What's for dinner tonight? Sometimes, that's not an easy question to answer.  Our latest blog series focuses on meals to make based on what's already in your kitchen at home. This week, the recipe is perfect for a cold winter night: soup! Weeknight Pantry Soup Ingredients:

When it's cold outside, nothing is better for dinner than a hearty, delicious casserole! Make your own at home by using our simple six category DIY (do it yourself) casserole recipe with what's already in your kitchen.

This blog post contributed by University of Illinois dietetic intern, Ru Liu Have you heard others say, “I can’t eat that because it has carbs in it”? It is a common, yet untrue belief that carbohydrates are bad for us. Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet! Why do our bodies need carbohydrates?

Have you tried a tomato yet this summer? A tomato always seems to taste better when in-season and grown close to home. We all know that tomatoes are used to make salsa, though many of us may only have tried fresh salsa when we go out to eat at restaurants. Next time, ditch the bottled variety at home, too – you can easily make your own! Selecting Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes with bright, shiny skin (while red is the most common, tomatoes do also come in other colors, such as purple or yellow). Avoid tomatoes that have cuts or bruises.  

Cool off in the heat of summer with our July featured recipe, Kiwi Strawberry Parfait! You can make the recipe your own with different fruit and yogurt flavors, too. Kiwi Strawberry Parfait Serves: 2 Ingredients: 2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced 1 cup fresh (or thawed from frozen) strawberries, sliced 1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup corn or bran flakes cereal   Preparation:

Grilling season is here! What's your go-to side dish? If your answer is coleslaw, then you’re in for a treat! This coleslaw recipe starts with the standard cabbage, and then expands into other seasonal vegetables for extra flavor and crunch.

Kids can help cook this summer, and it is a great way to help them eat new or different foods! It's as easy as PLAN, COOK, and EAT. Plan Work together to pick out a recipe or menu item they want to make with you. Start by looking at a cookbook, a recipe box, or recipe website and pick something that looks tasty and easy! Add the ingredients to your shopping list and plan when you will make the recipe.

Our popular Pizza Buns recipes is the perfect main dish for a busy evening. Serve with a side of green beans, piece of fruit, and glass of milk for a balanced dinner the whole family will love! Pizza Buns Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey 1/4 cup onions, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3/4 cup pizza sauce 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 6 hamburger buns, sliced   Instructions:

This blog post written by University of Illinois dietetic intern, Kirsten Berding Harold. Did you know that less than 3% of Americans get enough fiber in their diets? It is recommended that women eat 25 grams of fiber per day and men 38 grams. On average, Americans only eat about 50% of the amount of recommended fiber per day. Eating enough fiber each day has benefits for your overall health. How can you eat that much fiber?

This post written by University of Illinois Dietetic Intern, Joanna Manero. Did you know that it can take an average of 12 or more times offering a new food for your child to eat it?  Having your child try new foods can be hard. Here are our favorite tips on how to help children try new foods:  Get Children Involved - When at the grocery store, ask them to pick out a new fruit or vegetable they want to try. Have them help with washing and cutting the new food. This will make them excited to try it!