Pity the poor acai berry. At the recent Expo West in Anaheim, CA (which drew over 60,000 visitors), one thing was clear: this was the berry to beat when it came to claiming uber health benefits. I saw several older trends still going strong, such as the coconut craze, and chocolate-as-a-miracle-health-food (kinda forgetting it’s still an indulgence to be eaten in small portions).  There were lots of newcomers as well- and like any Expo, I had to ask: “what’s hot and what’s hype?” Here’s my take on how this may come to influence a supermarket near you.

.

1. Get Ready for Nut Butters 2.0
As a flexitarian, I am slightly addicted to nut butters. Packed with protein, heart healthy fats, and a slew of vitamins and minerals, they are perfect for a power snack or to slather on toast or oatmeal (I often carry single serve nut butters in my purse and car for snacking emergencies). But might we have taken things too far? Goji butters, phytoplankton butters, acaii butters and more joined this increasingly cluttered field-some which were an algae-ish brown color and tasted, well, like something algae-ish brown would taste.  I couldn’t help but think that perhaps we’ve taken things too far-we’re back to health food tasting more “healthy” than amazing. I also couldn’t help but question the actual health benefits one might receive from some of these combinations-is a smidgeon of goji berry in a nut butter better than, say, slathering a spoonful of your favorite local 100% blueberry preserves?

Bottom Line: If you love em’, there’s probably no harm in adding them to your cart. But unless you are excited to pay a premium for exotic add ins that may or may not confer an actual health benefit, ignore the hype and stick to flavors and blends where the ingredients have sound science behind them (like nuts and seeds).

2. Pity the Poor Acai Berry 
“New” berries and superfoods from the remote reaches of rainforest or steppes are still granted an instant health halo. If goji and acai are old news, Sea Buckhorn from Tibet, Murta and Calfate from Chile, and a gorgeous Aronia berry from the USA are all newer superfruits that may be coming to a market (or supplement shelf) near you-all touted ORAC scores higher and more potent than acaii. But are they worth it?

Bottom Line: Until we see the science of real benefits in health outcomes, I put these in a “nice to have” category of eating. While these superfruits may boast ORAC scores that would make a health nut swoon, it’s an expensive proposition, as most come in powder or extract form, that you then add to smoothies or consume daily in addition to food. Paying $25 of $30 or more for a powder that you sprinkle into smoothies is likely a stretch for most Americans, who are just struggling to put enough fruits and veggies in their grocery carts.

.
3. Fancy A Seaweed Snack?
Would you nosh on seaweed as a snack? You will be, if the trends at Expo are any indication. A host of different seaweed snack companies were there-and I’ve got mixed feelings about it. Of course, seaweed and sea vegetables are nutrient rich foods that can be a healthy addition to your diet-they often contain trace minerals and vitamins. However, in a perky little snack pack (which can be plain or seasoned), there’s an awful lot of packaging to preserve the delicate nature of seaweed, which felt wasteful to me (there may have been other companies there that I didn’t see who had a different packaging alternative, if so my apologies, I’d love to hear about you). Also, since the seaweed is so light, airy, and the eating experience so quick, I can’t help but wonder…being low in calorie, and have scant amounts of protein and fiber, I’m also worried that the typical American might not feel as satisfied with it-and will end up snacking again later.

Bottom Line: If you like it, could be a healthy addition-but caution with all that packaging.
4. Can you plant your bar in the ground? You’d Better, If You’re Calling it LIVE FOOD.
Call it a “full circle moment”. Standing at the “Go Raw” booth the man proceeded to show me how you could literally unwrap the bar (a living pumpkin seed bar), plant it in dirt-and voila-it will sprout! I must admit, I was impressed-it gave me a a deep, primitive satisfaction that this food really was still somehow fresh food (now in a convenient, portable bar). Raw foods are heated just enough to destroy any potentially dangerous pathogens, but to keep the vital living secrets inside the seeds thriving. With all the push I’ve noticed of large conventional food companies trying to remind you how “close to the farm” and “straight from nature” their products are, this was a refreshing, immensely appealing approach.

