NATIONAL ANTS ON A LOG DAY

September 7, 2026August 24, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 7 Comments

Designated the second Tuesday in September of each year is National Ants On A Log Day. This day recognizes this iconic and healthy food snack enjoyed by millions of people across the USA and around the world.

We make this delicious snack by spreading peanut butter on celery and placing raisins on top. The snack name was first used in the 1950s. The typical peanut butter version of ants on a log is recommended as a healthy snack by the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. How healthy is it? We’ve outlined each ingredient to give you an idea.

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Raisins add a little sweet to snack time while also providing vitamin C, selenium and zinc. They’re also low in sodium and are a good source of potassium, making them great for blood pressure. Another healthy benefit of raisins includes iron, copper, and magnesium. Coupled with the potassium, these pH-balancing minerals help keep stomach acid in order.

The next layer, peanut butter, is an excellent source of protein. Along with that, peanut butter offers a boost of healthy fat, too.

Finally, crispy celery is low in calories. But that’s not all! In the crunch of celery, you’ll find fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin K. Not only is it low in calories, but it doesn’t have any of the fat and cholesterol other snack foods have either.

Early September is a time when kids are headed back to school and more importantly, back to studying. To keep them (and their parents) fueled with brain food is an important tool for staying focused. The designation is to celebrate and encourage healthy snacking using one of the most iconic treats that both old and new generations enjoy.

ANTS ON A LOG DAY HISTORY

In 2014, Duda Farm Fresh Foods and Peanut Butter & Co. submitted National Ants on a Log Day to recognize the nutritious and delicious snack.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalAntsOnALogDay

No matter where you are, ants on a log makes the perfect snack. Make some for work or home. Send them to school or daycare. Make extra for an after school, after work treat. Prepare yours and share using #NationalAntsOnALogDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL POTATO MONTH

August 31, 2026August 7, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 3 Comments

This month we salute the terrific tuber, the spud, otherwise known as the potato! September is National Potato Month!

It’s hard to imagine a world without potatoes. Once indigenous to South America, specifically Peru and Bolivia, the potato has become a staple food in much of the world. In fact, it is an integral part of the food supply in many countries. Spuds are grown in all fifty states in the U.S. alone!

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In 1784, Thomas Jefferson set voyage on a trip to France with his slave James Heming. Jefferson brought his slave along in hopes he would learn some of the French culinary skills. Upon return to the U.S., Jefferson made Heming prepare one of the many culinary delights learned in France, the French fried potato. The dish was served at Jefferson’s private residence. Despite the fact Heming learned the culinary skill to make French fried potatoes and brought that skill back the U.S., Jefferson is given credit for introducing French fried potatoes. The earliest known recipe for the potato chip appeared in a cookbook published in 1817. The preparation resembled the French fried potato prepared by Heming.

The potato continues to have a vast history after its initial introduction. Most notably, the history of potatoes relates to the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Sadly, starvation and disease claimed as many as a million lives in Ireland during the famine. It was during this time that nearly 500,000 Irish immigrated to the U.S.

Mash-Up Potato Facts:

The word “spud” first made an appearance in New Zealand around 1850. Potato planters used spuds, a sharper version of a spade, to dig up potatoes. Technically, it had nothing to the with the potato.
The world’s largest potato chip was produced by the Pringle Company in 1990. It measures 23′ by 14.5′.
Potatoes have even made an entry into pop culture. Possibly the most famous potato known to man, Mr. Potato Head. A creation from New Yorker George Lerner, the Hasbro Company launched the beloved toy in 1952. Unfortunately, Mr. Potato Head lost his pipe in 1987 mostly due to pressure from anti-smoking groups.
The “Mashed Potatoes” was a popular dance craze in the early 1960s. Mashed Potato Time was a 1962 chart-topping hit for soul singer Dee Dee Sharp.

Potatoes also have health benefits. For instance, potato skins are a good source of roughage and potassium. The average potato with the skin intact only contains 110 calories. It’s all the stuff you put on it that makes it fattening. As long as toppings are used in moderation, you can enjoy potatoes in all their deliciousness!

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Potato dishes can be found in all corners of the world, making it easy to find something that suits your taste buds!

Use #NationalPotatoMonth in social media correspondence.

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NATIONAL MUSHROOM MONTH

August 31, 2026August 4, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 7 Comments

All through September, National Mushroom Month celebrates the wide variety of mushrooms available. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also takes advantage of the opportunity to educate people on the versatility mushrooms offer, including health benefits. As a result, mushrooms are gaining more and more appreciation as we learn more about them.

To fully celebrate the heritage of mushrooms, we must first learn about the Mushroom Capital of the World. Located just outside Philadelphia, PA, you will find a small town known as Kennett Square. Surprisingly, this small Pennsylvanian town produces over a million pounds of mushrooms a day. Each year Kennett Square holds the annual Mushroom Festival starting with a parade. Visitors also enjoy tours of mushroom farms or visit vendors to buy food and other goods.

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‘Shroom Science

Scientifically, mushrooms belong to the fungi kingdom. Fungi grow from carbon and energy from dead plants and animals. Interestingly, this has helped scientists to conclude mushroom DNA is similar to humans rather than plants, as previously thought. Through the study of mushrooms, scientists learn more about fungi, especially identifying whether they are single-cell organisms or multi cellular organisms.

Mushrooms contain a ton of nutrients. Because of this, mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamins. Eating mushrooms is a great way to naturally get copper, fiber, potassium, protein, selenium, vitamin B, and zinc into your body. As scientists continue to study mushrooms, there is hope to discover possible medicinal uses. These discoveries only add to the many benefits of mushrooms.

