Maggie Battista

Maggie Battista is an author, writer, podcast host, and hospitality consultant. She’s the co-host of the Made Fresh podcast, where everything is on the table, including the food. In 2007, she founded Eat Boutique, an award-winning online food shop. After creating pop-up Eat Boutique food markets for 25,000+ guests, she now advises on collaborative retail and food market developments. With her latest project, Maggie guides operations and storytelling for the Speedway, a vibrant marketplace in Boston’s historic racetrack headquarters on the Charles River, set to open in summer 2020. Maggie’s been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Eater, Boston Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Financial Times, Pineapple Collaborative, and Refinery29. She’s written for Food52, Time Out New York, Southern Living, The National Post, and The Kitchn. Her second cookbook, A New Way to Food, which chronicles her journey toward learning to love herself, was published by Roost Books in 2019.
    I'm a Widow in My 60's and My First Meal of the Day Is Filled with Veggies
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Valarie Taylor about the lifestyle changes she made nearly 10 years ago after she discovered she had Graves’ disease, a condition she believes was brought on by the stress of becoming a widow.
    Maggie Battista
    Apr 14, 2020
    The Best Health Decision I Ever Made for My Family Was to Cook More, Cook Together, and Cook from Scratch
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Marcy Hairston, a special education teacher in Washington, D.C., about why cooking from scratch is so important to her family.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 29, 2020
    Believe it or Not, Counting Calories Helps Me Feel My Best
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Kim Peterson, an accountant in Illinois, about her motivation to start tracking calories and how her meal prep routine helps her stay focused.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 29, 2020
    For Me, Being Healthy Always Comes Back to Moderation
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Stephanie Prassos, a dentist and mother in New York, about her restrictive eating past, and why moderation in food and exercise works best for her now.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 28, 2020
    I’ve Been Eating Low-Carb for 3 Years, and I’m No Longer Tired All the Time
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Meg Haberbusch, a digital consultant in New York, about her food journey and she shared her secret to staying faithful to her low-carb lifestyle during the busiest of times.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 27, 2020
    Yes, a Zero Carb Diet Exists. It’s Called the Carnivore Diet, and I Love It
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Trevor Britton, a government employee in Ohio, about how he lost 130 pounds by eating more meat with the help of his doctor, and his recommendations for anyone considering going zero-carb or full carnivore.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 26, 2020
    Eating Gluten-Free Is the Only Way I Don’t Feel Crummy All the Time (I’ve Done It for 20 Years)
    My Healthy 2020
    Christine Lima, a college professor in Massachusetts, says her motivation for going gluten-free was pretty simple: "Imagine if you had the worst virus for three months straight and all of a sudden you start to feel better. That’s what pushed me on."
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 25, 2020
    I Became Vegetarian Accidentally. But the Benefits Are Too Great to Quit.
    My Healthy 2020
    Mona Beydoun, a master's student and writer in Michigan, says she accidentally became vegetarian a year ago when she was visiting family friends in Denmark. Mona shares her story, including the guilt that’s been lifted from her shoulders since making the switch.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 24, 2020
    I Went Paleo 8 Years Ago and Here’s How I’m Still Going Strong
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Lisa Denham, a Student Services Coordinator in California, about how she found the Paleo lifestyle after an elimination diet eight years ago. She explains how the Paleo diet has helped clear her digestive issues and given her more energy.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 23, 2020
    The Weirdly-Named Low-FODMAP Diet Worked Magic for My Gut
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Melissa Jones, who works in health care in California, about how a low-FODMAP diet helps her feel best in her body and the resources she uses (including an app!) that make the lifestyle easier.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 23, 2020
    Why Going Vegan Was the Best Choice for Me (The Hard Part Isn’t About the Food)
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Alice Ma, a Registered Dietitian in Washington, about her motivation for eating vegan, the surprising things she finds difficult about the lifestyle, and her best advice for anyone else considering going vegan.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 22, 2020
    How I Decided to Eat Less Sugar (It Made a Huge Impact on My Body and My Mind)
    My Healthy 2020
    After completing a Whole30 challenge 3 years ago Hannah Slabaugh, an engineer in Michigan, decided that eating less sugar was her version of healthy.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 21, 2020
    Here’s Why Intermittent Fasting Works for Me (I’ve Been Doing it for 7 Years!)
