BEST IF USED BY, SELL BY, USE BY. It can get so confusing when it comes to expiration dates. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that common sense goes a long way. The only expiration dates that the Food and Drug Administration regulates are baby formula dates. Everything else is a guideline. Combined with your common sense, you should be able to determine whether or not to throw out food. Moldy food. Slimy food. Food that smells bad. If you have to question it, you should discard it.
Here is helpful expiration date information from the United...
Avocados: From the Plate and Beyond
The humble avocado has a legion of passionate admirers who will defend it and its versatility with gusto. These admirers view the avocado as a lifestyle not an ingredient. They’re serious about their avocado love. And, boy, do they know how to use this fruit to their advantage. Avocado lovers know that the “alligator pear” 1) goes beyond the plate, 2) offers wonderful health benefits, and 3) can stand its own when placed on the buffet table, in a variety of ways. Here are some reasons why the avocado has become such a beloved fruit.
Avocados are rich in...
Middle-of-the-Night Munching and Weight Gain
How many times have you found yourself in the kitchen at 1:00 AM making a healthy meal? Never?! Same here. If you’re like most late-night eaters, you probably reach for chips or jump into your car for a quick fast food run. There’s something about those middle-of-the-night munchies that tempt taste buds to be bad. And while junk food may hit the spot late at night, it can affect the body’s circadian rhythm—the internal time-keeping machine. The body needs regular sleep and eating schedules to keep it in sync, and when we eat late at night, we’re throwing the body’s...
How-To Grow Healthful Herbs in Pots
One of the most frustrating experiences for a home cook is to be halfway through a new, exciting recipe only to discover you’re out of a specific herb listed in the ingredient list. Sure you can skip adding that tiny portion of rosemary the recipe calls for but, more times than not, it’s that small amount of herb that will give the dish big flavor. One solution to this problem is growing an herb garden.
Herb gardens are easy to grow as you do not need a lot of growing room. And if you live in an apartment, you...
Food Binging and Awareness
You know those moments where you finish off a tub of ice cream and then ask yourself what just happened? For many people who are aware of their love for certain types of foods and binge eating, the term food addiction may come to mind. According to a review of studies in the Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, there is little evidence that food can be a substance-based addiction. However there is support that behavioral food addiction is a thing. You know those good feelings that are associated with eating? Like that happy feeling you get when you’re savoring spoon after...
Small Bites, Big Taste: Throwing a Healthy Tapas Party
The next time you’re planning a party why not skip on usual party foods like chips, cookies, and pizza and instead serve tapas—small bites with big tastes? Tapas are a great way to introduce new flavors and textures to your hungry crowd. And they can be healthy. Here is one fresh, flavorful, and healthy tapas recipe to get you started.
Marinated Feta Skewers
Ingredients
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces of feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
24 (6-inch) wooden skewers...
Healthier Chocolate Cupcakes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Cravings
If you have a sweet tooth, you know how difficult it can be to give up your favorite sweet treats. Here is a healthier chocolate cupcake recipe that you can enjoy the next time a craving hits. This recipe contains bittersweet chocolate, which is extra dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains the same pigments (flavonoids) that are found in blueberries, grapes, and some teas. These pigments are essentially antioxidants that help fight artery-clogging free radicals. And some studies indicate that dark chocolate can reduce blood clots.
Sweets that are better for you? Yes, please! It’s time for you to put...
How-To Choose Produce Using Your Senses: A Through E
When it comes to the freshest and most flavorful produce, a little bit of knowledge goes a long way. Here are some tips and tricks for picking the best of the season by using your senses.
When choosing artichokes feel, listen, and look. Test for freshness by holding globes (they should feel heavy), pressing leaves together (they should squeak), and looking for tight leaves.
When choosing asparagus feel and look. Stalks should be of equal thickness and brightly colored and firm.
When choosing avocados feel and look. Avocados should be slightly soft to the touch and should...
How-To Steam Vegetables
Have you ever been served broccoli so vibrantly green that you wondered how the cook pulled it off? Chances are the broccoli was steamed. Steaming vegetables brings out the bright colors of foods. But that’s not the best thing about steaming. Steaming is a great way to retain the valuable nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. And another great health bonus is that steaming does not require the use of cooking oil. Steaming is done with boiling water, but boiling water never comes into contact with the foods you’re cooking. The steam does the cooking.
Steaming vegetables is so easy you’ll...
Grilled Rosemary Chicken Kabobs: Healthy Cooking and Eating
Offering incredible flavor and health benefits, Grilled Rosemary Chicken Kabobs are the perfect meal choice for health conscious people. Chicken is high in protein and low in fats, chicken is rich in selenium (which helps reduce the risk of developing arthritis later in life), and chicken offers a very good source of vitamin B6 (which helps in the production of insulin, white and red blood cells, and neurotransmitters, just to name a few). And grilling has health benefits as well. The high heat from the grill helps seal in moisture and keep chicken tender, and when grilling, fats drip off...
