K-State Research and Extension

search

Tag: Fruits and Vegetables

It’s Lunch Time!

Posted on by djbechard

As school starts, it’s time to thinking about nutrition and food safety for school lunch. If you pack lunch for your child, keep these tips in mind:

  • Have your child help with shopping a preparation for their lunch. Chances are your child will eat the whole lunch!
  • Add colorful fruits and vegetables that are ready-to-eat.
  • Change up the menu during the week so meals don’t get boring.
  • Use an insulated lunch bag with a small ice pack. Freeze juice boxes or fruit cups to help keep food cold.
  • Limit convenience foods that add extra fat, sodium, and sugar.
  • Prepare lunches the night before. Refrigerate cold items and add to the lunch bag in the morning.

Source: Iowa State University Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

Spice Up Snacks and Meals with Salsa

Posted on by djbechard

Add taste without adding a lot of calories. A combination of tomatoes, onions, and peppers can add zest to chips. A mixture of fruit, herbs, onions and pepper added to meat or fish can add unique flavors to dishes. There are a variety of salsa options for different preferences and dishes such as spicy, hot, sweet, herbal, and aromatic.

Salsa ingredients and preparation tips:

  • Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice. Or use a commercial produce protector and follow the manufacturer’s directions.
  • Cover and refrigerate cut fruit and veggies until ready to serve.
  • Most salsas taste best if refrigerated for about an hour before serving to let the flavors blend.

Serve salsa safely.

  • Perishable foods like dips, salsas, and cut fruit and vegetables should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours.
  • If you will be serving items such as these for a longer period than this, set out a smaller bowl and then replace it with another one when it is empty.
  • Do not add fresh dip or salsa to dip or salsa that has been sitting out.
  • Refrigerate and use up any dip or salsa that has not been served within three to four days of preparation.

Source: University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

Fruits and Veggies – More Matters!

Posted on by djbechard

Recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables range from 3 to 6 ½ cups per day. How much you need depends on your age, activity level, and gender.

Instead of doing the math, you could just keep it simple: Fill half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at every meal and snack.

Research shows that fruits and vegetables promote good health. How? They contain essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber) and other healthful substances.

People who eat generous amounts of fruits and veggies as part of a healthful diet reduce their risk of getting a chronic disease, including stroke, heart attack, and certain cancers.

Eating fruits and vegetables instead of higher-calorie foods can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so that you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories, yet are filling.

 

If you are looking to add more fruits and veggies to your meals, purchase a Simply Produce bundle from:

  • Gene’s Heartland Foods in Smith Center,
  • Girard’s IGA in Osborne,
  • Kier’s Thriftway in Mankato.

 

By: Jamie Rathbun

Clover Power Smoothie

Posted on by djbechard

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a festive, tasty, and kid-friendly green smoothie.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup 100% apple juice*

½ cup fresh baby spinach**

2 cups frozen pineapple chunks, no sugar added

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt***

1 banana

Directions:

  1. Add apple juice and spinach leaves to blender. Blend first to help make it smooth and avoid leafy chunks.
  2. Place the remaining ingredients in the blender.
  3. Blend until smooth and serve.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (1 cup): 135 calories, 1g Total Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 35mg Sodium, 31g Total Carbohydrates, 24 g Sugars, 2g Dietary Fiber, 2g Protein

* You can substitute low-fat or nonfat milk or 100% white grape juice for 100% apple juice. Adding milk instead of 100% fruit juice will lower the calories and sugar while adding extra calcium to help strengthen bones.

** You can use kale instead of spinach. Kale does have a stronger flavor than spinach. I like using spinach since it has little to no flavor.

***To make the smoothie even healthier, use nonfat vanilla yogurt or nonfat Greek yogurt instead of low-fat vanilla yogurt.

By: Jamie Rathbun

Sweet Ideas Without Added Sugar

Posted on by djbechard

It seems like most holidays focus on food, and usually include something sweet like candy, chocolate, or desserts. Don’t get me wrong, I love a yummy piece of chocolate! But if you’re looking to make this Valentine’s Day a little healthier for you and your family, consider starting the day with a fruit-filled smoothie or a parfait. I love smoothies and parfaits because you don’t need to follow a recipe. Choose your family’s favorite fruits and yogurt, place in a blender with a little bit of milk or 100% fruit juice and blend to a desired consistency for a smoothie. For a parfait, layer fruit and yogurt, then top with granola or nuts.

