus
Chantel: Roasted chickpeas
Texting or talking?
100% texting, lol.
Last song you listened to?
POPSTAR by DJ Khaled featuring Drake
Favorite holiday?
Hands down, Christmas
What’s your favorite carb: bread, pasta, rice or potatoes?
Pasta! Could eat it all day, everyday, lol!
Last Netflix binge?
This is Us
Favorite place on earth?
No one specific location. It is wherever our family is.
3 emojis that best describe you?
👯 ✝ 🍜
Name the first word that comes to mind. Now!
Chantel: Cookies
Symone: Pizza, lol. Can you tell we haven’t eaten lunch as yet?!
Hi Symone and Chantel. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. How did @double_dose_of_vitamin_c_ start and what’s your story?
Symone: We started our account back in June of this year. Essentially during lockdown. We were both looking for a way to utilize our expertise and keep some aspect of normalcy while in quarantine.
Chantel: I guess you can say it started off as a hobby/passion project. We really didn’t have much of an expectation with this account other than us wanting to provide individuals with quick and easy meal and snack ideas.
Symone: As for the name, double dose of vitamin c, it’s a play on the fact that we are twins and both registered dietitians.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in this field?
Chantel: We have always had an interest in nutrition and its impact on the human body. In high school, we took Home Ec. classes and always loved being in the kitchen creating and experimenting with ingredients.
Symone: Ironically, when it came time to picking a major and signing up for uni courses, we didn’t really know what we wanted to do. It sounds weird in retrospect but we never connected the two: nutrition and biology to dietetics until we were literally flipping through the intro to post secondary course catalog.
Chantel: It all stems from what our personal interests were and what we could see ourselves doing.
What do people look for in a nutritionist or a dietitian?
Symone: That is a really great question and the simplest answer is, it depends.
Chantel: Reasons why someone would want to see/work with a registered dietitian are countless, but some include: wanting to improve their relationship with food to learning how to prevent or manage a chronic illness.
What is your favourite meal/kitchen hack?
Symone: Love this question. For me, it would probably be washing and prepping veg/fruit ahead of time. This can be as soon as you come home from the grocery store or at a time that is most convenient. I find that it really does make a difference, at least for me when it comes to choosing a snack. If there is a bowl of washed fruit/veg, I would be more inclined to eat it as part of a filling snack.
Chantel: Ooo, yasss, that’s a great hack and one that I love as well. I think another fave hack of mine would be freezing fresh herbs, like parsley and cilantro in ice cube trays and then popping one out whenever i’m cooking. It is a great way to reduce food waste while adding amazing flavour.
What’s your favorite quote or mantra you can’t live without?
Chantel: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Symone: Be kind, always!
Who or what gives you the most inspiration?
Symone: I think I can speak for the both of us when I say it would definitely be our family and our Christian faith.
Chantel: Absolutely!
Picture this, you’re living your most perfect day — what does it look like?
Symone: Spending quality time with family and friends, enjoying good food and conversations!
Chantel: That sounds perfect. Any day we can get together with loved ones, especially now is a great day!
Now, what’s your actual typical day look like?
Symone & Chantel: Lol, us in front of the computer working and creating content.
What’s one of the wackiest nutrition myths you’ve heard of?
Chantel: Lol, just one, right?! It’s crazy to think how much misinformation there is online. One myth that I hear a lot is that juice cleanses will help you lose weight. This is completely false and can be quite dangerous.
Symone: Yasss! Another is that you should cut carbs from the diet in order to be healthy. This myth couldn’t be further from the truth as we literally need carbs to function/survive!
What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about dietitians?
Symone: That dietitians are the food police and are judging your food choices. This just isn’t true. When it comes to food choices, dietitians are some of the most understanding and non-judgmental individuals you will meet.
Chantel: Absolutely. Another misconception is that RDs only make and provide meal plans to clients. This is a small fraction of what RDs do and offer as a service. The role of an RD is multifaceted.
What are your personal favorite research resources? What things do you do to keep up to date with your profession?
Chantel: PEN, stands for Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition.
Symone: It’s a database for nutrition professionals that summaries the latest in research so that we can stay up-to-date and provide the most current nutrition info to clients.
So where can everyone keep up with you to learn more?
You can follow us on instagram at double_dose_of_vitamin_c_. We provide information on how to make meals and snacks balanced and stress free for adults, students and families with busy lifestyles.
WHAT IS SMARTBITE COLLECTIVE? Smartbite Collective shines a spotlight on changemakers in our community that live according to Smartbite principles. We started Smartbite Snacks because we want to live our lives on our own terms while creating a positive change around us. We don't wait for things to happen, we get up and happen to things. Roadblocks don't discourage us, they fuel us. We believe that life is what you make it, how you impact it and also how you look at it – rice cakes are just rice but wine is just grapes. To us simplicity, boldness, kindness and giving a shit (yes, we said it) are everything and when we meet someone who embodies all of the above, you bet we'll ask tons of questions.
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So stop what you’re doing, make yourself a cup of whatever hot you fancy, grab a snack and get ready to be inspired. 💭💭💭
