National Dairy Month in June celebrates the many contributions of the dairy industry to our health and economy.
Dairy products contribute to our health in numerous ways. An 8-ounce glass of milk has more nutrients than the same serving size of juice. It’s packed with protein, too. And cheese is udderly delicious!
Here’s a list of popular dairy products you might find during Dairy Month:
Milk (whole, skim, 2%, lactose-free, flavored)
Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, provolone, feta, blue cheese)
These are just a few examples of the dairy products you might come across during Dairy Month. Keep in mind that availability may vary depending on your location and personal preferences.
Beyond the benefits that go into our bodies, the dairy industry fuels our economy. From the farmer and cheese production to distribution and the grocers who stock their shelves with products there’s a non-stop demand for all the delicious ways we enjoy dairy products.
HISTORY
National Dairy Month began in 1937 to promote dairy products. The Dairy Council sponsors the month.
Savor the recipes made with dairy all month long. Visit a dairy farm and thank a farmer. Pick up your favorite cheeses or have some frozen yogurt. Learn the difference between whipping cream and half and half. Take a tour of an ice cream factory. What’s your favorite dairy?
When you wake up late for breakfast but it’s too soon for lunch, the remaining option is brunch. Every day in April celebrates National Brunch Month – the food, the history, and the people we celebrate it with!
Brunch, both the word and the meal, have a long, interesting history. Originated in England in the 19th century as a light afternoon meal following extended church services, eventually transitioning into lavish multi-course meals. It wasn’t until the 1930s in Chicago that brunch began an integration into the United States.
Two of the earliest printed mentions of the word brunch point toward Oxford, England. The first in July of 1895, Margaret B. Wright writes about several terms used in Oxford, England for various meals. In her article titled “Lunch at Oxford” published in The Independent out of New York Wright says, “…when a man makes lunch his first meal of the day it becomes ‘brunch’…”
Many will also reference an article in the obscure Hunter’s Weekly dated November 1895 that credits Guy Beringer with a lighthearted article describing brunch – a meal for late-night carousers, those returning from church, and hunters combining the words breakfast and lunch.
In Beringer’s article, he suggests the meal should be light and the occasion sociable. The meal combines dishes from breakfast with heavier dishes from lunch. While the brunch menu changes over time and from place to place, the social part of a brunch remains the same. Friends and family gather casually to enjoy conversation, good food, and beverages. A brunch is also a good excuse to nurse a hangover with the hair of the dog – cocktails, and spritzers combined with fruit or vegetable juices come to mind.
National Brunch Month also celebrates the foods, beverages, and places we go for at that meal between breakfast and lunch. Many restaurants and pubs offer brunch to their patrons. These buffets offer something for everyone including signature dishes, cocktails, and traditional brunch fare. You can expect eggs, fresh-baked breads, waffles, fruit, salads, and much more. And don’t forget the beverages. Coffee, juice, tea, champagne, mimosas, and Bloody Marys all make the list.
Though brunch doesn’t require a special occasion, it does include the element of friends and family. And what’s better than that? Celebrate all April long with National Brunch Month!
National Brunch Month History
Ebb & Flow founded National Brunch Month to celebrate all the ways brunch brings us together.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalBrunchMonth
Wrap up your weekends with friends and family (and of course, the perfect cure for the night before) with a dose of brunch. Whether you visit your favorite restaurant or pub (like Ebb & Flow), linger on the patio, or host brunch in your home, the meal will be delicious and the company enjoyable. Share your favorite brunch celebration by using #NationalBrunchMonth on social media.
National Pack Your Lunch Day on March 10 encourages everyone across the country to take their lunch to work, school or where ever they’re spending the day. It’s an opportunity to revitalize lunchtime with fresh and healthful meal choices.
Packing your lunch has benefits you may not expect. One of the immediate benefits is savings. Many home-prepared lunches cost less than ordering off the take-out menu or eating out. Another benefit of making your own lunch is controlling portion sizes and ingredients. By adding fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your lunches, they will be healthier, too.
Mickey Mouse was the first licensed character to appear on a lunchbox in 1935.
The 1950 Hopalong Cassidy lunchbox was the first lunchbox based on a television show.
While some foods pack well for lunch, others don’t fare so well. If you’re new to packing lunches, check out this starter list:
Hardboiled egg – provides a serving of protein
peeled and placed in a separate container
Fresh vegetables – choose a dipping sauce like ranch or balsamic vinegar
Make a plan and a shopping list begin taking more lunches. You might be surprised how much you enjoy it. Bring a packed lunch to work, school or a friend’s house and use #PackYourLunchDay to post on social media.
It’s snack time! February is National Snack Food Month, so this month, focus on snacking in the healthiest ways possible and still thoroughly enjoying treats between meals! Most days, we need a snack or two (or 7) to make it through the day… and if we choose nutritious choices, snacking more can make a positive impact on our overall health; believe it or not, it can even help with weight loss!
