Enjoy strawberries this season!
In need of a healthy spring and summer snack idea? Try strawberries!
Oven-Dried Strawberries
Strawberry time is here! They’re on sale everywhere and ready to be picked in the fields in many areas. If you buy too many strawberries to eat before they go bad, try drying them out in the oven. They smell delicious and taste even better.
Strawberries are super easy to oven dry as long as you have time. The prep time is about 5 minutes, and the total oven drying time is about 3-4 hours.
Here are the directions for oven drying strawberries:
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice strawberries in half, or in thirds or even quarters if they are big berries. Remove the white part that’s inside the berries (usually in larger ones) and lay them cut side up on a baking tray. Place your baking tray in a low oven. 200 degrees F or as low as your oven goes.
- Depending on how large your strawberries are and how dry you want them, the strawberries will take between 3-4 hours to dry. Turn the berries over after about 1 1/2 hours so that the seedy side is up.
- Peel the dried strawberries off the parchment paper, and store them in an air tight container.
Enjoy!
Picnic Food Safety Tips
As the weather gets warmer, you may start thinking of planning a picnic. Here are a few simple rules to assure that your food remains safe to eat:
- Take only the amount of food to be eaten to avoid having leftovers.
- Pack the perishable foods in a cooler with ice and freezer packs and keep your cooler in a shady spot.
- Moist disposable towelettes are great for cleaning your hands.
Check here for more ideas: https://food.unl.edu/healthy-bites-july-national-picnic-month
MyPlate: Teaching Kids of All Ages to Use this Resource
The website, www.choosemyplate.gov is filled with information to support a healthy diet and lifestyle. Did you know the website has a section specifically for kids called MyPlate Kid’s Place? It is loaded with kid-friendly information and activities that are fun and engaging. Take some time with your children and visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/index.html to learn more.
There are 4 sections to the site:
- Games (filled with fun interactive games that make learning about healthy eating fun)
- Activity Sheets (print out word scrambles, crossword puzzles, coloring sheets and more)
- Videos/Songs and,
- Move More (provides links to information about ways to be more active)
Lisa
Could you have diabetes?
Does diabetes run in your family? Do you carry extra weight? Are you 45 or older? I walked around for a couple of years with diabetes and did not know it. I also walked around a couple of years acting like I did not have diabetes, when I knew I did. Diabetes can be prevented and even if you have it, can be controlled. You can act only if you know for sure. Today is Diabetes Alert Day. As a first step take the test at http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/ .
Talk with your doctor and then you can know for sure.
Submitted by April Reese.
April Reese leads the Health Systems and Community Connections Unit of the Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch of the N.C. Division of Public Health. In this capacity she leads statewide diabetes and hypertension initiatives.