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Meal prepping isn’t as hard as you think. Take a lesson from this star chef.

You’ve probably seen people posting perfectly portioned meals for the week on Instagram and gone, “who the heck has time to do that?” I don’t even have kids yet, but the idea of taking precious hours on a Sunday to shop for food, cook AND portion out the week’s meals had always seemed daunting to…

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Ally Hirschlag

Array
Array – Photo credit: Array

You’ve probably seen people posting perfectly portioned meals for the week on Instagram and gone, “who the heck has time to do that?”

I don’t even have kids yet, but the idea of taking precious hours on a Sunday to shop for food, cook AND portion out the week’s meals had always seemed daunting to me. I thought that I’d get bored eating the same basic ingredients every day and/or not have the drive to get creative and switch things up mid-week, or worse, that I’d waste the food I’d spent all that time prepping.

However, that was before I spoke with Joel Gamoran — Sur La Table’s national chef and spokesperson, and the host of a show called “Scraps” that teaches chefs at home how to make delicious meals from their food scraps. Fun fact: The Save The Food campaign actually teamed up with Joel for the second season of “Scraps” on FYI and A+E networks to help drive home the message that saving food isn’t just good for your wallet — it’s good for the planet, too.  

[rebelmouse-image 19346175 dam=1 original_size=”700×467″ caption=”Joel Gamoran and co-host. Photo courtesy of “Scraps.”” expand=1]

According to Joel and Save The Food, Americans throw a lot of food away that’s perfectly usable — in fact each person discards over 20 pounds of food per month. So their goal is to help the average person fight that habit by meal planning and repurposing what was once considered scraps. And that starts with making the whole concept of meal planning less daunting while also proving to families and individuals alike that proper meal prepping can help them save time and money.

Think you’re ready to get on the meal planning/food saving train? There’s no time like the new year to make a healthy and eco-friendly change!

First things first, let’s do away with any misconceptions you might have about what it takes to make meal planning work.

Here are 11 myths about meal planning versus the realities.

1. Meal prepping takes a lot of time.

[rebelmouse-image 19346176 dam=”1″ original_size=”700×899″ expand=1]

This is often people’s knee jerk reaction to the idea of meal planning, but in fact, the opposite is true. If you make all your meal portions for the week at once, you’re actually saving time in the long run.

Also, don’t let the grocery store intimidate you. When you’re making your list, think about building blocks. All you need to grab is a starch base that’s easy to make such as rice, couscous or quinoa, some veggies that look good to you, and a protein (vegetarian or meat) that you can either cook ahead of time or freeze and unthaw to cook the day before you’re ready to eat it.

2. Regular meal planning gets expensive.

Actually, meal planning will help you stay on a budget more than falling back on ordering out will. Plus you don’t have to spend a lot on ingredients, especially if you shop smart with meal prep in mind. If you stick to more basic vegetables and starches as your base, you can even splurge on the protein you include and still stay frugal.

What’s more, you probably already have a lot of staples in your pantry or freezer that you’ve purchased previously that are just waiting to be utilized.

3. Cooking a lot of food all at once is a chore.

You can make cooking these meals as involved or uninvolved as you want, but for those who just want to get in and get out of the kitchen, it’s all about boiling and roasting.

Start by cooking your starch in a pot on the stove, and at the same time, chop your veggies (or get them pre-chopped), toss them in some olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast them up in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Done.

4. Portioning out meals is complicated.

[rebelmouse-image 19346177 dam=1 original_size=”700×700″ caption=”Photo by Katie Smith/Unsplash.” expand=1]

If you’re like me, when you hear words like “portion” you probably think it involves math, and get nervous. But never fear! According to Joel, you never have to touch a measuring cup when meal planning. Believe it or not, you can actually portion out each meal of the day by handful — two handfuls of your starch base, one for your veggies, and your protein can be about the size of a deck of cards. Sounds pretty simple, right?

