This past weekend our family attended the 4th annual Waynesville Chili Cookoff Stroll in downtown. The event spanned the districts of Main Street, Frog Level and Haywood Street and lasted from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Fact: There is currently NO “bioengineered” or “GMO” (genetically engineered/modified/edited) wheat being grown or sold for commercial use in the U.S. 

Sponsored by the Waynesville Rotary Club, the annual “Chili Cook-Off Stroll” will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at participating locations around downtown Waynesville. 

With higher prices on eggs due to the bird flu (H5N1), many people may be changing up their breakfast proteins. Check the nutrition facts on packaged items for the protein amount per serving. Here are some other ways you can get protein for your breakfast meal: 

Haywood Christian Ministry’s food infrastructure is moving to a new facility in Bethel.  

HCM’s new food plan aims to ensure equitable food distribution across the county, not just in the population centers.

It’s great to look for items at Ingles Markets from our local farmers and food makers, whether it’s a crunchy apple from Hendersonville or Waynesville, Sunburst trout from Haywood County, local milk from Milkco (supplied by local dairy farmers) or Big Bottom Milk company, an ice cream sandwich from Sunshine Sammie’s or a delicious popcorn mix from Poppy’s popcorn.

Did you know that every Saturday morning at 8am you can listen to the "Ingles Information Aisle" on News Radio 570am (part of the iheart radio network)? On this 30-minute show I do interviews with local food makers, farmers, our Ingles Table contributors and more. 

Sometimes when we talk about “local foods” we tend to think only of seasonal fruits and vegetables, but it’s great to know that you can support local farmers and food makers throughout the year.

Where do you get your food inspiration for cooking or baking?

• If you’re a “Boomer” (born between 1946-1964) you’re likely to have a favorite cookbook or seek out new cookbooks that you can buy, check out from the library, or download to a device.

This time of year, we often see dramatic and often negative stories about food and nutrition. A few things to remember:

• Read beyond the headlines — Headlines are meant to attract your attention and get “clicks”. Before you react or make snap judgements, be sure to read the actual article.