February Food Calendar

Homemade Soup Day (February 4)

• Beef Stew with Vegetable "Gravy"
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Potato Corn Chowder
• Red Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash, Coconut Milk and Curry
• Seven Simple Soups and Stew
• Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• "Soup"er Soups from Turkey Leftovers
• Soup & Stew Recipe Links
• Tomato Soup (New)
• White Chicken Chili

Should a large pot of soup sit on the range until it cools, or should it be refrigerated hot? Check out the answer under the Common Questions from USDA.

10 Titillating Soup Ideas by Nancy Urbanic, Extension Associate

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The Big Game (February 4, 2018) *

Develop a winning "food game plan" for the pro football championship game by thinking like a football player on the playing field. Only, instead of the opposing team, your field is filled with food and refreshments. Check out, "Your Big Bowl Game Plan for Healthy Eating" to learn about the eight winning strategies or "Prep for Potlucks and Parties" to set yourself up to make healthy choices with these tips (New). 

Looking for a healthier dip recipes to take to a football party? The recipes are low in calories and fat, high in nutrients, and tastes amazing. Bonus, they are super easy to make! Check out this Black Bean & Corn Salsa or Mango Tango Black Bean Salsa by Making HealthieRDecisions Blog (New).

Or, try Chili Bean Dip or Easy No-Cook Salsa from the Nebraska Extension's Nutrition Education Program (New).

Check out this collection of snacks to keep you fueled from the SNAP-Ed Connection (New) or watch this YouTube video with TV Chef, Martie Duncan, who shares some food safety tips for you to practice on Super Bowl Sunday and beyond.

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Oatmeal Monday (Second Monday each year - February 12, 2018) *

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.

Check out this oatmeal fact sheet from USDA for helpful cooking tips, recipes, and storage tips or recipes using oatmeal from What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl. (New)

Enjoy these oatmeal recipes on Oatmeal Monday and throughout the year from our website:

• A "Nutritionally Hot" Recipe for Oatmeal
• Banana Split Oatmeal pdf
• Creamy Apple Oatmeal pdf
• Oatmeal - Whole Grain Goodness
• Quick Berry Oatmeal

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

Happy Valentine's Day! (February 14)
 

• Healthy Ideas + Recipes for Valentine's Day by parentsavvy.com
• Non-Candy Valentine Ideas by parentsavvy.com
• See Red on Valentine's Day. Serve a "red-hot and healthy" meal on Valentine's and throughout the year.
• Sweet Ideas without Added Sugar: A Smoothie for Your Sweetheart (New)
• Valentine's Day Snack Mix: Try this quick, healthy snack at home or for your child's Valentine's Day party.  (New)

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Almond Day (February 16)
 

Almonds are considered part of the Protein Foods group. 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. Learn more about nuts and your health. Don't forget to try Almond Rice Pilaf or toasted almonds. (New)

More information and recipes for almonds at:

• Almond Board of California
• NutHealth.org

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Chili Day (last Thursday of February each year -- February 22, 2018) *
 

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.

• Beef Chili (New)
• Easy Ground Beef Recipes from Your Freezer (New)
• Quick Chili (in a collection of recipes)
• White Chicken Chili by Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program
• White Turkey Chili (in a collection of recipes)

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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. Learn more about nuts and your health. More information and recipes for pistachios at:

• 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. Expand your horizons by trying one of these recipes from our website (New):

• Have It Your Way Parfait
• Strawberry Smoothie and Popsicle
• Sumptuous Smoothies & Shakes
• Super Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
• Sweet Ideas without Added Sugar
• Upside-Down Strawberries and Ice Cream: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor

Learn how to select and store strawberries or try one of the top 10 ways to enjoy strawberries. (New)

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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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
• Eagle Pizza (What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl) (New)
• Fruit Pizza (What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl)
• Hawaiian Pizza
• Homemade Pizza (Making HealthieRDecisions Blog)
• Pizza Boats (New)
• Pizza Casserole (New)
• Rice-Crusted Pizza (What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl)
• Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce

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National Pancake Week (4th week)
 

• Oatmeal Pancakes (Source: Nebraska's Nutrition Education Program)

• Berry Good Pancakes (Source: Cook It Quick!)

