Organic Food Tax Write Off

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I am finally preparing to have my taxes done this evening. Thats right, I did put it off until the last minute. I was contemplating what to write about for todays article while in the back of my head, thinking about what I will need to bring to the tax office tonight. I remembered a great idea that I had about this time last year about our taxes and the purchase of organic food.

You hear about it in the news, on TV shows and from politicians that Americas getting fat. Its not just the weight as much as it is our overall health that we should be concerned about but in todays economy it is very difficult for many people to eat healthy. It certainly helps to have an incentive in mind when deciding to switch to a healthy diet and many people are still skeptical about switching to organic food, assuming that its just a fad. It is slightly more expensive to eat organic but the truth is it that its the best choice we can make for our health.

America has become aware about the benefits of going green and making strides toward improving our environment but what we should also be concerned about is improving our health. If we can make America healthier one step at a time, a great start would be to allow tax payers to write off some of the cost of organic groceries. Not only will people eat healthier knowing that they will be partially compensated for the cost, it will benefit our country as a whole in many ways.

People who live healthy lifestyles will require less medical care. This is most likely a pipe dream, but it wouldnt hurt if our insurance would cover natural, homeopathic medicine as well as treatments like acupuncture and massage therapy, etc. Healthier citizens are more productive citizens. Employees will be more productive at work as they will be more alert, focused and happier because they will not be full of the toxins that can cause emotional problems, difficulty concentrating and so much more. Children who eat organic food function much better at school and will most likely earn better grades, increasing their chances for a decent job once they have graduated. I feel comfortable stating that the economy can only benefit from such a change.

We have two paths we can take. We can support local business owners like farmers as well as companies offering products that better our health and increase longevity, vs. giving our money to fast food and pharmaceutical companies. Why support businesses like McDonalds that entice prospective customers with visions of cheeseburgers dancing in their heads while delivering our children food that makes them look and feel terrible, not to mention includes meat from sick, hormone-injected cows. Come on guys, mommys taking everyone to McDonalds for dinner! I dont get the concept and the government shouldnt either.

We seem to be taking baby steps toward eating the right foods. Organic sections at grocery stores are growing and consumers are reading the labels before purchasing products. Now we just need the support of our government. If were not going to get rid of enterprises like McDonalds, lets at least offer even more incentives (above and beyond the obvious) for people to eat healthy. If our money goes toward organic food only, I guarantee you that businesses will want to accommodate our needs in order to thrive and our country will blossom from there.

Its time to come out of the closet about organic food. This is not a fad that will change over time- not once people notice the benefits that a nutritional diet can have on their health and appearance. Some people just need a little nudge in the right direction and a tax break just for one year just might do the trick!

Check out Discovery Health with Dish Network satellite television.

By: Frank Bilotta

Quick View To Civilization Of Chinese Food

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Chinese food now holds a popular place among the entire population of the world. You can find a Chinese restaurant in every major city and in many smaller areas of the world as well. Why is Chinese food so popular? Is Chinese food healthy? What is the history of Chinese food?
Firstly Id like give a brief introduction of the development of the Chinese food culture.
In China, food and its preparation has been developed so highly that it has reached the status of an art form. Rich and poor, the Chinese people consider that delicious and nutritious food is a basic necessity. There is an old Chinese saying Food is the first necessity of the people.
Many scientists believe that Chinese food history dates back to the Peking Man which started using fire for cooking about 400,000 years ago. Others claim that Chinese cuisine was established during the Chinese stone age when people began to produce noodle and to cultivate rice.

Chinese food history is remarkable for its variety. Almost each Chinese Dynasty introduced some new innovations, enriching unique Chinese food history. Thus, the Zhou Dynasty is responsible for the appearance of a such well-known Chinese food tradition as chopsticks, and the Qing Dynasty is associated with most of today’s Chinese food popular dishes. Another feature of Chinese food history stir-frying (a famous Chinese food cooking technique) was created during the Tang Dynasty to conserve valuable fuel.

Chinese food history has a deep philosophical background which influenced Chinese food recipes, cooking tips and menus. Thus, in Chinese culture preparation of food is considered not just a craft but an art. Most Chinese food popular dishes require special experience and talent of the chef, however many of them were much modified for western Chinese food restaurants.

Some Chinese food history experts think there are two basic philosophies that had the biggest effect on Chinese food Confucianism and Taoism. After Confucius standards of etiquette food is cut into small pieces before being served, and there should be no knives on the table. The followers of this Chinese food history movement propagated harmony during both cooking and eating.

