A couple of weeks ago on a plane flight, I had the good fortune to sit next to Jerry Deutsch, president of the National Health Association (the evolution of the American Natural Hygiene Society, founded in 1948, which espoused the virtues of real food for real health — talk about being ahead of the times!). Once we found out that we were on the same page, so to speak, our conversation was off and running. (We’ve quoted one of his colleagues, Joel Fuhrman, MD, in previous DL stories, like this one on childhood immunity.) But what I loved most was his smart idea for eating well while traveling: He makes soup at home and freezes it in plastic containers, then packs it in a cooler to take on the plane. The frozen soup makes it through security because it’s still solid … but by the time he wants to eat it, it’s defrosted and delicious! (However, he told me that they do not allow those frozen gel packs through security; go figure.) Next time I fly, I’m going to try this with Hearty Three-Mushroom Soup or Autumn Minestra Soup.

My kids are past the trick-or-treating age, but food allergies are still on my mind a lot, with my son continuing a gluten-free and dairy-free “experiment” to see if it will clear up his persistent nausea. With Halloween coming up, I’m wondering how difficult it must be for those kids with food allergies to enjoy the fun. (I know, I know, they should all want to get toothbrushes instead of candy … but that’s another story.) The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) just posted this helpful checklist to help your allergy-needs child enjoy the holiday without getting sick. Among the ideas:

–Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.

–Instead of trick-or-treating, host a party that focuses on costumes, pumpkin carving, games and other Halloween-themed fun.

–Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.

–Teach your child to politely refuse offers of home-baked goodies like cookies or cupcakes.

–Consider participating in a charity trick-or-treat event to raise money for a good cause, rather than collect candy.

What other ideas do you have for helping kids during the Halloween craze?

Good news on the food scene: A new law called COOL (Country Of Origin Labeling) has just gone into effect — and not a moment too soon, especially given the recent scary and appalling news about melamine being added to foods in China (intentionally!!), including baby formula (apparently melamine makes a product look like it contains more protein). With COOL, we’ll all be able to see where everyday food comes from, including raw meat, wild and farmed fish, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, macadamias, and whole ginseng (the goal was to label high-volume items, apparently). Of course, many fresh foods already had U.S.-grown labels (such as Vidalia onions and Florida grapefruit), so those won’t change; and of course, not all imports are bad. But it’s new power for the consumer to know what they’re buying and where it’s from, and to choose local whenever possible.

We know. We hear it every day. Stress is bad—very bad—for us. It sends cortisol and adrenaline coursing through our bodies and, unchecked, causes adrenal fatigue, makes us age faster, and contributes to some pretty major health problems, such as heart disease. So why can’t we just turn off the switch? Stanford’s Robert Saplosky, who has studied stress in mammals for decades, addresses that question in tonight’s National Geographic special airing on PBS. Watch a short intro and check out your local listings at the Stress: Portrait of a Killer website.

Turns out the Hershey’s company is fudging the ingredients on some of their chocolate products, replacing cocoa butter with vegetable oil to save costs, says the Today show. This non-chocolate switcheroo means that their labels had to change, so some products now say “chocolatey” or “chocolate candy.” Kinda subtle and sneaky, if you ask me. Personally, if I’m gonna have chocolate — and I am — I’m going to eat the real stuff, both for unequalled taste and and chocolate’s associated benefits. One of my new favorites: Kopali Organics chocolate-covered cocoa nibs, goji berries, and bananas (how’s that for some high-powered snacks?). They taste killer, plus they’re all fair-trade, certified organic, and rainforest friendly. I know Whole Foods carries them, so try some today (or Kopali’s super-pure dried fruit — also awesome).

Take a look at the winning entry in a film contest sponsored by The Tea Council, entitled the “Calm-A-Sutra of Tea.” Nearly 700 college students entered to win the top $20,000 prize with a two-minute video about the health benefits of drinking tea. I had to admit, this has some great info … and better yet, it had me laughing out loud!

Starting school can be tricky for kids with peanut allergies. Writer and allergy-free mom extraordinaire Kelly Corbett — who wrote a food feature on allergy-free cooking that appeared in our March 2007 issue — puts out a great e-newsletter, and this week’s installment featured helpful tips for peanut-allergy kids at school.

And thanks to those of you who sent me ideas for my son’s new gluten- and dairy-free diet. He is already feeling much better! Still not completely healed, but we’re very hopeful. Now he’s at college, so it’s a little more challenging (he says even the breakfast eggs have dairy in them!) … so he’s learning how to speak up for what he needs.

Yes, now it’s our turn: My son is trying a dairy- and gluten-free diet to see if that will clear up the persistent nausea he has had for a year and a half. We’re thinking a food intolerance could be the culprit. He’s also taking probiotics and DGL for inflammation. So far (after 4 days), he’s feeling better than he’s felt in a long time, but not perfect yet. Any other ideas out there?

This morning I bought Food for Life brown rice bread, which is dense but really yummy.

I was surprised to see this USDA report that people are reading nutrition labels LESS than they used to … especially those under age 30. Is it that no one is sure what the important numbers are, given all the confusing claims out there? Or are the labels too dense and confusing? Be sure to check out our July article on just this subject; it really breaks down the essentials. (Interestingly, the USDA report says that use of the fiber information on labels increased.)

Here’s a compelling graphic , put out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), that shows America’s weight gain, state by state, from 1985 to 2007. Wow; clearly we have issues with food (and lack of exercise).

What are some simple ways to stem this trend? Common-sense, intuitive-eating wisdom still holds true; my favorite approach, reflected in DL’s tagline, is to eat REAL FOOD instead of fake stuff — it tastes better, has usable calories, and is better for you. That’s why I love our recipes; they prove that real food, eaten in moderation, is not only healthy but DELICIOUS.