Food safety tips, grocery shopping tips, useful websites, free writing courses online

Grocery Shopping Tips --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BEFORE SHOPPING
Check your pantry to see what you already have. Don't spend money on things you don't need.
Plan your spending to avoid impulse buys.
Grow it or Make it yourself and save!
Make a price book, and frequently refer to it.
Prepare your menu for the week around what you already have, and what's on sale.
If your area has food co-ops, Join up! A food co-op can reduce your weekly food bill by as much as 50%.
Shop for items BEFORE you run out of them. If you run out of an item you'll have to pay whatever the store is charging that week.
Due to volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.
Avoid trips to the "corner store".
Make a grocery list during the week. Take it with you when you shop. Stick to it.
If you go to the supermarket early in the morning (before 9am) you have a better chance of getting mark down items.
Shop alone - this will save lots of money and frustration.
Don't shop for groceries on an empty stomach.
Clean out your refrigerator, it will be much easier to put away groceries.
Due to volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.
More often than not, the best sales are on the front and back of your supermarket flyer.

WHILE SHOPPING
Stick to what's on your shopping list.
Ask staff to help you rather than wasting time looking for items or better deals.
Meat is a good source of protein but it's expensive. Cheese, poultry, eggs, peanut butter, dried peas, beans, lentils, and some fish are less expensive and excellent sources of protein.
Buy whole chickens. If you want only breasts, save the dark quarters, freezing for later use. Buying breasts alone is very expensive.
Buy locally grown foods; they are fresher, more nutritious and ecologically smart.
Shop the sales! Take advantage of each store's loss leaders.
Most bargains are found on the higher and lower shelves. Most expensive brands are at eye level (to get your attention).
Watch for unadvertised specials.
Shop for items that you use regularly at all times. If you run out, you will have to pay whatever the supermarket may be charging when you need it.
Stockpile, Stockpile, Stockpile! If a product you use is on sale, buy as much as you can afford and store to last you until the next sale. This is a BIG money saver!
Wait if you can until the item is on sale. If you know your products and stores, you can have enough to last until the item is discounted again.
Use your freezer to stock up when there is a sale on frozen or dairy items, such as cheese, butter and milk.
Buy in bulk when the unit price is less. Larger sizes do not always mean lower prices.
Just because an item has the word "SALE" on it, doesn't mean you are getting it for a lower than normal price. Know your prices. This is one way that a price book can help you.
Use store specific savings cards.
Don't be afraid to try generic or store brands. Most stores will refund your money if you are not satisfied.
Pretty packaging costs you money. You are not only paying for the product, but for the packaging (and advertising) as well.
Buy and use in season veggies and fruit.
Always check the expiration date on dairy products.
Avoid anything disposable.
Convenience foods are more expensive, you are trading money for time. Slice, season, mix, and cook it yourself.
Always check the day old bread basket, and the reduced merchandise cart.
Always ask for a raincheck if an advertised special is out of stock. While you are waiting for the product to come back in, look for more coupons for that product.

AFTER SHOPPING
Always return a product that is spoiled.
Send off for rebates to get items free, or nearly free!
Learn the sales cycles of your favorite stores, and know when to expect certain items to go on sale.
Shop at bakery outlets. Breads and rolls freeze very well.
Remember that no particular store has the lowest price on all items.
Create a "shopping pool". Agree with family and friends to shop sales for each other.

Coupons and Flyers "On sale" without a coupon is usually cheaper than regular price with a coupon. Watch for rebates or freebies with minimum store purchases.
Check store entrances, newspapers and flyers for coupons.
Only use coupons for items you would buy anyway.
"Advertised" doesn't necessarily mean "sale." Use rebates and mail-in offers.
Stock up on sale products.
Be on the lookout for unadvertised specials.
Get a raincheck if the sale item is out of stock.
Buy the smallest size/quantity that the coupon allows.
Check comparable brands to be sure you are getting a bargain.
Want to try a new product? Don't pay full price; wait for the coupon.
Match store sales/coupons with manufacturer's coupons for the same item.

When to Shop
Don't shop hungry. Studies indicate you'll spend 17% more on your groceries.
Avoid after-work shoppers, paydays and just before holidays.
Shop for items BEFORE you run out of them. If you run out of an item, you'll have to pay whatever the store is charging that week.
Learn the sales cycle and know when to expect certain items to go on sale (e.g. condiments in early summer and baking supplies just before Christmas).
Buy foods that are in season. They'll be top quality and likely less expensive than imported foods.
Do one bulk shopping trip a month for staples. This makes the other three weeks easier with fewer bags to carry in and fewer groceries to put away.
Frequent trips will be necessary if you shop for "soon-to- expire" items. Remember to keep disciplined during these trips. Don't buy on impulse.

Where to Shop
Due to volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.
Avoid trips to the "corner store."
Try your local thrift shop.
Try a "salvage" store. They resell damaged goods, store close-outs and insurance write-offs at substantial discounts.
Since no store has the lowest price on all items, consider going to two stores.
