Overview
What’s Cooking? is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program devoted to showcasing recipes and cookbooks that best adhere to the American dietary guidelines. The main page of their website displays a large slideshow presentation of the dishes chosen as the recipes of the month, from main courses to salads and soups. The websites three main categories are:
- Cookbooks
- Recipe Tools
- Spotlights
Cookbooks
The cookbooks listed at What’s Cooking? are contemporary works that try and offer recipes for new dishes that follow the American dietary guidelines. The most recent displayed on the main page is “The 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Cookbook”. Since the majority of viewers are families, the recipes also include many recipes that are kid-friendly such as “Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Homes”.
Recipe Tools
Under ‘Recipe Tools’ site visitors can find engaging categorizations and content for cooking and eating healthy. There is a tool that allows you to browse through a list by theme or cuisine. Users can even watch videos of recipes instead of reading all of what the program has to offer from a screen.
Spotlights
The ‘Spotlights” section promotes other USDA programs and provides nutritional facts to use when selecting recipe ingredients. ChooseMyPlate is showcased on the website as a valuable tool to use alongside What’s Cooking? resources. Additionally, the USDA Food Facts Sheet and Seasonal Produce Guide make eating healthy easier when trying to follow certain recipes.