Bottom Line: This is a trend that’s got real health benefits in my opinion. Will be interesting to see if it catches on mainstream. Loved it!

.
5. You Can Track Your Food Back to the Source.

Want to know exactly on which farm (or even which acre of the farm) your product was grown? Want to track the entire journey from field to bread, from bean to bar? No problem-many companies are now touting QSR codes that can be scanned to your smart phone and the unique story of that bar or loaf comes to life.

Bottom Line: Most people I know already feel overwhelmed with information overload. So while I applaud and admire the concept of transparency in the chain, I have to ask: will consumers care?

.
What were your favorite trends from Expo West? What do you think of QSR codes? I’d love to hear from you.

.

Posted with assistance from Lindsey Toth, MS, RD

A new study from Dartmouth University is making many moms pause and wonder if perhaps they have been duped by the promise of organics. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives  tested a total of 17 infant and toddler formulas, 29 cereal bars, and 3 energy shots for the presence of arsenic.  One ingredient in particular- organic brown rice syrup (OBRS)- seemed to be the common culprit, as products that contained OBRS contained up to 12 times the EPA’s safe drinking water limit for arsenic.

Organic brown rice syrup is a commonly used sweetener (and carbohydrate source)  in organic foods, and is viewed by many as a healthier alternative to high fructose corn syrup. In the study, researchers found that the two toddler formulas containing OBRS as a primary ingredient had arsenic levels more than 20 times greater than the formulas that didn’t contain OBRS. The cereal bars and energy drinks containing OBRS also had significantly higher levels of arsenic than those bars and shots without the ingredient.  Arsenic is known to affect brain development in children (who, because of their rapid growth and development are particularly susceptible to the toxin), and may increase the risk of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

What Does This Tell Us About Organics?

To be sure, headlines like “High Arsenic Levels Found in Organic Foods, Baby Formula” touches (or rather, stabs) at every mother’s soft spot and fear factor.  As a mother of two young children myself, the idea of arsenic in anything is at once terrifying and maddening, especially when it comes to our little ones. Many of us feel particularly irked by a finding like this if we’ve parted with our hard earned cash for organics in the belief that it’s a better choice for us and our children.

While the research is indeed newsworthy, here’s how I see the key takeaways.

Takeaway #1:  This story is about rice.

This study did not find that organic brown rice syrup contained more arsenic than conventional brown rice syrup. So the wrong conclusion would be something like “see, I knew organics weren’t any better!” or “shoot, does this mean organic is just as ‘bad’ as conventional?”.

What this study does do is highlight the fact that rice, because of how it likes to grow, can be a source of inorganic arsenic (“inorganic” in this case refers just to the chemical structure of the arsenic, not the USDA Organic certification program).  You see, rice plants like to absorb silica from the surrounding environment, which helps it stand up in waterlogged soil. The problem? Apparently arsenic looks a lot like silica to the rice plant, and is also absorbed to varying degrees depending on the rice variety (brown rice typically contains higher levels than white rice because the arsenic stays in an outer layer which is removed with polishing). To me, the takeaway is that we need to address lingering arsenic in our soil from past agricultural or industrial practices, especially when we are growing molecule-grabbing crops like rice. That we need a federal program to test arsenic levels in our food and beverages (see Takeaway #4). Or that if maybe (for now) it’s wise to limit products with brown rice syrup (including OBRS) listed as a primary ingredient until we have more information.

Takeaway #2:  Organics are still the best choice for you and your family.

Part of the clash in the “organic vs. conventional” debate comes in defining what we mean when we say  “better”.  While the science on the absolute nutritional benefits is still being established  (The Organic Center has the latest science here), when I personally use the word “better”, I mean that because organics protects you from added hormones, antibiotics, GMOs, irradiated food, potentially harmful pesticides and more (Stonyfield has a helpful list of specific differences between conventional and organic here ).  I believe you should buy organic as much as you can afford to-especially with key purchases like meat and dairy products, plus produce on “the Dirty Dozen” list. To help you, here are my tips to buy organics on a budget .

