National Clam Chowder Day

Many regional variations of Clam Chowder exist. The two most common are New England or "white" clam chowder and Manhattan or "red" clam chowder. Manhattan versus New England Clam Chowder.

Recipes

1. Manhattan Clam Chowder, MyPlate
2. New England Clam Chowder, EatingWell

Food Connects Us: Celebrating National Nutrition Month 2025

Food is more than just sustenance—it is a universal language, a bridge between cultures, communities, and generations. The 2025 theme for National Nutrition Month, "Food Connects Us," highlights the powerful role food plays in fostering relationships, preserving traditions, and promoting health and well-being.

The Cultural Connection

Every culture has its own unique culinary traditions, yet food unites us all in ways that transcend geographical and societal differences. Whether it’s gathering for a family meal, sharing a holiday feast, or learning about new cuisines, food creates opportunities for connection and understanding. Exploring diverse foods broadens our palates and deepens our appreciation for different backgrounds and traditions.

Food as a Social Bond

Food has the ability to bring people together, from intimate dinners to large celebrations. It fosters a sense of community, strengthens relationships, and creates memories. Sitting down to a shared meal encourages conversation and strengthens emotional bonds, whether with family, friends, or even strangers.

Nourishment and Well-being

Beyond emotional and cultural ties, food connects us through its impact on health. Good nutrition fuels our bodies, supports mental health, and helps prevent chronic diseases. By making mindful food choices, we can take charge of our well-being while also encouraging our loved ones to prioritize their health.

Sustainability and Global Impact

Food connects us to the environment and the broader global community. The choices we make about food production and consumption influence the sustainability of our planet. Supporting local farmers, reducing food waste, and making eco-conscious choices all contribute to a healthier world for future generations.

Celebrating National Nutrition Month

This National Nutrition Month, embrace the theme "Food Connects Us" by:

• Trying new recipes from different cultures

• Cooking and sharing meals with loved ones

• Learning about the health benefits of various foods

• Supporting sustainable food practices

Let’s use food as a tool to connect, nourish, and celebrate life together. After all, every bite tells a story, and every meal is an opportunity to bring people closer.

Pamper Your Pup with Homemade Treats Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

Recipe

Whip up some delightful homemade treats for your dog with just three easy-to-find, pet-safe ingredients. These simple-to-make cookies can be shaped into adorable doggy designs like bones for fun or quickly formed into small, flattened balls if time is tight. Ensure your peanut butter is free from added sugars, oils, and particularly Xylitol, which is harmful to dogs.

Banana Bliss Biscuits for Barkers

Easy 3-Ingredient Dog Treats Yields: 20-24 biscuits. Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (check for no Xylitol!)
• 1 large ripe banana (or 2 mediums), mashed

How to Make Them:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pulse the rolled oats in a blender until they resemble fine flour, or use pre-made oat flour. Set this aside.
• In a big bowl, combine the peanut butter and mashed banana thoroughly. Mix in the oat flour until you achieve a thick, cohesive dough. If it's too dry, mix in 2-4 tablespoons of peanut butter until the dough is sticky yet workable.
• Flatten the dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes with a doggie-themed cookie cutter. For a quicker option, shape the dough into small balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and press them down to form simple round cookies.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly golden. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes – if you can wait – before treating your dog.
• Store these tasty treats in a sealed container; they'll keep fresh for up to two weeks.

Treat your four-legged friend to these healthy, homemade snacks and watch their tail wag joyfully!

Homemade Banana Mango Bread

 Homemade Banana Mango Bread

Yield. 1 loaf, about 10 slices
Pan size. 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 medium bananas, heavily speckled (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)

8 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ripe mango, sliced into chunks

Directions 

1. Center a rack in the oven and heat to 350 degrees F. Use a non-stick spray or margarine and flour a loaf pan.

2. Place on a baking sheet.
3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together, set aside. In the bottom of a medium bowl, mash bananas into a chunky paste. Whisk the oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the bananas until blended.
4. Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, stirring gently until they disappear and the batter is smooth. 

