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 May.
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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.
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
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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
MARCH
March National Nutrition Month®
Browse these quick-to-read fact sheets for practical tips on healthy eating.
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.
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!- www.soyconnection.com/recipes/recipe-search.php
- soyfoods.com/recipes/index.html
- www.soycooking.com
- www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com
Cancer Control Month
Eating a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of cancer. For recipe ideas, check:
- National Cancer Institute
- Produce for Better Health Foundation
- American Institute for Cancer Research
MAY
Learn how you can make salads from the different MyPyramid food groups at:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
(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:
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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