    My Healthy 2020
    Laura Rodriguez, an automotive engineer and spin instructor based in Tennessee, credits intermittent fasting for making it possible to do the things she loves most.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 20, 2020
    After My Cancer Diagnosis, a Plant-Based Diet Helped Me Feel Stronger
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Elisa Gorman about her path to adopting a plant-based diet and why it works for her.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 19, 2020
    How Meal Planning Helped Me Get Off Medications (and Keep Up with My Kids!)
    My Healthy 2020
    Karen Lu, an office manager based in New Jersey, shares why she made the transition to meal prepping and the impact it’s made in her life and in her family.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 18, 2020
    How Rejecting “Diet Culture” and Embracing Intuitive Eating Helped Me Heal My Relationship With Food
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Christy Harrison about how her own life changed when she adopted the formal practice of intuitive eating, and how she now helps others find freedom from diet culture too.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 16, 2020
    After 2 Years, the Mediterranean Diet Is Everything I Hoped It Would Be
    My Healthy 2020
    Lora Shreve, a bookkeeper in Maine, was finally diagnosed with a rare neurological disease two years ago, after five years of failed diagnosis and treatments. She switched to an adjusted Mediterranean Diet and hasn't looked back.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 15, 2020
    For Me, Whole30 Isn’t a Fad Diet. I’ve Done It 4 Times (and Counting!)
    We talked to Ali Mullin, a Learning Development Specialist in Illinois, about what she loves about Whole30, why she doesn't believe in fad diets, and her best tips for getting started (hint: find a buddy!).
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 14, 2020
    I’m a Bartender, But Here’s Why I Quit Drinking Alcohol 2 Years Ago
    My Healthy 2020
    The inspiring story of a bartender who's part of a movement to kick the unhealthy habits of the restaurant industry.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 13, 2020
    I’ve Been on the Keto Diet for 2 Years and It’s Changed My Life
    My Healthy 2020
    We talked to Barbara Peters, an administrative assistant in Texas who’s been eating according to the Keto diet for two years. Here's why the lifestyle works for her and what you need to know about it if you choose to go keto.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 12, 2020
    Recipe: Citrus Sugar
    You may juice citrus regularly, but perhaps don’t realize what you’re missing: all the flavor from the peel. Citrus zest brightens so many recipes, but if you have citrus sugar in your pantry, you’ve got a wonderfully fragrant gift. Keep it tucked away for sprinkling on cookies, rimming the glass of a tart cocktail, or gifting to your favorite baker or mixologist who will delight in the flavors of preserved sunshine.
    Maggie Battista
    May 1, 2019
    8 People Who Lost 100+ Pounds on Their Best Healthy Habits
    Getting and staying healthy is a major accomplishment, no matter the number on your bathroom scale. I would know. After decades of thinking that I was destined to be the forever-fat girl, I finally lost over 70 pounds and gained some control over my body. In tandem, I gained some control over my mind. Because more important than the weight loss is that I finally discovered radical self-love — the kind that makes it way easier to pause before stuffing food into my face.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 15, 2019
    The 3 Weight-Loss Proverbs That Just Didn’t Work for Me
    After decades of being the fat girl in every room — the girl who’d be pretty if she’d just lose a lot of weight and the woman who’s never stuck to a diet long-term, always shamed for eating the bad foods and mocked for eating the good foods — I’ve had enough. I’m big and beautiful and way healthier and happier than I’ve ever been. Eventually, I found a way to my own idea of wellness.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 10, 2019
    The $20 Gadgets That Helped These People Lose 100 Pounds
    I switched to a mostly plant-based way of eating nearly three years ago and haven’t looked back. Above all other food groups, I love vegetables — and eating them has helped me stay healthier, maintain my weight loss, and, most importantly, keep me feeling good year-round. Eventually, roasting carrots and eggplant and squash on baking sheets each night got boring, though, and I had to find other ways to stay in love with veggies.
    Maggie Battista
    Jan 3, 2019
    11 People on What They Learned from Losing 100 Pounds (and Keeping It Off)
    After losing 70 pounds, ridding myself of joint pain and finally feeling good to just be me, I know that a real wellness change — the sort that lasts long-term and is about way more than just the pounds lost — is a process. Change, for me, didn’t happen from actually losing weight. Or I should say, it only happened in conjunction with a lot of reflection and, let’s be real, loads of therapy.
    Maggie Battista
    Oct 11, 2018
    The YouTube Channel That Makes It Easier for Me to Eat Healthfully
    Thousands of vegetarian recipe accounts exist on YouTube. Some are focused on whole foods, others showcase whatever “wellness” means at the moment, and some are all the way vegan and plant-based. Somewhere in the middle of all this is my forever veg-inspiration: Green Kitchen Stories.