5. Stir in mango.

6. Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 55 to 75 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

7. After 30 minutes in the oven, check the bread for color. If it looks like it is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.

8. When the bread is done, transfer it, in the pan, to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the bread and place right side up on the rack. Cool completely.

Nutrition Profile
Analysis based on 1 slice

264 Calories (kcal) 

4 Protein (g)

36 Carbohydrates (g)

2 Total Dietary Fiber (g) 

18 Total Sugars (g) 

11 Added Sugar (g) 

12 Fat (g) 

1 Saturated Fat (g)  

37 Cholesterol (mg)  

169 Potassium (mg) 

200 Sodium (mg) 

Heart Healthy Red Foods

 A Symphony of Scarlet Delight

Food Sources

Apples, Beets, Cayenne, Cherries, Cranberries, Kidney Beans, Red Grapefruit, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Radishes, Raspberries, Red Bell Peppers, Red Cabbages, Red Chili Peppers, Red Corn, Red Currants, Red Grapes, Red Onions, Blood Red Oranges, Red Pears, Red Peppers, Red Plums, Red Potatoes, Red Tomatoes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Watermelons

Do you know other foods that are Red?

About Red Fruits and Vegetables.

Red fruits and vegetables get their color from natural plant pigments called lycopene or anthocyanins. Both are phytonutrients, which have health-promoting benefits, such as:

• Reduces the risk of several types of cancer, especially prostate cancer
• Reduces the risk of heart disease
• Protects our bodies’ cells from environmental damage (harmful free radicals)
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers LDL cholesterol
• Aids in memory
• Maintains the health of the urinary tract system

Lycopene is a carotenoid and antioxidant. Examples of food sources include tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and papaya.  

Anthocyanins, an antioxidant found in cranberries, raspberries, red grapes, strawberries, and other red-to-purplish fruits and vegetables, may help protect cells from damage.

In addition, red fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals and are rich in fiber. Fiber helps maintain the digestive system.

Kidney Bean, Red Onion and Tomato Salad
New York Times, by Nigella Lawson 

Ways to increase Red Food Intake:
Add strawberries or raspberries to cereal or low-fat yogurt.
Freeze seedless red grapes for a sweet snack.
Add thin slices of red tomatoes or red apples to a sandwich.
Add red kidney beans to soup, salads or rice dishes.
Dice tomatoes and red apples and add to a salad.

Definitions:
Phytonutrients (or phytochemicals) are found in plants and are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their colors. They help protect plants from diseases found in the environment and protect us in a similar way. Studies have linked an increase in fruit and vegetable intake with lowering the risk of specific cancers and heart disease. The following list describes how phytonutrients may also help protect human health.
1. Act as an antioxidant.
2. Improves immune response.
3. Improves cell-to-cell communication.
4. Destroys cancer cells.
5. Repairs DNA damage caused by toxins in the environment.

Antioxidants. As the body uses oxygen, there are by-products (known as “free radicals”) that can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants can prevent or slow down the damage caused by these free radicals and decrease the risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants may also improve the immune defense and lower the risk of infection. Some examples of antioxidants include vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, lycopene, and flavonoids.

Dive into the World of Cherries

About seventy percent of the cherries produced in the United States come from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. There are two main types of cherries: sweet and sour. Sour cherries are lower in calories and higher in vitamin C and beta-carotene than sweet cherries.

Selection
Select firm, red cherries with stems attached. Avoid soft, shriveled, or blemished cherries. Good cherries should be large (one inch or more in diameter), glossy, plump, hard, and dark-colored for their variety. Avoid fruit that is bruised or has cuts on the dark surface.

How to Store
Refrigerate cherries for up to 10 days.

Nutrition Benefits
Fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free, good source of vitamin C and potassium.

