UNL Extension in Lancaster County

FOOD: Nutrition, Safety & Cooking

Helping you prepare foods in a hurry!

Food Theme Month Links

Alice Henneman, MS, RD, UNL Extension in Lancaster County
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NOTE: This site is being updated and links are only active through October.

January	February	March	April
May	June	July	August
September	October	November	December

JANUARY

Soup Month

Check these food safety tips for serving soup safely!

Oatmeal Month

Oatmeal Month occurs during January as more oatmeal is sold during January than any other month. It was originally established by Quaker's food service. TIP: TIP: Make your oatmeal with milk instead of water for added nutrition and a luscious creamy taste!

Prune Breakfast Month

Dried plums or prunes are high in fiber and phytochemicals and aren't just for breakfast anymore. They're a great kitchen staple as they store well and may be eaten out of hand or used in recipes. (Refrigerate the package after opening.) Check the California Dried Plum Board for recipes for breakfast and beyond!

Hot Tea Month

Hot Tea Month was spearheaded by the Tea Association of the USA. Drinking may tea may offer some protection against such diseases as cancer and heart disease and help give your immune system a boost and protect against the flu.

For tips on brewing the perfect cup of tea, check HERE.

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FEBRUARY

Happy Valentine's Day!

See Red on Valentine's Day. Serve a "red-hot and healthy" meal on Valentine's and throughout the year. Check HERE for details.

Enjoy Chocolate! The news keeps getting better about chocolate. Read about it HERE from the American Dietetic Association. A small amount of a delicious piece of chocolate at the end of a meal may help you control your appetite, according to Dr. Barbara Rolls, author of Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories.

American Heart Month

For heart-healthy recipe ideas, visit the American Heart Association's virtual cookbook Delicious Decisions.

National Sweet Potato Month

Sweet potatoes are fat free, sodium free, high in vitamins A and C and a good source of fiber and potassium. A medium, 5" long, 2" diameter sweet potato only has about 130 calories. Check these links for more ideas for cooking with sweet potatoes.

National Potato Lover's Month

Potatoes are fat free, sodium free, high in vitamin C, a good source of fiber and high in potassium. One medium potato (5.3 ounces) has 100 calories. For links to recipes and information about potatoes, check www.healthypotato.com

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MARCH

March National Nutrition Month®

Browse these quick-to-read fact sheets for practical tips on healthy eating.

American Dietetic Association: Fact Sheets

National Peanut Month

Peanut butter is a convenient and inexpensive staple to keep in your kitchen. The DASH diet to lower blood pressure found a healthy diet included 4 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds and legumes weekly. For some sample DASH menus containing peanuts and peanut butter, check HERE (pdf format). A tablespoon of peanut butter has about 95 calories; enjoy in moderation.

For some unique recipes made with peanuts and peanut butter, check these Web sites:

www.peanutbutterlovers.com (Peanut Advisory Board)
www.peanut-institute.org (The Peanut Institute)

St. Patrick's Day (March 17)

Go for the GREEN on St. Patrick's Day. Get healthy with green fruits and veggies. Check HERE for some green ideas for St. Patrick's Day and throughout the year.

Easter (March 23)

Easter (March 23, 2008)

For egg handling and safety tips at Easter, click HERE.

Discover different ways to decorate eggs from the American Egg Board HERE.

A meat often served during springtime meals is lamb. For more information on preparing lamb, check a USDA/FSIS fact sheet HERE.

National Egg Salad Week (March 23 - 30, 2008)

If handled properly (see first paragraph "Easter" above), hard-cooked eggs will keep in their shells in the refrigerator for 1 week.

For a quick, low calorie egg salad recipe, check Curried Rice Egg Salad from the American Egg Board (AEB).
For more egg recipes, check the AEB Web site HERE.

Pecan Day (March 25)

Pecans are source of protein, potassium, zinc, vitamin E, magnesium, carbohydrates, and folic acid. They contain mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat -- the type considered “heart healthy." A handful of nuts a day, such as pecans, can help you stay on a diet by contributing to satiety. This means they will help you feel full longer.

For a recipe booklet featuring pecans and other tree nuts from the International Tree Nut Council, check HERE (pdf format).

National Frozen Food Month

Frozen foods, picked and frozen at the peak of maturity, can equal fresh foods in nutritional quality. They're washed and ready to go -- pour from the bag only what you need.