Takeaway #3: Organics are not immune to laws of nature.

Alas, just as organics isn’t immune to the laws of dieting (organic ice cream is still loaded with saturated fat and calories, for example, and organic candy bars are still candy bars), organic plants must still subscribe to Nature’s laws.  This study offers a good reminder that organics doesn’t automatically mean “safe”, but is a system like any other, that still needs to continually strive forward in best practices.

Takeaway #4: It’s time for federal regulations on arsenic in our food and beverages. 

Most of us are shocked to think that there are currently no US regulations regarding arsenic levels in food or juice. Hopefully, that’s set to change. Earlier this month, two U.S. Representatives introduced a bill that would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set safety standards for arsenic and lead in juices within 2 years.  (Shortly after Dr. Oz broke a controversial story last year about arsenic in apple juice, Consumer Reports issued its own findings: of 88 apple and grape juice samples tested, 10% had arsenic levels that exceeded federal standards.

What do you think?

If you set ONE goal for your family’s dinner table this month, please, please have it be this:  turn off technology. That’s right, for 30 minutes, have everyone step away from the berries, pods, pads, games, gadgets, tv’s and tivos. This simple act will be far more powerful in creating better health than any “superfood” you might put on your (or your child’s) plate tonight.

Graphic Source: www.EthicalOcean.com

Valentine’s Day’s promise of dark chocolate offers us nutritionists a glimmer of hope: make the right choice and indulge only on the Big Day, and chocolate is a sensual, deliciously healthy treat. BUT…succumb to a month-long “free for all” that starts each morning at the barista (“Valentine’s drink”, anyone?) and ends each night on the couch with the clicker, downing sweets with your sweetheart and… well… you get the point.

Of course, I love chocolate because it’s one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet (you may want to skip this paragraph if you already know about the health benefits). High quality dark chocolate is teeming with bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, which research suggests help improve our arteries’ endothelial function, lower blood pressure, and increase blood flow to the brain.  Dark chocolate is also high in antioxidants called proanthocyanins that mop up free radicals. And that rush of pleasure you feel when you indulge? Chocolate helps trigger the release of feel good neurotransmitter dopamine, boosting your mood instantly.

Everyone deserves to eat good food. In these extraordinarily turbulent times, talking about high quality chocolate may make you think I’m posturing more like a foodie than a food revolutionary. But my interest in pointing you to the best chocolate available isn’t because it’s more elite, but because all the health benefits I mentioned happen only with high quality dark chocolate (containing 70% cocoa or higher).  Secondly,  many of the companies I’ve listed below are having powerful, positive economic and environmental impacts on people and the planet-precisely the type of change to “the system” that people around the world are rising up and demanding. So please, resist the urge to dump a bag of cheap candy into your shopping cart these next few days, and purchase smaller amounts of higher quality confections if you can. Bargain priced, highly processed chocolate products typically have a litany of unsavory ingredients tagging along like barnacles, such as high fructose corn syrup, waxes, trans fats, binders, and palm oil (and I won’t even bore you with the research showing how much more you’ll eat just by having tons of it lying around).  Steer clear, too, of those new versions of traditional candy bars that claim to be loaded with healthy flavonols – if they aren’t Organic or Fair Trade Certified, you’re missing out on all the sweet rewards that come with greener chocolate.

From Bean to Bar: Why it Matters

Below are 7 of my favorite picks so you can splurge in a way that pairs top notch chocolate with top notch industry practices.  In my opinion, the best chocolates have a fully transparent “bean to bar” story,  ensure sustainable farming practices that help replenish and nourish the planet, preserve biodiversity, and support fair wages and conditions for workers.  If you got it on the cheap, someone (or some vital ecosystem that helps protect the Earth) paid the price somewhere. Given then we are set to gobble 58 million pounds of chocolate this Valentine’s Day, those things matter.