You don't have to go to the same store each week.
Occasionally try other stores.
Department stores can be considerably cheaper for paper products, laundry detergent and soft drinks.
Depending on what you purchase, different stores will be cheaper.
Pool efforts with a friend in a different part of town to shop for each other for sale items.

In the Store
Shop alone. "Helpers" will only add to the grocery cart.
Check the entire store for specials and alternatives.
Ask staff rather than wasting time looking for items or better deals.
Produce, bakery and meat department staff are great reference sources and may markdown "day-old" items if they know you're a regular customer.
Look at the higher and lower shelves for bargains or alternative items. The most expensive brands are at eye level to get your attention.

Before and After the Grocery Store
Clean out your fridge before shopping: it'll be easier to put away groceries.
Park close to the store but next to a cart return for less steps at the end of a tiring trip.
Ask if the store accepts charge or debit cards before you start shopping.
Leave those boxes for packing groceries in the car. By unloading the cart at the car, you lift them once, not twice.
Put frozen foods away immediately and then those items requiring refrigeration.
Freeze items in meal-size portions.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________Tips for quick grocery shopping
Make a meal plan: Decide what you’re going to eat this week and what you’ll need to make that happen. Make a list from your plan: Not only will this help you remember what you need, it also discourages you from picking up things that you don’t need. Separate the items on the list into their own sections (dairy, condiments, cereal, produce, etc.). This will reduce the chances of having to double back for something that you forgot in another section. Go shopping at off-peak hours. The less of a crowd the faster the shopping goes. Avoid weekends. Sale items above all: Look over your weekly sale items before heading to the store. Saving money on groceries is a good thing.
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Frugal Shopping: Tips for Cutting Your Grocery Bill
Here is a collection of strategies and tips for cutting your grocery bill.
Start with strategies that you can implement without causing major revolt in your family, moving gradually to a goal of a lower budget for food that is healthy, wholesome and homemade. Start with a few things and keep adding, soon you will see a HUGE difference in your food budget!
1. Attitude of gratitude -- A long journey begins with a single step and this is your first step. Begin with your own attitude towards being frugal, because it will impact the rest of your family. How can they be excited about changes if you aren't? So start by being thankful for all that you have, even if your life seems far from perfect .
2. Use Everything -- when you are cooking, think about how you can get every last food mile out of what you are making. Meat bones and vegetable trimmings can be made into wonderful stocks. Leftover vegetables and meats can be thrown into the same stock for free soups and stews or put into pot pies, homemade "hot pockets", crepes, casseroles, you name it. Look at food waste in an entirely new light, try to get every thing out of your food dollar!
3. The Price Book -- This is the most useful tool in making sure that every food dollar you spend is spent well. The basic idea of the price book is to have a system for tracking prices so that when you see something on sale, you will know whether it is really a good buy or not.
After a few months of tracking prices, you will know what is a good deal and what is not. The most important section of the price book is the unit price, because that tells you, no matter what size the item, how much you are actually paying per pound or ounce or other unit of measure.
4. Bulk Buying -- With the price book in hand, you will be able to bulk buy with much more confidence. Bulk buying can be a little scary at first. Buying so much can be intimidating. How will I use this all? How will I store it? The answer is to get creative.Things that can be kept at room temperature can be stored under beds, in closets, anywhere. This is especially true of canned goods. Flour can be frozen (to prevent weevils) and then stored in airtight containers at room temperature.
5. Use your freezer -- Eventually you will want to have a deep freeze to stock up on good deals on meats and other frozen items. A freezer is a great investment and tightwad tool. If you can get an older one cheap, it may be a good deal if it is still efficient -- 10-15 year old models are ok, but a 30 year old freezer will cost a bundle in energy. Check out newer, more efficient models and put the word out that you are looking for a freezer.
6. Cut down/out on the junk food -- If you can get the tribe to completely give up the soda, chips, cookies, candy, etc, good for you!
7. Make it yourself -- Ban those convenience foods! If you can't totally cut out junk foods, make them yourself.
8. Cut down or stop eating at restaurants -- Make it a special occasion to go out to eat rather than a common event. Eat out once a month and use coupons to cut costs even further.
9. Clone your favorite brand name and restaurant recipes -- This is not as hard as it sounds. Most popular convenience foods and restaurant foods were inspired by their homemade counterparts. Ther secret to recreating these foods well is to go back to the original homemade versions. Many basic cookbooks have wonderful recipes for homemade sauces, breads, etc. There are some great cookbooks that strive to duplicate some of the more favorite purchased foods.
10. Eat less meat -- Does spaghetti really have to have all those meatballs? Does your pizza really have to have all of that meat on it? Only you will know for sure what your family will miss and what it won't. Many other cultures use meat sparingly in their dishes. Check out Asian and Indian recipes in particular. Try to think of meat as an accent to the dinner rather than the main course. If this is too difficult, try cutting portion sizes of meats and adding more side dishes to compensate. There is always a way to cut down on meat consumption.
