Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Food

Fall, Fairs, Festivals & Food Safety

Now that fall season is here, communities are offering hayrides, pumpkin picking, fall festivals, craft shows, and more. When thinking about these fall activities, many people start to crave iconic fall festival food, such as apple pies, hot spiced cider, and pumpkin flavored everything. I love going to these fall festivals and enjoying the treats, […]

Crazy For Cruciferous Vegetables

Even though the harvest from our garden and/or the farmer’s market is slowly coming to a close, we still need to find a way to get in our daily serving of vegetables. Fall, by necessity, requires a shift in thinking about how we shop, prepare, and cook for the cooler months. Like me, many of […]

Apple Season, What’s Your Favorite?

What’s your favorite fall aroma?  There are many to choose from, but I love the smell of warm apples.  That list extends to apple pie, applesauce and apple bread, and the best part is there are always new recipes to try and many varieties of apples to experiment with.  How do I make sure they are safe […]

Celebrate Farm to School This Month

October is National Farm to School Month! That means celebrating the work of schools and food service staff that serve local foods in their cafeterias, the local farmers who make it possible for kids to eat healthfully, and educators who use school gardens to teach about ecology or health. In light of this ongoing celebration, […]

WRITTEN BY: Carol Smathers, MS, MPH, Ohio Farm to School Program Director and Laura Kington, Program Assistant, Farm to School

REVIEWED BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, CFLE, OSU Extension Educator, Lucas County

REFERENCES:

  • 1. Joshi A, Azuma AM, Feenstra G. Do Farm-to-School Programs Make a Difference? Findings and Future Research Needs. J Hunger Environ Nutr. 2008;3(2/3):229–46.
  • 2. Howerton MW, Sue Bell B, Dodd KW, Berrigan D, Stolzenberg-Solomon R, Nebelling L. School-based Nutrition Programs Produced a Moderate Increase in Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: Meta and Pooling Analyses from 7 Studies. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007;39(4):186–96.
  • 3. Schmidt MC, Kolodinsky J, Symans C. The Burlington School Food Project, Final Evaluation Report. Burlington, VT: A Report for the Center for Rural Studies; 2006.
  • 4. Joshi A, Kalb M, Beery M. Going Local: Paths to success for farm to school programs. Los Angeles, CA: Center for Food and Justice, UEPI, Occidental College; 2006.
  • 5. Murphy JM. Education for Sustainability. Findings from the Evaluation Study of the Edible Schoolyard; 2003. [http://74-220-222-140.hostmonster.com/publications/pdf/ESYFindings-DrMurphy.pdf]
  • 6. Gottlieb R. Evaluation of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Salad Bar Program. Los Angeles, CA: Center for Food and Justice, Occidental College; 2001.
  • 7. School Food Plus Evaluation, Interim Evaluation, Phase 2 Report. New York, NY: A Report of School Food Plus; 2005.
  • 8. Dirks AE, Orvis K. An evaluation of the Junior Master Gardener Program in third grade classrooms. HortTechnology. 2005;15(3):443-447.
  • 9. Waliczek TM. The effect of school gardens on children’s interpersonal relationships and attitudes toward school. HortTechnology. 2001;11(3):466-468.

Reducing Sodium

The US Dietary Guidelines recommend healthy American adults limit their total sodium to 2,300 mg daily. Individuals with chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, should limit intake to 1,500 mg of sodium daily. These limits can be challenging as most American over consume sodium by 1,000 mg daily(PDF)Links to a PDF […]

WRITTEN BY: Christine Kendle, MS, RD, LD, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension Tuscarawas County

REVIEWED BY: Kate Shumaker, MS, RD, LD, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension Holmes County

REFERENCES:

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Get the Facts: Sodium and the Dietary Guidelines. http://www.cdc.gov/salt/pdfs/Sodium_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf. October 2015.
  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Get the Facts: Sources of Sodium in Your Diet. http://www.cdc.gov/salt/pdfs/Sources_of_Sodium.pdf. October 2015.
  • Mayo Clinic. Sea Salt vs. Table Salt: What's the Difference? http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/sea-salt/faq-20058512. October 2015.
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Tips to Eat Less Salt and Sodium. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/healthdisp/pdf/tipsheets/Tips-to-Eat-Less-Salt-and-Sodium.pdf. October 2015.
  • Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Dietary Guidelines. http://health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/. October 2015.

Not all Pumpkin Foods are Created Equal

Pumpkin is great; it is filled with the wonderful antioxidant beta-carotene. Research studies have found that eating a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may protect against heart disease and cancers like breast and ovarian. Pumpkin also contains fiber, more potassium than a banana, protein, vitamin C, and numerous minerals – all while being fairly […]

WRITTEN BY: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.

REVIEWED BY: Michelle Treber, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County.

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Jennifer Driesbach, Office Associate, Ohio State University Extenison, Pickaway County,

SOURCES:

  • University of Illinois Extension, https://extension.illinois.edu/pumpkins/nutrition.cfm
  • University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, http://www.uwgb.edu/hr/benefits/wellness/newsletter/November2013.pdf
  • Tufts University, Nutrition & Health Letter, October 2012. http://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/

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