DAY

Eat a Red Apple Day (December 1)

Fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Most of us have heard the phrase "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The best part about including apples into your diet is that they are low in calories and high in dietary fiber.

The Youth / 4-H section of our website offers these fun recipes for enjoying that red apple :

• Apple Raisin Ladybugs
• Apple Smiles
• Apple Dippers
• Apple Pizza
• Yogurt Dip for Apples
• Apple Merry Go Round

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Pie Day (December 1)

Celebrate today by enjoying your favorite piece of pie. Choose MyPlate guidelines suggest balancing your calories. One tip from the guidelines is to enjoy your food, but eat less of it. Another tip is to avoid oversized portions. By following these guidelines, eating pie can become a part of a healthy lifestyle.

Want to learn about how to make a pie? Check out the "Pies and Cobblers" publication made by University of Kentucky Extension or  The Art of Pie Making by Utah State University Extension.

Try one of these recipes to enjoy on Pie Day:

• Apple Pie
  
• Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
• Light Pumpkin Pie
• Low-Fat Traditional Pumpkin Pie

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Make a Gift Day (December 3)

Here are some homemade food gift ideas from various Extension Offices around the nation:

• From My Kitchen to Yours: Healthy Holiday Gifts (University of Illinois Extension)
• Healthy Holiday Gifts (Clemson University Cooperative Extension)
• Mix It Up to Expand Your Gift-giving Dollar with Food Mixes in a Jar (North Dakota State University Extension)
• Is your homemade food gift safe to eat? (University of Minnesota Extension)

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Cookie Day (December 4)
 

Enjoy these cookie recipes from the Youth / 4-H Section of our website:

• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Fruity Sugar Cookies
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• Ranger Cookies
• Yummy Sugar Cookies

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Microwave oven Day (December 6)
 

Enjoy these microwave recipes from the Youth / 4-H Section of our website:

• Crispy Rice Bars
• No Bake Boulders
• Rainforest Chewy Bars
• Banana Split Oatmeal
• Creamy Apple Oatmeal
• Fruity (bagel) Pizza

Make sure you know how to use the microwave safely! Many families use microwave ovens to prepare food, but accidents can occur if appliance is not used properly. Read about microwave safety do's and don'ts from UNL Extension.

Learn the latest about using your microwave oven safely and effectively from this USDA article on Microwave Ovens and Food Safety.

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Brownie Day (December 8)

Enjoy these brownie recipes:

• Chocolate Cherry Brownies
• Pumpkin Brownies

Want to try a lower fat option? University of Illinois Extension in Urban Illinois wrote an article about Lowering Fat for Baking and at the bottom of the article they included a lower-fat brownie recipe.

You can substitute unsweetened applesauce or plain yogurt for oil in most bakery recipes, such as brownies and cakes.Yogurt could change the acidity of the ingredients which might affect baking soda. Also, the applesauce may not work as a total substitution or even a substitution if the recipe is one where you cream the sugar with the fat. See this section from baking911.com

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Ice Cream Day (December 13)
 

We all scream for ice cream. Check out these delicious ice cream recipes:

• Ice Cream in a Bag (2nd page of PDF)
• Making Homemade Ice Cream without Using Raw Eggs
• Upside-Down Strawberries and Ice Cream: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor

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Nutrition Education Program Hot Topic: 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Building Healthy Eating Patterns (December 14)

Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program (NEP) hot topic for December 14 is the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Building Healthy Eating Patterns. Check out Nebraska's NEP website to read more about their hot topic.

The key recommendations for Building Health Eating Patterns:

• Select an eating pattern that meets nutrient needs over time at an appropriate calorie level.
• Account for all foods and beverages consumed and assess how they fit within a total healthy eating pattern.
• Follow food safety recommendations when preparing and eating foods to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Want to know more about the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans? Check out the Let's eat for the health of it brochure, Choose MyPlate website, or What You Should Know about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 document.

