Solutions seem to be as prolific as the number of individuals offering advice. Now there is a strategy that everyone can employ and use wisely. Tomorrow, October 24 is the 1st National Food Day. What does that phrase really mean? In its most simple terms, it means, that there will be an emphasis on food issues throughout the country. Most cities have signed on with some sort of program and chefs, of course, are playing a significant role in the program.

What about the individual response? Yes, we can all get involved and do something. One day can make a difference. Support your local farmer. There are still plenty of farmstand markets bringing in the best of fall fruits and vegetables.  In some communities, individuals are helping plant a school garden so that young children can benefit from what is truly fresh. Restaurants are having a large variety of programs to bring in individuals and demonstrate how we can all pitch in and make a difference. Find a sustainable food project in your community and participate.

Yes, everyday can be a food day, but sometimes we need to pull back and think about how we can help others and create a stronger, better, more harmonious approach to food issues.  We can be a healthy nation.

The Harvard study exposes the faults of generalizing food changes as they take apart each segment and enhance the approach with specificity. For instance with proteins they say not all proteins have the same value for eating healthy. They suggest limiting meat intake and choosing other, healthier foods such as fish, poultry, or beans. They define their adjustments as the Healthy Eating Plate.

The Harvard study is not a complaint against the categories but a source of additional information on how that plate should be filled.  Specifics matter; not just categories. Let’s break it down:

–Fill 1/2 of the plate with fruits and vegetables and focus on adding as much color and variety. They say, “potatoes and French fries do not count as vegetables” because of their high carb count which create the same sugar high as sweets. Interestingly some reports came out this week favoring white fruits as the healthier fruits. Not this study!

–Put whole grains on 1/4 of your plate. Use brown rice and whole-grain pasta and limit white rice and other refined grains.

–Make a protein choice the final 1/4 of the plate. They say eggs are fine (unless there are some additional health limitations), but red meat and processed meats such as cold cuts and bacon should be avoided.

–Use healthy oils such as olive and canola and limit intake of butter.

–Drink water, tea, or coffee (with little or no sugar) and limit milk/dairy and juice consumption.

The researchers believe that the above specifics further define the overall categories of the new food guidelines and increase the heart-healthy benefits of careful eating. They stress the importance of staying active as an inherent component of any approach to improving lifestyle choices

Now if we could just figure out how to get enough food to people that have little choice in their selections, each of these plate approaches would have greater, long-term benefits.

The major undertaking of a food exhibit, “What’s Cooking Uncle Sam,” a pop-up restaurant, American Eats Tavern, and a cookbook, Eating with Uncle Sam, has added a whole new chapter to the collections from the Archives and the Presidential libraries. Yes, food has played an important role in our history and much of what we do and comment on today within the universe of food has its earliest roots tied into a major document that has been preserved. Think of the current trendy chef movement toward the healthy concept of Meatless Mondays. It was during World War II that Americans were asked to have a meatless day (Tuesday) and such a tradition remained a strong staple of households many years after the War ended.

Touring the exhibit at the Archives gives one a bountiful repast of our history and how food evolved within the culture. Dining nearby at the Jose Andres restaurant (America Eats Tavern), lets one celebrate our history with a taste of the original recipes. After all how many types of Catsup have evolved over the years! A good way to test your palate. Now it all comes together with this new book.

One of the most discussed posters in the exhibit is entitled “Eat the Carp” which serves as an introduction to the fish chapter which includes a recipe for Paprikosh (1917-20) which today we might call a fish hash. Or try Lady Bird Johnson’s famous Shrimp Squash Casserole.

If sweets are more to your liking, there are plenty of recipes to try including Aunt Sammy’s Radio Recipe of Fruit Cake. After all, we wonder how some recipes ever evolved! How about a recipe for Fondant with the accompanying 1917-19 poster “Sugar: Save It.”

These little tastes should help you set a table of historical recipes. If you can’t make it to the Archives before the exhibit closes in early January, then take a You Tube tour.

In the meantime, enjoy the history and the recipes as you recognize the importance of keeping records.