Of course you can play around with the amounts depending on what you like/how much you can eat, but this basic measuring technique is a good starting point. Portioning will also help you make sure that you don’t waste food — which is better for your wallet and the environment. And, if you’re looking to get back on the healthy eating track after the holidays, portioning is very much your friend for that, too!

5. You end up eating the same thing every day.

Just because the base is the same doesn’t mean that the meals themselves have to be. If you’re getting tired of your meals by mid-week, don’t just toss or skip them! It’s easy to change up your meal into something brand new just by adding a sauce or some seasonings.

For example, you can also sauté the veggies in sesame oil, add some leftover wontons, and poof, you’ve got Chinese stir fry. Or you can add a chicken or vegetable stock and make a hearty stew.  

“As long as you have that base, you can transform it into so many different things,” says Joel.

All it takes is a little ingenuity, and you’ve got a great dish on your hands.

6. Frozen protein isn’t as good as fresh.

[rebelmouse-image 19346178 dam=1 original_size=”700×890″ caption=”Photo by rawpixel/Unsplash.” expand=1]

You will have to freeze some of your later-in-the-week protein portions if they’re not vegetarian, but it’s a common misconception that doing so will make them taste any less delicious. In fact, according to Joel, frozen fish is actually better than fresh, because that’s how it’s initially preserved by fisherman when it’s caught. So the longer it stays frozen, the fresher it is.

And for any food scraps that you don’t end up using throughout the week (like broccoli stalks, brussels sprouts ends and potato skins), putting them in the freezer is a great way to press pause and preserve food until you’re ready to eat it. Vegetables can last 8 to 10 months in the freezer, so if you’re doing some holiday cooking this winter, consider saving those veggie scraps for meal prepping in the new year.

7. Ugly food isn’t tasty food.

Delicious food doesn’t always win beauty contests. In fact, some of the tastiest dishes may not look that attractive at first glance. Like anything else, beauty comes from within, and if what’s within is super tasty, then you’ve got nothing to worry about.

So even though your prepared meals might not scream Instagram-worthy, know that doesn’t mean they won’t taste awesome.

8. You have to meal plan for the whole week.

Good news — you never have to do something you don’t want to do! Just make enough over the weekend to last you for the number of days you want ready-to-go meals, and feel free to celebrate Friday with takeout.

Save The Food’s Meal Prep Mate can also help you prep three, four or five meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner, so if you want to plan the whole week out, you can do it easily.

And don’t fret if you do end up making too much. You can always freeze the meal for later, or give it to a roommate or friend who may love a home-cooked dinner or lunch.

9. It’s hard to be creative when you’re so busy.

[rebelmouse-image 19346179 dam=1 original_size=”700×467″ caption=”Photo courtesy of “Scraps.”” expand=1]

There’s no need to stress about making your meals fun and unique — it’s as simple as adding sauces and toppings. You know how when you get a salad at a salad bar and the last accents make all the difference? It’s the same principle here.

“It’s all about the condiments and textures that are kind of like add-ons on the top,” explains Joel. And the more you play around, the more delicious combinations you’ll discover.

10. This is much harder to make work if you’re vegetarian.

[rebelmouse-image 19346180 dam=1 original_size=”700×394″ caption=”Photo by Natalia Y/Unsplash.” expand=1]

It doesn’t need to be. There are so many meat-free proteins that can go beautifully with your vegetables and grains. For example, tofu, beans and eggs are some of the most transformative proteins out there.

Seitan can also turn plain old rice and veggies into a delightful Asian dish with very little seasoning and effort.

11. You can’t help wasting food when meal prepping.

While you’ll inadvertently be cutting off stems and peeling outer layers of vegetables while prepping, but you don’t have to just toss them all in the trash. There’s so many ways you can turn your food scraps into delicious meals.

“Each scrap is like its own little puzzle,” says Joel.

For example, you can take your leftover potato peels, toss them in salt and pepper, sriracha and olive oil, roast them in the oven for 15 minutes and bam, you’ve got some tasty potato chips. Or you can take empty shrimp tails and boil them in some water with a cheese cloth full of herbs, and you’ve got a delicious shrimp stock to dress up your pasta dishes. And here are some more “scrappy” recipes you can try.

