by Angela Hinkle | Oct 30, 2015
Family Meal
When I was a kid a million years ago, my family had dinners together. Most meal times were good. I was where I was supposed to be and felt safe, important, and loved. Other meals were not so great. I specifically remember being forced to eat at least one lima bean for which much drama was executed on my part. These days, I love being able to eat dinner with my daughter. When we eat together, we’re happier and healthier, especially if we have fun things to laugh about while we eat.
FCS Dining In Day December 3rd
The payoff comes in benefits for both of us. A variety of research has shown that when we eat meals together as a family we feel closer and we eat more nutritiously. When families have meals together, it gives them the chance to catch up on what is happening in their day. There is also the chance to learn table manners, and some basic cooking skills.
For a quality meal time experience, let every member of the family help make some part of the meal – which can help develop food preparation skills – or try taking turns cooking and cleaning. Make new rituals and share traditions so everyone knows they belong to a special group. Teach youth about their heritage by serving and talking about a favorite family recipe. Offer healthy food choices (they’ll be more willing to choose these foods as they grow). And be sure to have light, easy conversations. Save difficult conversations for another time.
To help you kick start your family meal together this year, commit to “Dining In” on Family & Consumer Sciences Day, December 3, 2015. http://www.aafcs.org/FCSday/. Then add on another family meal, then another, until quality meal times become a healthy part of your family.
by Angela Hinkle | Oct 28, 2015
Happy Child with Peanut Butter Sandwich
November in the Panhandle of Florida. Time for pumpkins, cooler weather, hay rides, football games, harvesting cotton and peanuts, and of course, Thanksgiving. It’s also time for the annual Peanut Butter Challenge! We gather peanut butter to give to those who could use a little help feeding their families. Why peanut butter? It is the most requested item in food pantries, it’s shelf stable – you don’t have to heat it up or keep it cold, people like it – a lot, it’s economical – especially if it’s a buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO), it’s local – peanuts are the biggest crop in the Florida panhandle, and it’s healthy – a great source of plant-based protein.
So what about Jane? Jane’s been a consistent contributor to the Peanut Butter Challenge every year. This may not seem like a very big deal, but you see, Jane is allergic to peanut butter. This may not seem like such a big deal either, but to me, it’s like giving time to help out the blood drive even though you can’t give blood, walking in Relay for Life to show support for cancer research though you have no money to give, giving money to a charity because you have it and it feels like the right thing to do.
So whether you give because of your competitive spirit – “my group can give more than theirs”, you have a couple extra dollars and there is a BOGO, because it makes you feel good knowing how much the receiving families appreciate it, or you just feel like it’s the right thing to do, please give to the Peanut Butter Challenge.
And be thankful – for peanut butter … and Jane.
To find out more about the Peanut Butter Challenge or how you can give by November 25, please contact your local UF/IFAS Extension County office in the Northwest District UF/IFAS Extension Office.
by Marie Arick | Oct 2, 2015
![myplate_blue[1]](https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/fcs/files/2015/10/myplate_blue1-150x150.jpg)
The numbers are in and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20% or more of the United States adult population is obese in each state. This data was collected during the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System that involves health-related telephone surveys. It has long been discussed in our society that obesity is a growing concern for our population. Many initiatives have been developed to address this issue, such as MyPlate and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Yet, we still fail to take this to heart.
Obesity has been linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. All of these can be linked to premature death. And yet, we still pick up those forks and stay off our feet. Even worse, we set a poor example for our children. Many people operate under the assumption that “it does not apply to me,” but it does. The definition of obesity is having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. The BMI is calculated using your weight in kilograms and dividing this by your height in meters squared. Thankfully, the CDC is one of many sources that has a BMI calculator online to make it simple. The first step is to determine your BMI using one of these calculators, and then to understand what that number represents. The following chart from the CDC explains the results for adults.
