Ice Age

March is here, and while spring and warm weather is on most people's minds, the frozen food industry is focused on the cold; March is National Frozen Food Month!

In 1984, Congress declared March 6 "Frozen Food Day" by Senate Joint Resolution 193, and authorized and requested President Reagan issue a proclamation upon the occasion. More recently, the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association made a commitment to frozen food companies and manufacturers to promote frozen foods during the month of March and increase year-round sales by:

• Educating consumers on the attributes, benefits, and value in frozen foods
  
• Encouraging family mealtime and healthy lifestyles by providing recipes and solutions for every meal occasion
  
• Promoting convenience, quality, variety, and taste of frozen foods
  
• Promoting new and innovative products within the industry

In 2010, Americans spent $56 billion on frozen food, up $13 billion since 2005. Today, 23 percent of home dinners are frozen entrées. With ever-growing profit, the industry has responded to consumer demand, developing better manufacturing processes, offering more ethnic choices, and creating healthier options.

While the freezer is certainly a hero this month, so is Clarence Birdseye, who is credited with inventing the flash-freeze method for foods in 1924 that we still use today. Birdseye's quick-freezing process led to the creation of 168 patents that included not only the freezing technique, but also packaging and related innovations. The process also led to the creation of Birds Eye, the Pinnacle Foods-owned maker of vegetables and frozen meals.

When you're eating a frozen waffle for breakfast, enjoying a frozen meal for lunch, or microwaving a frozen pizza for dinner this month, say thanks to frozen foods! Throughout March, learn more about the frozen food industry from the American Frozen Food Institute and read all about freezing and food safety.

Leave a comment and tell me: What are your favorite frozen foods?

Nibble on This: It's National Snack Food Month!

If you've been in the mood for a bite to eat in between meals lately, take full advantage this month! February is National Snack Food Month, a chance to celebrate potato chips, pretzels, popcorn, nuts, fruit snacks, cookies, and everything in between for a full 28 days.

In February 1989, the Snack Food Association joined forces with the National Potato Promotion Board to increase snack food consumption and build awareness of snacks during a month when snack food consumption was traditionally low.

According to The Food Channel, chips and dip topped the top ten snack trends of 2010. From Frito-Lay to all-natural popchips, named one of America's hottest brands by Advertising Age, potato chips are always the perfect way to snack.

Of course, nuts are also a popular salty choice as consumers look for healthier ways to snack. Emerald Nuts offers a line of breakfast pouches to enjoy on the go, while Planters introduced its Flavor Grove varieties last year in taste sensations like Chili Lime and Cracked Pepper with Onion and Garlic.

For sweet eaters, yogurt has gained in popularity as Greek yogurts like Chobani, FAGE, and Yoplait have become more prominent in stores. Probiotic yogurts for those seeking to improve their digestive health have also become more prevalent with brands like Activia and Yo-Plus lining grocery shelves.

And finally, no discussion of snack foods would be complete without paying homage to snack cake legends like Hostess (now with Strawberry CupCakes!), Little Debbie, and Tastykake.

Every year, the Snack Food Association hosts SNAXPO, the world's largest, most comprehensive trade show devoted exclusively to the international snack food industry. This year's event will take place March 20-23. Be on the lookout next month for articles and information regarding new snacks and innovative flavors that will hit grocery stores in the coming year.

How will you honor National Snack Food Month? Drop me a line and tell me about your favorite snack!

Spot of Tea

Hot tea is a winter necessity, which is why it makes perfect sense that January is Hot Tea Month. Whether you’re enduring winter’s freezing temperatures or warding off a cold, hot tea provides soothing relief.

In 2009, total U.S. tea sales topped $7.3 billion, up from $6.9 billion in 2007. More than 25 countries produce 2,000-plus types of tea. Black, white, red, green, oolong, chai, organic, herbal, loose-leaf, and flavored teas have all grown in popularity, and specialty teas are now a staple on supermarket shelves. So what's latest in the world of hot tea and how are tea manufacturers embracing Hot Tea Month? Let's take a closer look.

Recently, Lipton launched a line of Pyramid Tea Bags in nine different flavors. The unusual packaging allows the tea space to flow freely with real pieces of fruit, herbs, or spices for truly authentic infusion. The company also introduced three new Superfruit green tea flavors. Additionally, as the largest buyer of tea in the world, Lipton has committed to sustainability by agreeing to source all of its products from Rainforest Alliance Certified tea estates by 2015.

In honor of Hot Tea Month, both Bigelow and Twinings are offering loyal fans a chance to win a year's supply of tea. Visit Facebook to enter Bigelow's sweepstakes for the opportunity to win one case of tea per month for a year. For a limited time, new "tea-mail" subscribers to the Twinings newsletter will also be entered to win a year's worth of tea.

If you're looking for additional ways to enjoy tea this month, visit Good Earth Tea and uncover tips to brew a perfect cup. Or, cozy up with a steaming mug of Celestial Seasonings and take a virtual tour of the company's Boulder, Colorado-based factory, the world's most advanced tea production facility. Try your hand at building your own tea concoction with loose-leaf options from Mighty Leaf. Want to feel more Zen? Find out which TAZO Tea is right for you. Finally, round out your collection of Wade miniature figurines from Red Rose.

For more information on the state of the tea industry, look to Tea USA, a collaboration of the Tea Association of the USA, Inc., the Tea Council of the USA, and the Specialty Tea Institute. Also, be sure to stay tuned for news from the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, June 24-26 – the peak of National Iced Tea Month!

How will you celebrate Hot Tea Month? Comment below and enjoy your time indoors this January!

Creamy or Crunchy?

November is National Peanut Butter Lovers Month, a chance to spend 30 days honoring the brands like Jif, Peter Pan, Reese's, and Skippy that bring you the creamy, chunky, natural, and organic varieties of peanut butter that you know and love!

According to the National Peanut Board:

• Peanut butter is the leading use of peanuts in the United States.
  
• Peanut butter was the secret behind "Mr. Ed," TV's talking horse.
  
• It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
  
• Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.
  
• Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter.
  
• Americans eat enough peanut butter in a year to make more than 10 billion peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Find more fun facts about peanut butter on the National Peanut Board website, and make sure you take the time to enjoy peanut butter this month! Whether you bake cookies, make your own peanut butter, craft a peanut butter bird feeder, or just eat a PB&J sandwich, appreciate and savor the wonders of peanut butter throughout November!

Are you a peanut butter lover? Leave a message and tell me more about your favorite peanut butter brand and style!