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APRIL

Soyfoods Month

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of health claims about the role of soy protein in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) for foods containing soy protein. This is based on FDA's conclusion that when soy protein is included in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, it may reduce the risk of CHD by lowering blood cholesterol levels. Follow these links to tips and recipes to help you ENJOY SOY!

Cancer Control Month

Eating a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of cancer. For recipe ideas, check:

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MAY

National Salad Month

Learn how you can make salads from the different MyPyramid food groups at:

http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-mypyramid-salads.htm

National Strawberry Month

Did you know strawberries are full of nutrition with everything from "folate to fiber to phytochemicals." Plus, they have only 50 calories per cup! For more information about strawberries and recipes, go to:

www.calstrawberry.com/recipes/default.asp

National Barbecue Month

Check tips on firing up the grill this month at:

lancaster.unl.edu/food/grill-flyer.pdf (PDF format)

Find tips and recipes on grilling different meats at:

lancaster.unl.edu/food/foodsafety.shtml

National Egg Month

Eggs are a source of complete protein and are "nutrient-dense," containing only 75 calories while providing over 20 nutrients. Two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, are both abundant in egg yolks. These carotenoids help prevent the increasingly common eye disorder of age related macular degeneration that can lead to blindness.

In the past, eggs were frequently described as nature's most perfect food. Then, for a period of years, they were considered a food to avoid because of their cholesterol content. However, they're now making a comeback with research at Harvard University showing an egg a day is OK for most healthy individuals and will not increase their risk or heart disease and stroke (www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1999/04.22/eggs.html).

Click below for recipes ideas for eggs from the American Egg Board:

Incredible, Edible Egg Website

National Beef Month

Keep beef -- a good source of zinc, iron and protein -- on hand for cooking healthy meals in a hurry. For tips and recipes on preparing beef, click below:

National Asparagus Month

To learn more about asparagus and access some recipes, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at:

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/asparagus.html

If you'd like to freeze asparagus when it's on sale or you have extra in your garden, learn how from the National Center for Home Food Preservation at:

www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/asparagus.html

(For best quality, plan to use frozen asparagus within 8 months.)

National Osteoporosis Prevention Month

To read the 2004 Surgeon General's Report on bone Health and Osteoporosis, click HERE.

National Salsa Month

Full of good-tasting and good-for-you foods, enjoy some salsa this month. For a salsa recipe from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fruits and veggies Website, click HERE.

National Herb Week (May 7 - 10, 2008)

Adding fresh herbs to foods is a quick way to transform ordinary meals into extraordinary meals. They flavor foods when cutting back on salt, fat and sugar. Plus, herbs have antioxidants that may help protect against such diseases as cancer and heart disease. Learn more about cooking with fresh herbs at:

http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/cookingfreshherbs-color.pdf

Mother's Day (May 11, 2008)/National Women's Health Week (May 11-17, 2008)

National Women's Health Week is traditionally begun the week of Mother's Day. An important part of keeping healthy is eating healthy. This site links to heart-healthy Stay Young at Heart Recipes. Go to: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/syah

To learn more about other healthy activities, visit the home page at: www.4woman.gov/whw

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JUNE

National Dairy Month

Enjoy these dairy recipes: www.3aday.org

When making homemade ice cream, protect yourself from the danger of possible Salmonella infection by using a homemade ice cream recipe made with a cooked egg base, commercial PASTEURIZED egg substitutes or without eggs. Here are some possible recipe ideas for you: lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-homemade-ice-cream.shtml

National Turkey Lovers Month

Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving. Enjoy turkey all year around with these tips and recipes from the National Turkey Federation: www.eatturkey.com/consumer/stips.htm

National Beef Steak Month

Enjoy the ZIP of beef (zinc, iron and protein). Check these Web sites for beef recipes and preparation suggestions:

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month
National Eat Your Vegetables Day (June 17*)

For lots of healthy fruit and VEGETABLE recipes, visit these sites:

First Day of Summer (June 21*)

Make sure you "Grill It Safely" at summer cookouts. Here's how: lancaster.unl.edu/food/grill-flyer.pdf

* Date stays the same each year.

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JULY

Fourth of July

If your fourth of July includes grilling, check out these links for grilling information and recipes: lancaster.unl.edu/food/foodsafety.shtml#grill

National Blueberry Month

Here's a quick and easy blueberry recipe for you:

Blueberry-Pineapple Parfaits

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
1 container (8 ounces) fat-free lemon-flavored yogurt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, thawed and patted dry
1/2 cup granola

In a small bowl, combine the pineapple with half of the yogurt. In small wineglasses or juice glasses, alternately layer the pineapple-yogurt mixture, blueberries, and granola. Repeat the layering twice. Top each parfait with a dollop of yogurt.

