Our Programs

Oldways’ programs range from championing unique culinary initiatives to promoting broad-reaching nutrition education efforts. Whether raising awareness of the vital need to preserve traditional diets, or transforming the image of whole grains from exotic “health food” to mainstream favorite, Oldways has been ahead of the curve for nearly two decades in introducing people to the many rewards of eating for health, wellness, and pleasure.

CORE PROGRAMS

	Mediterranean Foods Alliance The Mediterranean Foods Alliance (MFA) is a one-stop Oldways consumer education program guiding people in how to shop for, prepare, and enjoy the healthy and delicious foods, drinks and dishes of the Mediterranean diet. The MFA also includes the Med Mark, a packaging symbol for qualifying products to help shoppers quickly locate healthy Mediterranean products. Click here to learn more.
	The Whole Grains Council The Whole Grains Council, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, helps shoppers and restaurant-goer find whole grain foods and understand their health benefits, helps manufacturers create delicious whole grains products, and helps the media write accurate, compelling stories about whole grains. Click here to learn more.
	Traditional Diets Oldways has been the principal promoter of the benefits of traditional diets since the early 1990s, while introducing four, fully illustrated traditional diet pyramids to help people make wise "at-a-glance" food and drink choices. The pyramids clearly show what foods are in each pyramid, as well as how much of and how often to consume each food and drink.Click here to learn more. Oldways International Symposiums are week-long cultural and culinary tours designed to educate opinion leaders, food and travel journalists, chefs, food importers and retailers about specific countries or regions. Oldways’ 15-year track record of organizing these Symposiums has been instrumental in increasing interest in the Mediterranean diet’s deliciously healthy foods, drinks, and culinary history.Click here to learn more.
	Culinary Tourism Oldways is well known for its culinary travel education programs originally created for and tailored to journalists, chefs, retailers, importers and other experts in the food and wine world – and now open to amateur food lovers as well! Click here to learn more.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

Pasta
Healthy Pasta Meals and World Pasta Day Pasta and the Mediterranean Diet go hand in hand. Our partnership with the International Pasta Organisation and World Pasta Day confirms pasta as a healthy addition to any balanced diet, when eaten in appropriate amounts and with other healthy ingredients. Oldways developed educational materials about pasta and health for consumers, including brochures such as Pasta For All and Pasta For Children Around the World. Click here to learn more.

Managing and Understanding Sweetness
Managing and Understanding Sweetness is an approach to helping consumers make wise choices about all foods, including sweet-tasting foods and drinks. With obesity continuing to be a growing worldwide health concern, and with consumers continuing to largely ignore dietary advice and programs, we believe this approach of managing, not banishing, can help individuals balance their calories, and enjoy healthy eating and drinking.. Click here to learn more.

PAST MAJOR INITIATIVES

	Latino Nutrition Coalition Oldways created the Latin-American Diet Pyramid in 1996, and later spearheaded a five-year initiative called the Latino Nutrition Coalition to draw attention to the role of traditional Latino foodways in addressing high levels of chronic disease in the Latino community. Since the successful conclusion of the LNC program, a collection of practical, bi-lingual materials that combine the best of healthy food traditions with the realities of modern American life has continued to be available on the Oldways website. Click here to learn more.
	Cheese of Choice Have you enjoyed a creamy Roquefort, Artisanal Cheddar, or Manchego lately? You may very well thank Oldways and the American Cheese Society for forming the Cheese of Choice Coalition, which successfully diverted the FDA’s March 2001 efforts to change the regulations about the sale of raw milk cheeses in the United States. Click here to learn more.
	Chefs Collaborative In 1993, Oldways founded the Chefs Collaborative at an international symposium called "Food Choices 2000." The collaborative was and still is a group of chefs committed to sustainability. Click here to learn more.
	Sensible Wine Drinking When Oldways launched the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in 1993, the idea that drinking could be part of a healthy lifestyle was not widely accepted. We explained the scientific evidence in conferences including our 1996 "Wine's Place at a Healthy Table" and helped increase understanding. Click here to learn more.
	Resistant Starch When it comes to eating fiber, just about everyone could do a lot better. In fact, many American adults could double their current fiber intake and still not reach the recommended target of between 25 grams (for women) and 38 grams (for men) each day. Click here to learn more.

About Oldways