Let’s see where to begin. How about chronologically? As in this is August 2011 and comment submission materials are now due in early October! Have we not wasted 4 years in trying to figure out how to help individuals who are by illness, as in Celiacs, in need of certified foods? The FDA says we are only talking about 1 % of the population that struggles with Celiac. I struggle with that low percentage for it hardly seems a day passes without more attention to this illness. Celiac research paints a different picture, a more startling numeric: 1 in 133 American people has Celiac, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.

How about the people who are gluten intolerant? That number is certainly growing. The FDA focus is only on the US, but we know some countries, such as Ireland, have taken the lead on product identification and restaurant preparedness. Sure, more restaurants in the states are offering gluten-free menus and increasing their range of selections, but what about the security issue? Everyone needs to be certain that what is labeled or described as GF, truly has zero gluten.

Individuals who cannot tolerate gluten continue to struggle with dining out choices as they fear the separation of foods may not be tightly monitored. These are not whimsical fears. They are life-and-death matters.

So what happened to the “new” FDA that was promised to be a more responsive agency? Seems it is still buried under mounds of paper and limited in its roll-out of important mandates. What can a foodservice professional or a consumer do? React; respond within this extended deadline. Go to www.regulations.gov, and submit a comment. Follow the link.

As concerned consumers and food professionals, we cannot let this comment period slip away and allow mounds of paper to be ignored. We’ve had enough of that. GF and gluten intolerance deserve better attention and protection. Now.

I challenged Congress (the House) when they came up with the money-saving notion of switching to styrofoam cups in their cafeteria. It seemed like a backwards step then as environmental issues needed to be considered. Now several months later the formaldehyde/styrofoam study has come out, and it validates much of what many of us have believed for a long time. Skip the styrofoam.

The same goes for food on pesticide lists. For a number of years there have been lists of fruits and vegetables that should be considered safe and those that should by default move into the organic purchase pile. There have always been some obvious ones such as the berries which hug the soil. (If you crave strawberries, consider organic).  It was common knowledge that if you could peel it, you could remove many of the invading pesticides. Not so fast, Jones.

The report from The Environmental Working Group points a rather strict finger at a fruit that is readily available and well recognized by most: The Apple. It tops the latest list of fruit-invaded pesticides. Apples have had other issues in the past with spraying, but the common belief has been that you could wash the apple well and solve the problem. This report discredits that philosophy.

So what is one to do? It is true that organics have an increased presence in most grocers and markets, but as we well know, the price for switching from the regular produce aisle to the organic one can greatly increase one’s food bill. Not everyone is a candidate for organic shopping. We want variety, and the apple has often been the mainstay of packed lunches and a go-to snack.

According to the report, the apple has some company that gives pause to summer purchases: Cilantro was tested for the first time, and the herb ranked highest in overall pesticide infusion. Its position gives it the unenvious title of having the most unapproved pesticides in any product since the guide was first started in 1995! Not a good position to be in.

Here are the rankings of the 53 fruits and vegetables from the “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides. Celery is probably pretty happy as it no longer tops the Dirty Dozen; it dropped to 2nd place! Celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, lettuce and greens (kale and collards) are the vegetables most likely to retain pesticide contamination. As for those on the Clean Fifteen, (The vegetables least likely to test positive for pesticides), they found onions, sweet corn, asparagus, sweet peas, eggplant, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms. As for the fruits that score the best, those with the least pesticide residue, think avocado, mango, pineapple, watermelon, and grapefruit.

Just a week or so ago, the USDA introduced The Plate and took the Food Pyramid out of our lexicon. The plate is stacked in favor of fruits and vegetables. A little irony there, as we need to put the safest fruits and vegetables on the plate; not just any fruits and vegetables!

Timing is everything. Don’t forget your reusable container for coffee!

In the past few years since the Obama Administration took office, it seems that food has become a major player in the national conversation. We have talked about the White House Garden, the commitment to getting people to Move off the couch and be aware of their food intake. Obesity has been a major topic of concern as has the School Lunch program. Yet, so many of these discussions have their roots in much earlier times. It is impossible to speak of food safety legislation today without thinking about the letter Upton Sinclair wrote President Theodore Roosevelt.

Our current obsession with food, chefs, and food trends is nothing new. Buying local and supporting the farmer has deep-seeded, yes, it’s true, roots in our country’s agricultural history. You’ll be able to study the past while reflecting on how so much of what we believe today parallels our government’s earliest commitments to food safety. No need to make this sound so serious, as the exhibit focuses on all the aspects of our food culture.

