by Dorothy C. Lee | Nov 25, 2016
During the holiday season nothing carries good cheer and holiday spirit across the miles like receiving a package full of homemade treats.
If you go to the effort of preparing food gifts, you want to be sure the contents arrive in the condition they were sent in. The first step is to pack it right.
- Select a strong sturdy cardboard, plastic, or metal container. Round oatmeal boxes or coffee cans with re-closable lids work well.
- On the bottom of the container place a generous layer of filler, such as crumped tissue paper, waxed paper, brown paper bags or plastic bubble wrap.
- Next, wrap baked goods individually or in pairs placed back to back. Begin with the sturdiest first. Moist, firm baked goods ship better than the brittle kind. Brownies, fudge and moist cookies pack well. Top with another layer of filler and repeat ending with a thick layer of filler.
- Fill the container full so the contents can’t shift when it is shaken.
- Be sure to pack several inches of cushioning material in the bottom of the shipping carton and enough material around, over and between items so that the contents cannot move easily. Brown paper bags and newspaper provide adequate cushioning for most packages. Save Styrofoam peanuts or foam packing pieces in packages for use when cushioning your packages.
- Place a card with the address of the sender and the receiver inside the carton, just in case.
- Wrap the carton in heavy brown paper, if desired, and seal it securely with transparent packing tape. Clearly label the carton; put the transparent tape over the address to keep it from getting wet and smeared. Mark it “perishable” to encourage careful handling. One of the best ideas yet is to give a gift within a gift that serves as its own alternative wrapping. Great tasting recipes become even more special when attractively packaged for giving.
- Embellish small metal coffee tins for packaging tiny truffles or other candies. Replace plastic tops to seal.
- Consider using an empty potato chip canister for packaging. Cover it with Christmas wrapping paper, fill it with cookies, candies or salty snacks, and replace its plastic top to seal.
- Fill a Christmas stocking with a favorite snack mix or nut mix. Package the mix in a re-sealable plastic bag and tuck it and holiday napkins into the stocking.
- Top off decorative jars of homemade desert sauces or jelly with raffia or decorative ribbon. Attach a homemade gift tag and a spoon.
- Bake and transport homemade bread in light weight recyclable aluminum pans available at most supermarkets. Wrap pans of bread with a large linen napkin or place bread in gift bags and tie with holiday ribbon.
- When giving a variety of foods together, include items to be eaten with your goodies or utensils that might be needed for further preparation.
Remember it’s the thought behind the holiday package that counts; the link with loved ones and the knowledge that someone is thinking of you during the holiday season. A package filled with homemade treats says “love” with every bite.
by Shelley Swenson | Nov 25, 2015
Green Gift Giving
The holiday season will soon be upon us. A “Green“ Holiday focuses on finding ways to reduce consumption by using renewable resources and reusing or repurposing objects. Practicing these principles can fit in line with holiday celebrations, making it a time of sustaining traditions as well as helping the environment. Here are some fun ideas for “greening“ your holiday season when it comes to wrapping gifts.
It is not about sacrifice; it is about an opportunity to…..
- Wrap gifts with brown paper bags, newspaper, or reused wrapping paper.
- Create personal wrapping paper with stamps or collages, or drawing on paper bags.
- Avoid wrapping altogether and tie a large bow around an item instead.
- Make the wrapping part of the gift such as using reusable tins, planting pots, or new towels.
- Give presents or gift certificates from local businesses.
- Focus on homemade or non-traditional gifts such as baked goods, plants, fishing licenses, dance classes, travel mugs, local art, or battery chargers.
- If giving appliances or electronics, make sure they are Energy Star-certified.
- Make donations in someone’s name to charities or conservation organizations. Investigate to see if any organization in the area is offering an alternative giving holiday festival.
- Give “time”. Help an older relative with difficult chores or take children to a park.
- Teach someone a skill or talent you have.
Investing time and creativity into the holiday can help make it more fulfilling and meaningful for you, your family, and your friends.
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 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 Ricki McWilliams | Apr 14, 2015
Spring has Sprung
Still trying to get past those winter blues? Get outside, enjoy the Spring weather, and do something active! Regardless of age or fitness level it is important to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine.
Some people might say they cannot be active due to lack of time however, fitting in physical activity can be simple and easy. As little as 10 minutes of activity at a time can provide healthful benefits. Being physically active can limit conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and risk of stroke (Physical Activity, 2015). There are many types of physical activity; aerobic, muscle strengthening, bone strengthening, and balance and stretching.
To make exercise easy, fun and beneficial just mix and match:
- take a 10 minute walk at lunch time
- walk the dog
- garden
- lift weights
- join an exercise group
- practice yoga
- jump rope
- swim
Make being active a family affair. Strengthen family bonds and improve quality of life through a variety of outdoor activities that provide exercise and entertainment. Outdoor family fun activities include but are not limited to: walking, hiking, swimming, running, bicycling, kayaking, canoeing, and tree climbing. The body is able to convert sunshine into vitamins and when physically active the body releases good endorphins improving mood/outlook. Good for the mind and body, outdoor activities can also increase awareness of the environment, as well as, be easy on the budget.
Click here for more tips on how to increase physical activity at home, work and play. Make being active a part of your daily routine.
Still feeling like there are barriers keeping you from being active? Read more here on overcoming common barriers to physical activity.
Resource:
Physical Activity. (2015). http://www.choosemyplate.gov/physical-activity/why.html
