DAY

Super Bowl (February 3, 2013) *

Develop a winning Super Bowl “food game plan” by thinking like a football player on the playing field. Only, instead of the opposing team, your field is filled with food and refreshments. Here are eight winning strategies:

Click here for a copy of the complete article and learn the eight Super Bowl eating strategies.

Super Bowl Sunday is filled with food, festivities and fun — not to mention football. Serve your family foods that are tasty, filling, and nutritious. http://bit.ly/zGnx05

Looking for a Super Bowl dip that you can feel confident is healthy and delicious for your family? This whipped delight is a great replacement for high-fat dips. http://bit.ly/x6s3pG

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Homemade Soup Day (February 4)

• Beef Stew with Vegetable "Gravy"
• Easy Fish Chowder
• Seven Simple Soups and Stew
• "Soup"er Soups from Turkey Leftovers
• Country Chili Mix by Julie Garden Robinson

Should a large pot of soup sit on the range until it cools, or should it be refrigerated hot? Learn the answer from USDA here.

10 Titillating Soup Ideas by Nancy Urbanic, Extension Associate

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Oatmeal Monday (Second Monday each year - February 11, 2013) *

Wikipedia describes Oatmeal Monday as a "traditional holiday observed the ancient universities of Scotland on the second Monday of February."

The students' frugal diet consisted mainly of oatmeal made into porridge. Periodically, they were given a long weekend to replenish their oatmeal supplies. Eventually, this was just established as just this one official Oatmeal Monday.

Enjoy these oatmeal recipes on Oatmeal Monday and throughout the year!

• A "Nutritionally Hot" Recipe for Oatmeal
• Creamy Apple Oatmeal pdf (from our Youth / 4-H Section)
• Banana Split Oatmeal pdf (from our Youth / 4-H Section)

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(Photo: anjuli_ayer at http://flic.kr/p/82ekvK
Creative Commons Attribution/Noncommercial license)

Happy Valentine's Day! (February 14)
 

• See Red on Valentine's Day. Serve a "red-hot and healthy" meal on Valentine's and throughout the year.
• Valentine's Day Treats for Your Sweet's Heart via Families, Food and Fitness
• Make it Dark Chocolate for Valentine's Day by University of Missouri Extension
• Experts: Health, cost should be among Valentine's Day considerations by AgriLife TODAY

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Almond Day (February 16)
 

Most of the fat in almonds and other nuts is heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Eaten in moderation, nuts can be an important part of a healthy diet. Almonds also are a source of Vitamin E.

More information and recipes for almonds at:

• Almond Board of California
• NutHealth.org

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Pistachio Day (February 26)
 

Though nuts are higher in fat than some foods, most of the fat is heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Eaten in moderation, nuts can be an important part of a healthy diet. More information and recipes for pistachios at:

• thegreennut
• pistachiohealth.com
• NutHealth.org

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(Photo courtesy of the Western Pistachio Association)

Strawberry Day (February 27)

A half cup of strawberries has about 25 calories and adds important vitamin C, fiber, and potassium to our diet.

California produces the majority of the strawberries in the United States. For more information on selection, storing, and strawberry recipes:

• California Strawberry Commission

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Chili Day (last Thursday of February each year -- February 28, 2013) *
 

The common denominator of various chili's is they are hot and spicy. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included. The beans choice may include pinto beans, kidney beans, great northern beans or navy beans.

Some chili recipes omit the beans while others omit adding meat. Meat choices may include such choices as beef, pork, turkey, venison or bison. From there, the list of ingredients may become very creative, including such foods as coffee, honey, dark chocolate, bananas and others.

• White Turkey Chili (in a collection of recipes)
• Quick Chili (in a collection of recipes)

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WEEK

Great American Pizza Bake (2nd Week)

Sometimes pizza gets a bad rep for not being healthy. When you make homemade pizza, you are able to control the ingredients on it. Pizza can incorporate all food groups by adding fruit, vegetables, lean meat, low-fat cheeses, and whole grain crust and decreases the amount of saturated fat and salt.

Try these pizza recipes:

• Barbequed Chicken Pizza
• Easy-As-a-Mix Pizza - top of page 4  (Better baking Mix materials from Washington State University Extension)
• Fruit Pizza (SNAP-ED Connection: Recipe Finder)
• Hawaiian Pizza
• Rice-Crusted Pizza (SNAP-ED Connection: Recipe Finder)
• Southwest Tortilla Pizza (AgriLIFE EXTENSION - Texas A&M System)
• Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce
• Quick Pizza (The University of Maine - Cooperative Extension)
• Quick Tortilla Pizza - bottom of page 2 (Iowa State University Extension - Healthy Meals in a Hurry)

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National Pancake Week (4th week)
 

• Light-as-a-Feather Whole Wheat Pancakes (Source: Wheat Foods Council) 
   
• Apple Slice Pancakes (Source: Kansas State  Extension)
   
• Better Baking Mix pdf (Source: Washington State University Extension)
  Make this mix with part whole wheat flour and use for pancakes, muffins, biscuits, and more.
   
