Hummus is a wonderful spread that can be added to a meal or served as a dip to create a fun, flavorful variation! Hummus is made from chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, a type of dried pea or bean. Hummus is a great addition to any diet as chickpeas contain fiber, folate, and potassium, like vegetables, but also are an incredible source of plant protein providing the body with iron and zinc. There are tons of different flavors of hummus to cater to all types of tastes including roasted garlic, roasted pepper, sundried tomato, everything but the bagel, and even chocolate! Hummus can be added to your diet in a variety of ways, but here are some ideas on how to eat hummus!

Written By: Kate Wilson

Sources:

https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/protein-foods/beans-and-peas

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/top-10-ways-enjoy-hummus/

Guavas are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber is important because it helps keep our stomachs full and our digestive systems moving. One medium guava contains up to 3 grams of fiber! To fuel your body with even more fiber, you can blend whole guavas with the skin on in shakes, smoothies, and juices. To make a guava juice or smoothie all you need is two ingredients: Guava and water! Follow this recipe below!

Written by: Bella Regna

Sources:

https://www.eatright.org/food/food-groups/fruits/go-tropical-with-super-fruits

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/guava-juice/

Feta cheese, like all cheese, falls into the dairy food group. While oftentimes people think that cheese is unhealthy for you, it is important that everyone consumes some amount of dairy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Dairy provides our bodies with many beneficial nutrients including calcium, phosphorus, protein, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, D, and B12! All these nutrients help maintain healthy blood pressure levels and bone strength. It is super important to watch the type of dairy you are putting into your body and steer towards low-fat or fat-free options.

Feta cheese is a very versatile source of dairy. Compared to other cheeses, feta is a healthier option as it is low in calories and fat. It also contains high amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin B which are important to keep your bones strong and healthy. Feta can be crumbled and mixed into many different things to add an acidic flavor. Here are some fun ways to include feta in your diet!

Written By: Kate Wilson

Sources:

https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/dairy

https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/hummus-and-feta-sweet-peppers/

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/fruit-feta-salad-recipe/

Eggplants are a very versatile vegetable, that is used in cooking all over the world. You will see eggplants in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian food! Eggplants can be made in so many ways, such as grilled, broiled, baked, sauteed, microwaved, stewed, or pickled. The vegetable can be sliced in half and filled with meat, rice, nuts, or other vegetables. Most of the time, you’ll find eggplants as round as a Hen’s egg, ranging from dark purple, white, or striped. Roast some eggplant and add it into your weeknight pasta dish with this recipe below:

September is Family Meals Month so here is a breakdown of how incorporating family meals into your life can be beneficial!

Written By: Kate Wilson

Sources:

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/reap-the-benefits-of-family-meals/

https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/family-meals-make-a-difference/

June is National Dairy Month. Dairy is an important component of a diet and offers many health benefits, including building and maintaining strong bones. Foods in the dairy group include milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk, and fortified soy milk and yogurt. It is also important to note that the dairy group DOES NOT include foods such as cream cheese, sour cream, cream, and butter. These foods are not included because they contain little calcium and a high fat content.

The dairy food group provides nutrients that are vital for the health and maintenance of the body. Some of these nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein. Calcium is used for building strong bones and teeth. Potassium helps to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vitamin D helps the body maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus. Overall, dairy is important for children and adolescents when bone mass is being built, and essential for adults to prevent the start of osteoporosis. So, how much dairy should be included in your diet? Well, that depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. 90% of Americans do not get enough dairy. To make sure you are consuming a healthy amount of dairy, check out this general guidance chart based on age below, from MyPlate:

Written by: Bella Regna

Sources: https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/dairy

May is National Fitness and Sports Month! During this month, we have the chance to celebrate exercise, promote physical activity and participate in sports. In order to live a healthy lifestyle, we must make sure we get enough physical activity each day.

There is an endless number of ways to exercise and get your physical activity in. For example, you can go on a walk or run outside. Not only are you getting some sunshine and fresh air, but you are moving your body. Also, you can do this activity alone or with friends or family. Exercise can be very fun when you are with other people! When you are with your friends or family, you can play sports like soccer. You can do this by finding a park with a soccer goal and taking turns shooting the ball. If you are competitive, you could even divide into two teams and play each other! This is a good way to get your heart pumping.

Here are just a few more ways to exercise:

Written By: Allison Herendeen

Sources:

https://letsgo.catch.org/courses/take/catch-k-5-kids-club-activity-pack/texts/6822622-welcome

https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/physical-activity-guidelines/current-guidelines

April is National Garden Month! When many people think of gardens, they often think of flower beds, but gardening can include planting fruits and vegetables as well. While gardening can just simply be a fun family activity, there are a lot of benefits from gardening that aren’t necessarily commonly thought of.

It has been found that children who are exposed to hands-on gardening eat significantly more vegetables than those who do not. This gardening exposure has also been shown in research to increase children’s willingness to try new types of produce, which is an important concept when looking into eating a healthy diet with lots of variety.

Gardening is also a sustainable and cost-effective way for families to get produce into their diet. By simply planting your favorite vegetables in a clean clay or plastic pot, trashcan, or bucket and placing it on a porch, balcony, windowsill, or another sunny spot you can build your own garden and grow your own vegetables, saving money by not having to buy them at a grocery store! Building your own garden at home also helps the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. You can also use your fruit and vegetable scraps as compost to nourish your garden!

Gardening is an excellent way to engage the creative side that children have! Teaching children how to garden allows them to lean into their curiosity, learn to be resourceful, and gain self-confidence. During this National Garden Month, we urge you to look into ways that you can get your students or children involved in gardening!

Written By: Kate Wilson

Sources:

https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/food-security-and-sustainability/start-a-container-garden-with-your-family

https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/food-security-and-sustainability/kids-in-the-garden-nutritious-and-fun

https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/food-security-and-sustainability/feed-your-family-healthfully-on-a-limited-budget

https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/food-security-and-sustainability/6-tips-to-lighten-your-carbon-foodprint