K-State Research and Extension

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Tag: Health

Shoot for Three

Posted on by djbechard

Although mornings can be busy, making time for breakfast is important, especially for children and teens. Eating within 1-2 hours of getting up in the morning helps to break the fast from the night before, and sets children and teens up for success throughout the day. Ideally, a breakfast meal includes foods from at least three food groups (a protein or dairy, a fruit or vegetable, and a whole grain) from MyPlate, as well as being low in added sugars, salt, and saturated fat.

Here are few breaking-the-fast tips:

  • Make small changes to your usual breakfast options to find a healthy eating style that works for you.
  • If a sit-down breakfast doesn’t work for your family, have granola bars, cheese sticks, yogurt, and fruit in an easy to grab place for family members to take with them on their way out the door.
  • Everything you eat and drink matters. Choose foods and drinks that can help your family be healthier now and as they grow.
  • Cereal is a great option, especially if you choose whole-grain. Purchase ready-to-eat breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid. If your family enjoys sweetened cereals, try mixing them half-and-half with an unsweetened option. Add fruit such as peaches, blueberries, or strawberries for extra nutrients. Top with low-fat or fat-free milk.
  • If eating breakfast away from home, read and compare the nutrition information. Choose options lower in calories, saturated fat, and added sugar and sodium.

Source: University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension

By: Jamie Rathbun

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

Start Your Day the Good Way

Posted on by djbechard

When it comes to breaking the overnight fast, whether to eat breakfast – and what to eat if you do – can be a confusing topic. The fact is, if you do it right, the morning meal can offer an important opportunity to nourish your body, and it may help with weight control.

Breakfast is a great opportunity to bring in foods which you may be falling short on, such as dairy products (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese) whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A whole-grain hot or cold breakfast cereal, plain yogurt with granola, or a cottage cheese topped with fresh or frozen fruit and nuts is a quick, simple, nutritious, and satisfying way to break your fast. A slice of whole-grain toast or a whole wheat wrap makes a great base for peanut or other nut butter and banana or apple, melted cheese and tomato, mashed beans and salsa, or mashed avocado and hard-boiled egg. Eggs are fine for breakfast in moderation.

Think of breakfast as a nutritional bonus. Breakfast is the opportunity to have whole-grain items or dairy products that you might not have for another meal during the day. Choose breakfast as a health goal. Start your day the good way, with breakfast.

By: Jamie Rathbun

Does “Green” Mean Clean?

Posted on by djbechard

Regular use of cloth bags is considered important to “save the environment,” but isn’t personal and family health just as important? The inside and outside of reusable grocery bags can be a breeding ground for dangerous foodborne bacteria which can pose a serious risk to our health.

Reusable bags if not properly washed between uses, create the potential for cross contamination of foods.

When transporting foods, keep food safety in mind. Juices from meats can leak from packaging and contaminate ready-to-eat foods like fruits and vegetables in the cloth bag. A good rule-of-thumb is to put raw meat in a separate plastic bag before packing in reusable bags, or use a separate cloth bag for meats.

Where do you place your reusable bags while putting groceries away? The outside of the bag may be contaminated from the grocery cart, the store counter, or from the floor of your vehicle. If you set bags on the counter when you get home, the germs on the outside of the bag are now on your countertops. Remember to wash and sanitize your countertops before preparing food.

When shopping for reusable cloth bags, look for ones that are washable and remember to launder bags often. Simply washing reusable cloth bags between uses in the washing machine, or by hand, with soap is effective at reducing bacteria by 99.9%.

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

Eat More Dark Green Veggies

Posted on by djbechard

Most Americans age 2 and older do not eat the recommended amounts of vegetables. It is important to add more veggies to our meals and snacks, as vegetables provide vitamins and minerals and most are low in calories and fat.

Vary your veggies. The most commonly eaten vegetables are potatoes and tomatoes according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is important to vary your veggies throughout the week by eating from the five vegetable subgroups: dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other vegetables.

These vegetables are grouped together based on their nutrient content. Most Americans do not eat enough of dark green, red and orange vegetables, and beans and peas. Try to focus on fitting more dark-green vegetables into your day.

4 Ways to Add More Dark Green Veggies

  • Add spinach to a smoothie.
  • Dip fresh broccoli in hummus, yogurt-based dip, or another low-fat dip.
  • Not used to eating salads with leafy dark greens? Try mixing romaine lettuce, spinach, or baby kale with a lettuce you normally use.
  • Liven up a pasta dish, stir fry, omelet, or salad by adding spinach or chopped broccoli.

See the recipe for Clover Power Smoothie. Try this simple green smoothie for a fun and festive way to add dark green vegetables by using spinach.

VEGETABLE SUBGROUP EXAMPLES
Dark Green Broccoli, spinach, leafy salad greens (including romaine lettuce), collards, bok choy, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, green herbs (parsley, cilantro)
Red and Orange Tomatoes, carrots, 100% tomato juice, sweet potatoes, red peppers (hot and sweet), winter squash, pumpkin
Legumes (beans and peas) Pinto, white, kidney, and black beans; lentils; chickpeas; lima beans (mature, dried); split peas; edamame (green soybeans)
Starchy Potatoes, corn, green peas, lima beans (green, immature), plantains, cassava
Other Lettuce (iceberg), onions, green beans, cucumbers, celery, green peppers, cabbage, mushrooms, avocado, summer squash (includes zucchini), cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, bean sprouts, olives, asparagus, peapods (snowpeas), beets

By: Jamie Rathbun

Get “March”ing!

Posted on by djbechard

Walking is a wonderful option for physical activity, but venturing outside in winter months isn’t always appealing.

To get some extra steps in and avoid sitting too much on brutally cold days, try some of these marching in place variations. Use a counter top or chair for balance, if needed. To track your progress, keep a daily tally of how many times you perform one of these options.

Do each for account of 20. Add more repetitions as you are able.

  • High Knees: Standing tall, lift your knees as high as you can while you march.
  • Forward and Back: Take one small step forward with each foot, and one step back with each foot.
  • In and Out: Starting with your feet about a fist’s distance apart, take a small step to the side with one foot and then the other. Take a small step back in with one foot and then the other.

If desired, create your own patterns.  How many times can you do this throughout the day? Aim to increase over time.

By the end of the month you will be ready to join us for Walk Kansas 2023, March 26 – May 20. Contact any Post Rock Extension District office for details on how to register.

By: Jamie Rathbun