What this exhibition hall is filled with it the how the Federal government’s programs intersected with our lives whether we are referencing food safety regulation or tracing the early paths of those we affectionately call “agricultural pioneers.” Besides enjoying the numerous posters from the collection including the already popular “Vitamin Donuts” or “Uncle Sam Says , Garden to Cut Food Costs.” My initial favorite, “Eat the Carp” includes the advice, “The muddy taste can be washed away.”

Trust me, you’ll have fun exploring the original records (“Eat More Cottage Cheese“) that explain the history of our country through its food supply with an emphasis on four distinct influences on our food environment: Farm, Factory, Kitchen, and Table.

Check out the event calendar as numerous additional programs and speakers have been lined up to supplement the standing exhibit. The exhibit opens today and continues through January 3, 2012. You need to know that date as you’ll want to go more than once!

Not just any plate, but one that has been approved by the First Family. A plate that says, less is better but what constitutes less will be unveiled in stages. We have become a full plate society from our parents earliest admonitions to finish your food to dining out and expecting full plates brimming over with food. Oversize restaurant portions were supposed to imply monetary value but instead helped contribute to our obesity numbers.

The President and the First Lady exemplify their commitment to exercise and good eating habits. The White House Garden has been a huge success and farm markets continue to expand in close proximity to the White House. At the same time some of the nation’s top chefs have contributed their time and expertise to improving the school lunch program. Logically, the next step is to take the tired pyramid of foods and replace its message with one that stresses vital health information. This is a more active focus that demonstrates the importance of being active and eating healthy. In addition to the USDA, other government agencies will help drive the important message.

Making the plate a thing of beauty with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables is a natural starting point. After all we are in the heart of the growing season and product availability. Grocers are competing with farm stands to show that locally grown food can be readily available to all shoppers.

Eating healthy has new rules and as a nation the time has come to step up to the plate and move into a healthier position. We welcome the pyramid retirement party.

It’s time to set up a healthy plate.

According to the USDA, the blame rests with the potato, and the Department wants to cut back its prominence in the school lunch program. Irony of ironies: The Agriculture Department has identified the white potato as its top villain, but the Idaho Potato Commission just received top marks from the American Heart Association for the spud’s benefits. Who’s the villain?

Let me think about that. Is one food responsible for the rise in obesity, diabetes, or heart-related issues? Can there be a negative super-food? Potatoes, even white potatoes, can be served in a number of ways–schools are making adjustments to the fried mentality. Rather than blame one food or one color of food, let’s concentrate on the reality: Overeating is the arch enemy, and we CAN do something about it. At the same time, we cannot lose sight of childhood hunger issues. The School Lunch Program (which for many youngsters now also includes a breakfast tray) is important and in more cases than we want to count, may be the primary sustenance for a significant part of the population.

We can cut back on fried foods and try to introduce additional vegetables into our diets, but remember not everyone’s food budget has the same monetary input. Oliver drew attention to the fact that many of the children and the parents in his test community had no familiarity with fresh vegetables. We can make changes, but we do not need to point fingers at the simple spud. It is not the root cause of the problem! The potato industry has, of course, galvanized its members with a strategic program: Keep Potatoes in School.

Sure the sweet potato appears as the potato survivor, but the school lunch program needs continual, additional re-imaging. The focus must be greater than just delivering the potato its death knell.

Now a little background. The National Archives is the Nation’s repository of history, and the impressive food collection is a vital piece of that history. They have culled their materials to create an exhibit which will open June 10, 2011. “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?” will showcase 85 original records which trace the origins of the programs and the legislation aimed at the food supply and reflect the effects government programs have had on our food choices and preferences. Visitors will have an opportunity to examihttp://www.allbeforecoffee.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=8289&action=edit&message=10ne letters, diaries, photos, and maps from the collection. The Exhibition will focus on four broad themes: Farm, factory, kitchen, and table.

