Ways to Ward Off Holiday Weight Gain
Each year we see it coming. As the holidays head our way, we brace for the weight gain that often results from the traditional sweets of the season. Here are some strategies to help.

Students Vote Pete Pizza Winner of National School Lunch Election
Student voters from across the country have made their decision, and Pete Pizza is taking the national prize as winner of the Vote for School Lunch 2008 Presidential Election.

Breakfast Gets Fit with Pecans
Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. Studies show that eating a balanced breakfast increases energy levels and prevents unhealthy snacking when cravings take over.

Eating Well as Food Prices Rise
Rising food prices are a significant cause of concern for 73 percent of consumers, according to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll. Tightening the food budget needn't mean sacrificing flavor or health, however. In fact, by stocking up on nutritious staples and an array of seasonings, it's possible to become more frugal while enhancing your family's meals.

Ten Solutions for Guiltless Gobbling
For most Americans, Thanksgiving without turkey is like the Fourth of July without fireworks. That's why it's important not to deprive yourself during holiday meals. The holidays are full of temptations and an occasional treat is fine as long as you make sure to keep short- and long-term health goals in mind.

Vanilla Spices Up Holiday Dishes
Pro chefs and casual cooks alike will soon create confections for the holiday season. The best-loved delicacies will have one of the world's most popular flavors in common -- vanilla, with its heady, aromatic taste combined with sweet, fruity and floral scents.

Chef-inspired Recipes for Cooking at Home
The popularity of food-focused TV, devoted "foodie" bloggers and countless epicurean magazines have encouraged Americans to develop palates that desire lavish gourmet adventures. Dining out on extravagant cuisine is not always an option, but you don't have to break the bank for a haute culinary experience -- channel your inner chef and find inspiration in your own kitchen.

Family Dinnertime Benefits Too Tempting to Pass Up
Bringing the family back to the dinner table has been proven to instill lifestyle nutrition values in children, assist in higher academic performance, improve well-being and reduce the risk of unhealthy weight control behavior, particularly in girls.

Shopping for Affordable Organic Foods Has Never Been Easier
Providing a family with nutritious, well-balanced meals is hard enough for busy consumers, but in today's changing economy, affordability is also a factor. While it may seem like the cost of everything from gas to groceries is on the rise, the good news is that you can feed your entire family organic and natural foods at a lower cost without having to make an extra trip to a specialty health food store.

Chocolate - An American Holiday Tradition
As you celebrate Thanksgiving over a meal with friends and family this year, take a moment to consider how chocolate has helped to shape the American experience for more than three centuries.

Eat Breakfast and Lose Weight
Whether you're skipping breakfast to save on calories or running out the door in a rush with only a cup of coffee in hand, you're not doing yourself or your health any favors. Numerous studies have shown that eating breakfast can help people lose weight while promoting heart health, cognitive performance and increased energy.

Holiday Entertaining Made Easy
Holiday entertaining can feel overwhelming to even the most seasoned host. Between shopping, cooking, cleaning and decorating, it can feel like there's no time left to enjoy the festivities. But with a little time management and some creativity, having friends and family over to celebrate can be fun again.

Easy Tips for Throwing an Eco-friendly Celebration
Planning a celebration for an upcoming holiday, a birthday party or a baby shower? Please your guests and the planet by taking part in the latest party planning trend -- eco-friendly parties and events.

Rice Helps the Heart, and the Wallet
With the rising cost of groceries, families are trying to make their hard-earned dollars go farther. Buying staples -- as opposed to manufactured mixes -- and using them in several different recipes is one way to reduce costs and yet provide a healthy meal for the entire family.

Hints for Less Hectic Holidays
Does the thought of lugging dusty boxes of Christmas decorations from the basement or attic make you say, "Bah Humbug?" Or, perhaps you are just starting out and don't have many decorations yet. Don't fret - instead of "overdecking" the halls, adding just a few selective touches to each room will create a beautiful and festive home for the holidays (without the stress and mess).

Drinks to Warm Up Your Holidays
Hand off a hot beverage -- to dinner guests, neighbors who drop by or kids during story time -- and you instantly warm both tummies and hearts. Make sure you treat yourself too; wrapping your hands around a warm mug in the midst of a cold day can help you unwind!

