DAY

Walking Day (April 4)

American Heart Association's National Walking Day is a nationwide call-to-action for Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Your company can help employees take the first step in becoming more active by participating. Join thousands across the nation as they wear their sneakers to work on April 4, 2012, and pledge to start a healthier lifestyle as part of this annual event.

Physical inactivity increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Luckily, this is a modifiable risk factor and improving it is as easy as going for a walk most days of the week. One of the most effective forms of exercise to achieve heart health is walking. Walking does not require any special skills. It is safe, free, requires no equipment and costs nothing to get started. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise. One way to achieve 150 minutes/week is to do 30 minutes of brisk walking for 5 days of the week.

Resources:

• National Walking Day Website - fill out registration form to download toolkit (Source: American Heart Association)
• Walk Nebraska (Source: UNL Extension)
• Walk for Your Heart (Source: UNL Extension)

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Fresh Tomato Day (April 6)

Did you know the best place to store tomatoes is at room temperature (above 55 F) until they've fully ripened. A ripe tomato is red or reddish orange, depending on variety and yields to slight pressure.

Store them stem end up as the "shoulders" are the softest part and bruise most easily. Keep them out of direct sunlight. If you must store them a longer time, place them (after they've ripened fully) in the refrigerator.

• Tomato Basil Bruschetta (quick, easy, delicious!)
• Tomatoes in the Home Garden pdf
• Selecting Tomatoes for the Home Garden

Easter (April 8, 2012)
 

• Egg handling and Safety Tips at Easter
• Cracking the Date Code on Egg Cartons
• How to hard-cook eggs (American Egg Board)

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Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12)
 

• Directions for freezing cheese sandwiches for grilling later (in a collection of recipes)
   
• Grilled cheese sandwich made on a double-sided electric grill (a quick comfort food!)

Photo: Maggie Hoffman at http://flic.kr/p/6c8KNp Creative Commons license: Attribution

Day of the Mushroom (April 16)
 

Mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium. One of the nutrients found in mushrooms that is receiving increased attention is vitamin D. The Mushroom Council gives more information about the vitamin D content of various mushrooms HERE.

• Selecting and preparing mushrooms,  recipes, nutrition information ... (Mushroom Council)

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Garlic Day (April 19)

• From Garden to Table: Garlic (Source: North Dakota State University Extension Service) Tells how to grow and safely store garlic. Plus gives several recipes using garlic!

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Earth Day (April 22)

• Save Some Green by Going Green with Your Grocery Shopping
• Cooking for Kids: Cooking Green Across America (Source: National Food Service Management Institute)

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Picnic Day (April 23)
 

• Grill It Safely pdf
• Directions for grilling beef, chicken, pork, seafood, and turkey
• Handling Food Safely on the Road pdf

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Zucchini Bread Day (April 25)

Try making zucchini bread with whole wheat pastry flour (a low gluten flour milled from a soft wheat). Whole wheat pastry flour adds the fiber of whole flour and produces a light, tender product. Whole wheat pastry flour, however, doesn't work well in yeast bread recipes because of its low gluten content.

• Zucchini Bread (recipe)

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Prime Rib Day (April 27)

The term "prime rib" typically refers to the cut of meat butchers call a standing rib roast. The origin of Prime Rib Day is unknown. Often served as part of a special occasion, it is an easy menu item to prepare.

See how easy it is to prepare any type of roast by viewing this video from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA).

Here are 2 examples of rib roast recipes from the NCBA

• Peppery Beef Rib Roast
• Herb-Seasoned Rib Roast with Red Wine Pan Sauce

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Raisin Day (April 30)
 

According to the Fresno Historical Society, the first Raisin Day was April 30, 1909.  For a quick trip back in history, view vintage Raisin Day Postcards on flickr.com

• Raisin recipes, nutrition information, more ... (Source: California Raisin Marketing Board)

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WEEK

Public Health Week (1st week in April)

These Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 resources can help you enjoy and promote eating healthy and participating in physical activity during Public Health Week and throughout the year:

• Dietary Guidelines for American, 2010: Quiz Yourself (online slide show and FREE downloadable PowerPoint)
   
• Test Your Salt Savvy
  
  
• Get Heart Smart about Sodium pdf
   
• Add a Little Spice (and Herbs) to Your Life! (free handout and PowerPoint - add back flavor when cutting back on salt)
   
• Meet the Grain Group (free handout and PowerPoint - gives information on identifying whole grains)
   
• No-Salt Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix

To learn more about National Public Health Week, check out http://www.nphw.org/ and their toolkit.