Then there is the world of internationally recognized Spanish chef Jose Andres who makes his home in Washington, DC and is the master of the restaurant scene with his restaurants under the creative arm of his ThinkFood Group. Andres will serve as the Chief Culinary Advisor to the exhibit. He calls himself a “cook and a storyteller,” and his most humble story, apropos to this exhibit, is his own personal success and achievements in his adopted country. Andres’s passion for food and how it can teach us to understand nations and history will become evident in the July 4th opening of his newest endeavor, America Eats Tavern. It is no coincidence that this pop-up 6-month restaurant will be on 8th Street within view of the Archives and in the Cafe Atlantico space which will move to  a new home.

Andres believes that chefs tell a story and that this restaurant, opening in collaboration with the Archives exhibit and in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, will expand food knowledge for all visitors. This unique, first-of-a-kind partnership will open the eyes of visitors to understand our nation’s past and project them into understanding the importance of food in our culture and our heritage.

Different titles; different jobs: One Nation of Food.

Note that this is the first time in 15 years these standards will be upgraded. That in itself is shameful. Enough has been written about the growing national waistline. It is not possible for everyone to find foods that are healthy as budgetary constraints often make such purchases prohibitive. Not everyone has the natural, organic, local dollar budget, but we expect our schools to feed those in these programs foods that are healthy and safe.

Proposed changes include the reduction of sodium. Salt does not have to be the only taste-inducer. Under the proposal, salt will need to be reduced by half. Likewise, reduced-fat milk will be the drink of choice, calorie counts will be lowered, and whole grains will be required. As for the potato chip toppings, they are limited to one meal a week as starchy vegetables are so defined.

Currently over 32 million youngsters participate in these programs. We are not talking about a small percentage of our population. The affect on the future can easily be seen mathematically. Change will not occur overnight, but we must remain optimistic that such improvements will be beneficial for the entire society. Remember that for many of these youngsters, the school meal program provides over half of their daily food intake. Money will be increased for the districts as part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act which provides for the improvement of the nutritional quality of the foods that schools get from the USDA for their breakfast and lunch programs. On the website, you can view a sample school lunch menu and readily grasp the nutritional changes.

We can do better for our children. It’s time for the proposed rules to become reality.

No need to take sides, but acknowledge the number one issue that hopefully will be improved by the passage and signing of the Act: Food Safety and all aspects of food-borne illnesses. Maybe the myriad of scares and recalls will start to decline, and we will have a safer food system in place. This week, once again, demonstrated how important monitoring and checking is. We began the year with several recalls. (Frankly, I seldom focus on sprout recalls anymore as they are almost commonplace: Buy sprouts and you’re likely to have some sort of Salmonella issue. Of course, there are plenty of small growers who can offer protection, but history has demonstrated more nationwide or regional outbreaks with this particular food than almost any other I can tabulate.)

Let us take out the celebratory horns and whistles to herald the future and the hope of success in monitoring and preventing the prior steady stream of food safety issues. The FDA has published a Q and A page to help set the record straight about what the Act will and will not cover, or accomplish, for that matter.

We can only hope that implementation with its emphasis on prevention will be smooth and life-saving.

Those who like looking in blog archives will find plenty of references to the FDA and the need for the Food Safety Modernization Act. On a positive note, the latest FDA food safety blog has good suggestions for ensuring food safety when shopping and purchasing from a farm market. Worth a read.

Where does this leave food safety legislation? In the quiet corner. So quiet, barely a whisper. Actually the fire has been stoked with conversations about BPA. Several states (CT, MA, and MD) have banned BPA from food and beverage containers, and several are in the discussion stage. Yet, the current legislation impasse seems to be bogged down at the heels of California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Amendment to the bill which would ban BPA. This thoughtful approach has further slowed down the process. Not everyone in the Senate appears to be comfortable with this additional step as several industry groups are screaming loudly about the cost of doing a nationwide BPA ban. Translation: These industry groups provide significant sums of money to many on the Hill!

Let’s end with the current  food safety concern–hydrocarbons in cereal packaging that lead to a major recall. Yes, the petrochemical leached from the package which created a “funny-tasting cereal.” Yum. Certainly not the last food safety problem.

As I’ve said before, we need the passage of the food safety legislation and the FDA needs the help. The problem has become too pervasive for it to be ignored. Now.