Stay Safe While Preparing the Holiday Meals
The holiday season will be here before we know it, which means preparing for yummy feasting, the gathering of friends and family and shopping for all the food. With popularity of preparing holiday food at home comes the threat of food illnesses.

Fitting in Fiber
Today's busy American lifestyle is making it increasingly difficult to eat right, exercise and stay healthy. Americans might be surprised to learn that they can help meet daily nutritional guidelines by fitting in fiber -- and a little goes a long way.

The Brown Bag is Back
While the days of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches may be a distant childhood memory, the "brown bag" lunch is once again becoming a popular fixture on the office desk. But "bagging it" doesn't have to mean a boring turkey sandwich and apple five days a week.

Prepare Yourself and Your Home for the Holidays
Holidays are the quintessential time for entertaining, but the hustle and bustle to create a welcoming home also invites a lot of stress. When hosting a gathering of family and friends for holiday celebrations, there are ways to keep it simple so you can fully enjoy all the season (and the party) has to offer.

Dream Weddings are Possible, Even on a Budget
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, one you have probably spent years dreaming about. When color-coordinated linens, a beautiful outdoor tent and elaborate candelabras are your vision, don't let your budget confine your imagination. Your dream wedding can be possible, no matter how much you have to spend, when you rent!

Navigating the Holidays without Sacrificing Your Health
It is possible to get through the holidays with your good intentions - and your waistline - intact. Here's advice for dealing with some food-related obstacles commonly faced during this busy time.

Easy, Portable Breakfast Ideas
After eight hours of sleep, our bodies feel refreshed, but dehydration and low sugar levels from hours of not eating can leave us dragging. That's why eating breakfast is such an important part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Even if your mornings are rushed, there are easy ways to make sure you get your breakfast and enjoy it. Here are some economical ideas you can prepare quickly and eat on the go.

Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle for the Holidays
Holiday entertaining requires more than artful decorations, tasty hors d'oeuvres and some cheerful librations. Savvy hosts know that great holiday entertaining occurs in a home that sparkles as brightly as the decorations that adorn it.

Swapping Baking Stress for Sweet Success and Memories
With the advent of the holiday season, spirited mothers everywhere are faced with a cornucopia of seasonal tasks, from shopping and wrapping to decorating and, perhaps the most time-intensive project of them all, holiday baking. Often a tireless effort to benefit friends and family, holiday baking -- with a little creativity -- can become the highlight of your season.

Healthy Habits for a Happy Family
If you're the parent of a toddler, whether he is in preschool, day care, or at home, it is important to incorporate healthy habits at an early age. Between hectic work schedules, school, play dates and activities, health and nutrition can sometimes take a backseat to convenience for busy parents. Here are some tips from real doctors and moms.

A Kernel of Truth: New Study Reveals Health Benefits of Corn Products
For generations, children have been told to eat their carrots because it was good for their eyes. A new study may have moms saying the same about corn bread, corn flakes and other breakfast cereals.

The Super Snack Couple: Pretzels and Chocolate
Quick -- what packs antioxidants, nutrients like magnesium, calcium and copper, fiber and grains while satisfying sweet and salty cravings and serving as a convenient, portable treat? It's a match made in snacking heaven: the pairing of pretzels and chocolate.

Holiday Appetizers 101
When holiday entertaining has you scrambling for new ideas to make your guests feel jolly, think appetizers. A traditional menu like baked ham or smoked turkey, served with classic favorites, can be made into a more festive experience by easily selecting a variety of mouthwatering appetizers to complement the meal.

Top Five Spices to Add Zing to Holiday Baking
It's hard to imagine a festive winter holiday without the aroma of baking wafting through our homes. Certain spices -- such as allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla -- claim the holidays as their own.

More Meat-eaters Trying Vegan Foods for Taste, Health and Safety
Interest in vegan alternatives to traditional meat meals is on the rise, even among people who still consider themselves meat-eaters. The health advantages and expanded availability of more vegan choices seem to be inspiring more people to incorporate meat-free meals into their lifestyles.

