Today is a wonderful day to celebrate the many cultural foods that make up the American Cuisine. The diversity can be seen as we travel across the country. There are regional differences and the influences of immigrants from all over the world.
New England is known for seafood, particularly lobster, and creamy clam chowder. The Southern states are known for collard greens (leafy greens), chicken and dumplings, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. Grits is a popular breakfast dish in the South. The Midwest has traditionally been a beef and grain-producing area so meats, potatoes, and breads are foods found there. In the Pacific Northwest fresh salmon is a specialty and in the Southwest, the Mexican influence can be seen. California and Hawaii are both known for growing many different fruits, and Alaska is known for its fish and King Crab.
As a nation of immigrants, our foods have expanded to include worldwide cuisines, traditions, and religious influences. Many ethnic dishes are joining the American food culture and are seeing an incredible boost in familiarity, approval, and consumption.
Extra-lean corned beef, pastrami, or roast beef, beef brisket, and turkey breast are best; whole wheat or multi-grain breads; chicken or tuna salad; chopped herring; chef salad; fresh fruit plate with cottage cheese; dry bagel; borscht or broth soup; tossed salad, sliced tomatoes, beet salad, or carrot raisin salad.
High-fat meats (regular corn beef, hot pastrami, beef bologna, hot dogs, knockwurst, liverwurst, and salami); potato salad; mayonnaise-based salads; combo sandwiches (Reuben); smoked fish (lox); creamy coleslaw; chopped liver; excess cream cheese and cheese spreads; sauerkraut (high in sodium).
Pizza Parlor Selections
You cannot go wrong by ordering extra toppings such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomato slices, broccoli, and spinach. Other possibilities include chicken, crab meat, or shrimp.
Fat starts with the basic cheese, so avoid extra cheese and in particular mozzarella. Other culprits include bacon, meatballs, pepperoni, sausage, and prosciutto, as well as anchovies.
Sandwich Shop Selections
Both 100% whole wheat and pita bread are great choices. Good sandwich fillers are grilled chicken breast, ham, roast beef, and turkey breast. Instruct the server not to add butter, margarine, or mayonnaise to the bread and substitute with ketchup, mustard, or horseradish. Good salad choices include chef, garden, or Greek salads, but remember to ask for low-calorie dressings on the side and to omit egg or cheese. Broth-type soups are good, such as barley, beef, chicken, lentil, split pea, and vegetable noodle.
Avoid croissants, cheese, excess mayonnaise, egg, and creamy soups. Beware of "diet plates" with big burgers and scoops of cottage cheese, which have loads of saturated fat. Omit cheeseburgers, cheese sandwiches, or grilled cheese "melts" over chicken and seafood salads; and cold cuts. Combo sandwiches with meat and cheese and club sandwiches are best avoided due to the large portion size. Remember that salad combos such as tuna, chicken, and crab meat have lots of mayonnaise. Avoid creamy soups such as chowders or cream of "anything."
Submarine Shop Selections
Order the smaller size roll or pita bread. Turkey, smoked turkey, ham, and roast beef are acceptable. Ask the server to go light on the meats, omit the mayonnaise or oil, and generously load up on the shredded lettuce, onion, peppers, pickles, and sliced tomatoes. Choose salads as alternatives when available, such as chef or tossed salads with perhaps a scoop of tuna, chicken, or seafood served with Italian or pita bread.
Omit meats such as bologna, Italian cold cuts, salami (hard or Genoa), and sausages. Stay away from cheeses and steak and cheese. Other items to omit include antipasto salads, fried eggplant, and chicken cutlets.
Chinese Selections
Order plain steamed rice; boiled, steamed, or stir-fried vegetables (ask for little oil to be used); moderate fish and shellfish; non-fried tofu; skinless poultry and egg roll (insides only).
Anything fried (rice or crispy noodles), or with sweet and sour sauce; egg dishes or soups; salty soups; avoid duck and limit beef, pork and pickled foods; excess soy sauce; ask chef to leave out MSG and cut down the use of commonly used corn starch, sugar, and salt.
Indian Selections
Order chutney (except mango); curry sauce (yogurt-based); fish (omit butter basting); yogurt with shredded vegetables; basmati rice. Biryani (vegetable dish); chapatti or papadum bread; tandoori chicken; lentil or mulligatawny soups
Creamy or high-salt soups; clarified butter (ghee); deep-fried meats; poori or paratha bread; fried samosa or pakora; ask to prepare dishes without excess salt and to omit coconut milk, if possible; omit garnishes with nuts or dried fruit.
Italian Selections
Order antipasto (no oil or excess meats); crusty bread (no oil or butter); broiled or grilled fish, seafood, chicken, and meats; garlic; plain or vegetable pasta; fresh unsalted mozzarella cheese; steamed leafy vegetables (kale and broccoli); salads; fresh tomatoes; zucchini; ices.
