December: National Food Days/Weeks/Month

Listed are some examples of December's National Food Days, Weeks and Month:

Eat a Red Apple Day (December 1)

Fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Most of us have heard the phrase "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The best part about including apples into your diet is that they are low in calories and high in dietary fiber.

Oatmeal Muffin Day (December 19)

Adding oatmeal to your muffins gives them a nutritional boost! Oatmeal is classified as a whole grain and can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity. Grabbing an oatmeal muffin makes a perfect on-the-go breakfast option. Make sure to add a glass of low-fat or nonfat milk on your way out.

Pumpkin Pie Day (December 25)
Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A. Pumpkin pie is a great way to get vitamin A into your diet.

Handwashing Awareness Week (1st Full Week of December)

Handwashing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of illness according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Help promote handwashing at your work or community site.

Egg Nog Month

Beware of drinking eggnog made with raw eggs during the holidays! Many older classic holiday recipes call for raw eggs. This cooking practice is not considered safe because of possible Salmonella infection.

Food Safety Tips for the Holiday

Make sure to keep your family and friends safe during the holidays. Food safety may not be important for you during the holidays, but it is essential in order to keep your family and friends from getting a foodborne illness.

Healthy Holiday Tips
Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain (Not a special day ... but a recurring theme throughout the month!)
Extra calories can sneak in over the holidays. They don't always come in large portions, but can tiptoe in through tiny tastes throughout the day.

Pear Month
Many fruits are out of season during the winter months. Pears are available fresh during this time.

October: National Food Days

Child Health Day (October 1st)

Nutrition and physical activity play an important role in a child's health. Staying healthy can be easy to remember when you think about five numbers. 5-4-3-2-1 Go! is a program that was developed by the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children. Each number represents the following:

• 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
• 4 servings of water a day
• 3 servings of low-fat dairy
• 2 hours or less of screen time a day
• 1 hour or more of physical activity a day

Chocolate Day (October 28th)

Can you believe eating chocolate actually has health benefits? Chocolate contains flavonoid compounds that act as antioxidants:

• Reduce free radicals produced by oxygen
• Lower LDL cholesterol
• Reduce blood pressure
• Reduce platelet aggregation

Eating as little as 7 grams of dark chocolate may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Be careful though, eating too many calories from chocolate may lead to weight gain. Aim for eating 90 to 100 kcal/d of dark chocolate to gain health benefits without gaining weight.

Oatmeal Day (October 29th)

Oatmeal has many nutritional benefits, and it is a great way to start your morning. Eating a bowl of oatmeal can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Halloween (October 31st)

5 Tips to a healthier Halloween:

1. Hand out healthier treats rather than just candy (granola bars; snack packs such as trail mix, raisins, crackers, or pretzels; 100% juice boxes; non-candy Halloween treats such as stickers, bookmarks, tattoos, erasers, and pencils).
2. Eat a nutritious meal before going trick-or-treating, so children are not hungry and only want to eat candy for supper.
3. Limit the number of treats your child can have each day. (Make sure to decide the appropriate number ahead of time and let children know the limits and why it is important to limit candy).
4. Keep candy out of reach to prevent continuous and mindless eating of candy.
5. Eat a piece of candy with a glass of milk or apple slices to add some healthy nutrients.

September is Whole Grain Month

What can you do for Whole Grains Month?

 

Whole Grains Month is a great time for everyone to get on the whole grains bandwagon. Eating better is not an all-or-nothing choice; every little improvement you make in your food helps – in every month.

How Much is Enough?

Adults: Eat at least half their grains as whole grains – that's at least 3 to 5 servings of whole grains.

Children: Need 2 to 3 servings or more.

 

Post this list of "baby-steps" on your fridge, and try as many as possible this month:

• Buy three different loaves of whole-grain bread and taste all of them to see which one you like best.
• Serve bulgur or brown rice instead of potatoes with dinner one night this month.
• Look for the Whole Grain Stamp every time you shop.
• Try a new breakfast cereal with at least 16 grams of whole grain per serving.
• Buy some whole-wheat pasta and try it.
• Visit the health food store or a major grocery and look at all the different grains in bins.
• Make your favorite whole grain recipe for a friend.
• On the weekend, try cooking a pot of steel-cut oatmeal.
• Make pizza for the kids with whole wheat pita as the crust.
• Make your favorite cookies with whole wheat flour next time instead of white.
• Serve hamburgers with whole wheat buns this week.

