What’s a non-coffee drinker to drink from the local café? Chai has become a popular beverage for those looking for an alternative to coffee. While our western culture refers to it as “chai tea,” in India we are drinking masala chai. “Chai” is the Hindi word for tea, while “masala” refers to spice....

While oranges are a citrus fruit that can be found all year long, they peak over the winter months. This is a time where you can usually find more variety of oranges and at a lower cost than in off season months. Navel oranges are the most popular, likely due to their sweetness and their being...

The holiday season carries many traditions, and for some, the tradition of baking cookies is on the to-do list. Maybe your tradition is to gather the kids to bake a plate of sugar cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. Perhaps its baking up rugelach or hamantaschen for Hanukkah. Maybe you even hold a...

There are many things to be thankful for this time of year, and one of them is having enough food to nourish our bodies and fill our appetites. However, the harsh reality is that nearly 20 million U.S. adults reported that in the last seven days, their household sometimes or often didn’t have...

You may remember learning about the Maillard reaction in science class at school. You probably didn’t know it then, but the Maillard reaction is something you see or use every day. It’s what makes food so delicious, turning bread into toast, giving broccoli a sweeter flavor when roasted, producing...

It’s all the rage right now. Charcuterie (pronounced shar-koo-tuh-ree) boards are the latest conversational piece at the holiday party. In the simplest terms, it’s a tray loaded with all sorts of finger foods, commonly eaten as an appetizer. Think cured meats, cheeses, crackers, nuts, veggies,...

At the first hint of cooler weather, there will be those (me included) running to the kitchen to make a pot of chili. It can be made a thousand different ways, each person claiming they have the secret ingredient that makes their chili win the beloved chili cookoff. There’s no right or wrong way to...

When I was growing up, we had an old black walnut tree next to our driveway that would drop walnuts causing me to trip over them while chasing my brother. I loathed this tree, especially when it was my turn to mow the grass, as I had to first rake the walnuts, wasting more of my precious time....

Locally grown foods aren’t shipped thousands of miles, which reduces the carbon footprint, supports our local growers, and offers tastier, more nutritious food. When food doesn’t have to travel far, it can be picked ripe, and eaten soon after harvest, retaining more nutrients and flavor than food...

If you’ve ever heard of adding wheat germ to your foods, you may have wondered what it is and why you would add it. Wheat germ is simply a component of the whole grain wheat kernel. In fact, all whole grains are composed of the bran, the endosperm and the germ. Each component contains valuable...

This blog post was written by Illinois State University graduate student and dietetic student, Shelby Holt. With the rising trends surrounding ‘zoodles, this famous squash is growing more popular every day! Zucchini is a low-calorie summer squash, free of sodium, cholesterol, and fat. It...

Grapes are a popular fruit in my household, as they’re easy for my kids to snack on. Thanks to many seedless varieties, they don’t require any peeling or slicing, they’re not messy, and they’re deliciously sweet. Illinois grapes are available July through October. Unlike many other fruits, grapes...

September is Food Safety Education Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 6 Americans get sick with foodborne illness each year. Lucky for us, food poisoning is preventable; but we all must work together to protect ourselves and each other. What’s your food...

Apple season is here! Make way for apple pie, apple cider, apple crisp, caramel apples and more. Apples are available year-round in supermarkets, but the experience of your own apple-picking at a local orchard brings a whole new level of excitement to this popular fruit. There are many varieties...

This blog post was written by Illinois State University graduate student and dietetic student, Dylis-Judith Mensah.  The color green is usually associated with growth. Avocados are nothing short of that! They are climacteric because they are plucked green and hard from the tree and ripen...

Americans have a love for tacos. Whether they’re served at the family dinner table, a business meeting, or as a late-night snack at a local bar, tacos have made their way as being one of America’s most adored food. Afterall, any time of the day is the right time of the day to eat tacos! There are...

Many people are longing to get away this year, and what better way to pursue happiness than a trip to the beach? The silky sand and gorgeous water views are perfect for relaxing in the sun. But a day on the beach requires some planning to keep yourself nourished and hydrated. For a long day at the...

If you had to name one summer sandwich, chances are you’d name the ever-famous BLT. Not a summer goes by without me making this super simple sandwich. If you don’t already know, BLT stands for bacon, lettuce, and tomato, which are the key ingredients to this lunch icon. Of course, one could say...

Is it pronounced toMAto or tomAHto? Is it a fruit or a vegetable? There are so many questions when it comes to tomatoes! But there’s one thing I think we can all agree on: the taste of a fresh garden tomato is no comparison to store-bought tomatoes that were picked unripe and traveled thousands of...

Many of the fairs and festivals we missed last year are back and ready to entertain. Deep fried candy bars, onion blossoms, and fried cheese curds are a “must-have” for some, but nutritional nightmares for cardiologists. The question is can we enjoy our favorite fair foods while still maintaining a...