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Garden Week/Garden Month

• Nebraska Master Gardener Program - provides volunteers with research-based horticulture education, which prepares them to share their knowledge with the citizens of the State. Check out their resources section.
   
• Horticulture Section from The Nebline March 2012 - Find out how to start transplants inside
   
• Urban agriculture -- getting started gardening, preparing and preserving food -- when you live in the city.
   
• Backyard Farmer -- fruit and vegetable resources
   
• About Nebraska Community Gardens - UNL Extension
   
• Growing and preparing loose leaf lettuce (you can grow it in a large container!)
   
• From Garden to Table: Garlic (Source: North Dakota State University Extension Service) Tells how to grow and safely store garlic. Plus gives several recipes using garlic!
   
• Growing Herbs - UNL Extension in Lancaster County
   
• Cooking with fresh herbs - UNL Extension
  
  
• Local Foods by the Season - UNL Extension
   
• When to Harvest Fruits and Vegetables - NebGuide
   
• http://www.garden.org/
  

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Egg Salad Week (April 12-18)

Egg Salad Week is the week after Easter because so many people like to make egg salad with their hard-cooked eggs.

Following these links for directions on hard-cooking eggs and several egg salad recipes from the American Egg Board:

• How to hard-cook eggs (American Egg Board)
   
• Classic egg salad recipe (Note: If the only ingredients you have are eggs, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, that is pretty tasty, too!)
   
• Tomato & Avocado Egg Salad (Notice how pretty this salad looks if you serve it on spinach leaves.)

 (Photo: ohdearbarb at http://flic.kr/p/51uaVK / Creative Commons license specifications for use)

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TV-Turnoff Week (April 22-28)

 
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under age 2 have no screen time, and that kids older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming. How much time do kids spend watching TV a day? Approximately 4.5 hours (Source: Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, "Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year Olds," January 2010).

According to Mayo Clinic, too much screen time has been linked to:

• Obesity
• Irregular Sleep
• Behavioral Problems
• Impaired Academic Performance
• Violence
• Less time for play

Resources:

• Children and TV: Limiting your child's screen time (Source: Mayo Clinic)
• Healthy Habits for TV, Video Games, and the Internet (Source: KidsHealth)
• Tips to Reduce Screen Time (Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute)
• Turn Off Week: Alternatives to Screen Time (Source: The American Academy of Pediatrics)

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MONTH

Cancer Control Month

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

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Produce for Better Health Foundation
• American Institute for Cancer Research

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Celery Month

 
Resources:

• Celery Buying Guide (Source: Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program)
• Celery: Nutrition. Selection. Storage (Source: Fruits & Veggies More Matters)
• Top 10 Ways to Enjoy celery (Source: Fruits & Veggies More Matters)

Snack Ideas Using Celery:

• Ants on a Log (Source: UNL Food: Youth/4-H)
• Butterflies (Source: UNL Food: Youth/4-H)

Photo: Public Domain Photos at http://flic.kr/p/8kb2U5 Creative Commons license: Attribution

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Pecan Month

Pecans are a 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.

More information and recipes for pecans at:

• National Pecan Shellers Association
• Georgia Pecan Commission
• Texas Pecan Growers Association
• NutHealth.org

(Photo courtesy of National Pecan Shellers Association)

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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!

• Nebraska Soybean Board
• United Soybean Board
  
• Soyfoods Association of North America
• Soyfoods Council

The picture to the right shows edamame. Edamme is the Japanese name for the young green pods of the soybean plant. They can be purchased fresh and frequently are available frozen all year in oriental food markets, health and natural food stores, and supermarkets. They are frequently served as a side dish or added to salads or soups. They must be cooked before eating.

(Photo: yamada3 at http://flic.kr/p/6M92m / Creative Commons license specifications for use)

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Stress Awareness Month

Use these resources from UNL Extension to help you lower stress levels through healthy eating and physical activity:

• Healthy Bites Newsletter: Stress Awareness and Management
• Tai Chi 

If your body was like a computer, would it crash? View the SHORT video to the right for ways to "reboot!"

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