 

 



World Breastfeeding Week/Breastfeeding Month

Welcome to World Breastfeeding Week 2012,

August 1st - 7th

It's Time To Act After 10 Years Global Strategy And 20 Years WBW!

20 years ago, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) launched its first World BreastfeedingWeek (WBW) campaign with the theme: "Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative". So much has happened in these 20 years, it is time to celebrate, but also to look back, understand what has happened and why. Then plan what more can be done to support all women to be able to optimally feed and care for of their infants and young children.

August is National Breastfeeding Month

This month, and every month, focus not just on the reasons why it's important to breastfeed, but on how to make breastfeeding work for you and your baby.

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Research shows that babies who are exclusively breastfed for six months are less likely to develop ear infections, diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, and may be less likely to develop childhood obesity.

Arm yourself with information now, and you'll thank yourself later for giving your baby the best possible start in life.



June is National Dairy Month

Happy National Dairy Month!

This month, try incorporating just one more serving of low-fat or fat-free dairy into your diet each day.

Milk contains 9 essential nutrients, making it one of the most nutrient-dense beverages you an enjoy.
Milk Nutrients: Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Protein, Vitamin A, D, B12, Riboflavin and Niacin.

All Milk Has:
Calcium and Vitamin D for strong teeth and bones
Protein for muscle growth
Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium for healthy blood pressure

Low Fat Milk Has:
Same calcium

Same protein

Same minerals and vitamins
Less fat
Fewer calories

Great Tasting Ways to Use Milk and Cheese:

Start at Breakfast:
Add low fat milk to whole grain cereal with fresh fruit
Use low fat milk in place of water when making oatmeal
Make scrambled eggs with low fat milk and top with mozzarella cheese

Snack Smart:

Prepare instant pudding mix with low fat or fat free milk and spoon over vanilla wafer cookies and
sliced bananas
Mix low fat milk or yogurt with fruit in a blender to make a fruit smoothie
Enjoy a cup of steaming hot chocolate – mix fat free milk with chocolate syrup



Healthier Meals:

Make soups and casseroles more flavorful by adding low fat milk
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of broccoli, beans, whole grain rice or other family favorites
Make soups and casseroles more flavorful by adding low fat milk
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of broccoli, beans, whole grain rice or other family favorites

Moving to lower fat milk?

- Take Your Time -

Step one: Switch between whole and 2%
Step two: Stick with 2% if you like it, or switch between 2% and 1%
Step three: Stick with 1% if you like it, or switch between 1% and fat free

Sensitive to lactose?

Try low fat and fat free lactose free milk!

Recipe, enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Shake
Get a boost of protein and a dose of calcium all in one delicious power-packed drink.

Ingredients:

1 cup fat-free or 1% low-fat chocolate milk
½ cup frozen banana slices
1 tablespoon peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth and creamy. Serve in tall glass or on-the-go drink container.

 

 

 



Screen-Free Week

April 30 – May 6 is Screen-Free Week, the annual celebration where children, families, schools, and communities turn off screens and turn on life. Feel free to visit http://www.screenfree.org/to download free a Screen-Free Week Organizer's Kit. The kit is packed with fact sheets, great suggestions for screen-free activities, pledge cards, and more!

Fresh Tomato Day - April 6

• Did you know the best place to store tomatoes is at room temperature (above 55 F) until they've fully ripened.
• A ripe tomato is red or reddish orange, depending on variety and yields to slight pressure.
• Store them stem end up as the "shoulders" are the softest part and bruise most easily.
• Keep them out of direct sunlight. If you must store them a longer time, place them (after they've ripened fully) in the refrigerator.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Makes approximately 12 pieces of bruschetta

Enjoy fresh and flavorful tomatoes in this quick and easy version of a tomato bruschetta recipe! It's great as a snack or an appetizer and is loaded with nutrients.

This recipe makes approximately 12 pieces of bruschetta, depending on whether you add the topping to the bread or people serve themselves.

Ingredients:
• 8 ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 red onion, Spanish onion or sweet onion, chopped

• 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 loaf Italian- or French-style bread, cut into 1/2 inch diagonal slices

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Set aside.

3. Arrange bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake about 5 to 7 minutes until it begins to brown slightly.

4. Remove bread from oven and transfer to a serving platter.

5. Serve the tomato mixture in a bowl with a serving spoon and let everyone help themselves. Or place

some on each slice of bread before serving. If adding the tomato mixture yourself, add it at the last

minute or the bread may become soggy. Enjoy!