We chatted about backyard chickens live on CNN Newsroom with Suzanne Malveaux this afternoon. Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about the growing trend.

Q: Will having a backyard chicken reduce the cost of eggs for my family and me?

A: This varies wildly depending on the way you decide to house them (a do-it-yourself coop or pen versus a fancy Egglu) and if you decide to feed them chicken feed, organic chicken feed, kitchen scraps or allow them to be free-range. You should also factor in how many chickens you or your neighbors have, since buying bulk can reduce the cost a tremendous amount.
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In a country filled with weight loss reality shows and outsized fast food combos, the omnipresence of food insecurity and hunger in the United States might come as a shock to some.

According to the USDA, 50 million people, or 16.6 percent of Americans, live in households at risk of hunger. The Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, now puts food on the table for one in seven Americans. A family of three (one adult, two kids) earning more than $23,900 would not be eligible for food stamps.

The new documentary, "Hunger Hits Home," explores the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the parents, children, anti-hunger activists, educators and politicians on the front lines of the battle. The film, which premieres April 14, is part of Food Network's ongoing partnership with Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign to end childhood hunger in America by 2015.

Here's what's at stake in our own backyard and beyond.
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Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.

• Will the arsenic and antibiotics found in chicken farms be the next incarnation of the "pink slime" controversy? - The Atlantic

• Rest in Beef: PETA's new billboard shows a meat pie in the shape of a coffin and reads, "Not Ready to Meat Your Maker? Fight Obesity: Go Vegan." - PETA UK

• More and more medical professionals are learning how to cook in order to be role models for their patients. - New York Times

• The ice cream man's dirty little secret: High-pitched tunes make life sweeter. - Smithsonian.com

• Hey wine bars! Matthew Latkiewicz says chill out with the pretension. - Grub Street

In a crunch, the chip crusader keeps the peace.

While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Keep your fondue sticks at the ready because April 11 is National Cheese Fondue Day!

While few can say no to a warm pot of cheese fondue with soft bread cubes for the ultimate dipping pleasure, the Swiss are proud to call this their national dish. The fondue pot phenomenon didn't catch on here until the 1960s, but oh, how we have embraced it.

The Swiss were so proud of their fondue that after World War II, fondue sets were sent out to all military regiments. It's no wonder they regard it as a symbol of national unity - everyone likes to congregate around the fondue pot.
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