Garlic bread; stuffed pasta (ravioli and lasagna); fried eggplant; meatballs or sausage; sauces with butter, cream, oil, and wine base; pesto sauce; cheese-filled or parmesan style dishes; spumoni or tortoni ice cream. Beware of risotto rice; polenta; and high-fat, high-sodium prosciutto ham and pancetta; veal cutlets and Caesar salads.
Japanese Selections
Order rice; steamed fish; sushi; sashimi; miso soup; raw vegetables; tofu; sukiyaki (stir-fried); yakimono (broiled fish).
Tempura and other deep-fried food; excess peanut and teriyaki sauce; pickled foods; excess salt and sugar in sauces; excess salt in soy marinades and sauces.
Mediterranean (Middle East) Selections
Order couscous, bulgar, and pita bread; legumes such as chickpeas, fava beans, and lentils; hummus; grape leaves; yogurt.
Phyllo dough dishes for sweet desserts such as baklava; feta and kasseri cheese; excess anchovies and olives; high sodium foods; feta, olives, and sausage; appetizers in general, except salads; excess fat from butter, olive oil, omelets, and tahini.
Mexican Selections
Order soft-shell tacos; burritos; fajitas; salsa; chicken enchilada; black beans or Mexican rice; grilled fish or chicken; salads without chips or shells; moderate corn or flour tortilla, using minimal oil; ceviche (marinated fish); gazpacho; chile con carne soup, with no cheese. Acceptable items include shredded lettuce; spicy meats; diced tomatoes; salsa verde; picante or tomato sauce; use Mexican salads as appetizers, with salsa as the dressing.
Chips, nachos; super nachos; chili con queso; fried taco or tortilla shells; guacamole; sour cream; cheese; refried beans; beef and pork dishes; olives; items such as chilies rellenos, chimichangas, chorizo (sausage), and flautas.
Thai Selections
Order steamed rice; broth-based soups (tom yum koang and pok taek); non-fried proteins, such as chicken, seafood, and tofu; vegetables; satay or steamed mussels; salads with light dressings, made with Thai spices.
Excess sodium; soy sauce and sugar; MSG; coconut milk, coconut oil; cream dishes, high milk, and sodium soups; many fried appetizers; curry or curry sauce; fried eggplant; cashew and peanut toppings.
Chocolate Ice Cream Which one to choose?
What meets your needs and taste?
Test the Brands, Read the Portion Size,
Check the Calories and Fat.
Make an Educated Choice.
The Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE) supports U.S.-based health and food safety educators with resources to promote World Food Safety Day in their communities.
May 29, 2025 Garden Update: Tour our little paradise! We’re growing mango, cashew, fig, blueberries, grapes, olives, avocado, lime, orange, soursop, as well as cabbage, tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Fresh, homegrown, and thriving!
There are many variations of the burger. This article looks at the nutrition information of Fast Food Burgers, varieties, recipes, and food safety.
The Fast Food Burger
Burger Love Handles is a song written by Don MacLeod about his personal battle with being overweight. The song focuses on the fast-food burger as one of his difficulties in losing weight.
Many fast food items are high in Fat, Cholesterol, Saturated Fat, and Sodium and are Risk Factors associated with Heart Disease. However, the informed customer can make healthier choices at fast-food restaurants. Below is the nutrition information of some Fast Food Hamburgers. Calories range from 140 for a White Castle Slyder to 1061 calories for a Burger King Cheeseburger, Double Whopper.
Burger Variations
The variations of burgers are constantly changing and expanding to meet our personal preferences, cultural differences, and/or nutritional needs.
A burger is not just a ground beef patty served on a bun with numerous extras, such as tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, jalapeno, cheese, ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish - the list is endless. Today, you can prepare or order a burger made from just about any food you can ground up and serve on a bun.
Some of the ground beef alternatives include:
Beans
Tofu
Seitan
Turkey
Chicken
Veal
Pork
Lamb
Bison
Deer
Seafood
In addition to the variations listed above, there are numerous variations based on the percent of fat in ground beef and ground poultry.
Recipes Using Alternatives to Ground Beef
Click the recipe title to obtain a copy of the recipe.
Black Bean Burgers. Courtesy Sandra Lee from Sandra's Money Saving Meals. This recipe is 302 Calories and 5 g Fat
Memorial Day is quickly approaching and many Americans will be using the Barbecue to prepare their favorite Burgers. It is extremely important to practice good food safety techniques.