Changes have been mentioned and changes have been suggested, but little has been done in terms of the overall improvement of the system of protecting the purchaser and consumer of foods. Take the often recalled food, ground beef. It has a strong presence in individual family meals, restaurants, and of course, school lunches. By this summer the USDA will have in place tougher guidelines that include more frequent testing and analysis for the foods in the school lunch program.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that school lunches will receive a major overhaul as so much attention has been given to the dire straits of the program and the overall health and well-being of our children. Suppliers can no longer skirt the issue. The safety of the foods for school lunch and nutrition assistance programs has become a top-down focus for the Administration. It should be noted that these new inspections apply to new contracts awarded after July 1. One has to ask about those suppliers who have long-term contracts? Will there be enhanced inspections?

Part of the new standards include increasing sampling frequency and tightening the overall rejection criteria. These are all important steps. We call that the good news. There’s a lot to learn and we have a responsibility in our own kitchens to execute food safety. BTW, ground beef and hamburger are not the same beast according to the guidelines.

Now the focus must be turned to the overall increased inspection of ground beef. Food safety must remain a top priority for all purchases.

(It is important to note that the USDA has revoked the company’s automatic exemption from the routine tests and plans to conduct a review of their processes and that the company has not been linked to a major outbreak). A major front page newspaper article was able to get individuals at the Department to focus on the seriousness of the issue.

Wait. The story gets worse. A lot of this “ammonia-ed” meat went into burgers for the school lunch program and to big name fast food restaurants and grocers. Remember all those discussions we had about the end of the burger? Maybe it should be called the end of the USDA as we know it and the creation of a new agency that understands food safety.

This is disgusting. The fact that this kind of pass-play has been going on for several years now says no one is looking nor is anyone being logical about the dire state of our food safety network. We were told and basically believed that food safety would be a major issue that would be tackled and improved during the early years of this Administration.

They were wrong. We were wronged.

Once again we are left with the “now what” approach to food safety. Even after multiple suspensions and violations, the company is still on the approved list! How many millions of pounds of this ammonia processed food have worked their way through the system? Through our bodies? How much more is out there ready to be consumed? We can’t be fighting bacteria in our food preparation if products are sneaking through the system without proper inspections.

Not everyone can grind their own meat or shop at grocers that promise they are using straight beef products and not supplementing the meats with parts that make it into pet food.

We need to be comfortable about the food we eat and be secure that our children in the National School Lunch Program, part of the USDA, are being given safe food. Officials should not be making decisions based on price alone; the product needs to be thoroughly examined and given a positive stamp of approval. A maybe doesn’t work.

Food safety has to be a front burner issue.

Now.

Is it time to breathe a sigh of relief? Are these recalls a thing of the past? No, not so fast. Once again the ground beef news has been troubling. Another ground beef recall; this one possibly more worrisome as it involved repackaging goods that were known to be on the recall list.

Where is the FDA, the CDC, the Ag Department on all of this? Who’s watching the store? Wasn’t the Administration touting its commitment to overall issues of food safety? What happened?

Not much actually. OK, make that nothing. We are still straddling the line between increased inspections and limited corrections. Food Safety is still a top burner issue that cannot seem to get the attention necessary to move it to the forefront of regulation. This is one time the cry of too much government will not work. We need the inspections to avoid the recalls.

Getting a recall notice is not the right direction. We need to stop the problem at the source; not after the fact.

I’m thinking macaroni is looking pretty good right now.

In schools the number of children who get to school early for breakfast continues to climb. Those on subsidized lunch programs and children in afternoon care rely on the nutrients offered as school-based food programs may mean the single hot meal in their daily routines. With a special initiative from the USDA, schools will receive additional funds for demonstrating improved menus and healthier quality of foods served. This is a positive first step for a growing national crisis.

Just before Thanksgiving the White House announced a more aggressive program focused on the alarming spread of hunger. It’s allied with its commitment to volunteering: Feed A Neighbor. This is a program tied into the Corporation for National and Community Service and linked to an effort to increase volunteerism between now and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, the National Day of Service, January 18.

Hunger issues are now so profound that we are at the same dire level of food needs as we were almost 15 years ago. Our progress has been eroded. Additional tactics need to be implemented after the January focus as the severity far exceeds the 6-week focus!

