Celebrate National Farm to School Month

National Pumpkin Day - From Seed to Table

Pumpkins are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating to 7000-5500 BC, was found in Mexico.

The color of pumpkins derives from orange carotenoid pigments, including beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha and beta-carotene, all of which are provitamin A compounds converted to vitamin A in the body. 

Pumpkins
Is anything more fall-like than a pumpkin? These orange winter squashes are chock-full of vitamin A and deliver 3 grams of fiber per ½-cup serving of cooked sugar pumpkin, plus potassium. Note that the pumpkins you carve into jack-o’-lanterns are not the same type of pumpkins you eat. Try pumpkin puree mixed with mac-and-cheese or with hummus for a seasonal spread. Looking for more options? Add pumpkin to pancake batter, oatmeal, smoothies, or your kid's favorite chili.

Nutritional Profile

And don't forget about roasting the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are a delicious and healthy snack and a good source of several nutrients, including zinc, which is essential for many body processes, including immune function.

To toast your pumpkin seeds, first, rinse to remove pulp and strings. Spread seeds on a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray or drizzle a small amount of olive oil over seeds. Bake at 325°F for about 30 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir occasionally during cooking. Take a look at your spice rack and try a seasoning on your toasted seeds, such as garlic powder or Cajun seasoning.

Vegetable Soup served in a Pumpkin Bowl

18 Amazing Twists On Pumpkin Soup

National Apple Day: Health Benefits and Recipes

Health Benefits
Apples are a fruit rich in antioxidants and a good source of fiber. Quercetin, an antioxidant found in apples, may inhibit lung cancer. Pectin, found in apples, helps treat diarrhea and constipation by adding bulk to the stool. Other benefits being studied include treatments for diabetes and heart disease, lowering blood pressure and LDL levels, reducing risks of Alzheimer’s, and decreasing bone fractures.

Apple seeds should never be eaten. They contain the poison cyanide.

Let’s not forget the peel. The apple peel contains ursolic acid, a chemical that may prevent muscle wasting.

There may be some truth to “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away”.

Apples: From Farm to Table

Recipe: Baked Sliced Apples

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients
2 Apples, cored and sliced
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Lemon-Lime Soda, diet
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup Bran Flakes
1/2 cup Applesauce, unsweetened

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon-lime soda. Toss to combine.
2 Layer sliced apples in a baking pan.
3 Combine cinnamon, bran flakes, and applesauce. Place mixture over apples.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender.
5. Serve with low-fat vanilla yogurt or ice cream.

References and Resources
1. U.S. Apple Association
2. Healthy Apple Recipes to Keep You Warm & Cozy This Fall, EatingWell
 

Nutritional Analysis Services
Ensure accurate and cost-effective nutritional analysis and food nutrition facts labels for your recipes and menus utilizing an extensive research database. A great service for the Media, Cookbook Publishers, Writers, Chefs, Recipe Websites and Blogs. Your readers will enjoy and benefit from the Nutrition information.

For more information, visit Dietitians-Online Nutritional Analysis Services.

Contact:
Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RDN, LN, FAND
recipenews@gmail.com
954-294-6300

October 20 World Osteoporosis Day Protect Your Bones Throughout Your Life

The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) is the leading consumer and community-focused health organization dedicated to the prevention of osteoporosis and broken bones, the promotion of strong bones for life and the reduction of human suffering through programs of public and clinician awareness, education, advocacy, and research. Established in 1984, NOF is the nation's leading voluntary health organization solely dedicated to osteoporosis and bone health.

Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans. Of the 10 million Americans estimated to already have osteoporosis, eight million are women and two million are men. 

What can you do to protect your bones?
Osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal aging. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood and continue throughout life.
1. Get enough calcium and vitamin D and eat a well-balanced diet.
2. Engage in regular exercise.
3. Eat foods that are good for bone health, such as fruits and vegetables.
4. Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to 2-3 drinks per day.

What Women Need to Know

Females are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis and broken bones. 

• Of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, about eight million or 80% are women.

• Approximately one in two women over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.

• A woman's risk of breaking a hip is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.

There are multiple reasons why women are more like to get osteoporosis than men, including:

• Women tend to have smaller, thinner bones than men.

• Estrogen, a hormone in women decreases sharply when women reach menopause, which can cause bone loss. This is why the chance of developing osteoporosis increases as women reach menopause.

Are You at Risk for Developing Osteoporosis?

