What new foods and beverages will you be seeing on shelves as we move into 2018?

First of all, EDTA (calcium disodium ethylene-diaminetetraacetate) is a really long name for an ingredient! But don’t let that scare you. EDTA is used as a perservative in many food like dried and canned beans, mayo, and cooked canned seafood to preserve flavor and color. Using preservatives also reduces food waste.

As fall arrives in Western Carolina we know that there are fewer locally grown fruits and vegetables available but you can still support local at Ingles all year around by looking for these fresh local items at your Ingles store.

Years ago... I got the flu (influenza). It wasn’t fun. I was miserably sick and ran a high fever for about 3 days. I ached all over, had no energy, no appetite, nothing tasted good and I couldn’t sleep.

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN is the Corporate Dietitian for Ingles Markets. She can answer your questions about food from the farm to the plate, whether you want to know about nutrition, ingredients, preparation or agriculture.

I have Type 2 diabetes and want to make sure I am following the right type of diet. Can you recommend some resources?

Condiments are “…edible food items added to a dish or a meal…not strictly necessary but serve to enhance the flavor.” Often when we think of condiments we automatically mention mayonnaise, mustard, relish and ketchup but there are so many other condiments that can be used to compliment dishes that you make at home.

September is #FamilyMealsMonth – a good time to remind ourselves that enjoying a meal together as a family has many benefits, such as:

Certain foods may be considered “anti-inflammatory” if they help lessen the effects of some diseases and problems linked to chronic (long-term) inflammation in the body like arthritis, joint pain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, migraines, diabetes and even certain types of cancer.  If we were to group these foods under one meal plan it would be what is commonly referred to as the “Mediterranean Diet.’

Dear Leah: I need some snack ideas for my classroom that are dairy-free and shelf stable. — Back to School Teacher