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National Pasta Month. National Pizza Month. National Pork Month. National Pumpkin Month. National Cookie Month. National Apple Month. National Chili Month. And the list goes on.
October is full of tributes to some of our favorite foods!
We're going to take the Mondays in October to share some interesting facts about the crops and critters behind the yum! This week, we're focusing on Pasta Month and some facts about durum, which is used to make pasta.
According to the N.D. Wheat Commission, the pandemic has caused more consumers to cook at home frequently, and turn to comfort and staple foods. Pasta is a food choice that fits well due to its versatility, nutritional qualities, affordability and reliability.
- Pasta comes in more than 600 shapes and when combined with various sauces, vegetables and protein options, it makes an incredibly versatile meal option.
- Contrary to what you might hear, pasta is also a very nutritious food choice. One serving of pasta provides less than 200 calories and is low in sodium yet provides nearly 25% of recommended daily fiber intake and many valuable vitamins and minerals.
- Pasta is also one of the most economical food options, making it an attractive meal choice in uncertain times. According to National Pasta Association research, Americans pay around $1.45 for a pound of pasta that provides eight servings – that works out to less than 20 cents per serving.
- Pasta is a reliable choice, thanks in large part to the dedication of North Dakota producers which have kept our state as the leading producer of durum in the nation, despite economic challenges. North Dakota producers grow enough durum for roughly 13 billion servings of pasta each year.
- A good share of our state’s production is processed in-state at one of these facilities: Minot Milling, a division of Philadelphia Macaroni located in Minot, N.D.; Dakota Growers Pasta Company located in Carrington, N.D.; and the North Dakota Mill in Grand Forks.
- North Dakota durum is also sent out of state to mills throughout the United States, and to customers around the world. Italy, Algeria, and Nigeria are the largest international buyers, but North Dakota durum also finds its way to smaller markets in Central America and Europe.
Celebrate pasta month by learning more about our state’s durum and pasta production and make one of your favorite pasta dishes. For great pasta cooking tips and recipes, visit www.pastafits.org and for more information on pasta month, visit www.ndwheat.com.
We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all the durum growers out there for keeping us well fed through the pandemic and beyond!