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Let's Move Into the Kitchen and See What's Cooking

Posted by Shelley Maniscalco, MPH, RD, Director, Office of Nutrition Marketing and Communications, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion in Food and Nutrition Initiatives
Feb 04, 2015
The recipes on What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl offer nutrition information to help you choose dishes for you and your family.
The recipes on What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl offer nutrition information to help you choose dishes for you and your family.

This is the first installment of the What’s Cooking? Blog Series. In honor of the Let’s Move 5th Anniversary, and the commitment USDA shares with Let’s Move to promote healthy eating and access to healthy foods, this month-long series will high­­light the various features of the What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl recipe website.

Did you know that one of the easiest ways to eat healthfully is to cook at home? When you cook at home, you can often make better choices about what and how much you eat and drink. Cooking can also be a fun activity and a way for you to spend time with family and friends.

If you don't usually cook, start gradually. Make it a goal to cook once a week and work up to cooking more frequently. First, you’ll need to plan your meal and purchase ingredients that you do not already have on hand. Planning ahead can also help you make better food choices.

Many people like to use recipes for meal planning. That’s why What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl includes a variety of healthy and budget-friendly recipes to get you started in the kitchen.

The large, searchable database includes thousands of recipes. Key nutrition information and the familiar MyPlate food groups are displayed when available, to help guide your decision-making.  Search recipes by the total calories, saturated fat and sodium; or filter recipes by food group.

The site also allows you to search or sort by course (e.g., appetizers, main dishes, sides), cooking equipment (e.g. microwave, stovetop, toaster oven), cuisine and cost. Select your favorite recipes to create a personal cookbook! Additionally, you can provide recipe reviews and star ratings, as well as share recipes on social media.

This one-stop shop brings together recipe collections from MyPlate (CNPP), Child Nutrition (CNP), Food Distribution (FDD), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and is designed to help you and your family meet your health and nutrition goals. We hope it inspires you to get in the kitchen and try something new. You’ll be an all-star chef in no time!

Visit What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl site today to find healthy and budget-friendly recipes. To learn more about healthy eating visit ChooseMyPlate.gov, follow MyPlate on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for email updates. What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl email topics include recipe of the month, updates on new features and promotions.

And be sure to come back next week for the second installment of the What’s Cooking? Blog Series.

Visit USDA’s recipe website at www.WhatsCooking.fns.usda.gov! The full site is available in both English and Spanish.
Visit USDA’s recipe website at www.WhatsCooking.fns.usda.gov! The full site is available in both English and Spanish.