Snacking Smart
Plan Your Snacks Snacks can fit into a healthy eating plan and provide an energy boost between meals if they’re planned right. Choosing nutritious foods can help reduce sources of empty calories and added sugar. Snacks for people who are less active should be 200 calories or less. Make snacking a smart habit by: • […]
Read moreAdd Flavor — Not Salt
Flavoring Your Food with Spices and Herbs Salt is an essential part of the human diet and the body, and it’s also one of the most commonly used seasonings for adding instant flavor to food. However, too much salt can cause damage. Sodium forces you to retain water, which puts extra pressure on your blood […]
Read moreFall Smoothies
Autumn in a Glass Although we enjoy the long days of summer, the cooler days and cozy nights of fall are quite refreshing! As we welcome the change of season, try these anytime-of-the-day smoothie recipes. Pumpkin Spice Smoothie As soon as fall arrived, we jumped right on that pumpkin spice bandwagon. No shame here… we […]
Read moreHealthy Fall Foods
Seasonal Produce Picks The autumn harvest includes a variety of root vegetables and crisp fruits — perfect for creating comfort food meals to enjoy as the weather begins to cool. Send-of-summer foods like blueberries and raspberries may have an encore, while others, like parsnips, make their first appearance of the year. Farmers’ markets are a […]
Read moreFunctional Foods
What Is a Functional Food, Exactly? Magazine articles and news reports tout the benefits of eating “functional foods,” which they claim can do everything from reducing cholesterol to preventing conditions such as heart disease or cancer. At the grocery store, you’ll find plenty of breakfast cereals, yogurts and nut butters with similar health benefits proclaimed […]
Read moreAnti-Inflammatory Foods
The Link Between Inflammation and Chronic Diseases Inflammation is a sign that the immune system is fighting infection. The infection may be related to germs, wounds, allergens, toxins or other causes. Typically, we think of signs of inflammation as redness, swelling, and pain. But, sometimes inflammation can happen within our bodies. Someone with bronchitis has […]
Read moreHow to Handle Food Cravings
A Balanced Eating Plan What happens when your cravings become overwhelming and lead to overindulgence and feelings of guilt? When people follow restrictive diets or completely cut out groups of foods, cravings can become more intense and can lead to a vicious cycle of indulging, overeating, and guilt. A balanced eating plan that allows foods […]
Read moreNutrition and Farmers’ Markets
Shopping for Nutrition at Your Local Farmers’ Markets What’s your biggest obstacle to healthful eating? Perhaps you think fruits and vegetables are too expensive or just don’t like the way they taste. Your local farmers’ markets can help you overcome these barriers. In many cases, food at the farmers market is more affordable and tastes […]
Read moreTime-Saving Cooking Tips
Time-Saving Cooking Tips It just takes a little planning to be able to turn out delicious, nutritious meals in very little time. Check out the following strategies to see which ones work for you. You’ll be able to save time and energy! Cook when you can • When are you the busiest? Plan ahead so […]
Read moreMinimum Safe Cooking Temps
Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart Follow these guidelines for Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures for meat, poultry, seafood, and other cooked foods. Be sure to use a food thermometer to check whether meat has reached a safe internal temperature that is hot enough to kill harmful germs that cause food poisoning.
Read moreSafe Food Storage
Are You Storing Food Safely? Whether putting food in the refrigerator, the freezer, or the cupboard, you have plenty of opportunities to prevent foodborne illnesses. The goal is to keep yourself and others from being sickened by microorganisms such as Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and C. botulinum, which causes botulism. Keeping foods chilled at proper temperatures is one […]
Read moreThanksgiving Food Safety
Stuffing/Dressing Safety Dressing or stuffing? No matter what you call it, people are passionate about it. Stuffing can be very personal, and everyone seems to have a favorite way to make it. The options are many. Chestnuts or oysters? Cornbread or white bread? We’re not going to debate the ingredients. Those are personal decisions and […]
Read more