11. Stretch Meats -- You may be able to get away with extending your meat by mixing in extra veggies, grains or even TVP (textured vegetable protein). TVP is made from soybeans and there are quite a few restaurants that use it, so it may be more familiar than you think (it's also very healthy). It comes in chunks or crumbled. It is dry and can be rehydrated before using or in the actual recipe you are using it in. You can hide it best in ground beef dishes, especially, dark ones, like chili. If TVP is not an option, stretch meats by cutting amounts in recipes and adding more beans, veggies or grains to the dish until your family complains, then ad back in a enough to make them happy.
12. Use your leftovers -- Get a free meal by saving those leftovers. If you think you will forget about them, label them and freeze. On leftover night, have a smorgasbord. You can also create "party trays" with smidgeons of this and that arranged prettily. Restaurants offer these, why can't you?
13. Pack your luches -- This is a great way to use up leftovers. Lunches don't have to be boring either. Think of items you might order at a deli and duplicate them at home.
14. Take drinks with you -- If you are working and spend money on coffee, buy a thermos and take your own. Take along water or tea in a big jug on outings, especially during the summer months -- this will help you resist the temptation of stopping at a fast food joint and ordering an overpriced, undernourishing soda. Pack drinks for the kids if you pack their lunches.
Fill up on healthier foods. Whole grains and healthy foods fill you up and nourish you. You will eat less and crave less because your body is nourished more. Think of wholesome foods as an investment in your health. You may also find yourself visiting the doctor less often.
Some suggestions for putting more healthy foods in your diet: try eating brown rice instead of white, wheat bread instead of white, offer water between meals instead of koolaid and soda (and try to actually drink 8 glasses of water daily), keep fruits on hand instead of candy and cookies, fix veggie trays and dips for snacks instead of offering chips. These little changes, done daily can add up to big savings in money, loss of weight and better health.

Frugal Shopping: Tips for Cutting Your Grocery Bill,
16. Maintain a healthy weight -- once you begin eating better and dropping some pounds, you will notice you tend to eat less. This saves money and your health. Not only that, if you maintain a comfortable weight, your clothes will fit and you won't have to buy bigger ones, not to mention all the great deals to be found at yard sales where people sell their "skinny" clothes.
17. Substitute (or eliminate) expensive ingredients for less expnesive ones -- Does the recipe have to be made with the expensive item? Can a cheaper version be found and taste just as good? Can you eliminate the ingredient all together? Look for alternatives and substitutes.
18. Can't substitute? Then cut down on expensive ingredients -- If you just can't live without that certain something in your recipe, try cutting the amount in half and see how it tastes. Keep cutting down the amount until the recipe starts to suffer, then add a little back in, until it tastes the way you like. You may be surprised at how little you actually need.
19. Grow herbs yourself -- Still want to use bundles of fresh herbs in your famous pasta sauce but hate the price? Plant some! Herbs are so easy to grow and so useful. Many are perennial: sage, oregano, lavender (yes you can use it in cooking), mint, lemon balm, chives, the list is extensive. Biannuals will reseed themselves if you let them go to seed, these include: basil, parsley, dill, nasturtium, pansies (great in salads as decoration). Even saffron can be grown at home. Saffron comes from the saffron crocus, a bulb plant, which blooms in fall. Plant some in the spring and you will have one of the world's most expensive seasonings at your fingertips for very little money.
20. Gardening -- Growing a few herbs may give you the courage to grow a full-fledged vegetable garden. Or you may want to try edible landscaping - putting plants in your landscape that give you food too, like fruit trees, berry bushes, etc.
Check out books from the library, read a few gardening magazines and pick some gardening friends' brains. The most important advice: have fun and grow food that you actually eat.
There are many cookbooks on using garden harvests, so check those out too. Many are arranged seasonally so you can take advantage of what is fresh and abundant. For more gardening information, check out our favorite gardening site, GardenGuides.com.
21. Canning and Drying -- As you become more accomplished both in cooking and gardening, you may want to can those special sauces, pickles, and jellies for even more savings. There are many excellent food preserving books in the library and bookstores s well as online. Don't have time to can or is it too hot? You can freeze some things, like berries, to make into jellies and sauces later on, when the weather is cooler and you have more time.
22. Shop Alternative sources for food - Get creative and keep your eyes open. Check out the farmer's markets, food co-ops, farm co-ops, undamaged freight stores, restaurant and baking supply companies, wholesalers, roadside stands, health food stores, etc. Don't forget to ask about grocery store "seconds" those foods that may be slightly damaged and not quite perfect enough to sell at full price. Check out grower's seconds, as well as drops from fruit orchards. There are always cheaper alternatives, just keep looking and asking.
23. Buy and use in season veggies and fruit --They are usually fresher and cheaper. When tomatoes are in season, make lots of tomato sauce and can it, and plan to eat lots of BLTs. Make strawberry shortcake when strawberries are at their best and cheapest.Check out seasonal cookbooks at the library for more ideas.
