DAY

Peanut Butter Lover's Day (March 1) / Peanut Month

Peanut butter is a convenient and inexpensive staple to keep in your kitchen. The DASH diet to lower blood pressure found a healthy diet included 4 to 5 servings of nuts, seeds and legumes weekly. For some sample DASH menus containing peanuts and peanut butter, check HERE (pdf format). A tablespoon of peanut butter has about 95 calories; enjoy in moderation.

For some unique recipes made with peanuts and peanut butter, check these Web sites:

• www.peanutbutterlovers.com (Peanut Advisory Board)
• www.peanut-institute.org (The Peanut Institute)

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Cereal Day (March 7)

This holiday originated to commemorate the anniversary of the invention of corn flakes by William and John Kellogg in the late 19th century.

• When All You Feel Like Fixing is a Bowl of Cereal (easy cereal supper idea)
• A "Nutritionally Hot" Recipe for Oatmeal
• Cereal Snack Mix pdf (from our 4-H/Youth section)
• Triple Play Walnut Crunch (use as a crisp, cereal, or energy mix)

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St. Patrick's Day (March 17)

Go for the GREEN on St. Patrick's Day. Get healthy with green fruits and veggies:

• Green food ideas for St. Patrick's Day and throughout the year
• Search for recipes that include the color "green" (Source: Produce for Better Health Foundation)

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(Image courtesy of Food and Health Communications)

Ag Day (March 19) *

National Ag Day was created to recognize and celebrate the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. It is coordinated by the Ag Council of America.

1 in 3 jobs in Nebraska are tied to agriculture. Cash receipts from farm marketings contribute 5% of the U.S. total economy. Nebraska ranks #1 in the nation in dry edible bean and red meat production. (More Nebraska ag facts, Feb. 2012...)

• Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom resources
• Fun facts about the food we eat (Source: Agricultural Council of America)

Download the free app “We Grow It, Do You Know It” from the University of Nebraska’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It is a lively free app that gives kids their first lessons in how agriculture produces the things they love to eat – and even their crayons.

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World Water Day (March 22)

World Water Day is an international day declared by the UN General Assembly.  Water is a basic requirement for life. World Water Day focuses on promoting concrete activities regarding the world's water resources.

• World Water Day website
• View World Water Day Photostream on flickr (some beautiful pictures!)
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Water Website
  
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Water Center
• Water for Food - a Global Institute at the University of Nebraska
• Take the 100-Gallon Challenge!
  

NebGuides from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

• An Introduction to Drinking Water
• Drinking Water: Hard Water
• Drinking Water: Testing for Quality
  
• Drinking Water: Bottled, Tap, and Vended

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(Photo: Paolo Margari at photo link / Creative Commons license: Attribution, Noncommercial, No Derivative Works)

Pecan Day (March 25)

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

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(Photo courtesy of National Pecan Shellers Association)

Spinach Day (March 26)
 

• Canned Spinach Handout (Source: NEP)
• Spinach: Nutrition . Selection . Storage (Source: Fruits & Veggies More Matters)
• Spinach Handout (Source: NEP)
• Types of spinach, nutrition, storage, recipes (Source: CDC)
• Meal in a Potato & Spinach-Orange Salad recipes in "2 (or More!) Cooks Are Better Than 1!"

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(Photo: Greg Wagoner  at http://flic.kr/p/6rzk5v / Creative Commons license: Attribution, Noncommercial, No Derivative Works)

Make Up Your Own Holiday Day (March 26)

If you could create a food-related holiday, what would it be? Email Kayla Colgrove with your proposed food holiday by Monday, March 5, 2013 and I'll post it in this section by March 9.

List of Proposed Food Holidays:

• National Dieters Day in March - Celebrating individuals who have lost weight and kept it off

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American Diabetes Alert Day (March 26, 2013, fourth Tuesday in March)

There are 25.8 million people in the United States, or 8.3% of the population, who have diabetes. Take the Diabetes Risk Test from the American Diabetes Association to find out if you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Check out the American Diabetes Association website to find out more information about the American Diabetes Association Alert Day.

• American Diabetes Association Alert Day 2013 Fact Sheet

Control Diabetes for Life is an educational program that is offered by UNL Extension 1-3 times a year in various locations in Nebraska. Check out Control Diabetes for Life's website to watch archived sessions.