With just a little creative thinking, you can make easy, delicious food, save money, and help stop food waste all at the same time.

[rebelmouse-image 19346181 dam=1 original_size=”1200×624″ caption=”Photo courtesy of “Scraps.”” expand=1]

It’s amazing to think that by doing so little, you can achieve so much for yourself and the planet. And it gets even better if you follow Joel’s advice on utilizing food scraps.

“You’ll be so surprised when you cook scrappy how much food you actually have.”

So what are you waiting for?

You can learn more about cooking scrappy and making meal prep work for you by trying the Meal Prep Mate and watching “Scraps” on FYI and A+E.

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    Website lets users experience what it's like reading text when you have dyslexia. – Photo credit: Canva Photos

    Brilliantly simple website gives users a small taste of what it’s like to read with dyslexia

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    At first glance, Dyslexie doesn't look all that different from a regular font. By studiostudio graphic design – Fair Use

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    As The Independent noted, people who have dyslexia experience it differently and through various symptoms. Widell’s site can’t possibly simulate the one and only experience of someone who has dyslexia because there isn’t a one and only experience.

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    When Autumn de Forest was 5, she picked up a paintbrush for the first time.

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    What a beautiful idea.

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    Update from the author: I wrote a follow-up to this article sharing a trauma-informed perspective of the activity. You can read it here.

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    This starts my 22nd year of teaching middle school. Yesterday was quite possibly one of the most impactful days I have ever had.

    I tried a new activity called “The Baggage Activity”. I asked the kids what it meant to have baggage and they mostly said it was hurtful stuff you carry around on your shoulders.

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    Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/82293232@N03/">Flickr user Post Man</a> <a href="https://assets.goodstatic.com/s3/magazine/assets/556890/original/Card_14.jpg=s900x900">assets.goodstatic.com</a>

    Two women from Bou-Saâda c. 1911

    Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/82293232@N03/">Flickr user Post Man</a> <a href="https://assets.goodstatic.com/s3/magazine/assets/556891/original/Card_15.jpg=s900x900">assets.goodstatic.com</a>

    This article originally appeared on 6.4.19

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  • Florida teacher fired for giving zeros to students who didn’t turn in their work
    Array – Photo credit: Array
    ,

    Florida teacher fired for giving zeros to students who didn’t turn in their work

    The lowest possible grade that teachers can give students is a 50, even if they don’t turn anything in.

    Kim Wong-Shing

    Upworthy Staff

    A Florida teacher has been fired for giving her students zeros for missing assignments.

    Diane Tirado has been a teacher for years. Most recently, she was an eighth-grade history teacher at Westgate K-8 School in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

    Diane recently gave her students two weeks to complete an Explorer notebook project, but several students simply didn’t hand it in. Since there was zero work done, Diane gave them zeros.

    She got fired for it.

    The elementary school has a rule called the “no zero policy.”

    The lowest possible grade that teachers can give students is a 50, even if they don’t turn anything in.

    A letter from fired teacher Diane Tirado
    A letter from fired teacher Diane Tirado Diane Tirado/Facebook

    It’s a rule that Diane, unsurprisingly, does not agree with. After she was fired for disobeying, she left her students a charming goodbye message on the whiteboard.

    “Bye kids. Mrs. Tirado loves you and wishes you the best in life. I have been fired for refusing to give you a 50 percent for not handing anything in. Love, Mrs. Tiado”

    The scale, as outlined by the school, reads as follows:

    A = 90 to 100

    B = 80 to 89

    C = 70-79

    D = 60-69

    F = 50-59

    Diane later shared the story on Facebook, hoping to spread awareness about the school’s policy.

    “A grade in Mrs. Tirado’s class is earned,” she said.

    “I’m so upset because we have a nation of kids that are expecting to get paid and live their life just for showing up and it’s not real.”

    Diane’s post has gone viral, and most commenters agree with her position – it’s not fair to hand out grades for work that doesn’t exist.