Health Benefits

Cancer
Sweet cherries have several cancer-preventive components, including fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. The potential role of sweet cherries in cancer prevention lies mostly in the anthocyanin content, especially in cyanidin. Sweet cherries are a good source of cyanidins, which act as antioxidants and may reduce cancer risk.

Cardiovascular Disease
Sweet cherries have been shown to have significant levels of anthocyanins and other pigments in perhaps smaller concentrations that provide synergistic effects thought to be protective of the heart and related vascular tissue.

Diabetes
Researchers are interested in the role of anthocyanins in reducing insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. The lower glycemic response shown in relation to cherry consumption may result from the glucose-lowering effects of cherry phytochemicals in combination with the fiber content of cherries.

Potassium
Sweet cherries are considered a good source of dietary potassium, with approximately 260 mg of potassium for every cup of fresh cherries consumed. Adequate potassium intake has been shown to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.

Quercetin
Sweet cherries also contain a small amount of quercetin. Quercetin is an antioxidant that may play a beneficial role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and cancer.

Melatonin
Cherries are one plant food source of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that plays a role in promoting healthy sleep patterns.

Ease muscle soreness
Researchers believe tart cherries’ antioxidants protect against exercise-induced free radicals, which can lead to painful inflammation.

Gout
Cherries may help reduce the swelling, inflammation, and tenderness associated with gout. Research reveals eating about 2 cups fresh sweet Bing cherries daily lowered uric acid levels by 15%.

Recipes

1. Health, Health Benefits of Cherries
2. Better Homes and Gardens, Healthy Cherry Recipes
3. The Greatest Table: 5 Healthy Cherry Recipes from Around the Web

4. The Cherry on Top: 8 Health Benefits of Cherries. HealthEssential, Cleveland Clinic

Resources

Fruits & Veggies - More Matters, Cherries & Heart Health

National Nutrition Month® 2024: Beyond the Table

Each year, I look forward to the theme chosen for National Nutrition Month®  by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The 2024 theme, "Beyond the Table," has especially sparked my curiosity. It encourages us to delve into our food journey before arriving at our tables. This theme urges us to reflect on the full lifecycle of food, from the seeds sown in the earth, through the hardworking farmers and ranchers who cultivate it, to the busy factories processing it, and finally to the colorful supermarkets and local farmers' markets where it's showcased.

It's an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the intricate web of connections and the hard work in bringing food to our tables, encouraging a deeper respect for our meals and the myriad hands that contribute to their creation. By delving into the stories behind our food, we can foster a more sustainable, informed, and grateful approach to eating and living.

The annual March campaign educates people about making wise food choices and establishing healthy eating and physical activity routines. During this month, the Academy disseminates press releases containing vital information for the media regarding various activities, highlighted messages, and special events, including RDN Day and NDTR Day, to underscore the campaign's significance.

The 2024 theme for National Nutrition Month® is

"Beyond the Table."

 "Beyond the Table" looks into the many factors that affect our food choices. This theme examines a range of influences, such as:

•  Origins of Food: Understanding the source, farming practices, and food journey from farm to table. 
• Cultural Significance: Recognizing how different cultures and traditions influence dietary choices and practices.
• Environmental Impact: Consider the ecological footprint of food production and make environmentally conscious choices.
• Mindful Eating: Focusing on the experience of eating, being present, and attentive to the body's hunger and satiety signals.
• Nutritional Impact on Overall Well-being: Acknowledging how food choices affect physical, mental, and emotional health.
• Access and Education: Highlighting the importance of access to nutritious food for all and educating people about healthy eating.

"Beyond the Table" thus emphasizes a broader view of nutrition, where food is seen as an integral part of a larger ecosystem, including its production, cultural context, environmental effects, and role in holistic well-being.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day is also celebrated during National Nutrition Month®, on the second Wednesday in March. This occasion increases awareness of registered dietitian nutritionists as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services while recognizing both RDNs and nutrition and dietetic technicians registered for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.