The potato is the most popular American vegetable, according to the Idaho Potato Commission. But our friends over at FitSugar have a hard time considering the potato a veggie, you know, because it's so starchy and all. But that's just them -- they want to know what you think.

What do you call the potato -- a veggie or a starch? Weigh in right here.

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I tend to believe what Meg Wolff says about diet and nutrition. The girl knows what she's talking about. I mean, she has survived cancer on numerous occasions and maintains that a healthy lifestyle is key to her survival. So when she tells me to add one leafy green vegetable to my meals every day, I'm inclined to listen.

Start the year off right, says Meg, and add your leafy green today. A good source of calcium and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and all sorts of cancer-fighting stuff (oh, and low in fat too), these veggies are tops.

Meg suggests trying kale. And we just happen to have some dirt on this super food. Find out here why it's more than just a garnish. And here, how it can add color to you life. Planning a garden this year? We suggest adding kale to your crop.

Meg has lots more healthy diet suggestions -- check out her website here. And her blog here. And try to do what she says, because honestly, I'm pretty sure she really knows her stuff.

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This January, you're probably trying to make healthier choices in a bid to shed those few extra pounds you packed on over the holidays -- not to mention the 10 to 20 you've been promising to lose for years.

But seeing that it's at the height of the miserable winter season, January is also a good time to order in food instead of venturing out in the ice and cold for a meal. But if pizza is your take-out food of choice, are there any healthier options? In the recent issue of US Weekly, they recommend ordering the thin crust veggie pizza -- but what's the damage if you do?

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There are some cheap foods out there. It's tempting to buy them when cash is tight, isn't it? Not necessary. Good Housekeeping readers share in the November issue their ideas for living lean with the wallet and the waistline in mind.

• Order online. Peapod online grocery-delivery service is a great way to stock up on goods and view them before checking out (just to make sure you're getting only what you need and only what's good for you). Peapod accepts coupons too.
• Go veggie. Make fun, meatless meals with fresh and healthy ingredients.
  
• Drink from the tap. Get your water free from the tap instead of buying the bottled stuff.
• Order from the kids menu. Cheaper prices and smaller portions. Just pick the grilled chicken with broccoli, not the nuggets and fries.
• Take it slow. Forget the fast food. Use your slow cooker. Try a cheaper cut of meat and let is simmer all day.
• Switch grocery chains. Some are cheaper than others. Do your research.
• Get with the program. The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, that is. Organic vegetables will show up right at your door.

If you're trying to lose weight, know which foods you can eat plenty of -- and keep them around.

Is it possible to eat for a dollar a day? Sure, with a little creativity and a lot of planning. But here's a more important question -- is it possible to eat healthy on a dollar a day?

You've probably noticed that the cheapest things in the grocery store or mall food court are the unhealthiest things -- items like potato chips, candy bars and deep-fried whatevers will run you far less at the till than things like fresh organic produce, salads and lean cuts of meat. One couple, trying to live on the dollar-a-day diet, is finding that out the hard way.

"We're used to eating some type of vegetable with every meal and fruit every day. Finding out there was very little way to fit that into our budget, that was a huge struggle," says Kerri Leondard of One Dollar Diet Project in the New York Times. You can read more about her struggle here.

What do you think? Is it possible to eat well on a really tight budget?

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Fresh fruits and veggies are an essential part of a healthy diet. But once they're fresh, they're hard to keep that way -- know the rules of the produce aisle to keep your healthy snacks as tasty as possible:

• Store on the counter: Basil, cucumbers, peppers, watermelon, tomatoes.
  
• Store in the Fridge: Beets, blueberries, corn, radishes, raspberries, strawberries, yellow squash, zucchini.
  
• Store in a cool, dry place: Butternut squash, yams, potatoes, onions.
  
• Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate: Avocados, peaches, pears, kiwis.
  
  

Other things you can do: Keep produce in a perforate bag, and be sure to keep fruits and veggies in a separate drawer in the fridge. If you start to notice something close to spoiling, use it or freeze it.

Got any additional tips? Let us know in the comments.

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I'm not personally a fan of canned soups -- too much sodium for me -- but RealAge says there's a way to make these soups healthier, once you find a low-sodium variety, that is. The secret? Throw some veggies in the mix. The specific veggie RealAge recommends: Fennel.

Fennel, a spice, herb, and veggie all rolled into one, works well in all kinds of soups -- chicken noodle and tomato are two. Loaded with anitoxidants, fennel can also help knock out foodbourne bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella.

Next time you're pressed for time and find yourself grabbing for the can, make sure you have some fennel on hand. Find it in your produce section -- looks like celery stalks -- or grab some spicy fennel from the spice aisle.

