Peanut butter smothered on apples. What snack could taste better and provide the same nutritious kick? This snack combines two staples in the homes of many Canadians and will keep you satisfied and full longer than other snack foods.

Simply put, nuts are good for you. Whether it’s the heart-health benefits, improving cholesterol or losing weight, nuts seem to be everywhere lately. And, not only are nuts healthy, but they also can aid with weight loss – just in time for the holiday season.

The holiday season is knocking at your door and it’s time for another feast (and you’re probably thinking “we just finished Thanksgiving!”). Traditional holiday dinners are typically filled with all the fixings: turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes and a host of other delicious eats. But, have you ever felt sluggish after over-indulging? Many of us do. Eating healthier – and in moderation – and exercising more during the holidays will do wonders for your overall health. Maybe it’s time to take charge and check your own nutrition condition to see if you could be making better food choices and get back on track.

With the holiday season fast approaching, now is a great time for parents to encourage healthy eating habits for children – and themselves. In a season often dominated by decadent meals and snacks, it’s important for parents to model healthy eating to keep the entire family on track.

Peanuts and peanut butter deliver what’s best in vitamins and essential minerals. And, the fact their fat content is overwhelmingly of the “good” variety – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated – makes peanuts an ideal part of a healthy diet. In fact, of the fat in peanuts, 85 per cent is the types of fat we need for heart health and cholesterol control. However, all Canadians may not be aware of this important distinction.

What’s tasty, nutritious, healthy and comes in a compact and portable form? Why, a peanut, of course.

Packed with protein, fibre and essential vitamins and minerals, peanuts and peanut butter are part of a healthy diet. They can be a flavourful meat alternative in meals, and as a snack will keep you satisfied and full longer than other foods.

It’s got a cutesy name — or a dirty one, depending on where your mind is — that serves a very serious purpose. Plumpy’nut is a packet of goo that has become critical in helping groups such as UNICEF Canada treat severely malnourished children. This fall, the United Nations warned that 750,000 people could die in East Africa’s worst drought in 60 years. More than 70,000 have died already, more than half of those children. “It’s a game-changer,” said Paul Molinaro, senior manager at UNICEF supply division in Denmark.

Breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. But do you know why it’s key to overall health?

On September 22 to 24, 2011, the American Peanut Council hosted Canadian editors from magazines such as Canadian Family, Homemakers, Canadian Living, Food in Canada and Western Grocer, along with some of Canada’s leading registered dietitians, on a tour to learn about the southern livelihood of peanut harvesting, shelling and research. There were many highlights of the tour, which featured stops in Fitzgerald, Blakely, Dawson, Americus and Plains, Georgia, home of former U.S. President, Jimmy Carter.

Do you sometimes eat even when you’re not hungry? If you do, you’re like many North Americans whose snacking habits are starting to creep up on them, especially high-calorie and heavily-salted snacks.

There’s almost no limit to the culinary possibilities of peanuts and peanut butter, as new and innovative products made from USA-grown peanuts are extending the possibilities for foodservice professionals.