Uncontrollable Risk Factors

•           Being over age 50.

•           Being Female.

•           Menopause.

•           Family History.

•           Low Body Weight/Being Small and Thin.

•           Broken Bones or Height Loss.

Controllable Risk Factors

•           Not Getting Enough Calcium and Vitamin D.

•           Not Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables.

•           Getting Too Much Protein, Sodium, and Caffeine.

•           Having an Inactive Lifestyle.

•           Smoking.

•           Drinking too much alcohol.

•           Losing Weight.

There are also medications and diseases that can cause bone loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Calcium and Vitamin D 
Getting enough calcium and vitamin D are essential to building stronger, denser bones early in life and to keep bones strong and healthy later in life. Calcium and vitamin D are the two most important nutrients for bone health.

Calcium-Rich Food Sources 
Dairy products, such as low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese are high in calcium. Certain green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. Some juices, breakfast foods, soymilk, cereals, snacks, and bread have calcium that has been added. 

Vitamin D Sources
There are three ways to get vitamin D:
• Sunlight 
• Food 
• Supplements 

Three Steps to Unbreakable Bones

You’re never too young or too old to improve the health of your bones. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood. But it shouldn't stop there. Whatever your age, the habits you adopt now can affect your bone health for the rest of your life. Now is the time to take action.

Resources and References. To learn more about Osteoporosis, please visit the following Foundations.
World Osteoporosis Day
International Osteoporosis Foundation 

Understanding Osteoporosis, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics 

World Menopause Day How to Avoid Menopausal Weight Gain

Every woman will go through the “change of life,” around 50 years of age plus or minus. This is the time of her last period (or menstruation). Symptoms of menopause vary with every woman. Common symptoms include hot flashes; night sweats; sleep irregularity; mood changes; and possible weight gain around the middle. Some women go through menopause without symptoms.

Due to a decrease in hormone levels and the aging process, many women find themselves gaining weight in their forties and fifties. There is a loss of muscle, which decreases metabolism, and a gain of fat, mainly in the belly area. Lifestyle factors will play an important role in how you handle menopause. Menopausal women tend to be less active and eat more calories than they need.

Nutrition, Eating and
Wellness Guidelines for Menopause

1. Maintain a healthy weight; it will decrease your risk of heart disease and other problems. 
2. Meet your calcium and vitamin D needs. This is important to maintain healthy bones and prevent bone loss that may occur after menopause. Good food sources of calcium include dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese; fortified soy and rice beverages; fortified juices; and canned fish with bones. Good food sources of vitamin D include milk, fortified soy and rice beverages, fortified juices, and fatty fish. 
3. Be physically active every day. Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, keep bones strong and energy levels up, and decrease the risk of heart disease and other age-related complications.
4. Some women will try soy and flax in food to help relieve the side effects of menopause. Currently, studies have not proven that soy and flax help.
5. Wear lightweight and layered clothes. Body temperature fluctuates from hot to cold.
6. Keep a cold glass of water by your side. Due to hot flashes and excessive sweating, it is important to stay hydrated.
7. Relax.
8. Take time to laugh.

How to Avoid Menopausal Weight Gain

You don't have to gain weight as a result of menopause.
Elizabeth Somer, RD explains how to avoid weight gain after menopause.

The Menopause Blues

I Will Not Age

Is It Hot In Here, Or Is It Me?

Resources and References

The Menopause Diet Plan: A Natural Guide to Managing Hormones,
Health, and Happiness, by Elizabeth Ward, Hillary Wright

The International Menopause Society (IMS), in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has designated October 18 as World Menopause Day. To celebrate World Menopause Day, IMS is launching a new campaign to create awareness of understanding weight gain at menopause and the implications it can have on the future health of women in the post-menopausal period. 

For women aged 55–65 years, weight gain is one of their major health concerns, and many are not aware of the health implications of excessive weight gain, particularly around the abdomen, which is associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease and also impacts adversely on health-related quality of life and sexual function.
An educational toolkit of materials has been developed to support local country initiatives throughout the month of October to raise awareness of this potential health issue, and many have been translated into key languages to ensure the campaign has a truly international perspective.

The IMS hopes that national societies will take the opportunity of World Menopause Day to highlight the increasing importance of menopausal health issues by contacting the women of their country to encourage them to talk to their doctors about menopause and its long-term effects.

October 16, World Food Day 2026, Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.