24. Learn the sales pattern -- This is best done using your price book. Not only are there better seasons to buy some veggies than others, but meats and other food staples tend to go on sale according to season, holiday, and what store you are shopping at.
Learn the sales patterns of your favorite stores and stock up.
25. Try store brand and generics -- As with substituting cheaper things for the expensive, try lower cost items. Keep going down in price until you notice a change in the quality, then move back to the next brand/item up. You may discover that most brands are created equal and some generics are pretty good too. Some basics, like sugar and flour, really don't change from brand to brand, so go with the lowest price and/or what is on sale.
26. Use coupons and rebates occasionally
Your price book will be a great help in determining whether a coupon is really a good deal or not.
27. Free Food Sources -- Yes, there is such a thing as free food!
The trick to any kind of wild food foraging is that you absolutely MUST know what you are picking, no guessing. Free food is not worth it if it makes you sick or poisons you!
Some other alternatives: extra produce from relatives', friends' neighbors' gardens, fruit trees in your yard, or picked from with permission if they are in someone else's yard. You may be surprised at what you get if you just
ask.

Also consider bartering. Perhaps you could mow your elderly neighbor's lawn in exchange for a bushel of apples. Get creative.
28. Menu Planning -- Build your meal plans around: A) what you already have and B) what is on sale. You could also plan around what is in your garden and in season locally. Use all of the methods here to plan a loosely constructed menu plan.
29. Once a month cooking -- Ok, it doesn't have to be once a month, it could be once a week or twice a month, or just bulk cooking. The secret is to make every cooking session count, this way you are not only saving money, but time as well.
30. Keep it simple -- You don't have to give up gourmet foods, but keep your daily meals simple. Don't feel like you have to make "five-star" restaurant meals every night -- make them special.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------50 Tips for Grocery Shopping

Always go with a list. If you go without a list, you may as well just throw your money away. You need to prepare a list of everything you need, pulling from your weekly menu (next tip) and checking to make sure you don’t have it in your pantry, fridge or freezer. Make sure you’re not forgetting anything. Now stick to that list. Plan out a weekly menu. This is the best way to ensure that your list is complete, and that you have enough to serve your family dinner for the week.
Be sure to plan a leftovers night. Don’t go when you’re hungry. This is a common tip, but it’s true: when you’re hungry, you want to buy all kinds of junk. You’ll end up spending a lot more. Eat a good meal first, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your list. Have a budget.
If you don’t know how much you can spend, you’ll certainly spend too much. Do a rough running tally. Related to the above tip, if you want to stay within your budget, it’s best to know where you’re at. Then, when you can see you’re going to go above it, you can decide whether you really need that 10-lb. box of bon bons.
Keep a list on your fridge, and write things down immediately. When you run out of something, don’t leave it to your memory. Jot it down immediately, and you’ll never have to run back to the store because you don’t have eggs. Make a pantry checklist. Make a checklist of everything you normally stock in your pantry. Keep it posted on the pantry. Put a slash next to each item for the number of items you have (if you have two cans of stewed tomatoes, put two slashes). Then, when you use something, turn the slash into an x. This makes it much easier when it comes time to make your list. Keep things stocked for quick-n-easy meals.
Buy in bulk when it makes sense. If you can save money, over the course of a month or two, by buying in bulk, plan to do so. But be sure that you’re going to use all of it before it gets bad — it isn’t cheaper to buy in bulk if you don’t use it. Keep your receipts, then enter into a spreadsheet. This will be your price list. Use it so you know when bulk or sale items are a good deal. It’s also a great way to comparison shop between stores — buy your baking goods in Store A but your fresh fruits in Store B. The spreadsheet can also serve as a checklist to use when you’re compiling your shopping list. Buy frozen veggies. While fresh veggies are a little better, frozen veggies are almost as good, and much better than nothing. And since you can keep them in the freezer, they rarely go bad. When you’re running low, write it down. Don’t wait until you run out. when you see there’s only three toilet paper rolls left, put it on your list. Because when you run out, it will be too late. :) Cut back on meat. Meat is expensive.

Think Asian, Indian and other such cultural food.
Pack your own lunch snacks. Buying pre-made snacks is convenient, but a big waste of money. Buy little baggies and buy the snacks in bulk, then it will take just a few minutes to pack some snacks for lunch each day. Make leftovers for lunch. Plan to cook a bit extra for each dinner, so that you’ll have leftovers for your lunch and for the kids’ lunches. Pack it right away, after dinner, so you don’t have to worry about it in the morning. Cook a lot, then freeze. Alternatively, you can cook a whole mess of spaghetti (for example) and freeze it for multiple dinners. A great idea is to use one Sunday and cook a week’s (or even a month’s) worth of dinners. Plan 5-6 freezable dinners and cook them all at once. Always have batteries, toilet tissue and light bulbs. And other necessities that you always seem to run out of — buy a whole bunch when they’re on sale, or buy in bulk. Be sure to check to see if you have these items before you go to the store. Try crock pot dinners. Cut up a bunch of ingredients, throw them in the pot in the morning, and have dinner ready for you when you get home. Can anything be more perfect than that?