Taoism which had also a great influence on Chinese culture, and particularly on Chinese food history, focused on such important concepts as healing powers of food and its healthiness. In this way, the Chinese discovered that using ginger as a garnish is a good remedy for upset stomach and cold.
However, the consumption of food is a vital part of the chemical process of life is to state the obvious, but sometimes we fail to realize that food is more than just vital. The only other activity that we engage in that is of comparable importance to our lives and to the life of our species is sex. As Kao Tzu, a Warring States-period philosopher and keen observer of human nature, said, “Appetite for food and sex is nature.” But these two activities are quite different. We are, I believe, much closer to our animal base in our sexual endeavors than we are in our eating habits. Too, the range of variations is infinitely wider in food than in sex. In fact, the importance of food in understanding human culture lies precisely in its infinite variability -variability that is not essential for species survival. For survival needs, all men everywhere could eat the same food, to be measured only in calories, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins. But no, people of different backgrounds eat very differently. The basic stuffs from which food is prepared; the ways in which it is preserved, cut up, cooked (if at all); the amount and variety at each meal; the tastes that are liked and disliked; the customs of serving food; the utensils; the beliefs about the food’s properties -these all vary. The number of such “food variables” is great.
Chinese food, when authentic is probably the healthiest food in the world. Some restaurants, which are not authentic, prepare their menu with highly saturated fats or with meats that contain unhealthy amounts of animal fat. These Chinese restaurants are not recommended and they are both neither authentic nor healthy.
Good Chinese food however, is prepared and cooked with poly-unsaturated oils. Authentic Chinese food does not require the use of milk-fat ingredients such as cream, butter or cheese. Meat is used, but not in abundance, which makes it easy for those who love authentic Chinese food to avoid high levels of animal fat. Many believe that authentic Chinese food is really the ideal diet.
Nowadays people are attracted both by Chinese food exoticism and its medical aspects. According to Chinese food history specialists, Chinese cuisine has never been so widespread as it is today.

Matching Champagne And Food

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Champagne is regularly served as an aperitif or as a toast at the end of a meal, so it is often overlooked when it comes to food. However, because Champagne is naturally acidic, it makes a really good food match – and not just for oysters and caviar as you might expect, but for a number of different foods.

Non Vintage Champagne

This is the cheapest and probably most common type of Champagne available. Non-vintage Champagne is blended from wines from several years and, in doing so, this ensures that a consistent style is achieved. Non-vintage Champagne is younger and, generally, fruiter than other Champagnes, so is a perfect match for slightly lighter foods, such as egg or mushroom based dishes, hard cheeses, pasta or risotto (particularly with a cream or mushroom based sauce), vegetables, fish and seafood. Strange as it may seem, non-vintage Champagne also goes really well with fish and chips, as the acidity of the Champagne helps cut through the oiliness.

Vintage Champagne

Vintage Champagne is made from a blend of wines from a particular year, when the quality of the wine is good enough to declare a vintage. Because it has been aged for a few years, it has as slightly more complex structure than a non-vintage Champagne, so can stand up to stronger, fuller flavours. For example, all types of fish and seafood, especially when accompanied with a creamy sauce are a perfect match for vintage Champagne, as are lightly smoked foods, cheese, duck, caviar and poultry with a rich sauce.

Blanc de Blancs

Champagne is made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which are red grapes, along with Chardonnay, which is a white grape. Blanc de Blancs, however, is Champagne which is made exclusively from the Chardonnay grape. This is a rare style of Champagne and goes well with lighter style foods and, in particular, sushi, oysters, goats cheese, gently flavoured white fish and vegetables.

Blanc de Noirs

This is Champagne made from just the red grapes, Pinot Noir and / or Pinot Meunier. If you come across a bottle, try teaming it with full flavoured foods such as meat and cheese.

Demi Sec

Demi sec style Champagne is sweeter than traditional brut champagne and is a good match for foie gras or foods that have a slight edge of sweetness to them. It also goes well with desserts (as long as they arent too sweet), as well as red berries – particularly strawberries.

Ros

Ros based Champagne goes very well with seafood, including prawns and lobster, or slightly pinker style meats including lamb, ham and game.

How To Avoid Food Poisoning In Morocco

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It is not always easy to avoid food poisoning if food becomes contaminated at your package tour hotel in Morocco but there are some things you should look out for.