Fruit is a quick, easy, and healthy Valentine’s treat. While looking for ideas for my children, I came across two cute ideas using clementines and apples sauce. The messages read, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Cutie” and “You’re AWESOMEsauce, Valentine.” Be creative and think outside the (candy) box.

Visit with your children about healthier alternatives and let them help you pick them out at the store. Here are some additional non-food Valentine ideas for daycare or school:

  • Friendship bracelets
  • Toy cars
  • Bubbles
  • Sidewalk chalk
  • Balloons
  • Glow sticks
  • Bouncy balls
  • Pencils
  • Erasers

By: Jamie Rathbun

New Year, New You

Posted on by djbechard

Happy New Year! Do you usually make a New Year’s resolution? Millions of Americans make resolutions every January hoping to improve their health by losing weight, getting fit, or eating healthy. Achieve your nutrition goals this year by making small changes to what you eat and drink.

Find your healthy eating style

Everything you eat and drink over time matters. The right mix can help you be healthier now and in the future. It is important to start with small changes to make healthier choices you can enjoy and maintain for a lifetime. In order to get the nutrients and calories you need, eat a variety of foods regularly.

Get your MyPlate plan

Everybody requires a different amount of calories depending on their age, genders, height, weight, and physical activity level. To determine what and how much to eat within your appropriate calorie target, enter your information into the MyPlate Plan by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan and receive a personalized plan.

Follow the MyPlate building blocks

  • Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables
  • Focus on whole fruits
  • Vary your veggies
  • Make half your grains whole grains
  • Move to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt
  • Vary your protein routine
  • Drink and eat beverages and foods with less sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Find small changes that work for you throughout the day. Don’t forget to choose foods and beverages from each MyPlate food group (i.e. fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy) for a balanced meal.

Tags: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health, Fruits and Vegetables

Source: MyPlate.gov

By: Jamie Rathbun

Stock Your Kitchen for Simple Meals

Posted on by djbechard

Having a well-stocked kitchen makes meal planning easier. Use this basic food checklist for some ideas to help stock your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer for simple meals. Feel free to personalize this list with foods you frequently use.

In the Pantry

Breakfast and Cereals

  • Cereal (consider whole grain varieties)
  • Oatmeal
  • Pancake mix

Canned, Jarred, and Pouched Foods

  • Fruits and vegetables (choose options without added sugar or salt)
  • Meat, poultry, and seafood
  • Beans (pinto, black, garbanzo)
  • Soups (look for lower sodium varieties)
  • Nut butter (peanut, almond)
  • Dried fruit
  • Sauces (tomato, spaghetti, pizza)
  • Salsa
  • Broth or stock (chicken, beef, vegetable)

Grains, Pasta, and Sides

  • Bread (consider whole grain varieties)
  • Tortillas or taco shells
  • Pasta (consider whole grain varieties)
  • Rice (include some whole grain rice, such as brown rice)
  • Oats (old fashioned or rolled, quick, or steel cut)

Produce

  • Onions
  • Potatoes

Snacks

  • Crackers (consider whole grain varieties)
  • Popcorn
  • Nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.)

Baking and Cooking Supplies

  • Instant non-fat dry milk
  • Flour (consider whole grain)
  • Sugar (white granulated, brown)
  • Seasonings and spices (salt, black pepper, garlic, minced onion)
  • Oil for cooking (olive, canola, vegetable)

Condiments & Salad Dressings

  • Vinegar
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Mayonnaise (choose a lower fat option)
  • Salad dressing

In the Refrigerator

  • Milk (fat-free or low-fat)
  • Cheese (block, shredded, sliced, or string; consider lower fat options)
  • Yogurt (fat-free or low-fat; choose options with fewer or no added sugars)
  • Eggs
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Butter or margarine

In the Freezer

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Meat and seafood (chicken breast, ground beef/turkey, pork loin chops, salmon, shrimp)
  • 100% fruit juice concentrates
  • Waffles (consider whole grain varieties)
  • Breads (consider whole grain varieties)

For tips on storing foods for optimal freshness see these K-State Research and Extension guides:

Safe Food Storage: The Cupboard

Safe Food Storage: The Refrigerator and Freezer

By: Jamie Rathbun