And while Organic and Fair Trade chocolate carries a higher price tag, the nutritionist in me says that in some ways, this is how chocolate should be priced: its higher price helps you to value it (when we value things we treat them with more respect and awareness), to savor it (you’ll be mindful when you eat it), and to see it as a true splurge (which means you’ll make it a special treat rather than eating fistfuls every day). A perfect lean and green strategy.

Eat Right For Your Type: What Kind of Chocolate Eater Are You?

Alter ECO Dark Quinoa Chocolate

1.  For the Trend Setter: ALTER ECO Dark Quinoa Chocolate is a crispy chocolate like no other. With the fun contrasting crunch akin to a Nestle Crunch bar, but so, so much better: made with cacao and quinoa from Bolivia, this chocolate bar contains 61% cocoa and brings together ancient ingredients from the Andeans. Quinoa adds nutritious iron, protein, and fiber to your splurge.

2.  For the Serious Do-Gooder:  Original Beans. This one really impressed me. For every bar you buy, local community farmers plant a tree that will support the forest; not just rare cacao trees, but a mix of trees necessary for lively biodiversity. And get this: each bar even contains a lot tracking number, which designates the location of a new tree so that you can track your contribution online. Oh, and the chocolate is breathtakingly good.

3.  For Those Who Like to  Double Down: Double your health benefits with Green and Blacks Ginger or Sour Cherries Chocolate Bars. Sour Cherries have powerful anti-inflammatory benefits, and help boost your body’s melatonin, a compound which helps ensure a good night sleep. Ginger contains powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory compounds, and helps  soothe the gastrointestinal tract.

Theo Chocolate Confection Collection

4.  For the Data-Driven: After trying over 35 chocolates for Consumer Reports 2012 taste tests, Theo Chocolate Confection Collection got the testers’ high-rating nod. Attribute it to heavenly things like “lemon ganache, fig, mint, and ginger enrobed in flavorful dark chocolate.”

5.  For the Romantic: Try Theo’s limited edition Ginger Rose and Cherry Pink Peppercorn Valentine Bars. Wrapped in gorgeous pink packaging, their description alone is as steamy as an adult Valentine: “The Ginger Rose bar infuses our rich dark chocolate with essential rose oil that yields to the heat of candied ginger”.

Kallari Chocolate Bar

6.  For the Salty/ Sweet: Salazon. Ignore the “bacon and chocolate” trend, this is perfect for those who crave salty/sweet in one fell swoop. Spanish for ‘salted”,  Salazon’s chocolate bars use 100% organic, Rainforest Alliance–certified beans in small batches in the USA, and hand-sprinkled with natural, solar-evaporated sea salt. Other fun contrasting ingredients include black pepper and crushed coffee. Plus, these guys got the idea on a backpacking trip here in Utah, which I love.

7.  For the Purist: Kallari Chocolate Bar. This award-winning Ecuadoran chocolate is deliciously rich and smooth- and produced by a cooperative of indigenous Kichwa farmers in the Ecuadorian Amazon. And it’s simple full circle: profits return to the cooperative to support sustainable development, health, and education programs.

8.  For Those Who Don’t Like Chocolate: want to stay calorie free but still tread lightly on the planet? Try to buy organic flowers. According to Pesticide Action Network commercial flowers (often produced in other countries) are the most toxic and heavily sprayed agricultural crops on Earth. Alternately, look for  Florverde Certified flowers- a rigorous certification which requires better treatment of workers and more sustainable farming practices.

Want to see even more companies that are offering chocolate with a clean conscience? Business Week  has a great review here.

Got other favorites? I’d love to hear about them!

