Keep Food Safe During Summer Picnics
Although mosquitoes and flies can be annoying pests at picnics, the "bugs" you can't see, such as harmful bacteria, are a bigger problem. Use these tips to beat bacteria at your summer picnic.
Although mosquitoes and flies can be annoying pests at picnics, the "bugs" you can't see, such as harmful bacteria, are a bigger problem. Use these tips to beat bacteria at your summer picnic.
Plan your trip around the grocery store, and make it the last stop before going home. Use a shopping list. Shop for nonperishable foods first, followed by frozen and refrigerated items such as meats, fish, eggs, dairy products and deli meats.
Chef's should not depend on their instincts, cooking time, oven temperature or product appearance to determine when a product is done: thermometers are important tools for protecting foods.
A good cook needs good tools. He or she needs to know where to find them in the kitchen.
Many people take prescription or nonprescription medications on a regular basis. Do you know how to properly store and dispose of medications? Do our medications interact with any foods? Know the questions to discuss with hour healthcare provider.
You’ve probably heard the expression “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Research continues to show that the fiber and natural antioxidants and other phytochemicals (plant chemicals) in apples may help prevent chronic diseases.
Corn, or maize, has been consumed for thousands of years. This handout provides tips and recipes for preparing and preserving corn.
This handout provides tips and recipes for preparing and preserving potatoes.
Winter squash is a nutrient-rich food and an excellent source of fiber. This handout provides tips and recipes for preparing and preserving winter squash.
Zucchini is a type of summer squash that can be used in a variety of ways. Whether you make it sweet, spicy or savory, it provides a nourishing amount of vitamins A, C and K, plus potassium and other minerals. This handout provides tips and recipes for preparing and preserving zucchini.
Peaches are a delicious fruit that are “in season,” at their best quality and, often, best price in late summer. This publication provides step-by-step instructions for preserving them.
How about some chips and salsa? While many excellent types of salsa are available in supermarkets, you can tailor homemade fresh salsa with fresh vegetables or fruits to suit your own taste buds. By following research-tested recipes, you can process salsa safely in a water-bath canner for later enjoyment. If your recipe has not been tested to determine its acidity and safety for canning, you can freeze the salsa
The heart is a pump that provides oxygen to each and every cell of the body. Feel your pulse: Each time your heart beats, it is moving blood by expanding and contracting. It is a muscle that is essential to life, which is why treating your heart with care is so important. Keeping your heart strong starts with good choices we make when we are young. Being physically active and eating a healthful diet keeps our heart beating strong.
Is anything better than fresh baked muffins or warm banana bread? Wouldn’t they taste even better if they were made in a fraction of the time? Consider making this Baking Master Mix so you can make fresh-baked goods in a snap. The mix uses common ingredients such as fl our, baking powder, sugar and salt. This recipe includes white and whole-wheat fl our, so it will help make half of your grain choices whole grains.
Have you ever tasted lefse, fleischkeukle, tacos, pizza or curry? Most likely you have tasted at least one of these foods even though all of them originated in other countries. During holidays in particular, you may enjoy recipes your grandparents or their grandparents enjoyed. Food goes beyond providing nourishment for the body. Food also helps nurture family traditions and connects us with other cultures. Food can help different groups of people understand and appreciate each other’s differences. We invite you to enjoy this recipe collection from around the world, which also is a sampling of the cultures found in North Dakota. We thank our old and new friends for contributing and testing the recipes.
Keeping our bones healthy is a lifelong process. As we get older, our bodies may break down bone faster than we can make new bone. This can cause problems if our bones don’t have enough stored nutrients to keep them strong. Eating nutrient-rich foods and getting weight-bearing physical activity help keep our bones in good shape no matter what our age.
Supplements have different serving sizes and intake recommendations. To determine how many milligrams (mg) of a nutrient are in each capsule, divide the milligrams of that nutrient by the number of capsules in each serving size. Remember, you probably are getting some vitamins and minerals from your diet. Be sure to include both supplements and dietary intake when considering if you are getting the right amount of a nutrient.