Check store entrances, newspaper and flyers for coupons. Only use coupons for items you were already planning to buy. Don’t let them trick you into buying something that’s not on your list, just to “save” money. Look for specials. Be sure to look for them in the newspaper, or when you get to the store (they often have unadvertised specials — look on the higher and lower shelves for deals). Don’t buy them unless they’re things you always use. Try the store brands. Brand names are often no better than generic, and you’re paying for all the advertising they do to have a brand name. Give the store brand a try, and often you won’t notice a difference. Especially if it’s an ingredient in a dish where you can’t taste the quality of that individual ingredient. Cut back on your “one-item” trips. They waste gas, and almost inevitably, you buy more than that one item. If you plan ahead, make a weekly menu, and shop with a list, this should drastically reduce the number of trips you make for a small number of items. But if you still find yourself running out for a few items, analyze the reason — are you not making a good list, are you forgetting some items from your list? Stock up on the things you frequently go out for. Sugar cereals are a bad buy. Lots of money for no nutrition. Look for whole grain cereals with low sugar. Add fruit for better flavor. Be watchful at the register. Keep an eye on the scanner — you’ll keep the cashier on his toes, and catch any mis-priced items. When there’s a sale, stock up. Sale items can be a great deal. If it’s an item you normally use, buy a bunch of them. Comparison shop. Look at the different brands for a certain type of product, including store brands. Sometimes there will be a significant difference. Be sure you’re comparing apples to apples — you need to divide the price by the amount (ounces, pounds, etc.) in order to get the comparable unit price. Go during slow times.
Know when the store stocks its fresh fruits and veggies.
Fruits and veggies can go bad quickly, because they have to be shipped.
Plan one big trip a month for bulk staples. You can get fresh items at another store on other weeks, but doing a big bulk trip will cut back on the expense and amount you have to carry for the other three weeks. Avoid buying on impulse at the bulk store too — just because they sell a lot of it doesn’t mean you’re saving, if you weren’t planning on buying it in the first place. Avoid trips to the corner store. Or the gas station! These are some of the most expensive stores. (Ranking right up there with airport stores.) Try co-ops. You can often save a lot of money at these types of places for staples. Consider shopping at two stores. There’s no store with a monopoly on savings. Each has savings on different items on different weeks. You might switch between two stores on alternate weeks. Think deep freeze. If you really want to save, you’ll need a big freezer. Ask around — someone you know might have a relatively new model they don’t need anymore. You can use freezers to stock up on meat, frozen veggies, and similar staples, and to freeze big batches of pasta, casseroles, and other dinners you prepare ahead of time. Use everything possible. Got a bunch of leftover ingredients (half an onion, a bit of tomato, some pasta, a few other veggies?) … combine them for a quick meal, so that these don’t go to waste before your next grocery trip. The more you can stretch the food, and the less you waste, the less you’ll spend in the long run. Don’t waste leftovers. Have a list on your fridge of what leftovers are in there, so you don’t forget about them. Plan a leftover night or two, so you’re sure to eat them all. Pack them immediately for lunch, so they’re ready to take the next morning. Don’t buy junk food (or buy as little as possible). Junk food not only costs a lot of money for about zero nutrition, but it makes you and your family fat and kills you. Talk about a bad deal! Opt for fruits and veggies instead. Rain check. If an item is on sale but the store has run out of stock, ask for a rain check. Go when the kids are in school. When you bring kids, they will pester you and pester you until you buy some kind of junk food. Even if you’re able to stick to your guns, it’s not pleasant saying no 10 million times. In most cases, you’ll save money shopping without the kids. Go for whole foods. The processed kind is lacking in nutrition and will make you fat. Look for things in their least processed form — whole grain instead of white or wheat bread, fresh fruit instead of canned or juice, whole grain cereal or oatmeal instead of all other kinds of cereal. You get the idea. Read labels. Look for trans fat, hydrogenated oils, high amounts of sugar, saturated fat, lots of sodium, cholesterol. Then avoid them like the plague. Look instead for fiber, good fats, protein, vitamins, calcium. Clean out your fridge. You’ve got stuff growing in there and turning from solids to liquids. The leftovers have begun to organize their own political party. Toss em out and make room for the new. Stick to your list. Avoid impulse buys. They are almost always bad, and even if it’s just a couple dollars, they will add up to $50-100 for a trip. Over the course of a year, that can mean thousands. Tell yourself you will not buy anything that’s not on your list unless it’s an absolute necessity. Use store savings cards. These can add up to big savings over the long run. Cut back on your restaurant eating. It’s never cheaper or more nutritious than eating at home. Plan your dinners (see above tip) and bring your lunches to work and save a ton of money. Avoid frozen dinners or prepared entrees. Again, these cost way more and are usually much less nutritious. Drink water. If you regularly drink iced tea, Tang, sodas or other types of drinks, cut those out completely and just drink water. It’s much better for you, and much cheaper. Prepare your grocery list by aisle. If you regularly shop at the same stores, organize your list so that you can easily find and check off items as you walk down the aisle.