Food should always be served and handled correctly. Food should never be served at room temperature and even food served buffet-style should be maintained at the correct temperature throughout service. Hot food should be piping hot and never lukewarm. Cold food should be properly chilled and served directly from a cold cabinet or fridge. Salads can be as dangerous as meat if they are not maintained at the proper temperature. Food should never be left uncovered as it will attract flies and other insects, and buffet style food should not be reheated day after day.

If you are attending a holiday barbecue, make sure all meats are cooked through and never served pink in the middle and only eat salad dressings which have been kept chilled and not left open to contamination. Any products which contain eggs must be cooked, including desserts and you should never eat runny eggs which are not cooked through. Only drink bottled water if the seal is intact and never ask for ice in drinks. Many all inclusive holiday hotels in Morocco offer all day snacks at pool bars. If pizzas, burgers and other fast foods are prepared and left out in the sun, they are likely to become contaminated quickly causing illness to holidaymakers when eaten.

Use your instincts when it comes to food and, if you suspect it may be contaminated, refuse to eat it. You may have to pay to eat outside the hotel but it will be worth it to avoid food poisoning. If you suffer holiday illness in Morocco, make a complaint to the holiday representative and sign a complaint form. Keep a copy of all paperwork and never accept any offer of vouchers or compensation as you could be entitled to much more with the help of a regulated personal injury solicitor in the UK. If you have already accepted compensation in any form from the tour representative, it may be difficult to claim a higher sum when you return to the UK.

When food is reheated day after day or when fresh food is mixed with older food, it will quickly become contaminated and holidaymakers often suffer symptoms of sickness and diarrhoea after eating infected food.

Whether you are staying at an all inclusive hotel in Morocco or you have paid to stay at a package tour hotel on a half board or full board basis, you should never be exposed to holiday illness and, if you become sick after eating food at the resort, you are well within your rights to make a claim for compensation from the tour operator as soon as you return home. Food poisoning is no joke and it can cause major illness if it is not treated quickly.

Contact a no win, no fee solicitor in the UK and claim compensation for loss of enjoyment of your holiday, pain and suffering and medical expenses if you feel your illness was caused by the negligence of the tour operator. By using a no win, no fee personal injury solicitor you have nothing to lose and it wont cost you a penny to make a claim.

Why Food Hygiene Courses Are Important For The Modern Workforce

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The demand for food hygiene courses have risen continuously over the years. Businesses involved in food manufacturing, catering and retailing are required by the laws to undertake health and safety certificate courses to stay complaint with the industry regulations. Food safety is therefore an important issue within the modern workforce.

You now can’t open any food outlet if you don’t comply with the food safety guidelines. Hence, catering and restaurants have made it mandatory for their employees to undertake safety training course to ensure proper food handling.

Food related illnesses are a common phenomenon but when you are running a restaurant or catering business you can’t afford the diners to fall ill because of your food. This would not only be detrimental for your image but in the worst case scenario you can even get sued or have your licensed revoked. Food hygiene training courses are, hence, essential for your business.

The members within the food industry are, therefore, required to train their workforce about proper handling of food items, whether raw or cooked. They must also ensure that all workers stay up-to-date with the changing requirements of food safety.

Why is it Important to Train Employees?

A question may, however, arise why it is so important to have employees trained in food safety for the catering or restaurant industry.

Well, to run a catering business efficiently you probably would require workers to carry out different jobs. You need to set up a supply chain, maintain cash flow and also serve great food at the same time. Hence, it becomes important that you have a competent team of workers to assist you in running the business. Food hygiene courses have been designed to help you identify areas of how you can manage your workforce better.

Further, you also need to ensure that the food served from your kitchen comply the health and safety standards. If your customers suffer illness after consuming food in your restaurant, you are likely to receive negative publicity. This can be exceedingly strenuous for you as owner of the business.

The food hygiene training also deals with training employees with proper waste management, which is another important factor for food manufacturing and restaurant businesses.

How to Find Food Safety Courses?

You are therefore required to find a comprehensive food safety course for your workers. There are now suppliers offering both offline and online food safety courses. An online food safety course is designed to cater to the needs of busy professionals where the professional can receive the required training without compromising with his earning opportunities.

An online food hygiene course is precise and hence doesnt take as much time to complete. Therefore, professionals are not required to deal with large volume of course materials. Also these are quick and you can take the examination immediately after completing the course.

It is also important to consider the accreditation and credibility of the online food hygiene course provider to avoid being scammed. If you are not careful at selecting the right food hygiene course online you may run into a great risk of getting your licensed revoked and losing your business.