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Oatmeal Muffin Day (December 19)
 

Adding oatmeal to your muffins gives them a nutritional boost! Oatmeal is classified as a whole grain and can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity. Grabbing an oatmeal muffin makes a perfect on-the-go breakfast option. Make sure to add a glass of low-fat or nonfat milk on your way out. The best way to celebrate Oatmeal Muffin Day is to try one of these recipes:

• Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
  
• Blueberry Oat Muffins
• Oat Bran Muffins
• Oatmeal Muffins
• Oatmeal-Pumpkin Muffins

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Pumpkin Pie Day (December 25)
 

Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A. Pumpkin pie is a great way to get vitamin A into your diet.

Try these delicious recipes:

• Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
• Light Pumpkin Pie
• Low-Fat Traditional Pumpkin Pie
• Traditional Pumpkin Pie

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WEEK

Handwashing Awareness Week (1st Full Week, December 4 - 10)

Use our FREE Handwashing materials to promote clean hands! Watch funny and informative videos that promote handwashing.

Handwashing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of illness according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Help promote handwashing at your work or community site with these FREE materials!

Click on these links below to access Web pages for downloading the different handwashing materials.

• Sink Those Germs (for younger children)
• English/Spanish Handwashing Poster and Activity Sheet
• Handwashing Poster (for adults and older children)
• Handwashing Table Tent
• YouTube Videos

More handwashing resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

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MONTH

Egg Nog Month
 

• Classic Cooked Eggnog
• Egg Nog
• Making Eggnog at Home (even includes a low calorie recipe)
• Tips for adapting recipes (including egg nog) that are traditionally made with raw eggs

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Food Safety Tips for the Holiday

Make sure to keep your family and friends safe during the holidays. Food safety may not be important for you during the holidays, but it is essential in order to keep your family and friends from getting a foodborne illness. These resources will help keep your family and friends safe during the holidays:

• Helpful Winter Holiday Food Preparation, Food Safety & Healthy Eating Links
• Holiday Food Safety
• Turkey - Purchasing, Thawing, Roasting, and Cooking Tips
• Helping Hands: A Guidebook for Volunteer Meal Providers

For additional turkey safety tips, see our Thanksgiving section.

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Fruit Cake Month

The University of Illinois Extension wrote a great article about Fruitcake for the Holidays. The article stated, "Fruitcake is traditionally a heavy spiced cake that includes lots of dried and/or candied fruits and nuts." At the end of the article they include an Orange Slice "Fruit" Cake recipe.

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Healthy Holiday Tips

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain (Not a special day ... but a recurring theme throughout the month!)

Extra calories can sneak in over the holidays. They don't always come in large portions, but can tiptoe in through tiny tastes throughout the day. We hope you enjoy viewing our slide show and learning more! (Directions for downloading a related PowerPoint are found below the slide show.)

LINK for downloading FREE "Tiny Tastes Total BIG Calories over the Winter Holidays" PowerPoint

1. IMPORTANT: RIGHT click on the ABOVE red link. A pop-up box should appear.
2. LEFT Click on the option offered by your browser: Either "Save target as..." or "Save link as..."

Check out these great resources to help you have a healthier holiday:

• Eat and Be Merry: Tips for Healthy Holiday Indulging
• Have a Healthy Red & Green Holiday!
• Healthy Holidays
• Healthy Holiday Substitutions
• Healthy (and FUN) Holiday Gifts for YOU
• Holiday Food and Fitness
• Low-fat Eating Tips
• Tips for Low Cost Holiday Meal

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Pear Month

Many fruits are out of season during the winter months. Pears are available fresh during this time.  Check out these pear resources:

• Fruit and Vegetable Fact Sheets
• Pear Fact Sheet
• Pear Recipes
• Pear-fect Ideas to Fill MyPlate

For more information regarding pears, check out www.usapears.com.

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Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Many children receive toys during the holidays. Make sure to check that the toys are safe by looking at these great resources:

• Choosing Safe Toys
• How to Observe Safe Toys and Gifts Month
• Recalls.gov
• Safe Toy Checklist
• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Toy Safety Publications
• Toy Safety Shopping Tips

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