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Easter (March 31, 2013)
 

• 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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WEEK

National School Breakfast Week (March 4 - 8)

The theme for the 2013 National School Breakfast week is "Be a Star with School Breakfast." National School Breakfast Week is celebrated during the first full week in March. It helps to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy breakfast for children in school. Check out these resources to help you with breakfast week:

• Breakfast = Achievement (Action for Healthy Kids)
• Breakfast in the Classroom Resource Center (School Nutrition Association)
• Breakfast Month (Healthy Bites Newsletter)
• Breaking-The-Fast (Nebraska'a Nutrition Education Program)
• Discover School Breakfast Toolkit (USDA - Food and Nutrition Service)
• Expanding Your School Breakfast Program (USDA - Food and Nutrition Service)
• National School Breakfast Week Resources (School Nutrition Association)
• Nebraska School Breakfast Challenge 2011-2013 Video
• Nebraska School Breakfast Program (Nebraska Department of Education)

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Salt Awareness Week (March 11 - 17, 2013)

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines emphasize reducing sodium. The key recommendation is to reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) and further reduce intake to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. The 1,500 mg recommendation applies to about half of the U.S. population, including children, and the majority of adults.

Additional Resources:

• Get Heart Smart about Sodium (Lisa Franzen-Castle, RD, PhD, Nutrition Specialist)
• How Much Sodium Are You Eating? (NebGuide by Wanda M. Koszewski, Extension Nutrition Specialist)
  
• Reducing Sodium (Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program)
• Test Your Salt Savvy (Food Reflections by Alice Henneman, Extension Educator)
• What You Should Know about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 (by Alice Henneman, Extension Educator)

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National Agriculture Week (March 17 - 23, 2013)

 
Check out these great resources for National Agriculture Week:

• Agriculture Council of America
• Agriculture in the Classroom (Source: USDA)
• Farm to School (Source: USDA)
• Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom

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MONTH

Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death for both men and women. When should you get screened for colon cancer? Encourage everyone over the age of 50 to get screened regularly for colon cancer.

Additional Resources:

• Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month - National health Observances Toolkit (Source: Department of Health and Human Services)
• Colorectal Cancer (Source: Prevent Cancer Foundation)
• Dietary Fiber NebGuide (Source: UNL Extension)
• Colon Cancer Awareness & Prevention (Source: Healthy Bites Newsletter by Lisa Franzen-Castle)

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Flour Month

Learn more about different types of flours and substitutions from The Cook's Thesaurus:

• Wheat flours
• Nonwheat flours

Check our guidelines on storing flour:

• Cleaning the Kitchen Cupboard: Toss or Save?

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Frozen Food Month

Frozen foods picked and frozen at the peak of maturity can equal fresh foods in nutritional quality. They're washed and ready to go -- pour from the bag only what you need.

SMOOTHIE RECIPE: Make the smoothie on the right by blending 1 cup unsweetened frozen raspberries, 3/4 cup 100% orange juice, and 1/2 cup fruit-flavored, low-fat yogurt (such as peach).

• Learn how to freeze foods from UNL Food: Home Food Preservation
• Tips, recipes, kid's section from National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association
• Recipes for Smoothies and Shakes from our Youth / 4-H pages
• Sumptuous Smoothies & Shakes from Cook it Quick Newsletter

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National Nutrition Month®

The theme for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) 2013 National Nutrition Month is "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day."

• Materials, recipes, quizzes & games, books & publications (Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• National Nutrition Month® Media Materials (Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

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Noodle Month

Pasta, including noodles, is low in sodium. Look for either enriched or whole grain noodles. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend making half your grain choices (cereals, pasta, rice, bread, etc.) whole grain.

For more information and recipes for cooking with pasta, visit the National Pasta Association website.

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(Photo courtesy of the National Pasta Association)

Sauce Month

Be careful when choosing a sauce to add to your meal. Cream based and cheese sauces are usually high in saturated fat and calories, so make sure to eat these sauces in moderation. For a healthier option, use lowfat or nonfat cream, lowfat or nonfat cheese, tomato based sauce, or salsa to decrease saturated fat and calories. Check out these great resources for National Sauce Month:

• Culinary Techniques for Healthy School Meals: Preparing Sauces from The University of Mississippi National Food Service Management Institute
• Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce from our Youth / 4-H pages

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