• TIP: Make your own blueberry pancakes by folding into the batter 1/2 to 1 cup fresh or pourable frozen blueberries per each cup of flour. For added fruit flavor, top with fruit sauce of berry jam instead of syrup and butter.
   
• TIP:  Though pancakes taste best fresh from the griddle, they can be held briefly as you make others by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200 F oven.

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MONTH

American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Here are some great resources for American Heart Month:

• Health Experts recommend lowering our salt intake to help our hearts. Test Your Salt Savvy!
• Learn more about health benefits of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids pdf.
• For heart-healthy recipe ideas, visit the American Heart Association's Nutrition Center.
• Check out the Walk Nebraska Newsletter Walk for Your Heart to learn about the importance of physical activity and heart health.
• Your best weapons to fight cardiovascular disease are to know your risks, understand warning signs, and have a healthy diet and lifestyle. Check out the latest Healthy Bites Newsletter on American Heart Month! http://bit.ly/zauRC0
• Would you like to know more about heart-healthy foods? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Tip of the Day talks about Heart-Healthy Foods.
• Heart-health resources by Welch's

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Bake for Family Fun Month

Baking is a great family activity, so celebrate and have fun by baking with your family in February. The Home Baking Association put together recipes, baking activities, and resources to help families create new baking memories and traditions.

Here are more cooking with kids resources:

• Cooking Healthy Recipes with your Kids (UNL Food: Youth / 4-H section)
• Cooking Super Star Meals with Kids (Oregon Department of Education)
• Kids Can Cook - and Learning Is the Secret Ingredient! (Penn State Cooperative Extension)
• Let's Cook Together (USDA. Food and Nutrition Service. Team Nutrition)
• Let's Get Cookin' (Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program)
• UNL Food: Youth / 4-H website

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Berry Fresh Month

Many berries can be eaten raw and range from 50 to 100 calories per serving when eaten raw. They are high in vitamin c, potassium, and fiber.

For tips on selecting, storing and preparing berries, visit fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org and type "berries" into the search feature in the upper right corner of the web page.

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Canned Food Month

Research has shown canned foods can be as high in nutrients as and sometimes higher than fresh foods.

Are canned foods still safe after a year? Two years? Longer? USDA gives the answer here.

Other canned food resources:

• Canned Food Fills MyPlate (Source: Canned Food Alliance)
• Canned Foods Fill MyPlate (Source: Canned Food Alliance)
• Canned food recipes (Source: Canned Food Alliance)
  
• "Just Add One" Recipe Box (Source: Canned Food Alliance)

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Celebration of Chocolate Month

Enjoy Chocolate!

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Cherry Month

Learn about the different types of cherries plus how to store and prepare them (including recipes) from CDC: Cherries

Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program created a handout on canned cherries. This handout talks about nutrition information, storage, uses, and includes two recipes on the second page.

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Hot Breakfast Month

This campaign emphasizes the importance of starting each day by eating a healthy breakfast. While breakfast can be healthy without being hot, the colder days of February are a great time to enjoy a hot breakfast.

Breakfast literally means "break the fast" after not eating since the night before. People who eat breakfast usually perform better in school and on the job.

Breakfast tips:

• "Run-out-the-door" Breakfast Ideas (Source: eXtension.org)
• Choosing Breakfast Cereals (Source: Clemson University Cooperative Extension)
• Breakfast Bulletin Board Resources - some can be used as handouts (Source: USDA)

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(Photo: LollyKnit at http://flic.kr/p/4rwbrX
Creative Commons Attribution/Noncommercial license)

Grapefruit Month

Grapefruit got its name because of the way it grows in clusters, like grapes, on trees. Eating grapefruit is a tangy, flavorful way to add vitamin C to our diets. Most of our grapefruit comes from Florida.

• Learn about the different types of grapefruit, plus how to store and prepare them (including recipes) from CDC: Grapefruit.
• For additional recipe ideas, visit the Florida Department of Citrus website.

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(Photo: arsheffield at http://flic.kr/p/7DC4qB
Creative Commons Attribution/Noncommercial license)

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. 

Enjoy these quick and easy recipes made with potatoes:

• Beef Stew with Vegetable "Gravy" (includes tips on sautéing food)
• Country Style Potato Salad (includes peas and a low-fat dressing) pdf
• Coney Island Taters (part of a printer-friendly collection of recipes made with freeze-ahead beef crumbles)
• Easy Freezer Mashed Potatoes
• Turkey Mashed Potato Soup

More recipes and potato information from the United States Potato Board.

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(Photo courtesy of United States Potato Board)

Snack Food Month

You don't have to be a kid to enjoy these simple, healthy snacks from our Youth / 4-H section

• Apple Cinnamon Snack Mix pdf
• Fish Bait pdf
• Banana Split Shake pdf

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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.

Selected recipes / information sheets on sweet potatoes from food.unl.edu

• Vitamin A  (includes Sweet Potato Pie recipe)
• Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole (in a collection of recipes)
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Make Quick Work of Mashing Sweet Potatoes with a Potato Ricer

More recipes and information sources:

• Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission
• North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

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