ACET, Inc. Blog

Grocery chain Whole Foods Market and its Whole Kids Foundation, dedicated to improving nutrition and wellness in youth towards ending childhood obesity, have announced a fundraising goal of $2 million for its Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools program. Beginning this month, K-12 schools participating in the USDA’s National School Lunch Program are eligible to apply for a grant to bring a salad bar to their school. Schools with bronze status or higher with the HealthierUS School Challenge automatically qualify for a salad bar donation, with the requirement that the qualifying district or school wants and can support a daily lunchtime salad bar.

While the deadline for this opportunity is open, grants will be awarded based on date of approval. Complete information and application instructions can be found at saladbars2schools.org.

Good luck!

ACET Staff

Greetings, blog readers! My name is Mary Burns, and as of April, I have joined the ACET Inc. team as their Editor Assistant. I’m a Macalester College graduate with a background in research and editing and a personal interest in Japanese culture, and I look forward to coming up with creative ways to bring ACET’s message to you. This week on the blog, I’ve been given the opportunity to share something about myself with you, so I’d like to present five (in no order) of my favorite Twin Cities culinary experiences.

5. Tii Cup: Twin Cities bubble tea aficionados probably think of TeaGarden first for the satisfaction of their tapioca pearl fix, but this little Richfield café (about 32 blocks away from ACET!) offers some items that you can’t get at the better-known chain. Try the popping boba, the slightly smaller and flavored version of the tapioca pearl that bursts with flavor in your mouth, or consider a carefully brewed coffee beverage, for those friends of yours who can’t get over the weirdness of your salted plum slushy (hi Mom). Follow them on Facebook or at tii-cup.com.

4. Zen Box Izakaya: There are a lot of Japanese places all over the Twin Cities, and as the cuisine is a personal favorite of mine, I make a point of trying out as many as I can. Fans of the Zen Box lunch location in the downtown Minneapolis skyway will be happy to learn that the gastropub version has the same reliably good, authentic food, and the price point isn’t that much higher! Come in for the friendly service, then walk a couple of blocks up to the light rail station and head off into the sunset. Read more at zenboxizakaya.com.

3. Farmer’s Markets: If you live in the Twin Cities and have never been to a farmer’s market, you are missing out. Farmer’s markets are not only places to acquire fresh, organic ingredients, but also to eat some of those ingredients cooked in unique ways by cooks who have no other cart, truck or storefront. A few of my favorite neighborhood restaurants sell their food at farmer’s markets, sometimes with special market-only additions. Interfacing with cooks and farmers like this makes for a great learning, shopping and eating experience for the whole family. Find your local farmer’s market at www.mda.state.mn.us.

2. Lu’s Sandwiches: The newest discovery on this list, Lu’s has a simple menu of Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, French baguettes filled with great flavors including grilled pork, fried tofu and pickled vegetables. There are a lot of places to get banh mi in the Twin Cities, but Lu’s makes this list because of its good value and the fact that they deliver (by bicycle!) within 2.5 miles of their location. Brilliant! Check them out at lusandwiches.com.

1. Sebastian Joe’s: Summer is coming – in the Twin Cities, we’ve already had a taste of it – and on a warm afternoon or evening, there’s nothing quite like enjoying an ice cream cone outside. Sebastian Joe’s has dozens and dozens of rotating flavors to choose from at its two locations, in addition to sorbets, shakes, and baked goods. The people-watching is just as choice as the ice cream, and both locations are just blocks away from two of our famous lakes. Visit sebastianjoesicecream.com for more information.

Mary

As you may know, organic food has become a craze in our culture. Organic food has gotten a lot of attention in recent years – for good reason. Some studies, such as the 97 studies reviewed by the Nutrition Research Center, have shown that food that has been produced organically often has higher amounts of nutrients. Other studies, such as reported in Science Daily, have found little difference between organic food and non-organic foods. Mayo Clinic states that the answer remains unclear.

Just how does a product become classified as “organic?” Organic products have some strict agricultural requirements that must be met. To meet organic requirements for crops, products be grown in safe soil and have no modifications. Farmers cannot use any synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers to help the crops grow or sustain. For organic livestock, the animals must have access to the outdoors and be fed with organic feed. As with the crops, the animals cannot be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal-by-products. Bear in mind, however, that “organic” means that the product only has to be 95% organic, whereas “100% organic” requires all products to be made by natural means alone.

I’m a budget-conscious shopper, but there are certain items that I prefer to spend the extra money and buy organic. For example, I buy organic milk, which is at least double the price of non-organic milk. I choose to spend more on this because organic milk is one of the foods that has been found to have significant health benefits. In 2008, Newcastle University released a study that found that organic milk had higher amounts of beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. In fact, one beneficial fatty acid was found to be 60% higher in organic milk than in non-organic milk. I also find that I prefer the taste of organic milk.

Not all products, however, are worth buying organic. You may have heard of the “Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean Fifteen.” According to the Environmental Working Group, there are certain foods that contain higher amounts of pesticides than others. Certainly it is worth taking the time to investigate which foods would be better for you to purchase organically and which foods are not worth the extra effort. Check out the list here: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/the-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-of-produce/616/

What’s your take on organic foods?

Cassie