Written with assistance from Lindsey Toth, MS, RD

Despite feeling culinary eupohoria on my recent trip to Italy (I was in sheer heaven to be savoring in season delicacies like like white truffles and pumpkin risotto), I came away from the 3rd International Forum on Food and Nutrition with one looming thought: if oil was the big driver of the 20th century, water will be the driver of the 21st century.

We are Entering a Water Economy

“We are entering a water economy,” said Barbara Buchner, Director of the Climate Policy Initiative  in Venice. No matter how you slice it, the pie of resources is dwindling, with ever more people vying for resources. This theme resurfaced in many sessions, through different expert eyes, but all converging on the same point: the cost and availability of food and drinks is poised to shift dramatically in the years to come.

The 20th century opened with just over 1.5 billion inhabitants, but it closed on the threshold of 6 billion.  And if population projections are accurate, by 2050 (which is a mere 38 years away) there will be 9 billion people. What this means is that population growth, growing prosperity of billions, changing global diets, urbanization and biofuels are all increasingly connected to what Americans eat and how much they pay for it. A look at a map of World Water Stress  and one quickly sees that water is going to be the defining issue for China and India, even the US- and that the era of limitless amounts of cheap water to produce food and beverages is rapidly drawing to a close.

Why Our Water Footprint is Growing

As people seek more sophisticated diets, the water footprint increases exponentially: Drinking tap water may be a straightforward trade (1 liter tap water requires 1 liter of water), but when you shift to bottled beverages the water footprint multiplies quickly: According to Buchner, the water footprint of 1 liter of bottled water is 5 liters of water, while the water footprint of 1 liter of soda is between 340-620 liters of water.  As billions of people worldwide gain upward mobility to the middle class, they too are going want to buy these things, but where is this water going to come from? With this increase in demand but relatively fixed supply, the cost of water, experts warn, is set to increase dramatically. And food that used to be cheap (like a 99 cent hamburger) likely won’t be (as it takes 15,000 liters of water to produce 1 kg of beef, the highest of any foodstuff).

To be sure, the global mishmash of cuisines and influences is exciting for the culinary world. Janet Helm recently wrote a fab blog on 2012 restaurant trends, noting that “cooking is at a crossroads where everything collides.” While foodies rejoice, it also underscores just how hyperconnected our food systems have become.

The question is: how do we constructively, meaningfully engage Americans in the dialogue about diet, especially in light of the myriad other crisis the world is facing? Is a true paradigm shift even possible? And what are the best levers to push? (In America it seems like we should shift the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill to make the right foods cheap like fruits and veggies, as opposed to the wrong ones like high fructose corn syrup).

But still I see hope. While the global diet is at a crossroads, through my nutrition lens I see that much of what makes for ultimately healthy eating is also more water wise. And as I wrote in my last blog, there are powerful shifts happening in the American food system for the better.

Here are six ways you can shrink your water footprint (and your waistline)  at the table:  

-Eat whole unprocessed foods, drink tap water.

-Enjoy a diet that has lots and lots of plant foods, with small amounts of meat and dairy products.

-Snack on real foods, not “snack food”

-Support local farmers and eat seasonally, locally and regionally to the extent you can

-Get cooking! Turn off the TV cooking shows where food is a spectator sport, and cook. 

-Take less, waste less at the dinner table. As conference presenter Jonathan Bloom beautifully stated, “A clean plate makes for a clean conscience”.

For More Info about the Conference, Twitter feed and Water Issues:

• Water Economy Paper by Barilla
• The Barilla Conference Videos and Links
• #BCFNForum (designated hashtag for webinar)

*(In full disclosure of all my relationships, this blog posts was sponsored by Barilla)

I’ve just wrapped the second day of Barilla’s 3rd International Food and Nutrition Symposium , where sessions today focused on”disnutrition” (a term I love that was introduced here to encompass the issues of obesity and malnutrition), the BCFN Double Environmental Pyramid, and the role of nutrition in childhood and aging. Still, I was determined to find a nugget of positive action to bring back to America- what were there bright spots? Reasons to celebrate? To my wonderful surprise, my interview with “food movement mamma” Marion Nestle left me feeling not just a burst of American pride, but even more important, hope for my two children. Here’s what we dished about:

Kate: How do we translate what we’ve learned here into actionable steps in the US at the consumer level?

