Start the New Year With More Fruits and Vegetables

Peggy R. Anderson

Extension Agent

January 11, 2012

Start the New Year With More Fruits and Vegetables

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? Do you eat fruit at least two times per day and vegetables three times a day?

If you have any goals for getting healthier, you may want to include “eat more fruits and vegetables” to your list. Eating plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables adds variety and flavor to your diet. They lower our risk for several diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Enjoying more fruits and vegetables also plays a role in weight management because they help us feel full due to their water and fiver content. They also provide important vitamins and minerals to maintain good health.

Try these 10 tips for affordable vegetables and fruits from www.choosemyplate.gov:

1.       Celebrate the season. Use fresh vegetables and fruits that are in season. They are easy to get, have more flavor and are usually less expensive.

2.      Why pay full price? Check the local newspaper, online and at the store for sales, coupons and specials that will cut food costs.

3.      Stick to your list. Plan your meals ahead of time and make a grocery list. Don’t shop when you’re hungry. Shopping after eating helps you avoid buying tempting snack foods, and you will have more of your food budget for vegetables and fruits.

4.      Try canned or frozen. Compare the price and number of servings from fresh, canned and frozen forms of the same veggie or fruit.

5.      Buy smart amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. If you buy only the amount you will use, you will avoid throwing away spoiled fruits and vegetables.

6.      Buy in bulk when items are on sale. If you use lots of potatoes or apples, a larger-sized bag is usually the better buy. You can buy canned or frozen fruits or vegetables in large quantities when they are on sale.

7.      Opt for store brands when possible. You will get the same or a similar product for a lower price.

8.      Keep it simple. Buy whole fruits and vegetables, and do some of the work at home. Precut, prewashed fruits and vegetables usually are higher in price.

9.      Plan a garden to plant this sprint. During the next few months consider planting some herbs in a pot to flavor soups, dips and pizza.

10.  Plan and cook smart. Prepare and freeze vegetable soups, stews or other dishes to save time and money.

Vegetable Beef or Venison Soup

·         1 pound ground beef or venison

·         3 to 4 c. water

·         2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes

·         1 medium onion, chopped

·         2 celery stalks, diced

·         2 carrots, sliced

·         2 beef bouillon cubes

·         ½ tsp. pepper

·         1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

·         ½ c. barley

Brown venison in oil in a large pot. (Venison and other game meat is often lean and should be cooked in some fat for best results.) If using beef, omit the oil and drain after browning. (To reduce calories and fat, you can pour hot water over the beef to rinse away the fat. Drain the beef for five minutes and proceed with your recipe.) Add water and tomatoes. Wash, chop and add vegetables. Add bouillon cubes, spices and barley. Bring to boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 30 minutes).

Makes six servings. Each serving has 261 calories, 27 grams (g) carbohydrate, 3g fat, 7g fiber and 335 milligrams sodium

Family Meal Times: Family Meals Matter

Life often is too busy. Far too busy. Too busy to sit down and relax for a few minutes. Too busy to share a story from the day. Too busy to eat something you’d actually enjoy. Too busy to connect with a spouse, kids, or other family members. But we have one place we can slow things down and capture the time, relaxation, and connection that each of us needs – at the family table.

Why Family Meals Matter

Think about the time we can spend together at the family table and the experiences we can share. At the family table, we can: Share stores; Lend a listening ear; Play games; Try new foods; Laugh out loud; Teach manners; Savor tastes and smells; Learn new ideas.

Regular family meals are linked with many positive benefits for individuals and families. Family meals provide an opportunity for shared communication, lasting family connections, healthier nutrition, and reduced risk behaviors by children.

Prioritizing Family Meals

Making regular family meals a priority is important. Not every meal has to be a sit-down dinner extravaganza. Simplify your menus and focus on making family meals frequent, fun, and family-centered.

Set a goal to eat together frequently. Research suggests more than half of families with children in the U.S. share a meal five or more times a week. That’s good!

A concern, however, is that 30 percent to 35 percent of families often eat less than three meals a week together, which means less time for connecting and communicating. A family-centered mealtime means limiting the distractions, especially the TV, computer, or smart phone and engaging each family member during a meal.

Schedule

Wednesday, January 11 – Burke County

Thursday, January 12 – Divide County

Friday, January 13 – Burke County

Monday, January 16 – Office Closed

Tuesday, January 17 – Divide County