Happy Birthday America Healthy Red, White, and Blue Foods

Red, White, and Blue Food Choices

Red, White, and Blue on a Bun

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun
1 Whole Wheat Hot Dog Bun
1 Strawberry
9 Raspberries

3 Blackberries

14 Blueberries

1 Tbsp Cream Cheese, reduced-fat

Red, White, and Blue Parfait

Ingredients

1/3 cup Blueberries
1/3 cup Fat-free Vanilla Yogurt
1/3 cup Strawberries, sliced

Red, White, and Blue Sandwich on
 Sourdough Bread with Cream Cheese,
Yogurt-Covered Raisins, Blueberries,
Raspberries, and Strawberries

Ingredients

2 slices thin Sourdough Bread

2 Tbsp Cream Cheese, low fat

7 yogurt-covered Raisins

1/2 cup Blueberries

2 Strawberries

4 Raspberries

Directions

1. Spread cream cheese on half the bread.

2. Use the yogurt-covered raisins and blueberries as the stars on the flag.

3. Slice strawberries to form the stripes on the flag.
4. Garnish: Blueberries and Raspberries.

July 3, Eat Beans Day

The nutrition information provided below is based on 1/2 cup cooked beans, prepared from dry beans. No salt has been added, therefore sodium levels are insignificant. Beans contain no cholesterol and a small amount of fat. They are a great source of fiber, high in potassium and contain many of the B vitamins. Beans also provide between 7% to 18% of one's daily iron needs.

All About Beans

US Dry Bean Council

The US Dry Bean Council (USDBC) is a private trade association comprised of leaders in the bean industry with the common goal of promoting the U.S. edible bean trade, both in the United States and abroad, and educating U.S. consumers about the benefits of beans. The USDBC gives a voice to the bean industry and provides information to consumers, health professionals, buyers, suppliers and the media about the good taste, nutritional value and versatility of beans.

The USDBC also is a resource for information on U.S. exporters, overseas importers, U.S. dry bean classes, trade policy issues and the role of U.S.-grown beans in international food-aid efforts. USDBC also publishes foreign language newsletters and other publications designed to help overseas importers, packagers and canners better understand and maintain contact with the U.S. dry bean exporting trade.

As part of USDBC’s mission, the organization collaborates with public health organizations, research centers, universities, and the entire supply chain, from seed suppliers to farmers, processors, wholesalers, distributors and transporters.

While the USDBC is privately funded, its representatives work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in overseas markets, and often co-sponsors activities with the U.S. Government. These activities include hosting trade missions from foreign countries to visit U.S. production and processing facilities, participating in trade shows worldwide, coordinating trade missions of U.S. exporters and growers to visit overseas markets and producing education

The USDBC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a marketing office in Pierre, South Dakota. In addition, USDBC representatives around the world facilitate activities and dialog between U.S. and overseas trade.


Benefits
Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat and are a cholesterol-free source of protein. Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease.

A nutrient-rich food, beans contain protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants, and important vitamins and minerals, such as folate, B-Vitamins, manganese, potassium and iron.

Folate, a vitamin very important for pregnant women and their unborn babies, is found in beans. During pregnancy, women need more folate. Expectant mothers who consume enough of the right nutrients can help reduce the risk of birth defects.

Beans are especially important for people with certain food allergies and intolerances. For example, some people can’t tolerate gluten, a natural protein present in wheat, barley and rye. Because beans don’t contain gluten, or major allergens found in various grains, substituting beans can help provide the fiber and other nutrients that people on restricted diets may be missing. Beans come in a variety of convenient forms (such as canned beans, bean flours and dehydrated beans) that can be used in place of allergenic and gluten-containing ingredients.


Bean Recipes

Bean Burrito

Black Bean Soup Garnished with

Green Onions

Black Bean Soup Garnished with Green Onions and
Reduced-fat Sour Cream Served in a Sourdough Roll

Made in America Day

Made In America

Made in USA

Do you promote your products as “Made in the USA”? Under the law, certain products are required to disclose their U.S. content. For others, manufacturers and marketers who choose to make claims about the amount of U.S. content must be aware of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S. Origin Claims. Is your company up on what's required?

The Made in USA mark is a country of origin label indicating the product is "all or virtually all" made in the United States. The label is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

In general, goods imported into the United States must have a country of origin label unless accepted, but goods manufactured in the United States can be sold without any sort of "Made in the USA" label unless explicitly required. Voluntary claims about the amount of U.S. content in other products must comply with the FTC’s Made in USA policy.

A Made in USA claim can be expressed (for example, "American-made") or implied. In identifying implied claims, the Commission focuses on the overall impression of the advertising, label, or promotional material. Depending on the context, U.S. symbols or geographic references (for example, U.S. flags, outlines of U.S. maps, or references to U.S. locations of headquarters or factories) may convey a claim of U.S. origin by themselves or in conjunction with other phrases or images.

Resources

1. Federal Trade Commission Protecting American Consumers

2. Products Made in the USA Directory, Made in USA Forever
3. Federal Trade Commission: Complying with the Made in USA Standard

4. Made in USA, Wikipedia