    “The reason I took on this fight was because it was ridiculous. Teaching should not be this hard,” Diane said.

    This article was originally published on 7.26.19 by our partners at Wimp.

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  • Tired of being humiliated, these girls fought the sexist school dress code. And won.
    Array – Photo credit: Deanna Wolf/Facebook
    , , ,

    Tired of being humiliated, these girls fought the sexist school dress code. And won.

    “In a way, you’re telling [a girl] that boys are more entitled to their education than she is.”

    Evan Porter

    Upworthy Staff

    Four middle-schoolers sat at the podium. Poised. Confident. Ready to challenge the Portland Public Schools board on its dress code.

    Four teenagers stand at a wooden podium at a school board meeting
    Four students from Portland, Oregon, testified in front of the board in May 2015 Image via PPS Communications/YouTube.

    AnaLuiza, a seventh-grader, told a story of a friend who was pulled aside one day for wearing a skirt deemed to be too short.

    The friend sat in the principal’s office for hours while the staff tried to get ahold of her parents. She missed important classwork, and worse yet, felt humiliated by the ordeal.

    “The only reason I go to school is to get my education,” AnaLuiza told the board. “When I get dressed in the morning, my intention is not to provoke or be sexualized. My intention is to feel comfortable in my own skin.”

    Sophia, also in seventh grade at the time, spoke last.

    “My problem with the dress code is that 100% of the students that get sent home are female. … In a way, you’re telling [a girl] that boys are more entitled to their education than she is. And I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

    They were absolutely right. Because if you’re a preteen or teenage girl in America, you can get a dress code violation for almost anything: showing your midriff, shoulder, collarbone, leg, bra strap, or, in some cases, for just wearing something as harmless as spaghetti straps.

    Girl with blonde hair wearing a tank top and sweater and jeans
    Stephanie Hughes of Kentucky was cited for a dress code violation for this outfit, which sometimes shows her collarbone. Photo by Stacie Dunn/Facebook

    Girls who violate their schools’ dress codes are accused of being distractions and are often humiliated in front of their classmates.

    They’re then either sent home to change (missing valuable class time) or forced to cover up with “shame clothes,” like old sweatpants that have been lying around the guidance counselor’s office for who knows how long.

    This has been a problem for years, and a particularly frustrating one to solve. Almost everyone agrees schools need some kind of dress code, but almost no one can agree on what that should look like.

    A girl at school wearing loose fitting shirt and black leggings
    Deanna Wolf of Alabama says her 15-year-old daughter missed an entire class period simply for wearing leggings and a loose-fitting shirt. Deanna Wolf/Facebook

    But now, thanks to these brave Portland students and a couple of key community members, we might finally be making some progress.

    The school board, to the surprise of many, agreed the dress code needed fixing. But that didn’t mean it would be easy.

    A committee was formed, including Sophia (one of the girls who testified in front of the board), parents, teachers, and other community leaders. Lisa Frack, president of the Oregon chapter of the National Organization of Women, and a parent, was one of them.

    Frack said some issues were easy to fix, like the ban on spaghetti straps. That was quick to go. Others? Not so much.

    There was plenty of back-and-forth. Are short shorts OK? How about cleavage? What about all of the subtle (and not-so-subtle) policies that unfairly target students of color?

    A girl in yellow shirt smiling at the camera
    Marian Wilson-Reed of Texas says her 9-year-old daughter was pulled out of class because school administrators thought her natural hairstyle looked like a mohawk, which was against the rules. Marian Wilson-Reed/Facebook

    Then there was the issue of enforcement. Although hopefully, with the new dress code, there would be fewer violations, the committee wanted to find ways to eliminate shaming and missed class time for students who broke the rules.

    Despite debate on some of these specific issues, Frack said, the conversation always came back to the same basic point.

    Some board members “felt like they wanted a little line in there reminding everyone that this is a learning institution. But that’s exactly what we’re trying to get away from,” Frack said.

    “We don’t want to link clothing and learning. … You can’t learn math better or worse whether you have a tie on or a collared shirt or a tank top.”