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A good friend and I were chatting on the phone the other day and the subject turned to grocery costs. I thought my grocery bills were high, but compared to my friend's bills, mine are chump change. Her grocery costs were literally triple what mine were. Considering we have similarly sized families, it was kind of shocking.

In the end, we determined that the bulk of the savings is because her family eats a lot of meat and mine doesn't. It's not that my son and I eat 100% vegetarian meals every night -- we don't. But our meals have just a little meat, and larger amounts of grains and produce. Some ideas:

• Make meat stretch. Instead of cooking one chicken breast per person, make a package of chicken breasts spread over several meals. For example, one average-sized chicken breast is enough to feed three people if you serve enough veggies and grains with the meal. Use the remaining chicken for other meals such as a stir-fry or a cold chicken salad. You can apply the same principle with other meats as well. For example, a package of ground turkey can stretch into three meals for my family -- usually turkey burgers, lettuce wraps, and turkey chili with beans.

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Quick -- What vegetable is pictured here?

If you answered celery, you're right. Too easy? You might think so, but according to studies out of the UK, a third (33%) of adolescents (11 to 13-year-olds) can't identify celery. Think that's frightening? Here are some other stats from Diet Blog:

• Over 20% of tweens didn't know what a potato looks like
• 5.5% can't identify a carrot
• 33% of boys couldn't name a cucumber but 90% of girls could

This might not seem like a big deal, but I'm guessing that nearly all of them can identify a French fry or a bag of chips.

What do you think? Does your tween know his or her fruits and veggies?

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A couple months ago, Martha was debating whether or not she should invest in a juicer. A valid question. After all, when you prepare your own juice you have complete control over the ingredients. You choose what fruits and veggies you include and you're guaranteed to have no preservatives, no artificial colors, and no sweeteners.

When you juice fruits and vegetables you keep all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in the fresh produce. You do, however, sacrifice much of the fiber. So while juicing is a healthy practice, it shouldn't take the place of all of your fruits and vegetable intake.

Natural Health lists the top 7 fruits and veggies for juicing. Check out the gallery for the complete list.

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You can benefit your health while doing the environment a favor. What a win/win situation!

Recent data from the UN shows what many of us already knew -- meat production emits significant greenhouse gases. In fact, meat production emits more greenhouse gases than transportation. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that it counts for about 18% of greenhouse emissions.

So take a tip from the UN Climate Chief and serve up more vegetarian meals. To further reduce your impact on the environment, purchase only locally-grown produce. AOL Food has a wide variety of vegetarian recipes to choose from. Enjoy!

[via GreenDaily]

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Ever wondered what Gordon Ramsay's biggest nightmare is? Well, you don't have to anymore-- In a recent interview, Ramsay revealed: 'My biggest nightmare would be if the kids ever came up to me and said "Dad, I'm a vegetarian." Then I would sit them on the fence and electrocute them."

This is just the latest of Ramsay's verbal assaults on vegetarians, according to The Daily Mail, and he's not winning any popularity contests because of it. But as the article points out, he's so adamantly against vegetarianism that he actually convinced 50 vegetarians to try veal.

I can't even pretend to understand where Ramsay is coming from -- if you ask me, being a vegetarian is not only a healthy lifestyle choice but a delicious one too.

(Via Diet Blog)

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I have learned that when I go tailgating, I'd be wise to bring a cooler with my own food -- most people don't think to throw some Boca Burgers in with the brats, and I don't expect them too. Being a vegetarian is my choice, not theirs. However, if you know you have some vegetarians coming to your tailgate and want to plan for that, I have a few tips for you!

First of all, know your options. You can very easily stock up on a few store-bought options and keep everyone very happy -- there are some delicious veggie burger, chicken patty, and hot dog options out there. However, you need to read the instructions carefully because these items don't cook quite like meat, and some really aren't meant to be grilled at all.

Second, plan out your grilling. Many vegetarians would prefer not to have their food grilled on top of meat particles. If you have a couple of grills going, that should be pretty easy, but if you're using just one, your guests would probably appreciate it if you did a thorough cleaning and scraping before slapping their vegetarian fare on.

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My son attended summer day camp this year, so I haven't had a break from lunch packing. As kids are apt to do, my son and his friends liked to trade items. I was always amazed at the packaging waste that would come home with my son -- a lot of parents opt for those individually wrapped items. They're convenient, sure. But they're expensive, and they have an impact on the environment.

When packing your child's lunch, keep their health and the health of the environment in mind:

• Use reusable packaging. For example, instead of individually packaged pudding, make your own in small reusable containers. It's significantly less expensive and there's very little container waste. Also, look for options like the Wrap-n-Mat that reduce throw-away packaging.
  
• Go meat-free. Meat production is hard on the environment, so pack veggie lunches as often as possible.
• Don't over pack. If your child throws away much of what you pack, your green efforts are somewhat mitigated. Pack what they need and no more.

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