    Maggie Battista
    Jul 24, 2018
    The Non-Dairy Milk That Deserves Way More Attention
    Almond, soy, and coconut milks are fine alternatives to dairy milk, but I use each of them sparingly due to their taste complexities. And when I say taste complexities, I mean outright peculiarity. Almond milk tastes exceptionally nutty, soy milk tastes too beany to me, and coconut milk tastes like a sweet, floral tropical island. Each of these definitely has a place in my kitchen, but the plant milk I turn to every single day is cashew milk.
    Maggie Battista
    Jun 1, 2018
    Reader, I Love Him. But I Can’t Diet With Him.
    When I met my husband, we bonded instantly. We had similar taste in music, having grown up on pop-rock icons like David Bowie and Prince in the decade when MTV first debuted. We both set up our first email accounts in the ’90s and built some of the earliest online communities (bulletin board systems) when thousands — and not billions — were on the web. We were connected, quite literally, to each other very early on. We also bonded because we were fat and generally unhealthy.
    Maggie Battista
    May 30, 2018
    It Changed My Life: How an Elimination Diet Made Me More Connected to My Body
    It was New Year’s Day 2015, the most frightful day of the year for this fat girl. Slumped in front of the television overeating absolutely nothing memorable, I was about to become the very first cliché of yet another new year. For the thousandth time, I committed to figuring out my health situation, whispering it to myself aloud, “I will prioritize my health, and I will lose weight.” I commit to losing weight on the first day of every New Year. You know the drill.
    Maggie Battista
    Nov 4, 2017
    5 Cute & Easy Ways to Package Cookies for Gifting
    If you’ve decided to give the gift of cookies this holiday season, I applaud you. I’m always ready to cookie-it-up all season long. By that, I mean make them, bake them, and, if all goes as planned, give most of them away. (Although, if you’re like me, the act sometimes becomes a game of “one for you, one for me.”) And while just the act of making and baking something homemade for your friends and family is enough, I tend to think wrapping them up is half the fun.
    Maggie Battista
    Dec 7, 2016
    5 Mistakes to Avoid When Packing & Shipping Cookies
    So they arrive perfect and pristine (until they're devoured).
    Maggie Battista
    Dec 6, 2016
    The One and Only Cookie Sheet You Need
    Choosing a cookie sheet can be complicated business. Between all the possible variations on offer — aluminum, nonstick, perforated, heavy-duty, with a rim, without a rim — there are enough options for whatever sort of cookie you’re baking. But unless you’re making hundreds of cookies a day in a bakery, all those options aren’t necessary. Most home cooks only really need one sheet — and it’s not a cookie sheet at all.
    Maggie Battista
    Dec 5, 2016
    The Best Way to Mail Food Gifts
    Now that you know the most important questions to ask yourself before mailing an edible gift, it’s time to tackle the part when you actually box them up. I have learned that there are very specific ways to wrap all types of food gifts to ensure they land in one piece with family and friends. Here’s what you need to know. Seal the jars: Jars of marmalade or bottles of syrup should be sealed tightly.
    Maggie Battista
    Nov 16, 2016
    5 Questions to Ask Before Mailing Food Gifts
    I make and gift food like it’s going out of style (but you and I know it never will). For me, it’s a compulsion, really, but the sweetest sort. I always say, ’tis better to give away all the chewy cookies and fruit preserves to family and friends before I eat them all up. And if there’s a tray of warm caramels before me, I will eat them all up — promise. I could stop cooking and baking, but what’s the fun in that?
    Maggie Battista
    Nov 14, 2016
    Recipe: Sweet & Sour Cranberries
    These gems make for an unexpected holiday gift. They’re excellent as is or added onto a cheese plate near some sharp white cheddar. Their delight only transcends when spread into a sandwich or dabbed onto some roast pork. And the sweet, tart liquid that results can be served at the bottom of a flute — topped with Champagne, of course — at any holiday party. Float a few cranberries in the glass, for sure.
    Maggie Battista
    Dec 11, 2015
    Recipe: Cider-Chai Syrup
    Apples and chai spices are a likely combination and work gloriously, especially when enjoyed in front of a fire. Add 2 tablespoons to a cup 
of boiled water for a drink that warms you. Add 1 tablespoon whiskey for a makeshift hot toddy that also warms you — perhaps even a bit more. Process these jars in a water bath to preserve the goodness for gifting all year.
    Maggie Battista
    Dec 9, 2015