Pack healthy snacks for the kids. Whole wheat crackers, popcorn, cut-up fruit, raisins, and other kid-friendly snacks are much better than the junk you often see in kids’ lunches. And cheaper.
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Food Safety
http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web page re Food Safety Office
Food Safety Office Many people do not think about food safety until a food-related illness affects them or a family member. While the food supply in the United States is one of the safest in the world, CDC estimates that 76 million people get sick, more than 300,000 are hospitalized, and 5,000 Americans die each year from foodborne illness. Preventing foodborne illness and death remains a major public health challenge.
NEW - Presentations from The Partnership for Food Safety Conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 15 -16, 2007 Reaching At-Risk Audiences and Today's Other Food Safety Challenges 2006 Food Safety Education Conference
Information about Avian Influenza (bird flu)
A new look for Fight BAC! ® and the Partnership for Food Safety Education!
Preventing Health Risks Associated with Drinking Unpasteurized or Untreated Juice
Searchable database: Foodborne Disease Outbreaks from 1990-1995
Healthy Pets, Healthy People
Listing of infectious and communicable diseases that are transmitted through the handling of food [Federal Register listing - annual update Sept 2002]
Thinking Globally, Working Locally - A Conference on Food Safety Education. September 18-20, 2002 in Orlando Florida. Webcasts of presentations are now online.
Preliminary FoodNet Data on the Incidence of Foodborne Illnesses -- Selected Sites, United States, 2001
Overview of CDC Food Safety Programs and Activities
EdNet Update - National Food Safety Educator's Network
Listeriosis and Pregnancy: What is your risk?
Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illness: A Primer for Physicians
"Foodborne Disease Outbreak Investigation: Botulism in ArgentinaA computer-based epidemiologic case study that teaches beginning public health workers skills in outbreak investigation.
Gateway to Government Food Safety Information
Date: May 22, 2007Content source: Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases / Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases
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Attention Pregnant Women: What you can do to keep germs from harming you and your baby Atención Mujeres Embarazadas: Qué Puede Hacer Para Evitar Que Los Gérmenes La Afecten A Usted Y A Su Bebé Bad Bug Book (FDA) Botulism in Argentina Careers in Food Science (FDA) Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety (USDA) Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illnesses: A Primer for Physicians EdNet - National Food Safety Educators Network Epi Info and Epi Map Software Excellence in Curriculum Integration through Teaching Epidemiology Field Investigation: Global Health Odyssey Fight BAC! and the Partnership for Food Safety Education Foodborne Disease Outbreak Investigation Case Studies Foodborne Illness Education Information Center Food Code (FDA) Food Safety Quiz for Kids (FDA) Food Safety Training and Education Alliance Food Science Curriculum for Middle and High School Students Government Food Safety Information Gateway HACCP Training Programs and Resources Database (FDA/USDA) Infectious disease fact sheets from the Association of State and Territorial Directors of Health Promotion and Public Health Education International Food Information Council Kids, Teens & Educators - food safety materials MMWR Continuing Education Program National Coalition for Food Safe Schools (NCFSS) National Food Safety Education Month National Food Safety Educators Network (EdNet) Ounce of Prevention Public Health Training Network (CDC) Thermy Campaign (USDA/FSIS) To Your Health: Food Safety for Seniors (FDA) Traveler's Health Information (CDC) Date: November 29, 2005Content source: Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases / Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases http://www.foodsafety.gov/foodsafety gov web site
Kids, Teens & EducatorsFederal Government Web Sites
The "An Ounce of Prevention" Campaign (CDC) Epidemiologic Case Studies (CDC) Food Safety Coloring Book (FDA/FSIS) Food Safety for Moms-To-Be: Educator Tools (FDA) Food Safety Quiz for Kids (FDA) Food Safety Word Match (FDA/FSIS) For Kids and Teens (FSIS) Games and Activities (HMRS, USDA) Germs on the Run (FDA/FSIS) Handwashing (FDA/FSIS) Wash Your Hands: Educating the School Community (USDA) Lose a Million Bacteria: The Game (FDA) MICROBES in Sickness and in Health (NIAID) Careers: Profiles of Science Professionals (FDA) For Teachers: Food Science in Middle & High School Classrooms (FDA) Excellence in Curriculum Integration through Teaching Epidemiology (CDC) Material for Educators--Food Risks: Perception vs. Reality (FDA) Student Resources (CDC) Vibrio vulnificus Health Education Kit (FDA) (includes information in Spanish) Federal Government/Private Sector Partnership Web Sites Food Safety When Packing Your Summer Camp Lunch (Partnership for Food Safety Education) Back to School: Quick Tips to Packing a Safe Lunch (Partnership for Food Safety Education) Four Simple Steps to Fight BAC! (Partnership for Food Safety Education) Cook It Safely (National Food Safety Education Month) Crossword Puzzle Word Scramble Family Vacation Game (available in PDF) Fight BAC! in Fourth to Eighth Grade Classrooms! (Partnership for Food Safety Education) Presenter's Guide for Working with Children from Kindergarten through Grade 3 (Partnership for Food Safety Education) State and Local Government Web Sites Food Detectives Fight BAC! (Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico) (requires Flash) Food Safety First (Cooperative Extension Service, Massachusettes) Food Safety Lessons (Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa) Kids World - Food Safety (Department of Agriculture, North Carolina) Teaching Children About Food Safety (available in PDF) (Extension Service, Iowa) A Food Safety Game Plan for Youth Sporting Events (available in PDF) (Department of Environmental Health, California) More Web Sites Audio/Video Library Frequently Asked Questions Other Languages