Quick and Easy Meals on a Back-to-school Schedule
The start of a new school year means increasingly busy days are here. When your schedule suddenly fills with juggling work, soccer practice, PTA and carpool, the urge to grab dinner on the fly becomes more and more enticing. A few easy tips will help you get simple, delicious and healthy homemade meals on the table in no time.

Add Some Spice to Your Everyday Life
Emeril Lagasse knows a thing or two when it comes to adding some flavor into life. Known for his signature big, bold flavors, Lagasse has mastered the art of cooking. Here are some of his tips to spice up everyday life.

Spice Up the Holiday Meal with New Food Traditions
When one thinks of the traditional holiday feast, visions of turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy likely come to mind. While it's hard to shake a fork at the traditional holiday feast, it's easy to get stuck in a rut. This holiday season consider starting a new culinary tradition.

Travelers Seek Vacations Flavored with Regional Foods
Travel and food go together like sun and sand. In fact, dining on regional specialties is fast becoming the heart and soul of a vacation. On vacation, travelers can sample delicious local dishes that are normally not prepared at home, and they needn't even venture abroad for these memorable culinary experiences.

Outside the Snow is Falling and Friends are Calling
If you are looking for ways to enjoy the festivities, but avoid the hectic holiday scheduling, why not serve brunch.

Water Coolers - Not Just for the Office Anymore
Water coolers -- the machines with a bottle on top that dispense water -- are typically associated with offices. But drinking water is beneficial for everyone, not just office workers, and having a home water cooler is convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly.

Cocktails and Cuisine: A New Twist on a Classic Spirit
A sea change is taking place in how people think about cocktails. Across the country, in fine restaurants and the homes of savvy hosts, cocktails aren't going solo anymore as mixologist and home hosts explore the pairing of spirits and cuisine.

Expert Tips for Avoiding School Lunch Box Battles
No matter how harmonious your relationship with your kids may be, packing their lunches can be a battle. You can avoid the conflict, however, by serving foods that satisfy kids' craving for yummy and parent's desire for healthy.

Bring Out the Silver and Add Class to Your Party
Whatever happened to the silver table service items you received for your wedding or other special event? It's nice to bring out a pretty silver serving tray to brighten a party table. Here are some tips for using and caring for your silver items.

Convenient, Economical Solutions for Mealtime Madness
It's no secret that Americans are busy, and getting together for dinner often seems like an extraordinary task. As food prices continue to increase, families are not only taking hits to their household budgets, they are experiencing long work hours, conflicting schedules and not finding enough time to cook a meal and have dinner together.

Myth Busting: Some Helpful Tips for a Nutritious Pregnancy
If there ever was a love/hate relationship for the record books, it's the relationship between a pregnant woman and food. Here are some common myth busters about pregnancy and nutrition.

Small Changes Help You Keep New Year's Resolutions
You probably make the same New Year's resolutions every year -- spend more time with loved ones and be healthier. Most experts agree that to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle it is more effective to make small changes to your daily life. Make minor adjustments and you'll be able to keep your New Year's resolutions all year long.

Boning Up on Bone Health this Fall Season
This year, parents can keep their children healthy with the tools necessary to build strong minds and strong bones by following a handful of useful nutrition strategies.

Glam, Gorgeous and Green Entertaining
So you've made the environmentally conscious choice to be green this year ... but with the holidays approaching, how will this decision impact your entertaining? Here are tips to keep in mind, starting with the two rooms your guests are sure to see -- the kitchen and the powder room.

Five Smart Ways to Save Money at the Supermarket
What's a shopper to do when the prices of grocery staples are going through the roof? Try these tips to save money at the supermarket.

Simple Tips Add Sparkle to Holiday Entertaining
This holiday season make all your festive get-togethers sparkle by using simple and innovative ways to entertain friends and family. Being creative with items you already own and a few extras will make your parties shine.

The Recipe for Cool Weather Comfort Foods
As the weather gets brisk and the sun sets earlier, we find ourselves yearning for food and beverages that are simple, familiar and home-made. Comfort food is as soothing as a warm sweater, but it doesn't have to be boring if you add a little creativity.