    “We’re going to basically have people covering what you have to do to not be naked.”

    The final approved dress code, one of only a few like it in the U.S., was a major improvement. But perhaps just as important was the conversation sparked by the process.

    Gone was phrasing that specifically targeted bare midriffs, “plunging necklines,” or “sexually suggestive clothing.” The new, gender-neutral code essentially asks that students wear a top and a bottom (or a dress), and that their clothes not show profanity or reference drugs.

    It’s pretty simple. But the conversations that led to this point were anything but.

    “It raised the issue of people’s discomfort with how girls are objectified in this country. Is it a solution to tell them to cover up?” Frack said. She even recalled some of the adult members of the advisory committee having trouble talking about things like breasts and sexuality with a straight face — which, she said, is part of the problem.

    For now, though, Frack just hopes this code can serve as a model to other districts looking to get with the times. Portland just rolled out the new policy in the fall of 2016, so it remains to be seen how it’ll fare — especially when the weather gets hot again.

    But so far, Frack said, all she’s heard from parents is how happy their kids are to be free to be themselves without judgment.

    This article originally appeared on 9.1.16

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  • Immigrants explain why they personally celebrate the Fourth of July each year.
    Some different perspectives on the American experience. – Photo credit: Photo collage created from Pixabay
    , ,

    Immigrants explain why they personally celebrate the Fourth of July each year.

    This is what patriotism is all about.

    Upworthy Staff

    Some 300 million people live in the United States. And over 40 million of them are immigrants.

    Now, some people might have you believe that too many immigrants might cause us to lose our identity as Americans or that we ought to be fighting and clinging to “the way things were.”

    But if you look around, you’ll see that more than 1 in 10 Americans were born somewhere else — meaning they have their own unique set of amazing experiences to share and their own amazing stories about why they’re here.

    They each have their own ideas about what being an American means to them, too. And they each have their own reasons for celebrating American independence on the Fourth of July.

    So if you want to feel proud, excited, and maybe even a teensy bit emotional about being an American, this one’s for you.

    Meet five immigrants from all over the country (and all over the world!) who are showing their American pride in many, many shades of red, white, and blue this year.

    Mexican American experience, traditional, celebration
    Traditional food the celebrate the Fourth of July. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@briewilly?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Chad Montano</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a>

    1. Nayeli Ruvalcaba’s Fourth of July is full of traditional Mexican food and mariachi music.

    Ruvalcaba, who was born in Mexico but moved to Chicago when she was 4, spent her early childhood in a mostly caucasian neighborhood called Lakeview. There, she says the Fourth of July was pretty much what you’d expect.

    “Everyone would be making ribs and burgers and mac and cheese. And my dad would be drinking Budweisers and Coors Light,” she said with a laugh.

    Nayeli with her parents.

    But when she was 16, she moved to a more diverse area of the city filled with families from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Poland.

    There, she says, their holidays are much more vibrant. Neighbors gather in the alleys and share their customs and cultures with one another. They sing along with music (her boyfriend, who is in a mariachi band, often gets the party going). They play games. And then there’s the food: Nayeli says she loves to chow down on delicious Fourth of July dishes like arrachera (a Mexican skirt steak), polish sausage, guacamole, and, of course, burgers.

    “I know it’s an American holiday,” she says. “Buteveryone has their own culture. You just mix it in with what everyoneelse does.”

    Nayeli and her boyfriend in full mariachi get-up!

    watermelon, English tea, mishmash of culture
    Celebrating with a U.K. twist on the Fourth of July. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@cajugos?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Caju Gomes</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a>

    2. Johanna Dodd and her family celebrate their Fourth of July the “old fashioned way” but with a small U.K.-based twist.

    A one-year work contract for her husband brought the Dodds to Connecticut from the U.K. years ago. 12 years later, they’re still here.

    The Dodds!

    On their Fourth of July, she says, “We tend to do what everyone else in town does. We’ll head to the fireworks display with our cooler packed full of food, and, occasionally, we’ll sneak in some alcohol.”