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http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fsgfaq.htmlFrequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to over 500 frequently asked questions (FAQ) on federal, state, and local food safety web sites. Select a topic from:
FAQ's for Consumers Disaster Assistance Eggs & Dairy Food Addititves Food Preparation & Storage Foodborne Illness & Infection Fruits & Vegetables Meat Poultry Seafood Other Topics Ask a Question FAQ's for Business and Industry
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FAQ's for Consumers
How Safe is Safe? (Cooperative Extension Service, Minnesota)
Reporting Food Problems (FSIS)
Disaster Assistance Disaster Assistance (Fires, Floods, Hurricanes, Power Outages, etc.) Food Safety after a Fire (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Food Safety after a Flood (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Freezer Stopped Working (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Power Outages; Keeping Food Safe During An Emergency (FSIS) Protecting Foods from Power Failures (Department of Public Health, Seattle-King County, Washington) Eggs & Dairy All About Shell Eggs (FSIS) Egg Products (FSIS) Egg Questions and Answers (Benton-Franklin Health District, Washington) Handling Eggs and Egg Dishes (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Incompletely Cooked Eggs (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Visiting a Dairy (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Food Additives Additives in Meat and Poultry Products (FSIS) Food and Color Additives (FDA) Food Preparation and Storage Appliance Thermometers (FSIS) Barbecue Food Safety (FSIS) Bulging Cans (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Canning (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Baby Food (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Baby Bottles Baby Food Jars Baby Feeding Breast Milk Microwaving Storing Formula Cookie Dough (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Cookware and Equipment (FSIS) Cutting Board Safety (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Defrosting (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Disposing Waste in the Kitchen (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Doneness Versus Safety (FSIS) Freezing Food (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Food Preparation (FDA) Food Storage (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Food Storage, Preparation and Handling (FSIS) Food Thermometer Education Campaign (ThermyTM) (FSIS) Leftovers (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Microwaving (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Cooking Defrosting UtensilsRefrigeration and Food Safety (FSIS) Slow Cooker Safety (FSIS) Washing Food (FSIS) Washing Hands (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Foodborne Illness and Infection Bacteria and Spoilage (FSIS) Foodborne Illness (FDA) Foodborne Infections (CDC) Botulism (CDC) BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) (CDC) BSE (CFSAN) Campylobacter (CDC) Cholera (CDC) Escherichia coli O157:H7 (CDC) Listeriosis (CDC) Salmonella enteritidis (CDC) Shigella/Shigellosis (CDC) Typhoid (CDC) Vibrio vulnificus (CDC) Fruits and Vegetables Fruits (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Jams and Jellies (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Pickles and Relishes (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Produce (Rhode Island Cooperative Extension) Vegetables (Cooperative Extension Service, North Dakota) Meat Beef (FSIS) Bison (FSIS) Corned Beef (FSIS) Fresh Pork (FSIS) Ground Beef (FSIS) Ham (FSIS) Hot Dogs (FSIS) Irradiation (FSIS) Lamb (FSIS) Meat Packaging Materials (FSIS) Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms (FSIS) Natural Flavorings on Meat and Poultry Labels (FSIS) Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats (FSIS) Sausages (FSIS) Veal (FSIS) Water in Meats (FSIS) Poultry Chicken (FSIS) Duck and Goose (FSIS) Fresh Poultry (FSIS) Giblets (FSIS) Ground Poultry (FSIS) Is Pink Turkey Safe? (FSIS) Turkey (FSIS) Seafood Seafood (FDA) Transgenic Fish (FDA) Marine Toxins (CDC) Methylmercury: What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish (DHHS/EPA) Other Topics Biotechnology (USDA) Biotechnology (NBII) Child's Class Field Trip (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Day Care (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Diaper Changing Spread of Germs Dietary Supplements (FDA) Dioxins (HHS/USDA/DVA/EPA/DOD/Dept. of State/EOP) Farm-Raised Game (FSIS) Food Irradiation (CDC) Food Product Dating (FSIS) Food Safety and Terrorism Food Supply (FDA) Water Supply (EPA) Food Safety While Hiking, Camping, and Boating (FSIS) Ground Water & Drinking Water (EPA) Holiday or Party Buffets (FSIS) Jerky (FSIS) Keeping "Bag" Lunches Safe (FSIS) Kitchen Counters & Drains (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Cleaning Counters Sanitizing Drains Lead Posioning (EPA) Mail Order Food Safety (FSIS) Persons with AIDS (FSIS) Pesticides (EPA) Pregnancy (Cooperative Extension Service, Mississippi) Product Recalls (FSIS) Ratites (Emu, Ostrich and Rhea) (FSIS) Recalls (FSIS) Seniors and Food Safety (FDA) FAQ's for Business and Industry Developing a Food Business (Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina) FDA Requirements of Food Manufacturers (FDA) Handwashing & Glove Use for Food Workers (Department of Health, New York) Hepatitis A and Food Service Workers (Department of Health, NY) Licensing of Rendering Establishments (Department of Health, Texas) Meat and Poultry Inspection (Department of Health, Texas) What food can I bring into the U.S. (fruit, cheese, meat, etc)? (U.S. Customs) Ask A Question