Have you heard about probiotics and prebiotics?
A Healthy Skin Diet is Like the Heart-healthy Diet.
Providing nutritious snacks doesn’t have to be expensive but you may need to do some planning to make them readily available for your child. Getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be difficult. Make snack time fun. For example, provide a variety of cut-up fruits and vegetables and let your kids create their own kabobs. You also may want to try serving vegetables with low-fat dip to make them more appealing.
Family meals promote family togetherness. Family meals provide a time to share what is going on in each other’s lives and enjoy a nutritious meal. Families who eat together are more likely to have more balanced meals. Preparing the meal is an important part of mealtime. Have children help in every aspect of the preparation, from choosing the menu to setting the table to making the meal. Including children in the preparation can lead to lifelong knowledge and memories.
Enjoying more family meals adds up to better nutrition, stronger family bonds and children who are less likely to participate in risky behavior. Be flexible with meal schedules and locations of your family meals. If evenings are too hectic, would a regular family breakfast work for you?
Beef is a versatile menu item whether you’re cooking for one, two or a crowd. Beef provides protein, vitamins and minerals. A typical serving size for beef and other meat is 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards. A 3-ounce serving of lean ground beef has about 180 calories, 10 grams of fat and 15 percent of the daily recommendation for iron.
Pork can serve as the basis of a wide variety of tasty meals for you and your family. Today’s pork is very lean and healthful to eat. Pork provides a host of vitamins and minerals. Today’s pork has 16 percent less fat and 27 percent less saturated fat compared with pork in 1991. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has analyzed pork for trans-fatty acids (bad fats), and the results confirm that pork contains no artery-clogging trans fat.
An increasing number of children and teenagers are eating more meals and snacks away from their home and family. They may be choosing unhealthy ready-to-eat food options rather than spending time preparing a healthy snack or meal – and eating with their families. Encouraging children and teenagers to cook can build healthy lifestyle skills, creativity and healthy food choices. You also are helping them form good eating behaviors that will last a lifetime.
More children and teenagers are eating meals and snacks away from their home and family. Encouraging teens to help prepare food and clean up can help busy families manage their time. Teens learn important cooking skills and have fun, too. Cooking promotes creativity and helps teens form good eating behaviors that will last a lifetime.
Children who eat with their families are more likely to meet their calcium needs and drink less soda pop. That’s good news because children are building strong bones and need calcium and other nutrients as the building blocks. Teens have the highest calcium needs due to their rapid growth. Children who meet their calcium and other nutrient needs are less likely to get the bone- thinning disease osteoporosis when they grow older. Adults should meet their calcium needs to keep their bones strong throughout life. About 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 18 million are at risk of getting it due to low bone mass. Even though osteoporosis often is associated with women, about 20 percent of those who suffer from it are male. Osteoporosis is responsible for 1.5 million fractures a year, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Family meals give parents/caregivers a chance to be good nutrition role models for children. Whether you’re sharing a meal at a park, in a car or at the family table, children who eat with their families eat a more nutritious diet. They eat more fruits and vegetables and other nutritious foods. Shared meals give families a chance to reconnect and talk about the events of their day. Children can learn communication skills, manners and their families’ values as they share food. Sharing meals also creates memories that will last a lifetime. Keep mealtime pleasant and allow enough time to eat because children eat better in a relaxed setting.
A child’s small tummy usually cannot hold enough at meals to keep him or her satisfied until the next meal. Kids younger than 6 may need to eat two to three snacks a day because they usually can’t meet their daily requirements in just three meals. Think of snacks as minimeals to help fill the gaps in their diets. Children should be getting the majority of their calories from a variety of grains (preferably whole grains), vegetables, fruits, milk products and lean protein sources.
Learn to prepare your old family favorites in new, healthier ways with these recipe makeovers. Not all recipes need a makeover. If you can answer yes to the following questions, the recipe might be right for a makeover.