US Dept of Agriculture experts are sharing advice on food safety for barbecuing with chefs from the US Army's "Grill Sergeants"
Ingredients 1 refrigerated pie crust 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes and green chilies, drained 1 (4 ounces) can diced green chilies, drained 2 ounces diced black olives (canned) 3 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions 1. Arrange the pie crust in a pie plate. 2. Sprinkle shredded cheddar evenly over the bottom of the crust. 3. Spread drained tomatoes/chilis and green chilis over cheese. Sprinkle olives over top. 4. Mix eggs, sour cream, chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and garlic powder until well mixed. Pour over mixture in pie crust. 5. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes, until firmly set. Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 slice (1/8 pie): 273 calories; 14 g fat (6 g sat); 3 g fiber; 26 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 113 mg cholesterol; 5 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 120 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 335 mg sodium
Walnuts are used for food after being processed, either green for pickled walnuts or after full ripening for nutmeat. They are nutrient-dense, with protein and essential fatty acids.
Nutrient Profile
Adding Walnuts to your Diet
1. Walnut meats are available in two forms; in their shells or shelled. The meats may be whole, halved, or in smaller portions due to processing. 2. Walnuts are often candied and may be used as an ingredient in other foodstuffs. 3. Pickled walnuts are the whole fruit that can be savory or sweet depending on the preserving solution. 4. Walnut butter can be homemade or purchased in both raw and roasted forms. 5. All walnuts can be eaten on their own (raw, toasted, or pickled) or as 6. Walnuts can be added to muesli 7. Add to oatmeal
8. Add crunch to a salad 9. Mix into a vegetable stir-fry for extra protein.
10. Popular in brownie recipes
Walnut oil is available commercially and is chiefly used as a food ingredient, particularly in salad dressings. Its low smoke point limits its use for frying.
More than 99% of the walnuts in the U.S. are grown in California’s Central Valley. Internationally, California walnuts supply three-quarters of the world’s walnut trade. Walnuts positively impact heart health and may also improve cognitive function. Recipe
I always considered myself an organized person, but sometime in the 1980s, I started saving everything from – old lesson plans; grocery receipts (from recipe testing); scrap papers with numbers (no names); clothes (from size 2 to 24); my son’s artwork; Journals; textbooks, VHS; cassettes; broken phones; wires.. the list is too long to include everything here.
I started to go through my collection of “stuff” to see what I had and what I no longer needed. I knew this would be a massive undertaking; this was over 30 years of my life collecting dust in boxes, files, drawers, cupboards, closets, the garage, and the attic. In just 3 months, I had thrown out over 15 large garbage bags of junk and still did not feel I had made a dent.
This week, I decided to focus only on one part of the house. I chose my office, which is connected to my bedroom. I would not be going through my clothes yet, but it was on the to-do list. I gathered all the boxes from my office, bedroom, under-the-bed, cupboards, shelves, drawers, filing cabinets, and the hidden closet. I placed everything in my den to use as my staging area. This was also the only place in my home that still had a record player. I thought while I’m going through this massive amount of paper, I would listen to some of my old favorites before I donated (or threw out) my albums. I have to check to see if they are recyclable.
Who Is NAPO? The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is a group of about 4,200 professional organizers dedicated to helping individuals and businesses bring order and efficiency to their lives. Their vision is to have the world recognize the value of organizing and turn to NAPO as the leading organizing authority. Their mission is to develop, lead, and promote professional organizers and the organizing industry. In addition to serving professional organizers, they aim to help consumers and those interested in becoming professional organizers.
Get Rid of Clutter
Benefits of Organization Organization improves one’s work, life, financial situation and frees up time and space.
10 Benefits of Getting Organized 1. Stress levels will go down, and there will be less chaos and a more relaxed life. 2. Efficiency gets projects done quicker with less time wasted on looking for things and being able to make quicker decisions. 3. An organized person is able to fit in time for friends, family members, and helping out in the community. 4. Getting organized helps you feel better about your environment, and you are more likely to invite people into your environment without embarrassment. 5. You'll be a better role model for your children. 6. Get organized, and you'll have more than enough time to exercise and cook healthy meals for yourself and your family. 7. An organized environment also tends to be a much cleaner environment. 8. An organized person gives a much better business impression than someone who can't find a phone number, has an office piled with cardboard boxes, or is always late for appointments. 9. When you're organized, you'll always know what you have before you buy more. 10. Organized people find ways to eliminate tasks that aren't necessary and to streamline those that are taking too much time. This leaves plenty of time to work on achieving your goals. “Organization brings a level of peace and tranquility to your life,” says Jennifer Snyder of Neat as a Pin! Organizing Experts. Snyder also advises people not to keep things around “just in case.” “Clutter makes noise; it makes energetic noise. It sucks your energy from you.” Clutter also attracts dust and pests. “Clutter is basically sending a message there’s something in your life that you need to get at. Snyder organizes for no more than four hours at a time to give her clients time to adjust to the improvements. “It didn’t get that way overnight. It’s a lifestyle change. You’re changing the way you think about things and becoming more emotionally healthy,” she said. What to do with castoffs. Once space is organized, there will be bags of items to discard. An itemized list of donations to receive tax deductions and discard things properly, such as erasing computer hard drives before dropping them off at a donation center.
