More than 5,000 varieties of potatoes are grown throughout the world. The average person in the U.S. eats 124 pounds of potatoes every year. Potatoes can be used in a wide variety of recipes.

Pumpkins are one of the colorful symbols of autumn. Most people think of using them solely for the purpose of carving and displaying, but pumpkin can be used in many ways on your menu, including soups and desserts. Try roasting the seeds for a crunchy snack.

Raspberries are part of the rose family, and numerous varieties are available. The low-calorie fruits add flavor, color and nutrition to your menu.

Snap beans are delicious vegetables that are easy for people of all ages to grow. They are easy to preserve, so we can enjoy them year-round.

Sweet corn on the cob (or off the cob) is a tasty addition to meals. Corn, also called “maize,” is sold by color, not variety (white, yellow or bicolor). Corn can be preserved in different ways to be enjoyed year-round.

Botanically, a tomato is classified as a fruit because it has seeds and is derived from flower tissue. Nutritionists consider tomatoes to be “vegetables” on the menu. Tomatoes can be frozen, canned or dried, so we can enjoy them year-round.

Squash has been used as a nutritious food for thousands of years in North America. You might find buttercup, butternut, acorn and/or spaghetti squash in your local grocery store. Botanists consider squash to be a fruit, but it is used as a vegetable on menus.

A good cook needs good tools. He or she needs to know where to find them in the kitchen.

You are many things. You are a muscle mover, blood pumper, thinker, calorie burner and nutrient user. You are all these things and much more! You're a walking, talking, munching, crunching person. You are on the move.

Have you heard about probiotics and prebiotics?