Fresh Mushrooms...Nature'shidden Treasure

Mushroom Council Chair, Fletcher Street, stands alongside Lawrence A. Soler, CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America, during PHA Summit on Friday, March 8th. 

Every day, multiple times a day, families across the country are pulling out bowls and plates, forks and knives as part of an iconic routine: mealtime. Lately, the ultimate challenge is defining a place for the flavors we love with the nutrients we need. At the Mushroom Council, we say the phrase, “The trend is to blend” to recognize how mushrooms marry delicious and nutritious food.

This is why the Mushroom Council is bringing more vegetables to the plates of American families through a formal multi-year commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA).

Veggies often fall victim to the myth that if something is good for you, it must not taste good. But mushrooms can help you create better-for-you meals that your family will love. Challenge common notions with these three quick and easy creative solutions.

1) Challenge: My kids refuse to eat anything with veggies.

Solution: Getting kids to eat vegetables can be a lofty endeavor. The best way to help them adapt something new is by serving it in a familiar way. Blending mushrooms with meat is a simple and easy way to introduce the entire family to mushrooms, in dishes they already love and eat. From family meals to school lunches and restaurant entrees, the Council is working to bring this mushroom and meat blend to plates across the nation.

2) Challenge: I don’t have time for meal prep.

Solution: The beauty of working with mushrooms is that they can easily added to the meals you’re already making. Love omelets? Start tossing in mushrooms. Craving a burger? Try mixing mushrooms into the patty or swap it for a meaty portabella. Mushrooms’ versatility and rich umami flavor make them a perfect and simple addition to family favorites. Just add nutrient-rich mushrooms to the meals you’re already making and get extra vegetables for fewer calories in the process. Bonus Tip: Sautéed mushrooms can last for a month in the freezer – ready to be tossed into any meal.

3) Challenge: I’m tired of the same flavors and recipes.

Solution: Check out how the Partnership for a Healthier America, Let’s Move!, USDA’s MyPlate and the nation’s top recipe creators have come together on Pinterest to offer hundreds of tasty recipes to anyone looking for healthier meals. Also, find recipes on Mushroom Channel Pinterest account for breakfast, dinner, appetizers and everything in between, with new flavor opportunities in every pin.

Stay tuned to The Mushroom Channel in 2013 and join us as we continue to seek new ways to get mushrooms on plates across the country.