Preventing Food Waste with Veggie Fritters

THE TERM “food forest” from the permaculture world sounds big—like if I suggested you start one, you’d probably say, “I don’t have room for a forest of any kind.”

Red Breasted Birds do not only catch our attention with their bold red plumage, but also offer fascinating insights into the diverse avian life. Let’s explore a few of these remarkable Birds with Red Chest.

Flowering shrubs can grace your garden, adding color, interest and sometimes fragrance to the home landscape. For the biggest, showiest flowers, you’ll also need to take into account the sun exposure of the garden site. But never fear, there are flowering shrubs for landscaping that like sun and others that like shade.

Some Camassia species were an important food staple for Native Americans and settlers in parts of North American

Poke bowls, fish salads, originated in Hawaii and then became popular in California. The popularity of this dish has spread across the United States in 2018 and into 2019. According to Eater.com, the number of Hawaiian restaurants has doubled in the past two years. Poke bowls can be a healthy meal, and they offer a lot of diversity in one dish. So, it is easy to see why they are so popular.

Food waste and how to reduce it is a big topic with big implications. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that food waste each year totals 133 billion pounds which includes 31 percent food loss at the retail and consumer levels. Food is lost at all stages of the supply chain and for a variety of reasons that might include produce that is discarded because of flaws in appearance or restaurants serving large portions that may not be finished.

During these uncertain times, as we cope with keeping ourselves and our families healthy and practice social distancing, many are asking how the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) affects the safety of our food supply. The US Food and Drug Administration reports that “Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with the transmission of COVID-19” (USFDA, 2020). Unlike foodborne gastrointestinal (GI) viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A that often make people ill through contaminated food, SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is a virus that causes respiratory illness. Foodborne exposure to this virus is not known to be a route of transmission. Grocery stores and restaurants providing take-out food, are taking the necessary precautions to keep consumers and their employees safe. However, consumers should continue to practice proper food safety and personal hygiene practices. It is also important for consumers to follow the additional recommendations given by the CDC in order to stay safe (CDC, 2020). Along with the safety precautions given directly related to limiting the spread of the coronavirus, here are some practices that should be followed when purchasing and preparing food:

Moms and dads are busy people, and some may wonder if it is worth the time it takes to make homemade baby food over the convenience of buying store-bought baby food. There are considerations to make with this decision. Is my baby old enough and ready for solid food? Will my baby show any allergic reaction to a newly introduced fruit or vegetable? What are the food safety concerns with making my baby food? Below are a few ideas to help with your decision.

Food Insecurity and Food Deserts are terms used in the news to describe society’s status with food.

Prediabetes is a growing problem in the United States. In South Carolina alone, 31.2 percent of adults have prediabetes. Having prediabetes, or blood sugar levels higher than normal, can put you at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include:

What do people look forward to the most about the fall? Is it the cooler temperatures and bonfires? The changing color of the leaves? The slathering of pumpkin spice flavor in every product imaginable? If you said “no” to these fall favorites, maybe for you it is the return of college football and tailgating. One thing for sure that no one looks forward to is severe stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and spending several hours or days hugging their toilet as a result of preventable foodborne illness.

Start a new holiday tradition with your family this year by making orange pomander balls. They can be hung on your Christmas tree as ornaments, attached to garlands, or used in a holiday centerpiece with live greenery. These delicious-smelling, clove-studded oranges will fill your home with a festive spicy fragrance.