Ask Karen (FSIS Virtual Food Safety Representative) (FSIS)
http://www.foodsafety.gov/
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http://education-portal.com/articles/10_Universities_Offering_Free_Writing_Courses_Online.html10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online
Whether you are currently writing professionally or are looking to break into the field, formal writing courses can help you to hone your skills. If you don't have the money or the time for campus-based courses, there are plenty of universities offering free writing courses online.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mit.edu)
Introduction to Fiction Writing and Reading Short Stories Advanced Essay Workshop
MIT offers dozens of free writing courses online through its MIT OpenCourseWare initiative. Course topics include everything from writing fiction, poems and essays to analyzing all forms of literature. Lecture notes, videos, suggested reading lists and more will help you to become the writer you've always wanted to be. No registration is required.
2. Utah State University (usu.edu)
Intro to Writing Academic Prose Intermediate Research Writing Technology for Professional Writers
Utah State University's Department of English publishes three free courses devoted to the art of writing through the school's OpenCourseWare program. The courses are extensive and may take up to 16 weeks to complete if you study at the average pace. No registration is required.
3. Open University (open.ac.uk)
Fiction Writing Course Descriptive Writing Course Essay Writing Course
The UK's largest academic institution, Open University, offers a number of different writing courses through their OpenLearn website. The free curriculum includes both undergraduate and graduate level courses that are available to everyone regardless of country of origin. No registration is required.
4. University of Utah (utah.edu)
Introduction to Shakespeare Introduction to Creative Writing
The University of Utah's English Department offers free courses to self-learners around the world. Currently, there are only two free writing courses. Both offer strong preparation in their topic and are built for beginners. No registration is required.
5. Western Governors University (wgu.edu)
Rhetorical and Critical Writing Language and Communications Literature Course - Parts I and II
Western Governors University has made free course materials available through an open content license. There are several free writing courses courtesy of the university's Liberal Arts Department. All courses are split into convenient self-study modules. No registration is required.
6. Purdue University (owl.english.purdue.edu)
Pattern and Variation in Poetry Proofreading Your Writing Conquering the Comma
Purdue University brought their writing lab to life online in 1994 to offer a writing resource to students no matter where they were located. Online Writing Lab (OWL) materials are now free to everyone regardless of location or student status. The OWL site offers writing instruction, grammar and usage information, individualized help from tutors and much more. No registration is required.
7. Steven Barnes' UCLA Writing Course (lifewrite.com)
9-Week Introduction to Screenwriting Course
Best selling author and screenwriter Steven Barnes offers a free version on his website of the writing class he has been teaching for many years at UCLA. The course offers in-depth instruction on writing, which is why Barnes suggests completing each part of the nine-week course one week at a time. Nevertheless, the course can be downloaded all at once. No registration is required.
8. News University (newsu.org)
Cleaning Your Copy Beat Basics and Beyond Covering Breaking News
News University has a solid e-learning program designed to providing training to journalists. Most of the courses offered at News U are free, especially those that are self-directed. Courses cover everything from writing and editing to reporting and ethics. News U also offers a newsletter, a blog and other great resources. Registration is required, but the course is free for everyone.
9. E-Zine University (ezineuniversity.com)
Writing Clearly and Effectively Conquering Confusing Words Quick Ways to Clean Up Your Writing
E-Zine University offers quite a few courses written by Internet publisher Kate Schultz and visiting professors. Although the courses offered at E-Zine University are designed mainly for web writers and e-zine writers, they would be helpful to almost any scribe. Courses are very short and don't take much time to complete. No registration is required.
10. Wikiversity (wikiversity.org)
Introduction to Web Writing Technical Writing Courses Narrative Dialog Editing
Wikiversity is an active learning project that encourages people to create and benefit from online courses and tutorials. There are currently several different writing courses that can be found at Wikiversity. Although these courses vary in length and content, there's something for everyone. No registration is required.
Recommended Schools for Users Who Read 10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online:Selected Search Criteria: Subject Category: Communications and Journalism Subject Subcategory: Journalism Studies Online Schools Only University of Phoenix Strayer University Online Kaplan University Westwood College Online Ellis College Ashford University The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division Greenwich Learning Systems Stratford Career Institute Grantham University
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