Season 1 of Food Over 50 premiered on March 25, 2018 across PBS stations, nationwide, via American Public Television, reaching over 90% of U.S. TV households. This is due in great part to FO5O’s age-specific culinary content. The median viewing age of Public Television is 65 and we’re pleased to serve the health issues, viewing habits and appetites of this dynamic audience, of which we are part.
Click to view the FO5O Season 1 Promo
David Jackson - Host
Season One Episodes of FO5O
Food Over 50 is also available through the PBS channel on
Episode 1: Red Meat & Cholesterol
Food Over 50's first episode introduces good health and nutrition to the meals we eat, and sets the theme for the entire first series with one of our most common dietary dilemmas in America, the issue of Red Meat & Cholesterol.
Recipes featured in this episode: Bitter Sweet Steak Salad - Roast Leg of Lamb - Ratatouille - Chimichurri Sauce - Couscous
Episode 2: Sodium vs Hypertension
Food Over 50 episode #2, "The Salt Show: Sodium Vs. Hypertension," begins with a sizzling hot location intro literally! The July temperature was 117 as host David Jackson stands atop 60 million tons of reflectively white sodium chloride at Bristol Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert!
Recipes featured in this episode: Orange Sesame Chicken - Chicken Chile Verde
Episode 3: Omega 3's
"Omega 3's: Are They A Fish Story?" That's the question asked and answered in episode #3 of Food Over 50. Healthy Omega 3 fatty acids are found in a variety of fresh foods, but according to our resident dietician and "Second Helpings" co-host, Elizabeth Kelsey, seafood, particularly finned fish like salmon and mackerel, is the most efficient source for our bodies.
Recipes featured in this episode: Smoked Mackerel Pate - Mussels Marinara - Roast Salmon with Lemon and Dill
Episode 4: Sweet Things
Even if we end up with a mouthful of dentures later in life, chances are that we still retain our sweet tooth! That's why episode #4 of Food Over 50 shows viewers exactly how to satisfy this irresistible urge with creative deserts containing a healthy package of nutritionally sweet benefits, as opposed to refined white sugar which contains nothing but empty calories.
Recipes featured in this episode: Sweet & Savory Dessert Tray - Date & Bourbon Chantilly Cream - A Hint of Chocolate
Episode 5: Dietary Fiber
"Dietary Fiber: Bulking Up On Taste." Most people think that a fibrous diet consists of a lot of broom straw and tree bark, but nothing could be farther from the truth! Fiber is immensely beneficial for us as we age, especially because our intake of medicines tends to increase, our activity level tends to decrease and our "regularity" becomes a little less regular.
Recipes featured in this episode: Almost Chicken Soup - Tabbouleh with Artichoke - Homemade Chicken Stock - Libby's Regularity Recipe
Episode 6: The Power of Protein
Food Over 50 is not just your average Public Television "How To" cooking program. Instead, it's more a "Why To" series emphasizing the importance of a nutritious and health-sustaining diet as we age. And our "Power Of Protein" advances this philosophy, while balancing good nutrition with abundant flavor, thanks to five disparate but delectable recipes.
Recipes featured in this episode: Devilish Eggs - Grilled Lobster - Homemade Lobster Stock - Spanish Rice - Frijoles Pintos Picantes
Episode 7: Eating the Rainbow
Episode #7 of Food Over 50 is all about the color of what we eat, because a rainbow on our plate equals a bounty of good nutrition in our tummy. Chef/host David Jackson creates an impressive Poulet Jardin, which translates to Chicken In The Garden.
Recipes featured in this episode: Herb Roasted Chicken - Grilled Asparagus - Roast Squash - Roast Cauliflower - Herb Topped Tomatoes - Sautéed Red Cabbage - Sautéed Julienne of Carrots - Grilled Zucchini
Episode 8: Dietary Fats
Fat is flavor! Butter and lard forever! That's what all the self-styled cooking experts on commercial TV insist. But what if we're getting along in years, our hearts and arteries could use a little tender loving care and our doctors recommend we reduce saturated fats from our diets?
Recipes featured in this episode: Seared Tuna Steak - Open-Faced Burger Deluxe - Quinoa Salad
Episode 9: Unloading Carbs
Potatoes, pasta and rice are just a few examples of our daily intake of carbohydrates, and each is on the menu for episode #9 of Food Over 50, "Unloading Carbs: Reducing Dietary Starch." But as we age, we should unload some of these excess starches and sugars in favor of better choices and more modest portions.
Recipes featured in this episode: Vegetable & Rice Pilaf - Cockle & Pasta Vongole - Sautéed Garlic Potatoes
Episode 10: Aging & the Loss of Taste
David introduces our "Aging & The Loss Of Taste" episode by reminiscing about all the old TV westerns we watched as kids. But as time has moseyed along, these television "Shoot 'Em Ups" have dwindled, just like the sharpness of our eyesight, the acuity of our hearing and our ability to distinguish certain flavors the way we used to. It's the inevitability of getting older, watching a percentage of our senses ride off into the sunset.
Recipes featured in this episode: Mango Chicken Brochettes - Pork Marsala
Episode 11: The Weighty Issue of Calorie Counting
On both commercial and Public Television, weight loss diet pitches are popular. Clearly, this means that most of us are concerned with getting rid of extra pounds. But is counting calories the answer?
Recipes featured in this episode:
Insalata di Cavolo - Pollock Ceviche - Southern Style Beans - Southern Style Greens
Episode 12: The Spices of Life
"The Spices Of Life." It's an apt title for episode #12 of Food Over 50. After all, herbs and spices offer a bounty of concentrated anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that are greater than almost any other category of foodstuffs. But best of all, spices offer a superior variety of intense flavor alternatives that shame salt and sugar by comparison.
Recipes featured in this episode: Saag Aloo - Fresh & Easy Curry - Spiced Fruit Compote
Episode 13: Eating Away at Inflammation
"Eating Away At Inflammation" is the theme for episode #13 of Food Over 50 and combating this challenging health issue through good dietary choices is its purpose. Ironically, almost every recipe in each of our FO5O episodes helps fight inflammation.
Recipes featured in this episode: Beet & Ginger Salad - Mixed Seafood Grill