Let’s Talk Trash

by Kirstin Uhrenholdt

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Of all the rooms in the house, the kitchen produces the most waste. Yes we need to recycle, but it’s even more important to avoid creating trash in the first place. Here are a few ways to do this:

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Take Back Your Health: Eat In April 7

by The Family Dinner

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In the 1960s, Americans embraced the “sit-in” as a tactic of civil disobedience to empower the disempowered, to create needed change in civil rights and women’s rights and to end unnecessary wars. Our friend Dr. Mark Hyman asks you to join him in an “Eat-In” on April 7, 2013 to transform the food industry and challenge our policy makers to create a healthy world.

Join us as we take back our health by avoiding restaurants and packaged foods for this day and by making real, whole, fresh, sustainably raised or grown food into delicious meals from scratch. Invite a few friends and family members to share in a home cooked meal! Take the pledge today!

Visit TheEatIn.org to make the pledge.

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Save Money with Meatless Mondays

by Kirstin Uhrenholdt

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It’s the beginning of a new week. Why not start it out on a nutritious note with a Meatless Monday?

You probably already know the health and environmental benefits of reducing your family’s meat consumption. Going meatless once a week can reduce your risk of preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help limit your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

But going meatless also benefits your wallet. Food prices are skyrocketing, with the sharpest increases in packaged items and meat, which require extra production costs like feed and transportation. Forgoing meat, even just once a week, is a great way to cut your family’s food budget.

Also, did you know 70% of total US healthcare spending is for treatment of chronic preventable diseases? Reduce your risk for these conditions with a healthier diet, and help to curtail healthcare spending.

For more information on the benefits, visit MeatlessMonday.com.

And here are a few suggestions for items to try on your Meatless Monday menu:

Chan Luu’s Tofu Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Angel Hair Pasta with Trees and Cheese

Orecchiette Pasta with Crisp Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Oven Grains, Greens and Cheese, Please

As always, we want to hear your stories about starting a Meatless Monday tradition in your house. What are your family’s favorite vegetarian dishes?

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Buy Local Produce

by Laurie David

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In the U.S., fruits and veggies travel an average of 1,500 miles before reaching your table — that’s halfway across the country!

Here’s a Green Tip for your family dinner: choose local produce, which cuts back on energy used in transportation and usually ensures a fresher product. We love local farmer’s markets. Better yet, grow your own! Read about it in the “Your Green Table” chapter of “The Family Dinner.”

Follow Laurie on Twitter

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