These days, everyone is searching for ways to make each dollar stretch, particularly when it comes to meal planning. We all want our families to consume foods that are not only nutritious but filling and energy rich. Pasta is one such food, and we are lucky to have nutrient-rich pasta made here on the island by our own Jamaica Macaroni Factory.

Pasta is budget-friendly, easy to prepare, and can be 'stretched' as the main starch in a meal with delicious sauces and a sprinkling of cheese or with meat dishes and soups. Pasta is also fortified with folic acid which, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA),"may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with brain or spinal-cord defects. A 2oz serving of dry pasta will supply the equivalent of about 100 micrograms a day of folic acid or 25 per cent of the recommended daily intake (RDI)".

Additionally, fitness enthusiasts, especially endurance athletes, will be happy to hear that pasta is "high in complex carbohydrates, which provide a "time release" of energy rather than a quick boost. Most athletes include complex carbohydrates in their diet to save up the energy in their body. The carbohydrates become glucose stored in the muscles. The glucose energy is then released when needed during long, tiring exercise, like long-distance running or biking".

Marathon season

With marathon season well under way, athletes are busy completing their training routines as they make the final push before Jamaica's internationally acclaimed Gleaner-sponsored Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K in Negril on December 5.

At the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association's 'World's Best Pasta Party', athletes will be able to dig into a wide range of pasta dishes as they load up on carbs before the race. There will, no doubt, also be a variety of sauces to add flavour and spice like the one below, courtesy of the people at Hunt's.

Source: www.ilovepasta.org/nutrition

Ingredients

2 cans (170g each) Hunt's Tomato Paste

2 cups hot water

2 cans (411g each) Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, Oregano, un-drained

Directions

1.Combine tomato paste and water in medium saucepan, stir in diced tomatoes with liquid.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve over hot cooked pasta.

(Makes 12 servings).