The following categories contain links to various sources on the web pertaining to topics covered in the FSA 108 Principles of Healthy Cooking course. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these websites, the usual evaluation methods should be taken by the researcher.

The Hospitality, Tourism, & Golf Management Research Guide provides tips on how to find books available in the Library collection, and tips on how to find journal, magazine and newspaper articles available in MCC Libraries article databases.

Fundamental Nutrition Principles

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The Food Pyramids

• MyPyramid.gov - From the U.S. Department of Agriculture this website offers dietary guidelines, and personalized tools to you plan and assess your food choices.

• Dietary Guidance - This site from the USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center provides links to access USDA Food Guide Pyramid Resources, Cooperative Extension and University MyPyramid Resources, Ethic/Cultural Food Guide Pyramids, Special Audience Food Guide Pyramids (older adults, children, and individuals following vegetarian diets), as well as past Food Guide Pyramid Materials.

• The Nutrition Source: Healthy Eating Pyramid - This site from the Harvard School of Public Health provides information on the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and on the Healthy Eating Pyramid developed at Harvard and based on scientific evidence about the links between diet and health.

• Food Pyramids: An Option for Better Eating - This page from MayoClinic.com provides information on the basic principles of all food pyramids, and diagrams of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, and Vegetarian, Asian, Latin American, and Mediterranean Diet Pyramids.

• Healing Foods Pyramid - Developed by the Department of Integrative Medicine at the University of Michigan the Healing Foods Pyramid emphasizes healing foods, plant-based-choices, variety & balance,
  support of a healthful environment, and mindful eating.

• Oldways Preservation Trust - "Oldways is a widely respected nonprofit food issues advocacy group. It develops and carries out education programs and events to help consumers make wise choices about eating, drinking, and lifestyle." This site provides information about the Mediterranean, Asian, Latin American, and Vegetarian traditional food pyramids, and links to Food Issues - Hot Topics relating to nutrition.

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Menu Planning Tools and Food Labeling

This section provides links to sites explaining features of the Nutrition Facts food label, and links to resources addressing the nutritional concerns of special populations.

• Cornell University Food and Brand Lab: Why, What, When, and How Much We Eat - An interdisciplinary group of graduate and undergraduate students and affiliated faculty from Cornell University researching consumers to learn how they relate to foods and packaged foods. Reports include: labeling and taste targeting, grocery shopping psychology, promoting 5-A-Day fruits and vegetables, as well as new findings and special features.

• The Food Label & You - This web page from the Food Products Association features 10 facts sheets that explain the different elements of the food label.

• Food Label Education Tools & General Information -  This site from the U.S. FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) provides links to food labeling nutrition information and includes historical/background information on food labeling.

• How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Food Label - From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, an overview  of the Nutrition Facts food label complete with detailed examples.

• Tipsheet: Reading Food Labels - A tipsheet from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on how to use the food label to choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

• Understanding the Food Label - From the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, this online publication provides information on various features of the food label including: health claims, nutrient descriptors and claims, organic labeling, and nutrient reference values.

• Delicious Decisions - A website from the American Heart Association that seeks to reduce heart disease and stroke by raising nutrition awareness by providing heart-healthy recipes.

• Fruits & Veggies - More Matters Campaign - A partnership between the CDC, Produce for Better Health Foundation, and other organizations which replaces the "5 A Day The Color Way" program. The website provides a calculator to determine how many fruits and vegetables you need each day based on your daily calorie needs, recipes, tips on how to include fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, and a section dedicated to "Fruit & Vegetable of the Month".

• Diabetic Gourmet Magazine - An online magazine which presents information on health and nutrition for diabetics.

• MeatPoultryNutrition.org - This site provides information on dietary fats, the relationship between protein and health, sensible portion management, and recipes.

• Nutrition - This section of the American Diabetes Association website provides links to information on  healthy eating for diabetics, and access to the "My Food Advisor™" calorie and carbohydrate counting tool that can help with diabetes management and nutrition.

• Vegetarian Resource Group - Here you will find information on nutritional elements for vegetarians, guides & handouts, and featured articles from The Vegetarian Journal.