Nestle: Well we are translating it. I see more action going on in the United States than I see going on here about the kinds of issues that are being discussed at this conference. This conference is way at the leading edge of what’s happening in Italy (she then talked about how meals at her hotel were devoid of veggies).

Kate: Marion, with all the emphasis at this Forum placed on creating an alternative food model, do you have any hope for this in the U.S.? Any bright spots we can feel good about?
Nestle: I think the food movement is very hopeful in the US. I’ve already seen enormous changes, phenomenal changes as a result of the food movement, things that I never thought were possible, and mainstreamed in ways that nobody could have ever predicted.

Here’s what Marion touched on, in both her session and our interview, as bright spots in the US food System:

Seven Bright Spots In the US “Occupy Food” Movement:

1. You can now get a good (“or at least halfway decent, some better than others”) selection of fruits and vegetables in any supermarket in America

2. The number of farmers markets has dramatically increased in just the last few years

3: More and more people joining CSAs than ever before

4: Urban farming is the rage (“in New York City of all places!”)

5: Local food has become really, really important

6: Much better food in schools

7: Greater awareness, like the NYC anti soda campaign.

Now that’s something to toast on the long ride home tomorrow. What do you think are the  bright spots for seeds of change in the US Food system? I’d love to hear from you!

To see a recap of the twitter conversation check out my handle @greeneating, the conference  hashtag #BCFNforum, or the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition webinar page (who, in full  disclosure, sponsored my posts from the conference).

A jam packed schedule of thought provoking sessions (and a few fabulous espresso) made for a fantastic first day of the 3rd International Barilla Forum on Food and Nutrition! One of the new terms proposed by a speaker today was “Disnutrition”- to encompass the twin problems of obesity and hunger.Will it grab hold the way others such as “locavore” have to define the current  food conversation? While that remains to be seen, here are my top takeaways from Day One:

Key Takeaway #1: 

Obesity and Malnutrition are two sides of the same food production crisis-even in the US. Walking around Anywhere, USA, it’s often easy to see the obesity part of the problem, but the hunger piece can be more difficult to see. Ellen Gustafson, the Founder and executive Director of the 30 Project gave an electric session which explained how  the twin issues of obesity and malnutrition are deeply connected to our current food system-even in the U.S. “Look at the state with the greatest obesity crisis, Mississippi…it’s also the state with the greatest hunger crisis in the US. That’s not a coincidence” Gustafson said policies aimed at “obesity” and “malnutrition” typically occupy two separate camps of people, resulting in a fractured approach as the two sides aren’t really talking with each other despite having many of the same fundamental issues at the core. Gustafson’s goal? To bridge those two spheres to more effectively drive change. I had a great interview with her today, and I’ll share the link as soon as it’s available.

What you can do: Buy whole foods as close to the source as possible, support local food communities, and buy real food from real farmers as much as you can. And cook dinner!

Key Takeaway #2: SOIL is the most significant resource we have, and it’s often overlooked as dirt. 

“Forests precede civilizations…deserts follow them,” said Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, in his opening remarks. “We need to change mankind’s historical paradigm of degrade, abandon and migrate; we no longer have that option if we are to feed 9 billion people by 2050.” While we often think of the brown matter that grows our food as “dirt”, soil in contrast is living biomass, teeming with micro-organisms the play critical roles, with a greater capacity to store water and nutrients.  Every year we lose some 75 billion tons of fertile soil every year, yet soils are the most significant non-renewable resource we have for ensuring water, energy and food security, plus build resistance to climatic shocks. In other words, everything that’s coming down the pike for a hyperconnected, hyperpopulated world. What I loved about this point is that vibrant, thriving soil is also key to vibrant, thriving food that is brimming with the maximum amount of antioxidants, phytochemicals and other nutrients critical to optimal health. As any farmer will tell you, food is only as nutritious as the soil in which it’s grown.