Mushrooms are either edible and non-edible. We find edible mushrooms in cuisine throughout the world. Almost all mushrooms available at the store are cultivated and not wild. These types of mushrooms are available year-round. The most common cultivated mushroom are the white button, flavorful cremini, earthy portobello, shiitake, and delicate oyster.

Non-edible mushrooms are often found in the wild, though many also grow in yards and lawns. However, it can be difficult to determine whether a mushroom is safe to eat or poisonous. For example, mushrooms that have red on the cap or stem are known to be poisonous. You should also avoid eating mushrooms with white gills, a skirt, or a ring on the stem. Because wild mushrooms are hard to identify, we suggest leaving the identification of wild mushrooms to professional mushroom hunters or forgers. Eating poisonous mushrooms can and will make you very sick and possibly kill you. So, when in doubt, don’t eat it!

NATIONAL MUSHROOM MONTH HISTORY

Mushroom history dates back to ancient Egypt. Hieroglyphics found in tombs indicate mushrooms were considered a plant of immortality and only enjoyed by the elites of society.

The U.S. Mushroom Council created National Mushroom Month as part of the Mushroom Promotion, Research & Consumer Information Act of 1990. President George H.W. Bush signed the Act into law on November 28, 1990. However, National Mushroom Month did not take effect until 1993. The gap allowed mushroom growers to vote on a referendum relating to a checkoff program for mushrooms.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalMushroomMonth

Mushrooms are a versatile food item you can use in just about anything. So whether you put them on pizza or in soup or an omelet, you have the opportunity to decide how to celebrate mushrooms in any tasty dishes!

Use #NationalMushroomMonth in social media correspondence.

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National Potato Day

August 18, 2026August 7, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

National Potato Day is August 19, so if you like spuds, this one’s for you! Never celebrated this tasty tot before? Good news, we have the lowdown on how to do things up right with facts and links to turn you from couch potato to party animal.

Potatoes have been a popular food for centuries so it’s about time we recognize this versatile and ap-peeling favorite. Mashed, smashed, chipped, or covered in cheese, potatoes can be eaten with just about every meal — or as a meal! — making these starchy veggies a delicious and easy way to get iron, potassium and vitamin c. The puns are just baked right in! Now just fry and stop us from telling you the whole scoop on what makes National Potato Day so …spudtacular.

NATIONAL POTATO DAY ACTIVITIES

Did you know there are over 4000 different kinds of potatoes? It’s true! Choose your favorite or choose a bunch because potatoes are so tasty and easy to cook that no matter what you pick you won’t be wrong! And not being wrong is a wonderful way to celebrate anything, so try it out this August 19.

There’s no wrong way to prepare a potato and the Internet (and probably your grandma) have a million and one recipes for you to try. Select a favorite, chop to it and discover for yourself why this hot potato is such a hot commodity. Don’t forget to invite some friends and make it an event! This is a celebration, after all.

Creamy and buttery or crispy and salty, the last step to enjoying this day is the best step — eating! —and we will eat potatoes in any form (even baked into bread)! We think consuming these delectable spuds in mass quantities is the best way to pay homage on their special day.

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WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL POTATO DAY

Potatoes are a staple for a reason Hashbrowns or potato salad, hot or cold, no matter how you slice ‘em, potatoes have been a staple in diets all over the world because they’re easy to grow, tasty and relatively inexpensive to produce and buy. Nearly ever cuisine has potatoes in it, so you can take a culinary journey with your trusty potato by your side.

Potato chips are the best snackThe people have spoken! Potato chips are regularly regarded as the most delicious snack and we couldn’t agree more. Plus, there isn’t a better party food than the potato chip. Just pour them in a bowl and let the festivities begin! With chips coming in more and more flavors all the time, you’ll never run out of ways to enjoy your favorite spuds with your buds. That deserve a few chip-chip-hoorays!

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How to OBSERVE

Potatoes are America’s cropPotatoes are grown in all 50 states! It makes sense that there should be a national day to celebrate the crop that can feed an entire country. We really do think this starchy, vitamin packed veg is all that and a bag of chips so pick up a bag, choose a recipe and feast with friends!

No matter how you celebrate share it on social media with #NationPotatoDay. We look forward to seeing your favorites.

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NATIONAL EAT YOUR VEGETABLES DAY

June 16, 2026May 11, 2026Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

Every year on June 17, National Eat Your Vegetables Day is honored. National Eat Your Vegetables Day is another chance to encourage everyone to keep up with this component of a balanced diet as June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month.

Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

Vegetables may be consumed in many different ways, whether as a snack or as part of the main course. Each vegetable has a unique nutritional profile, but in general, they all include a small amount of protein or fat as well as provitamins, dietary minerals, carbs, and vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin B6 in variable amounts. They also contain a wide range of other phytochemicals, some of which have cancer-fighting, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities. Additionally, a lot of veggies have fiber, which is crucial for gastrointestinal health. Vegetables include the critical nutrients required for good skin and hair, which is another advantage.

Consuming the recommended serving sizes of fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These diets could also lessen bone loss and offer some cancer protection. The potassium supplied could aid in preventing kidney stone development.

The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise eating 3 to 5 servings of veggies daily. Nevertheless, based on a person’s age and gender, this advice could change. One serving of most vegetables is equal to 1/2 to 1 cup and can be either raw or cooked.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Make sure you consume your recommended daily allowance of vegetables. Use #EatYourVegetablesDay on social media.

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