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Ingredient Selection

• Whole Grains Council - This site provides information on whole grain basics, and the health benefits of eating products containing whole grains. The "Find Whole Grains" section provides links to learn which restaurants that have added whole grain options to their menus, and links to learn which foods and products have the Whole Grains stamp.

• Whole grains: Hearty Options for a Healthy Diet - This page from Mayo Clinic.com explains the differences between whole and refined grains, contains a diagram of the anatomy of a whole grain, and provides tips for selecting whole grain products and incorporating them into your diet.

• Handling Dairy Products, Cheese, and Eggs Safety - From Whole Foods Market.com, general safety tips for buying , storing, and serving these dairy products.

• Safe Handling of Milk & Dairy Products - From the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service tips for buying and storing a milk and other dairy products such as cream, butter, yogurt, and frozen dairy products (ice cream).

• Safe Handling of Fruits and Vegetables - This factsheet from the Ohio State University Cooperative Extension provides suggestions for safe handling of fruits and vegetables at the store and at home.

• Selecting and Storing Fruits and Vegetables - From the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service this page provides information on wax coatings, and a chart of refrigerator and freezer storage time guidelines for fruits and vegetables.

• Beans and Other Legumes: Types and Cooking Tips - This page from Mayo Clinic.com describes common types of beans and provides tips for preparing them, and lists ways for adding them to your daily diet.

• Meat Preparation - Fact sheets from the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service on safe storage, preparation and handling of beef, lamb, veal, pork, game and exotic meats, ground meat, and processed meat products.

• Poultry Preparation - Fact sheets from the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service on safe storage, preparation and handling of chicken, turkey, duck, goose, and other poultry products.

• Fresh and Frozen Seafood: Selecting and Serving it Safely - Guidelines from the U.S. FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition for shopping, storing, preparing, and serving seafood. This site also includes special health notes about eating raw seafood.

• Seafood Network Information Center - The Consumer Seafood Information page provides links to access information on storage, purchasing seafood, seafood preparation, home preservation publications, and seafood safety information.

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Healthy Cooking Techniques

• The Cook's Thesaurus - "A cooking encyclopedia that covers thousands of ingredients and kitchen tools. Entries include pictures, descriptions, synonyms, pronunciations, and suggested substitutions."

• Cooking Measures and Conversion Calculator - Conversion options available on this online calculator from globalgourmet®.com include: pounds to grams, gallons to liters, Fahrenheit to Centigrade, glass to cup and many others. This page also includes a chart to help decipher British food terms.

• Cooking Techniques - From Wegmans markets, this page provides links to numerous video segments on various cooking techniques.

• Healthy Cooking Techniques - The Mayo Clinic Food & Nutrition website provides descriptions of different methods to prepare food in healthy ways.

• Cooking Healthy -  This web page on the World's Healthiest Foods website provides cooking demos, information on seasonal cooking, and a recipe assistant.

• FoodSafety.gov - This site is maintained by the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and includes information on Food Handling, Foodborne Pathogens, News & Safety Alerts.

• Food Network.com - The Food Network offers new, different, and interesting ways to approach food - through pop culture, adventure, and travel. The Food Network website provides recipes, plus tips for cooking and healthy eating.

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Menu and Recipe Development

Links to websites providing tips for modifying recipes, recommended ingredient substitutions, use of herbs, spices, fats, sugars, and dairy products in recipes.

• Modifying a Recipe to be Healthier - This fact sheet from the Ohio State University Extension lists ways to decrease the amount of fat, calories, sugar and salt in recipes.

• Ingredient Substitutions: Make the Switch for Healthier Recipes - From MayoClinic.com, a list of ingredient substitutions for creating healthier meals and snacks.

• Updating Food Preparation to Promote Health - A fact sheet from the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension that provides guidelines on how to modify recipes to promote better health.

• Ingredient Substitution - An A-Z list of ingredient substitutions from the Land O'Lakes company. Many ingredients listed are used in the preparation of desserts.

• Cooking Light Online - Reduced fat recipes tested in Cooking Light's kitchen complete with nutrition analysis per serving.

• Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking & Living - This website is the online companion to the print magazine Taste of Home Healthy Cooking. It features recipe makeovers for favorite appetizers, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts; special recipes for diabetic, low carbohydrate, low salt and low fat diets; plus calorie counter tools and nutrition information from registered dietitians.

