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 - Categories to explore on this site from the Center of Nutrition Policy and Promotion include Inside the Pyramid, Dietary Guidelines, Tips and Resources.

• 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.

• Food Pyramids: What Should You Really Eat? - 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.

• Healthy Diet Basics: Using a Food Pyramid - 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 and 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 site 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. Features include: reading food labels, cooking method, shopping tips, and eating out.

• 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 & Recipes - This section of the American Diabetes Association website provides links to information on: Making Healthy Food Choices, Your Guide to Eating Out, Sweeteners & Desserts, Recipes & our Virtual Grocery Store.

• 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, the health benefits of eating products containing whole grains, and access to the Whole Grains (WG) Product Finder which contains links to restaurants that have added whole grain options to their menus, and links to member companies that supply grains and flours.

From MayoClinic.com:

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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 step-by-step directions for different cooking techniques, some with video segments.

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

• Cooking Healthy - Features of this site from the World's Healthiest Foods website include 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 Illness, News & Safety Alerts.

• Food Network.com - Links to explore on this site include: Recipes & Cooking, Quick & Easy, and Healthy Eating. The Food Network offers new, different, and interesting ways to approach food - through pop culture, adventure, and travel.

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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.

• Preparing Healthy Food: How to Modify a Recipe - 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.

• Top 20 Healthy Recipe Ingredient Substitutions - Link courtesy of the Purdue University Extension of Consumer & Family Services (CFS) Foods & Nutrition section.

• 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.

• Cultural Diversity in Food - An article from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service with recipe suggestions for enhancing American cooking using herbs and spices from cuisines from around the world.

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Analyzing the Nutrition Content of Foods and Recipes

• Nutrition Data 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 19), 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, non- governmental nutrient analysis tools, and links to information about a vareity 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.

Truth in Menu Labeling Laws

• Truth in Labeling - An article from the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension about the truth in labeling required on restaurant menu claims.
• 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 Allergies: Strategies for Dining Out -  This article from MayoClinic.com provides tips on eating out with food allergies, choosing a restaurant, choosing an entree, and using a chef card.
• 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 - An article from RestaurantEdge.com™ which provides tips on how to create a more profitable menu.
• The Menu Magician - An interview in Time magazine with "menu engineer" Greg Rapp.

Marketing and Promotion

• Plate Presentation - An article from US FoodService.com that discusses the importance of food presentation.
• 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

Michelle Bartell teaches the FSA 108 Principles of Healthy Cooking course. Students may contact her by e-mail at mbartell@monroecc.edu and telephone (585) 292-2579.

P. Czaja, Revised 3/2008, http://www.monroecc.edu/go/library