    Sounds pretty American to me!

    Johanna’s young daughter watches the fireworks.

    “The kids run around, there’s lots of glow sticks, lots of football (both kinds) being played, lots of fun stuff happening. As it gets darker, there’s the national anthem, and then out come the fireworks.”

    But there is one slightly British twist to the Dodds’ holiday: “We don’t really do the tailgating thing. We bring what we would call ‘an English tea.’ There’s watermelon, yogurts, cheese sandwiches. Kind of a mishmash of both cultures.”

    grilling, fish, Liberia, American experience
    Bringing home country traditions to the American experience. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@clintbustrillos?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Clint Bustrillos</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a>

    3. Martin Matthews says he never misses a Fourth of July parade and for a powerful reason.

    Matthews was 8 years old when he first came to America to escape a civil war in his home country of Liberia. One of his first memories? A huge Fourth of July parade in New Jersey.

    “I had never seen anything like that. The flags, the drums, everything. I remember watching in awe.”

    Martin with his wife.

    He returned to Africa later on but came back to live in America again when fighting broke out in his home country. And when he returned, that big parade stuck in his memory.

    “I always loved that about America. It was a place I could be safe. A place I could enjoy freedom,” he said. “To celebrate the independence of the United States holds a deep place in my heart.”

    These days, Martin is big on having barbecues with friends to celebrate Independence Day. There are a lot of burgers and hot dogs, but he’ll sometimes mix in traditional African dishes, too, like African-style kabobs, to introduce his friends to his heritage.

    “It’s a big thing in Africa for people to put fish on the grill, like the whole fish,” he added. “You put the whole thing on there. It was the first time some of my American friends had ever tried fish on the grill that wasn’t salmon.”

    But his favorite thing about the holiday is still the parades. “We get there early and wave our American flags. Every year I always wear some kind of American shirt. We sit there and watch everything. It’s my way of saying thanks to my adopted country.”

    cricket, India, celebrating holiday, University of Michigan
    Changing the rules to make it work. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@alken?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Alfred Kenneally</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a>

    4. Jay Pockyarath mixes cricket with an American-style barbecue on Independence Day.

    “Ever since I was in eighth grade, all I wanted to do was come to the United States,” he told Upworthy. After finishing college in India, he finally got the chance when studying nuclear medicine at the University of Michigan. From there, he married an American woman and started a family.

    “The thing that works [in America] is that it’s a meritocracy,” Pockyarath said. “July Fourth is a celebration of that, in my mind. Of independence. Of the freedom to succeed.”

    Jay, who was born in India, proudly flies an American flag outside his home for July Fourth.

    Pockyarath has lived in the United States for over 40 years, so it’s no surprise that his holiday celebration looks pretty familiar: steak, hamburgers, and hot dogs on the grill. To him, what’s really important is spending time with family.

    “Usually we make up games,” he laughed. “We play cricket — not the way it’s supposed to be played, but with a tennis ball. We make up our own rules.”

    American flag, Fourth of July, friends and family, decorating
    Embracing the traditions and bringing your own flare to it. Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@genefoto?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Gene Gallin</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=RebelMouse&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a>

    5. Natalia Paruz is originally from Israel, and she decorates everything in red, white, and blue.

    Natalia is now a musician in New York City.

    “First I came here with my parents [about 20 years ago] for a year. At the end of the year, they went back to Israel, and I wanted to stay here,” she told Upworthy.

    Now she works as a musician in New York City. And she absolutely, positively loves the Fourth of July.

    “It’s a really fun day. It’s a day where you can put politics aside. It’s a day for celebrating the joy of this country.”

    Natalia and her husband host friends every year for a big meal. “I love decorating the house for the holiday with the flags. There’s always a big flag hanging from the flagpole. In the back, that’s where I really go all out. Every tree gets some kind of decoration!”

    “We make hot dogs, hamburgers — how can you not?” she said. “We also make tahini, which is a traditional Israeli food. It’s made of sesame seeds and it becomes a paste and you spread it on pita bread. Our friends here love it.”