Being better organized can provide energy, time and happiness.
I read that one should take a photo of one's child's artwork, and then the boxes of schoolwork can be thrown away. I had one problem—my son. As I was admiring the years of his efforts, he came by to see how I was doing. With a look of shock and horror, Jake told me how I could throw away his work. "I made it for you, Mom." So here is the photo. I ended up keeping his cherished work. I guess I'm not ready to get rid of everything yet.
Where did the colored Easter eggs come from? The egg is a symbol of new life, rebirth, and the celebration of spring. The early Christians describe the egg as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.
After a long hard winter with small amounts of food, an egg for Easter was quite a treasure. Later, Christians abstained from eating meat during Lent. Easter was the first chance to enjoy eggs and meat after the long abstinence.
Nutrition Facts
A medium-sized chicken egg is only 70 calories and rich in protein. Check the chocolate eggs below and compare.
Holly: The Beagle Who Howled Her Way Into Our Hearts
Holly came into our lives on Christmas Day, 2013. We met her at the Broward County Animal Shelter. Jake was immediately drawn to her—something just clicked. We had never owned a beagle before and didn’t know much about them, but that didn’t matter. Holly had already chosen us.
On the drive home, she looked around, then let out a long, loud howl. Jake and I jumped, startled, then burst into laughter. “So that’s what a beagle sounds like,” we said. It was her way of saying thank you—and announcing that life with Holly would never be boring.
At home, we quickly learned a few more things. Holly loves people, does not love other dogs, and has a habit of running off to explore. Fortunately, we had put her name and phone number on her collar, which turned out to be a blessing—we’ve met over 75 neighbors thanks to her little adventures. Holly may not like other dogs, but she brought our community together in her own way.
She tolerated the other dogs in our home, as long as they gave her space. And they learned quickly: Holly was the queen of her domain.
Over the years, she’s stood by us through so much—devastating hurricanes, a house fire, hard times and healing. She didn’t need to say much; her presence was enough.
When we learned Holly had Epitheliotrophic Cancer, I felt a lump in my heart. We always knew this day would come, but knowing doesn’t make it easier. She’s now on palliative care, and we’re making the most of every moment—soaking in her howls, her stubbornness, her warmth.
Whatever time we have left, it will be full of love, gratitude, and the sound of a beagle who changed everything just by being herself.
Celebrating World Art Day Through Edible Expression
#WorldArtDay #FoodArt #EdibleArt
Art isn’t limited to canvases and galleries—it’s also found in our kitchens, bakeries, and dinner tables. This World Art Day celebrates creativity in one of its most delicious forms: food.
Whether it’s a beautifully styled salad, a hand-painted cake, or a sculpted charcuterie board, food has become a powerful and accessible medium for artistic expression. It blends color, shape, texture, and even emotion, inviting us not just to eat—but to experience.
A Plate Is a Canvas
Artistic food isn't just for chefs or professionals. Anyone can turn a dish into a masterpiece. From the swirl of a sauce to the placement of a garnish, each detail adds to the visual impact of the meal. Think:
Rainbow sushi rolls arranged like a mosaic
Layered smoothie bowls that look like abstract paintings
Charcuterie boards that resemble still-life arrangements
Decorated cookies and cakes that rival fine art
Food art brings joy, surprise, and wonder before you even take the first bite.
Why Food Art Matters
Creating food art invites us to slow down, appreciate ingredients, and find beauty in the everyday. It engages all the senses and connects us to culture, tradition, and memory. And let’s be honest—nothing sparks conversation like a cake that looks too pretty to eat!
Get Inspired
This World Art Day, try creating your own edible masterpiece. You don’t need fancy tools—just imagination and a few ingredients. Try:
Styling a colorful breakfast bowl
Designing your own cupcake toppers
Arranging a fruit platter with geometric flair
Turning leftover veggies into a vibrant stir-fry display
Snap a photo before you dig in—tag it with #FoodArt and #EdibleArt to share your creation.
Art Is Everywhere—Even on Your Plate
World Art Day is about honoring creativity in all its forms. Today, let’s celebrate by recognizing the beauty in the bites we create and share. Whether it’s a family recipe or a fun experiment, food is more than nourishment—it’s a chance to make art every day.
There's Trouble at Ben & Jerry's
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Plus four wonderful things to know about the baklava guy, a new bakery
you’re going to want to know about, and this year’s James Beard Award
nominees.
Free 7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (June 8-14)
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A free 7-day, flexible weight loss meal
plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas and a shopping list. All
recipes include macros and Weight Watcher...
Cous Cous and Lentil Salad
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I thought I would share a salad I made the other day. A simple cous cous
and lentil salad
To make - cook the cous cous and let it cool, add tomatoes, cuc...