NATIONAL SNACK FOOD MONTH HISTORY
National Snack Food Month was created by the National Snack Food Association and the National Potato Promotion Board in 1989. Their goal in founding this month was to increase consumption and raise awareness about snacking, and the importance of keeping it as healthy as we can!
Use #NationalSnackFoodMonth or #SnackFoodMonth to post your favorite snack choices on social media. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the healthiest and most delicious snacks that you can easily throw together and even eat on the go!
Mixed nuts
Pepper slices to dip in guacamole
Greek yogurt with granola, oats, and/or mixed berries
Apple slices, carrots, or celery dipped in peanut butter
Cottage cheese (with any toppings, or as a salad dressing replacement)
January 5th is National Keto Day, a day dedicated to improving our health. According to recent studies, there are several advantages to the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic, or “keto,” diet.
Benefits
Two of the most significant perks seen with the keto diet are weight loss and healthy blood sugar support. In fact, studies have shown improved glycemic control for those with type 2 diabetes while adhering to a ketogenic diet.
A ketogenic diet may also maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, among other health advantages. Individuals suffering from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s illnesses can possibly benefit from it.
Now that we’ve all committed to changing our diets and exercising, what comes next? I am aware that there are several options. I will stick with what is most convenient and effective for me. Following back surgery, I shed more than 150 pounds. I’ve dropped weight and my doctor is happy that I’m following this diet since it helps manage my diabetes. My spouse, who has had diabetes for many years, has also presented his doctor the clinical evidence.
Although we often follow a low-carb rather than a true Keto diet, a lot of the items and dishes may be used for either. The blood testing indicates that it lowers our total cholesterol, raises good cholesterol, and decreases bad cholesterol even further. Blood sugar levels fall sharply and remain low. In my instance, type 2 diabetes has been reversed. Not to mention the weight reduction. Just to let you know, there are different kinds of diabetes. Please know which kind you have and speak with your doctor. What is beneficial for type 2 may put type 1 in hazardous situations.
This is excellent news, then. You can have eggs, cheeses, poultry, steak, and other vegetables. You can also have dairy products and dark chocolate. Saying “no” to most breads, pasta, sweets, cakes, and cookies is the bad news. There are an increasing variety of meals available. One of the main complaints in the South is that there isn’t macaroni and cheese. There are currently a number of excellent brands that use substitute components, such as pasta produced from cauliflower.
With recipes like Garlic Butter Steak bites, and tons more, chances are they won’t be missed as much as you thought. Even Lasagna can be converted to low carb and Keto Friendly. Veggies like cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, spinach, take over for potatoes and pasta. Be sure to check My Recipes Page often for new culinary creations.
As we do a non strict version we have learned to change out certain ingredients to make them more friendly. Buy Yukon gold or red potatoes instead of Idaho russets, whole wheat pasta for spaghetti, veggie tots, and with stores like Amazon Fresh Groceries we are no longer limited to only what’s on your local shelves.
Keto Plan
How does the diet work? By eliminating carbohydrates, your body will use up its store of glycogen first. Then it will move into ketosis and begin burning fat.
Primarily, a keto diet consists of healthy fats, like eggs, avocado, olive oil, and sustainably-raised meat. Nuts, seeds, dairy, and low-carbohydrate vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, and green peppers are also easy to incorporate. Coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and ghee add fat and flavor to a keto diet. Occasionally, small servings of berries are added to the menu.
Eliminate these foods if you are considering a keto diet:
sweets, sugar, sodas, baked goods
grains, whole grains, and starches
fruits, starchy vegetables
hydrogenated oils, vegetable oil
diet foods, including low sugar, sugar-free, low-fat foods
Your family will join the bandwagon without major tribulations. Most children only notice the absence of sugary sodas and snacks. Best of all these changes will set them on a path to a much healthier, happier life. Try one of our family favorites and start changing your health. Check out some of the great foods now stocked at Walmart. Zoodles, Whisps, Veggie Tots by Green Giant, Sweet Potato Fries, Kodiak Frozen Waffles and Pancakes, Crepini Egg Thins, Cauliflower, Caulipower Frozen Pizza.
Find these and other great meals on my Recipe page. They are not all Keto diet but if you just have to cheat or treat yourself you can find a great one here too.
The Vitamin Shoppe founded National Keto Day on January 5, 2019, to educate and bring awareness to the ketogenic diet and further highlight the many health benefits a keto lifestyle offers.
If you’re considering the keto approach to a healthier lifestyle, or are already engaged in it, whip up your best keto meal or snack, and post a pic of it to Instagram using the hashtag #NationalKetoDay. For every post, The Vitamin Shoppe will donate $5 to Blessings in a Backpack, a non-profit organization that provides food on weekends to elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry.
You can also stop into your local The Vitamin Shoppe the weekend of the 5th to sample various keto products for free. Make sure to follow @vitaminshoppe on Instagram for more details!