    Natalia says an overabundance of food “as if you’re going to entertain a bunch of soldiers” is a nod to her Israeli roots.

    This year, she’s going out with friends to watch fireworks. “I wear a T-shirt that has an American flag on it and a bracelet with the colors of the flag. If you’re celebrating, you might as well go to the maximum.”

    It turns out, celebrating America means different things to different people. And that’s kind of the point.

    In my mind, the only thing better than a Fourth of July party filled with burgers, steaks, beer, and fireworks is a Fourth of July party filled with all of those things plus Mexican food and African music and “English tea” and tahini and mariachi bands and more.

    So whether we choose to embrace the “American way” of celebrating Independence Day (red meat and fireworks) or to use it as a chance to celebrate the unique melting pot of culture that is our country today or something in between, I think we can all agree that the America we have now is already pretty great.

    This article originally appeared on 07.01.16

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  • A shelter made online dating profiles for 22 animals. The results are adorable.
    Array – Photo credit: Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash
    , , ,

    A shelter made online dating profiles for 22 animals. The results are adorable.

    Anyone who’s ever been on Tinder knows having a cute animal in the photo is usually a big hit. But what if Tinder profile photos only featured that cute animal? And what if, instead of a millennial would-be hooker-upper, it was the adorable dog or cat itself looking for true love? That’s an idea some…

    Upworthy Staff

    Anyone who’s ever been on Tinder knows having a cute animal in the photo is usually a big hit.

    But what if Tinder profile photos only featured that cute animal? And what if, instead of a millennial would-be hooker-upper, it was the adorable dog or cat itself looking for true love?

    That’s an idea some animal shelters are toying with.

    “We are always trying to come up with … creative new ways to get our shelter dogs out in front of potential adopters,” says Karen Hirsch, public relations director at LifeLine Animal Project in Georgia.

    Animal Profile created by Mark Wales Photo from Pixabay

    And experimenting with online dating for dogs and cats might just be working.

    The harsh world of pet adoption is extremely competitive: About 6.5 million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters every year, each seeking a good forever home. It’s too big a need for shelter operators to just sit back and hope they all get adopted.

    That’s why you see adorable dogs on display outside the grocery store, partnerships with Uber that will bring puppies directly to you for playtime, and aww-inspiring social media campaigns like dogs in pajamas.

    An estimated 50 million people worldwide use Tinder. So LifeLine and other shelters and rescues figure why not give it a shot?

    After all, people using online dating apps are already looking for love and companionship — just maybe a slightly different kind.

    Hirsch says they recently created profiles for 22 of their dogs and cats.

    Animal profiles are also showing up on Bumble, which is home to another 20 million users or so.

    Like sweet Duke here.

    Animal Profile created by Mark Wales Original photo from Pixabay

    Each pet is assigned to a volunteer who creates the profile and handles the conversations after a match

    “In a crowded shelter, pets often get overlooked, but on a dating app, the animal becomes an individual,” Hirsch says. “People learn about them and form a ‘virtual’ attachment.”

    Plus the witty banter is oodles of fun.

    For LifeLine, the experiment is still new. But Hirsch says people are responding to it incredibly well so far.

    At the very least, Tinder and Bumble have proven to be great for word-of-mouth awareness-building on the importance of adopting shelter pets. The animals are getting dozens of matches. Hirsch says there have been more than a few online adoption inquiries, as well as people coming into the shelter to meet their “match” in person.

    She also notes that one of the matches even became a regular volunteer at LifeLine.

    This new animal dating idea has another upside for apps — and the people using them, too.

    Dating experts are finding that people are getting burned out by online dating. Between “ghosting,” “cushioning,” “the slow fade,” and a bunch more of those annoying slang terms, humans out there are wondering if dating apps are even worth the effort.

    For romantic love, who knows?

    But now that you might just meet the dog or cat of your dreams, that’s not a bad reason to keep on swiping.


    This article originally appeared on 01.10.18

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