Did you know that nearly all of raisin crops are grown in the Central San Joaquin Valley in California?  Raisins are basically grapes that are typically dried by the sun on the vines or on paper trays.  They vary in size and color; some are very small like the Zante currant that are made from…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every four deaths in the U.S. is due to cancer.  In addition, the American Cancer Society states that the expected diagnosis of new cancer cases in 2019 is over 1.7 million.  Despite cancer being the second most common cause of death in the…

Did you know that April is dedicated to National Stress Awareness Month? We all experience stress, yet we may cope with it differently. This is because there are different types of stress and different coping methods may be beneficial for different people. It is important to understand how much stress is a “normal” amount and to…

In the hustle and bustle of life, you may forget to pay attention to food safety when food shopping and cooking. Taking shortcuts when it comes to handling food can lead to harmful food borne illnesses. Food safety refers to the handling, preparation, and storage of food in safe ways that prevent food-borne illnesses.  …

Did you know that tomorrow, April 6th, is National Fresh Tomato Day? How about that tomatoes are actually considered a fruit? Tomatoes have seeds, which means they are botanically considered fruit. However, in the culinary world, they are considered vegetables due to their savory rather than sweet flavoring.   Tomatoes are in season from May to…

Did you know that almonds are actually grown on an orchard and are encased in a fruit-like shell? They are also a part of the rose family, making them close relatives to peaches and apricots!  Here’s another fun fact: there are eight different species of almonds, but they all have the same exact nutritional value!…

Tomorrow, March 30th, is National Take A Walk In the Park Day. You may think that walking isn’t a great workout, but you’d be surpised! Walkinghas some amazing health benefits that we can all benefit from. You can increase your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your bones and boost muscle power and endurance by simply walking 30…

Did you know that tomorrow, March 26th, is American Diabetes Association Alert Day? That’s right, it’s time to check and understand the risks for type 2 diabetes and keep yourself informed on how to prevent it!   Approximately 30 million people in the U.S. are living with diabetes. However, about 7 million of them are…

Did you know that tomorrow is National Melba Toast Day? If you don’t know what Melba toast is,it’s a thin, crisp slice of toasted bread that can be eaten with a soup or salad or with some nice cheese spread on top.  The name of this crunchy treat comes from Dame Nellie Melba, which is the…

Did you know March is National Frozen Food month? Having a freezer is a huge convenience to consumers these days as it allows you to have nutritious food throughout the year.   Now I know what you may be thinking, is frozen food even good for you?? Well, I’m here to tell you that there…

Today, March 15this National Peanut Lovers Day! Did you know that thepeanut plant originated in Peru or Brazil in South America about 3,500 years ago?   When peanuts were first discovered by the Europeans, they were being grown from Mexico all the way down to Peru. The Europeans took the peanuts back to Spain and…

March is National Noodle Month, but that doesn’t mean you are limited to just noodles!  There’s a variety of “noodles”that you can explore from!  Whether you enjoy noodles in your soup or eat them in pasta dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, you can you enjoy your noodles as you like.   Typically, when you…

Did you know that having too much salt in your diet can raise your blood pressure, which increases your chances of having heart disease or a stroke?   Luckily, there is an entire week dedicated to spreading awareness about salt. This year National Salt Awareness Week started on March 4th and runs through March 10th! The World…

Celebrate the “most important meal of the day” all week long in honor of National School Breakfast Week (NSBW)! Starting today through March8th, schools nationwide will be taking part in observing this year’s NSBW with the theme Start Your Engines with School Breakfast. This year’s theme was chosen to emphasize the importance of starting the…

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? Typically, National Nutrition Month has a theme to focus on, however this year it’s being done a little different! Instead of a theme, National Nutrition Month is being honored on its own. The point of this “theme” is to allow for flexbility when spreading nutrition messages…

Every year in February, there is a week dedicated to bringing awareness to eating orders. This year,National Eating Disorders Awareness Week starts today, February 25th and will run through Sunday, March 3rd.   The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) selects a theme each year for their movement of awareness and this year the theme is titled “Come…

Many diseases can be better managed by making modifications to yourdiet, including but not limited to, diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis. Recent research has even come out suggesting that modifications in one’s diet pattern can significantly decrease the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Given the big “push” in the media for keeping your…

More than 200 years ago, people needed to either smoke, salt, or dry their food in order to preserve it. That all changed when Nicholas Appert invented the process of packing meat and poultry into glass bottles by corking the bottles and placing them into boiling water. In doing this, he realized he stopped bacterial…

You’ve probably been seeing people cook sweet potatoes more often nowadays, however this is not solely based off of their taste, but also because of its high nutrient value. Don’t know much about this tuber? Luckily, February is National Sweet Potato Month, so time todig in and take a look at why this tasty tuber has so…

Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women? Nearly 1 in every 4 deaths can be related to it. Luckily, February is American Heart Month, which makes now the perfect time to learn all you can about heart disease and how you can reduce your risk!…