Talking about a problem never makes it go away. Besides USDA, Share our Strength, United We Serve, and the major corporations and foundations that have stepped in with action plans, the severity of the issue demands more than mere introspective attention.

We cannot continue to feast in our homes while others go hungry.

It’s official: The

A big shout-out, maybe one of the most  positive signs of the new Administration’s commitment to food policy, goes to the FDA. Last week when they announced their efforts toward front of the package labeling, they took that big step out of the box. The inherent, albeit underlying, message was that they would actively ascertain the accuracy of  label information. The Smart Choices Program saw the writing. It was not pretty on the wall or anywhere. Their label idea was good in concept but in reality it struck a serious nerve. They were promoting and supporting foods that should never be thought of as smart choices.

Enough. Over. Hopefully, a footnote to the month.

Score one.

Safety starts with hands, clean hands, and most often, gloved hands. Yet those same employees cannot handle money one minute and with the same gloves, cut the next guy’s sandwich. It’s all about training and diligence. Stopping infection remains a primary goal. All surfaces need to be clean, spotlessly clean, and all food handlers need to remain vigilant about their own personal hygiene.

If you want to understand a restaurant or foodservice’s commitment to food safety, then visit the establishment’s rest room. If it is a mess, sure, tell someone who is supposed to be monitoring it, but recognize that this may be an indication of the business’s overall commitment to sanitation.

Just this past week, the USDA with HHS consolidated its efforts to inform consumers about food recalls and food safety issues. The Administration has been determined to streamline and make information easily accessible while having agencies concentrate on how they can make food safety a primary concern. This site enables the consumer to sign up for alerts as they happen. The slogan that needs to be followed in a restaurant and at home is to “Clean, Separate (don’t cross-contaminate), Cook (to proper temperature), and Chill (refrigerate properly).” No food group appears immune from safety concerns as this has been a terrifying year in terms of basic, so-called ordinary recalls, peanut butter , for example. The crisis in food safety has gone far beyond farm fields and restaurants, and has impacted all our food safety concerns.

It is time to recognize National Food Safety Education Month as an important process that cannot be ignored the other 11 months of the year.

The message quite simply says we need to teach the young and their families about the importance of eating healthy, about supporting the farmers, the growers. Now in what looks like a major coup for DC-based FreshFarm Markets, the operators at this new location near The White House. That is if the street permits, closing a small stretch of road near the White House for Thursday afternoons until the end of October, pass the approval process. Since the expected hours for the Market include the dreaded DC Rush Hour, this is not a plan without controversy.

At this point in time (one week before the anticipated opening), it is unclear how much produce, if any, will come from the White House Garden and if that will be made available in a less expensive format to those in need.

One possibility is to add this location to the DOUBLEDOLLARS program that FreshFarm Markets offers at two locations. The Wholesome Wave Foundation has made it possible to provide matching market food dollars to customers who use Food Stamps, WIC, or Senior “Get Fresh” coupons. Such a program provides the necessary outreach to individuals who otherwise would find the local, farm fresh products exorbitantly expensive.

Opening a farm market near the White House, whether produce came from the Garden, or not, would be another important step in the Administration’s food outreach.

It’s a good news-bad news story: We are moving into a post-Recession universe. We have seen prices drop on important commodities like milk and eggs: That’s the good news. Now flip the coin, and you get the other story.

If people are supposed to spend again (post-Recession), and consumers have changed their ways of shopping, cooking, and dining out, this could be a red alert to slow down the rising price cycle. Rising prices will once again turn them away from major purchases if so much of their money has to go to basic food necessities. We must have learned something from this past cycle. Sure not every product dropped in cost (cereals and bakery products are up for the year), but many of the major ones were lower (beef prices were down over 2% in July) enabling cooks and chefs to be creative with a range of foods.

At the same time farmers continue their struggle. Farm incomes are down 38% no matter how many of us have joined CSAs, visit farm markets, and support all the Buy Local campaigns. It’s never been easy farming the land, but this news is truly depressing as the farmer in many ways has become the superstar of the food industry with all the attention being given to finding the best products locally. We have to save the farm.

So we have a double whammy situation: Rising basic food costs and farmers struggling beyond the bounds of livability. Both of these issues need immediate attention from the Administration.

We cannot move forward by continually sliding backwards.