 World Food Day

Either we build a future for all, or
there will be no acceptable future for anyone.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) established World Food Day in November 1979. FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on October 16th, the day on which the Organization was founded in 1945.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations announces the official World Food Day theme. The goal is to focus on World Food Day observances and raise awareness and understanding of approaches to ending hunger. 

World Food Day

Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.

Food is the essence of life and the bedrock of our cultures and communities. Preserving access to safe and nutritious food is and will continue to be an essential part of the response to, particularly for, poor and vulnerable communities.

In a moment like this, it is more important than ever to recognize the need to support our food heroes - farmers and workers throughout the food system - who ensure that food makes its way from farm to fork, even amid disruptions.

Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts—making sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. 

The three main goals are the eradication of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

The objectives of World Food Day are to:
    Don’t waste water.

    Diversify your diet.
    Keep fish populations afloat.
    Keep soils and water clean.
    Buy organic
    Energy-efficient is best
    Use solar panels or other green energy systems
    Buy only what you need
    Pick ugly fruits and vegetables
    Don’t let labels fool you
    Limit your plastic
    Recycle paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum
    Store food wisely
    Love your leftovers
    Make plant food
    Be rubbish-savvy
    Make cities greener
    Shop local.
    Protect forests and save paper.
    Bike, walk, or use public transport
    Be a conscientious consumer
    Keep up to date on climate change
    Be an advocate!

*Encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral, and non-governmental efforts to this end;

*Encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries;

*Encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions;

*Heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world;

*Promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world; and

*Strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development.

To learn more about World Food Day, visit the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

October 15, Global Handwashing Day

Global Handwashing Day will involve millions of people in over 100 countries worldwide. Global Handwashing Day (GHD) was created to:
• Foster and support a global culture of handwashing with soap.
• Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing in every country.
• Raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap.

Why Handwashing with Soap?

Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries every year. Together, they are responsible for the majority of all child deaths. Yet, despite its lifesaving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practiced and difficult to promote.

Turning handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet into a habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention. It could cut diarrhea deaths by almost half and acute respiratory infection deaths by one-quarter. A vast change in handwashing behavior is critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015.

Global Handwashing Day focuses on children because they suffer the most from diarrheal and respiratory diseases and deaths. Still, research shows that children can be powerful agents for changing behaviors like handwashing with soap in their communities.

When should you wash your hands?
·         Before, during, and after preparing food
·         Before eating food
·         Before and after caring for someone who is sick
·         Before and after treating a cut or wound
·         After using the toilet
·         After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
·         After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
·         After touching an animal or animal waste
·         After touching garbage
 

For more information on handwashing with soap, including research, tools, and news, visit www.globalhandwashing.org.

It’s In Your Hands

Resources and References

1. CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives

1. Partnership for Food Safety Education, Fight BAC!

2. The Scrub Club is a fun, interactive, and educational website that teaches children the proper way to wash their hands. The site contains interactive games, educational music, downloadable activities for kids, educational materials for teachers, and program information for parents.

3. Healthy Schools, Healthy People, It’s a SNAP! (School Network for Absenteeism Prevention) The program is a joint initiative of the CDC and the American Cleaning Institute. It seeks to improve hand hygiene habits to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and reduce related absenteeism. This grassroots, education-based effort can improve health by making handwashing an integral part of the school day. Without proper hand cleaning, a single infection can quickly spread among students, teachers, family, and friends.
4. World Hand Hygiene Day, WHO

Healthy Halloween Treats

There are healthy Halloween snacks to choose from at the market. Read the label—make sure fruit snacks are made with 100 percent real fruit; choose treats without trans fats; and look for items with whole grains. 

The following items are available in snack-size packages:
1. Whole-grain cheddar-flavored crackers
2. Fruit snacks made with 100% fruit with added vitamin C
3. Fruit leathers made with 100 percent fruit

4. Animal-shaped graham crackers made without trans fat
5. Raisins
6. Individual fruit cups
7. Low-fat pudding cups
8. Baked, unsalted pretzels
9. Popcorn

Make Your Own Halloween Treats

• Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern Peppers
   Oranges and Grapefruit
• Witches Brew
• Mummy Hot Dogs
• Avocado Frankenstein Toast
• Cheese Fingers with Almonds
• Banana Ghosts and Tangerine Pumpkins

Resources
1. EatRight, Enjoy a Healthy and Happy Halloween
2. EatRight, 7 Ways to Make Halloween Safer for Kids with Food Allergies, Rima Kleiner, MS, RD, LDN
3. Terrifying Scary Movies to Watch for Halloween

National Dessert Day - Healthy Choices

Dessert is a confectionery or sweet course that concludes the main meal. The course usually consists of sweet foods, fruit, and possibly a beverage such as a dessert, wine or liqueur, but may include coffee, cheeses, nuts, or other savory items. In some parts of the world, such as much of central and western Africa and most parts of China, there is no tradition of a dessert course to conclude a meal.