Makes 4 servings

PER SERVING: 233 calories; 4 g protein; 49 g carbohydrate; 3 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 3.2 g dietary fiber; 43 mg sodium

Number of 5 A Day servings: 1.5

SOURCE: Reproduced with permission from Pivonka, E. and Berry, B., 5 A Day: The Better Health Cookbook (copyright, Rodale, 2002). This recipe was provided by the North American Blueberry Council. For more blueberry recipes, check www.blueberry.org)

National Ice Cream Month

National Picnic Month

Summer is a time for picnics and road trips. Check here to learn from the United States Department of Agriculture what types of foods travel well: www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Handling_Food_Safely_on_the_Road/index.asp
Learn about using different types of melons
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/melon.html
Learn about using different types of watermelons
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/watermelon.html
Salad Toppers and Flavor Poppers - lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftj-a03.htm

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AUGUST

National Watermelon Day (August 3*)

Watermelon is fat free and low in calories -- 2 cups of diced pieces (1/8 of a medium melon) provides only 80 calories.

Check the National Watermelon Promotion Board Web site < www.watermelon.org > for recipes using watermelon and tips on choosing and storing watermelons.

IMPORTANT: Wash the outside of the melon under clean running water before cutting into it, use a clean knife on a clean cutting surface and wash your own hands with soap and water before cutting the melon. Once melon is cut, it should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Don't leave cut melon at room temperature longer than 2 hours TOTAL time..

National Catfish Month

Including fish in meals twice a week is a recommendation of many health organizations. Check the Website of the National Fisheries Institute < http://www.aboutseafood.com >to help you prepare safe, delicious and nutritious meals with catfish and other types of fish and shellfish.

National Peach Month

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables helps prevent many diet-related diseases and tastes good, too! Learn how to freeze extra peaches from the National Center for Home Food Preservation by clicking HERE.

For nutritious, delicious recipes using peaches:

Fruits & Veggies Matter: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
Fruits & Veggies More Matters: fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

* Date stays the same each year.

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SEPTEMBER

National Food Safety Education Month

2009 Food Safety Education Tools for Consumers (Food Safety Myth Busters)
2009 Planning Guide for Retail Food Establishments (Food Safety Thrives When You Focus on Five!
Follow these Food Safety for Home Cooking links for everything from storing to preparing foods safely. Includes links to specific foods (and recipes); canning and freezing instructions; microwave and slow cooker tips and MUCH MUCH MORE!
For free food safety PowerPoints, handouts, posters, etc., click HERE.
Youtube handwashing videos
FREE handwashing posters and other materials

Fruits & Veggies--More Matters Month®

Enjoy the health benefits of fruits and vegetables -- the original fast food -- during September and throughout the year. Check the following for tips and recipes:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/
Produce for Better Health (PBH)
http://fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

National Rice Month

Learn how to prepare perfect rice and rice dishes from the USA Rice Federation National: http://usarice.com

Check out their new brochure, including recipes kids can take home, for teachers to use in the schoolroom at http://www.usarice.com/doclib/220/3363.pdf

Back-to-School

If you're packing a lunch for children or yourself, click HERE for food safety tips from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.

National Chicken Month

For tips and recipes from the National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, click HERE.

National Cholesterol Education Month

For heart healthy recipes from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, click HERE.

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OCTOBER

Can You Eat Your Jack-o-lantern Pumpkin?

Can you use a pumpkin for BOTH a jack-o-lantern AND for eating? Check HERE for "how-to-do-it" information from the University of Illinois Extension.

Drying and Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

Learn how to roast your Halloween pumpkin seeds by clicking HERE.

National Pasta Month

Visit www.ilovepasta.org for tips for making the perfect pasta, which type of shape to use when and LOTS of recipes.

National Popcorn Popping Month

Find popping tips, nutrition information and RECIPES (many would be great for a Halloween party!) at the Popcorn Board Website by clicking HERE.

National Pork Month

Visit www.otherwhitemeat.com for pork pointers and recipes. Their recipe section contains a "15 minutes or less" category for busy cooks!

National Apple Month

Ever wondered about which apple to use for which recipe? Check this APPLE GUIDE from the U.S. Apple Association.

National Cranberry Month

Cranberries may help prevent urinary tract infections. They also contain powerful antioxidants that may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. For recipes from USAcranberries.com click HERE.

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