• Perfectly Pumpkin Whole Wheat (Source: Food Fun for Young Children)

• Light-as-a-Feather Whole Wheat Pancakes (Source: Wheat Foods Council)
   
• Apple Slice Pancakes (Source: Kansas State Extension)
    
• 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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American Heart Month

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

• Find Your Healthy Eating Style & Maintain It for a Lifetime and learn how to reach your nutrition goals from Choose MyPlate's website. (New)
• Health Experts recommend lowering our salt intake to help our hearts. Test Your Salt Savvy!
• 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 Healthy Bites Newsletter on American Heart Month.

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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:

• Baking as a Family - Healthy Bites Newsletter (New)
• Cooking Healthy Recipes with your Kids
• Food Fun for Young Children (New)
• Kids a Cookin' (K-State Research and Extension's Family Nutrition Program) (New)

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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.

Try these berry recipes from USDA Mixing Bowl using a variety of berries (New).

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Canned Food Month
 

Canned fruit and vegetables are great to incoporate into your healthy lifestyle, but you need to be careful. Some canned fruits have a lot of added sugars or syrups, so choose fruits packed in 100% juice or water. Some canned vegetables contain a lot of added salt, so choose "no salt" added, or drain and rinse before eating them. 

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 under their Common Questions section.

Check out these canned food resources:

• Canned Food Fills MyPlate (Source: Canned Food Alliance)
• Canned Food MyPlate Simplicity (Source: Canned Food Alliance) (New)
• Canned Foods and other Small Changes Help Meet MyPlate (Source: Canned Food Alliance) (New)
• Canned Food Recipes (Source: Canned Food Alliance)
• Easy No-Cook Salsa (New)
• February: National Canned Food Month (Healthy Bites Newsletter) (New)
• Get More Nutrients for Your Money with Canned Foods (Source: Canned Food Alliance) (New)
• Mango Tango Black Bean Salsa Recipe (Making HealthieRDecisions Blog) (New)

Celebration of Chocolate Month
 

Enjoy Chocolate! The news keeps getting better about chocolate.

A small amount of a delicious piece of chocolate at the end of a meal may help you control your appetite, according to Dr. Barbara Rolls, author of Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories.

Learn more about Chocolate - A Functional Food?

• Leader Guide
• Participant Guide

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Cherry Month
 

Learn how to store and prepare cherries or try one of the top 10 ways to eat cherries from fruits & veggies more matters.

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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:

• A Nutritionally Hot Recipe for Oatmeal (New)
• Breakfast Bulletin Board Resources - some can be used as handouts (Source: USDA)
• Choosing Breakfast Cereals (Source: Clemson University Cooperative Extension)
• Oatmeal Pancakes (New)
• Oatmeal - Whole Grain Goodness (New)
• Quick Berry Oatmeal (New)

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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 how to store and prepare grapefruit from fruits & veggies more matters.
• 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
 

According to the USDA Food Surveys Research Group, the average number of snacks consumed by adults per day has doubled over the lsat 30 years. Check out these resources to snack smarter:

• Cucumber Snack (New)
• February: Snack Food Month from Healthy Bites Newsletter (New)
• Home Run Snack Ideas (New)
• Smarter Snacking information sheet
• Snack & Dip Recipes (New)
• Snack Planet App
• Super Simple Snacks
• Valentine's Day Healthy Snack (New)

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

• Make Quick Work of Mashing Sweet Potatoes with a Potato Ricer
• Orange & Sweet Potato Pork Chops (New)
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Sweet Potatoes - Healthy Bites for November (New)
• Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole (in a collection of recipes)

More recipes and information sources:

• Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission
• North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

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