In mainstream America, the "cafeteria ladies" we all grew up with haven't changed much over the last 30 years. While the "hairnet set" is still doling out jiggling squares of lime Jell-O and steaming plates of "mystery meat," our children are scarfing down the same pseudo-entrees we were forced to eat, unless Mom packed a brown-bag lunch for us.

Even worse today, however, is the fast-food invasion that has overtaken the nation's schools. Many schools have "special" days when they bring in McDonald's hamburgers or Arby's roast beef sandwiches, accompanied by fat-laden French fries. Vending machines dispense Coke and Pepsi, rotting teeth and contributing to soaring childhood obesity rates.

Shopping for organic foods is an extremely rewarding experience, as you're bound to happen upon items you never knew existed.

While most of the major manufacturers and brands are represented at chain and local organic food, whole food and natural food stores, there are many vendors "off the beaten path" that can expand your culinary horizons. If you travel frequently, you've no doubt stumbled upon these smaller, specialized natural and organic food stores in out-of-the way locales, where you stocked up on delicious, hard-to-find and often-exotic treats. These days, if you can't hop on a plane to a specific location, the Internet has made shopping a 24/7 breeze.

Spring produces one the most amazing anomalies of citrus, blood oranges. The deep red, sweet, garnet colored flesh tastes as though it has been kissed by a raspberry. This unique citrus fruit is less acidic than other juice oranges. The season for this unique fruit is December through July. Blood oranges come in three varieties, Tarocco, the Moro, and the Sanguigno. Recently they have come into high season and are sweet and succulent.

How would you like to save around $30 a week while feeding your baby the highest-quality organic foods?

You can make a week's supply of baby food in only 30 minutes with an innovative new kit that contains all of the supplies you need to create fresh cuisine for your pride and joy.

Designed for infants 4-6 months old, the So Easy Baby Food Kit preserves foods' natural color, ensures your baby will not be exposed to harmful pesticides or additives (including sugar and salt) and allows great flexibility in choosing seasonal produce.

Puck for a Few Bucks

The Austrian-born restaurateur recently teamed with Country Gourmet Foods to manufacture 10 varieties of Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Organic Soups, based on some of his most popular restaurant creations.

"Wolfgang Puck has always used the freshest and best-tasting ingredients in the recipes at his restaurants, including the famous Spago," says Mike McGrath, president of Country Gourmet. "We introduced an organic soup to complement our original line of soups, allowing those who choose only organic products to enjoy the experience of Wolfgang Puck soups," he tells OrganicAuthority.com.