The standard weight status categories associated with BMI ranges for adults are shown in the following table:
BMI Weight Status
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5 – 24.9 Normal or Healthy Weight
25.0 – 29.9 Overweight
30.0 and Above Obese
Next, take this information and act on it. If you have health concerns, see your physician. If you are sedentary, start taking a daily walk or bike ride. Review your personal eating habits and compare it to the MyPlate healthy eating guidelines. MyPlate has online tools that can make meal planning easy and help you track your calories and exercise. Can you make some small changes to improve your dietary intake? Small steps can lead to big changes over time. Modeling these behaviors can not only improve your health and well-being, but the positive changes can impact your children or loved ones as well. Share your goals and seek the support of friends and family. Most importantly, teens and children’s BMI results are interpreted differently. Talk with your child’s physician regarding any weight concerns and dietary guidelines.
Take care of yourself today, set a positive example for those you care about, and put the fork down and get on your feet!
by Heidi Copeland | Oct 2, 2015
Geographic conditions have a major impact on the growing season of any given area. Florida is indeed blessed to have such diverse and healthy growing times. In fact, Florida is one of the few states divided into three plant and hardiness zones (south, central, and north), allowing Florida produce to be successfully grown somewhere in Florida year-round.
Locally, our area is fortunate to have two distinct produce-growing seasons. Both seasons are very accommodating to fruit and vegetables. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), avocado, carambola, grapefruit, guava, mushrooms, oranges, peanuts, and tangerines are Fresh from Florida® this month.
In addition, the local Red Hills Small Farm Alliance produces a great guide to what grows in our area (www.rhomarket.com). Local produce includes arugula, Asian greens, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, okra, southern peas, sweet peas and sugar snap peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, yellow squash and zucchini, acorn squash and pumpkin, Muscadine grapes, pears, and persimmons.
When wanting to incorporate seasonal items into a meal, peanuts are not usually something that comes to mind. However, peanuts are becoming abundant this time of year. According to the Peanut Institute, “While ‘nut’ is in their name, peanuts are, in fact, legumes. Peanuts actually grow underground, as opposed to nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc. that grow on trees (and are sometimes referred to as ‘tree nuts’).”
Peanuts, along with beans and peas, belong to the single plant family, Leguminosae. Legumes are edible seeds that are enclosed in pods. As a group, they provide the best source of concentrated protein in the plant kingdom.
In the U.S., peanuts and peanut butter are the most popular “nut” choice and comprise 67% of all nut consumption. Plus, you can do more with peanuts than just eat them as a snack! Have you ever considered peanuts as a major nutrient in your meals? Peanut Butter–Sriracha Toast is becoming a big hit, as it can be served as a snack, appetizer, and even as light lunch or dinner fare.
Even the George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation interested in helping folks make healthy eating easier, considers peanuts one of the world’s healthiest foods. Peanuts are a plant food rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and also contain protein, mostly good fats, and fiber.
It is fun (and healthy) to experiment with local, Florida fresh produce anytime of the year. Why not try something new and incorporate peanuts into your favorite meals? In fact, peanut soup is an old-time favorite but can be made into a new taste sensation using many of the ingredients you find locally this fall. Try some today using the recipe listed below to fit your family’s tastes.
Peanut Butter Soup
2 cups peanut butter
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs (chopped, including leaves)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pepper
Salt
Preparation
- Add the oil to a heavy sauce pan; sauté onion, celery, and garlic in the oil until tender.
- Add chicken or vegetable broth and any other vegetable you plan on using.
- Cook, covered, until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the peanut butter.
- Add your own take on this delicious soup…
Do you like velvety smooth soups? Carefully puree the entire mixture in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender.
Do you like it spicy? Add some fresh, hot pepper, dry peppers, or hot sauce.
Vary the texture and flavor: Add cubed squash, pumpkin, potatoes, peas, or even sliced okra.
To suggest an Asian flare, add some coconut milk and cilantro or even rice wine vinegar.