• Splenda® Brand Sweetener - This site provides recipes, and tips for cooking and baking with Splenda® products.

• Spice Encyclopedia - From Tone Brothers, this A to Z listing provides a general description of the spice, traditional ethnic uses, taste and aroma information, history of origin, storage tips, and suggestions for use in recipes.

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Analyzing the Nutrition Content of Foods and Recipes

• Nutrition Analysis Tool (NAT) - A web based computer program developed by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Campaign, which gives you the ability to analyze foods eaten for various nutrients.

• USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) - Provides information on food composition through the online USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (Release 21), includes links to Measurement Conversion tables, and Reports on Individual Nutrient Value in Foods.

• Food and Nutrition Information Center: Food Composition - From
  the USDA National Agricultural Library links to numerous resources
  on food composition including the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory,
  and non-governmental nutrient analysis tools. The "Food FYI" section provides links to information about a variety of foods and commodities.

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 - "Published every 5 years by the DHHS (Dept. of Health & Human Services) and the USDA (Dept. of Agriculture), the Guidelines provide authoritative advice for people age two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases." Appendix B lists Food Sources of Selected Nutrients.

• HealthyDiningFinder.com - A collaborative effort between the National Restaurant Association and Healthy Dining, of San Diego, California, which  provides Americans with a free, comprehensive, searchable online resource offering nutrition information for healthier menu items from thousands of restaurant locations nationwide.

• A Comprehensive Directory of Food Industry Associations - An A to Z
  listing of links to U.S. and international food industry associations, councils, societies. Many sites provide recipes and nutrition information for the foods/commodities they represent. Access links to additional industry and trade associations.

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Marketing the Healthy Menu

This section contains links to information on truth in menu labeling laws, food allergies, restaurant menu design, marketing and promotion. Links to additional websites on some of these topics are located on the FSA 107 Menu Planning page.

Menu Labeling Laws

• Menu Labeling -This web page from the Center for Science in the Public Interest provides an overview and background information on the issue of restaurant menu labeling. Links are also provided to current news stories, state and local bills/regulations.
• Decoding the New Menu - Labeling Regulations - This article from the National Restaurant Association provides an overview of the history of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) as it applies to restaurant menus.
• A Diner's Guides to Health and Nutrition Claims on Restaurant Menus
  A pamphlet from the Center for Science in the Public Interest providing information about the FDA's truth-in-menu requirements.

Food Allergies

• Food Allergy Awareness - An article from Restaurants USA Online from the National Restaurant Association that presents information on how to minimize food-allergy problems restaurants.
• Food Allergy Buddy (FAB) Dining Card Program  - Download free personalized alert cards to easily communicate any specific food allergies to restaurant staff and chef's when dining out.

Restaurant Menu Design

• Food Adjectives - This web page was created for MCC's FSA 107 Menu Planning course and provides examples of menu phrases and an A-Z list of descriptive menu terms.
• Creatively Named Menu Items Sell Better - An article on descriptive menu labeling from the News Bureau at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• MenuPix.com - This site provides links to view menus of restaurants in select top U.S. cities.
• The Menu Magician - An interview in Time magazine with "menu engineer" Greg Rapp.

Marketing and Promotion

• Business Solutions - From Kraft Foodservice this site contains links to restaurant business articles on topics such as: plate presentation, cost control, staffing, and promotion.
• FabFoodpix - A food image library and food photographic studio. Many images show plate presentation techniques.
• A Healthier Foodservice Menu - An article from FoodProcessing.com which discusses strategies being implemented by various foodservice companies, food manufacturers, and restaurants to support healthy eating.
• Nutritional DiningStyles™ - An overview of the results of a national research study conducted by ARAMARK identifying six distinct nutritional DiningStyles™ across the American adult population.
• Market-Driven Solutions - An article from the National Restaurant Association that describes the healthy dining efforts of many restaurant companies (from offering special menu items to providing nutritional information) to assist consumers in living a healthy lifestyle. Links are provided to visit each company's website for complete information.

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Additional Professional Associations, Trade & Industry Organizations

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Other Sources of Foodservice Industry News

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Contacting the Teacher

Instructors vary for this on-campus course.

P. Czaja, Revised 9/2009, http://www.monroecc.edu/go/library