The term "dessert" can apply to many items, including cakes, tarts, cookies, biscuits, gelatins, pastries, ice creams, parfaits, pies, puddings, custards, and sweet soups. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its naturally occurring sweetness. 

Pink Desserts 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

Recipes Below are Parfait Desserts

Pumpkin Pie Parfait with Cranberry-Walnut Relish

Strawberry Parfait with Granola

Mango Parfait

Strawberry Shortcake Parfait

Red, White, and Blue Parfait

Resources
1. Dessert, Wikipedia
2.  Healthy Dessert Recipes, EatingWell
3. Healthy Baking Alternatives, Jessica Cox, RD, Eatright
4. 9 Vegetables You Can Eat as Dessert, EatingWell

Columbus Day and a Look at Scurvy

On the evening of August 3, 1492, Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, with three ships: the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. The land was sighted on October 12, 1492. Columbus called the island San Salvador (today, it is known as the Bahamas).

Scurvy was a major health problem onboard Christopher Columbus's ships. Fresh fruits and vegetables were not taken on these long voyages due to spoilage. This resulted in a high incidence of scurvy among the sailors. The relationship between scurvy and Vitamin C has not been discovered yet.

The typical foods brought on these long journeys consisted of water, vinegar, wine, olive oil, molasses, honey, cheese, rice, almonds, salted flour, sea biscuits, dry legumes, salted and barreled sardines, anchovies, dry salt cod and pickled or salted meats (beef and pork). Fresh livestock, including pigs and chickens, were part of the ship's provisions. Fish was readily available.

Foods were commonly salted and pickled as a method of preserving food. The crew was served two meals a day. Foods were mostly boiled and served in a large wooden bowl. The sailors ate with their fingers because they had no forks or spoons. There was a lack of proper sanitation. Hand washing before meals was not required.

There is a legend that during one of Christopher Columbus's voyages, some sailors had scurvy and wanted to be dropped off at one of the nearby islands and die there rather than dying on board. While the men were on the island, they ate some of the island's fresh fruits and vegetables and to their amazement, began to recover. When Columbus's ships passed by several months later, the captain saw the men were alive and healthy. The island was named Curacao, meaning Cure.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C

Pirates For Sail talks about
Scurvy Awareness and Prevention

Filmed at Piratz Tavern, Silver Spring, MD 

Crack into Endless Possibilities - World Egg Day

Eggs are vital in feeding people in both developed and developing countries. They are an excellent, affordable source of high-quality protein that can be produced almost anywhere, making them a valuable food source worldwide.

International Egg Commission (IEC) Chairman Joanne Ivy explained: “As an industry, we feel very privileged to be producing a product that can benefit so many people; we have publicly pledged to work with food organizations and developing nations to help provide access to eggs for everyone.“

Crack Into Endless Possibilities

Globally, over 1 billion people are underfed and undernourished; the egg industry believes it can make a difference and help to stop this.  With the help of the IEC and international egg associations from around the world, the international egg industry has pledged to work with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation, food organizations, and developing nations to help feed the world’s growing population and make eggs available to everyone.

Nutrition

Recipe: Strawberry Omelet 

Ingredients

Non-Stick Spray
1 Egg White
2 Tbsp Non-fat Milk
1/2 cup Strawberries

Nutritional Analysis

Playing it Safe with Eggs

Nutritional Analysis Services

Ensure accurate and cost-effective nutritional analysis and food nutrition facts labels for your recipes and menus, utilizing an extensive research database. A great service for the Media, Cookbook Publishers, Restaurants, Writers, Chefs, Recipe Websites, and Blogs. Your readers will enjoy and benefit from the Nutrition information.

For more information, visit Dietitians-Online Nutritional Analysis Services

Contact:
Sandra Frank, Ed.D., RDN, FAND
recipenews@gmail.com
954-294-6300

World Egg Organization