Source: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Marketing-and-Development/Consumer-Resources/Buy-Fresh-From-Florida/Crops-in-Season
by Melanie Taylor | Aug 29, 2015
Healthy School Lunch
Packing the kids’ lunches for school means you know which nutritious foods they are eating. Here are some budget-friendly, creative ideas to keep kids happy and healthy at lunchtime.
Make a “Smarter” Sandwich:
While some kids prefer the same thing every day, others may be okay with a slight switch to their sandwich.
- Use different breads like 100% whole wheat tortilla wraps (choose wraps low in saturated and made with no hydrogenated oils) or 100% whole wheat pita pockets.
- Besides lettuce, try shredded carrots or avocado slices with a turkey sandwich.
- Buy blocks of low fat, low-sodium cheeses. You save money when you slice it yourself. Or use a cookie cutter to cut into fun shapes.
- Instead of lunchmeat, try a leftover grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato.
Love Those Leftovers:
Try using the leftovers from the family dinner for the next day’s lunch. Invest in a thermos to keep foods hot or cold until lunchtime.
- Low-sodium tomato, vegetable or bean soups
- Chili made with lean or extra lean ground turkey
- Whole wheat spaghetti with low sodium tomato sauce
- Low-sodium baked beans, bean casserole or beans & rice
Let Them Dunk:
Sometimes it is okay to let your kids play with their food, especially when they are getting extra nutrition.
- Apple and pear slices to dip into low-fat plain yogurt mixed with peanut butter.
- Carrot, celery and sweet pepper strips to dip into hummus, fresh salsa or homemade bean dip.
- Whole grain crackers (choose crackers low in sodium and saturated fat and made without hydrogenated oils) to dunk into low-sodium vegetable or tomato soup.
- Unsalted sunflower seeds, crushed whole wheat cereal and sliced banana to mix into low fat vanilla yogurt (no added sugars) to eat with a spoon like a sundae.
Get Them Involved:
While letting kids in the kitchen might mean a bigger mess, if they help pack their own lunch, they are more likely to eat it! On nights you have a bit more time, like a Sunday night, have them choose which piece of fruit or what type of whole grain bread they want and let them assemble their lunch. Make this a weekly routine – it’s another great way to spend family time together.
For more heart healthy lunch tips visit: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
by Angela Hinkle | Aug 24, 2015
What Happens When You Eat
If you think about it, your digestive system is pretty weird. Amazing, but weird. Digestion is the rather complicated process of breaking down the food we eat into energy and nutrients, which then get absorbed into our bloodstream and distributed throughout our body so we achieve and maintain good health.
Digestion usually starts with your eyes or nose. “Mmm, that looks or smells yummy,” to which your brain and stomach respond, “Send in the good stuff, gurgle, gurgle.”
Next – take a bite. Your teeth break up the big pieces into smaller pieces. Big pieces have a hard time digesting, so chew well and enjoy the taste of your food. Saliva with digestive enzymes enters to start breaking down your food even more, making digestion much easier on your tongue, esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. Next, your tongue lifts the food (bolus) back to your esophagus so you can swallow. With more saliva and a little muscle contraction – down it goes to the stomach.
Your stomach has quite a volatile job. Strong muscle contractions have enough force to break down food further and highly acidic stomach juices are released to begin digesting proteins (amino acids) and fats (fatty acids). Once the stomach walls have churned and the juices have turned the food into a thick, juicy mass called chime, the stomach’s wavelike contractions push the food to the small intestine.
The small intestine – 20 feet of coiled contracting muscles that push food along – is where your body starts to pull out those nutrients it needs. More, but different, digestive juices come in to help shove the chime along. Here, specialized cells grab all the nutrients and energy and send them along to the rest of your body. Everything else that can’t be digested moves to the large intestine.
The large intestine, or colon, absorbs all of the water and squeezes the leftovers into clumps of waste, usually called feces, but you may have heard of a number of other terms. Finally, more muscle contractions push the feces out of your body – and digestion is finally done!
Weird but true.