What you can do: Support soil restoration and reforestation projects in your community.  For birthday gifts, plant a tree in someone’s name. Buy food from farmers, co-ops and support organic; many organic companies have policies that actively work to continuously improve soil quality (like Earthbound Farms LINK).

Key Takeaway #3: Re-allocating just 5% of our food waste could end US Hunger.

Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland and creator of the eye-popping blog www.wastedfood.com shared that stunning stat in one of the morning sessions. But rather than thinking that means we’ve almost put an end to hunger (see Takeaway #1), to me it highlights just how much food we’re actually wasting. In the U.S., a full 40% of food is wasted. What does that even look like? “The food wasted in one day in U.S. would fill the 90,000 seat Rose Bowl Stadium”, said Bloom. Why do we waste so much? Food is cheap in the US, and it’s actually  never been cheaper- the average American allocates less than 7% of household spending, all time household low (Italy is 15%). And we don’t tend to value what we don’t spend a lot on. Food is also abundant: the United States produces about twice as many calories per day as the average American needs. And we see food everywhere, from the mall to the gas station, which creates a sense in our minds that we don’t have to be careful of our food, there’s plenty more. Of course, these are many of the same reasons Americans are overeating so much food (which drive obesity and chronic disease) in the first place, so Jonathan and I seemed to agree a lot. And unlike starving-children guilt trips of old, bringing your plate to better portion alignment is a wise strategy in every sense: As Bloom beautifully stated, “A clean plate is a clean conscience”.

What you can do: Invest in the best you can afford, and enjoy smaller portions. Avoid “Buy 1 get 1 Free” “All You Can Eat” and other food buying incentives if you won’t be able to finish your plate..this often contributes to waste. Instead of buying highly perishable fruits and vegetables (which are some of the leading items to spoil, according to research), buy frozen fruits and veggies instead.

Want to follow the conversation tomorrow? Here is the info:

My twitter: @greeneating

Forum Hashtag: #BCFNForum

BCFN Twitter: 

BCFN Facebook:

(Disclosure: This blog and my coverage of the conference is sponsored by Barilla Pasta)

Which is why I was so honored to be invited to this conference, hosted by The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition, a leading global thought leader in this space. *. The 3rd International Forum on Food and Nutrition gathers international experts to Milan for two days of robust debate and discussion on just these types of questions. Water and agricultural policies, food waste, food chain challenges, access to food, biotechnologies, and the double paradox of globalization (obesity and malnutrition) are all on the agenda, and more.

They have drawn together truly a  top tier panel of internationally renown experts across a wide swath of these topics, and  I hope you’ll check backoften as I’ll be blogging daily about the sessions, and covering real time comments and debates through my Facebook page, as well as my twitter handle @greeneating and the hashtag #BCFNForum. My goal is to capture  for you all of this and more… while savoring some fantastic pasta dishes along the way.

• BCFN Webinar Page:
• Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN) Home Page
• Barila Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN) Facebook Page

• My handle: @greeneating
• Barilla: @BarillaCFN
• #BCFNForum (designated hashtag for webinar)
• #BCFN

*(In full disclosure of all my relationships, my conference blogs posts are sponsored by Barilla)

 As Marc Bittman beautifully wrote this week there are tremendous bright spots in America’s growing quest to bring better food to people’s plates. As we head into one of the most food-centric times of the year, I thought I’d shun any kind of “dietitian-y” type advice  (i.e. what calorie bombs you should skip from the buffet table), and instead share with you my favorite strategies to help you buy better groceries in every sense of the word this season better for you, better for your budget, and better for the planet. Now, that’s something to be Thankful for long after the leftovers have been eaten.