Nutrition Packet Cover-December Outside Contacts

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fit for learning After School resources

December:Celebrate!

This month’s theme is about having appreciation for other individuals’ food and activity preferences, with an emphasis on the holidays and traditional foods. Students are encouraged to try new foods and explore healthy recipes.

Students will also learn how to read, interpret, and compare nutrition facts from food labels.

~~Root Vegetables and Sweet Potatoes are the December Harvests of the Month~~ Suggested weekly Physical Activity and Nutrition Education:

 60 minutes per week of nutrition and fitness education** p the u t to hang your  Structured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity forge from on’t oster r! D ber p binde cem ning  150 minutes per week for elementary sites De lear fit for  225 minutes per week for middle school sites

This packet has been compiled with lessons and activities related to the monthly ffl and Harvest of the Month themes. They were chosen to help you and your staff more easily implement nutrition education at your program sites. Additional lessons and

activities are also in your ffl Afterschool binder.

Please read the following page for an overview of the packet contents as well as some additional lesson requirements and suggestions.

Questions? Contact Becca Barczykowski, fit for learning After School Project Director, YMCA of Silicon Valley [email protected] or 408.351.6418 fit for learning After School Nutrition and Fitness Education December: Celebrate!

By the end of the month, students should:

 have an understanding of the different holidays that occur in December, as well as some of the basic customs, traditions, and foods associated with these holidays.  be able to think critically about traditional holiday foods and think of ways to enjoy their favorite foods in a healthier way.  Understand how to read nutrition information on food labels, including serving sizes, number of servings per package, nutrition facts, and the order in which ingredients are listed.  Know how to compare information on food labels and know how to choose healthier options when presented with different options.

Packet Sections:

December Holidays ~ Traditions & Customs, Food & Recipes

The first section in the packet contains basic information on winter holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s. Educators should highlight key points for each of these holidays and discuss them with the students. Traditional cuisine for the holidays should be of particular focus. Ask the kids what kinds of foods they eat with their families on the holidays. Have discussions about how healthy different holiday foods are, how they can be prepared healthier, or what other healthy options might be considered as alternatives. Get the kids thinking! Snack time is a great time to add additional discussions around holiday foods and traditions.

**If possible, make one of the recipes included in this section with/for your students. They are all traditional

holiday foods, but are healthier recipes. **

Theme-Based Lessons and Activities

This section provides several lesson plans and activities around December holidays and food labels. December Holidays— There’s a Holiday Meal Planning Activity that is highly encouraged. This allows students to take what they’ve learned about traditional holiday foods and about the food groups (November: MyPyramid) and to apply that to creating a menu for a healthy holiday meal while having fun and working together in small groups and learning important life skills. Food Labels— You’ll find some basic information on how to read and interpret food labels. Some are even appropriate to distribute for student use. There are also worksheets and different lesson options included, as well as several sample food labels. To make these lessons more practical, have the kids bring in a label of a food or their favorite snack from home and have them use those for some of the activities. This is another great opportunity to have the students work together in small groups.

Harvest of the Month/Sweet Potatoes and Root Vegetables

Students in all grades should be given at least one lesson on the Harvest of the Month (any of them). Here’s an idea—Yams (root vegetable) are also a popular Kwanzaa food. Why not tie in a lesson about Yams to Kwanzaa and maybe even involve a preparing a recipe?

Physical Activity

There are some fun physical activity lessons with a holiday theme included in this section. Substitute these for some of your regular activities to add some variety and fun!

Parent Handouts

In addition to the parent handouts provided, you can also offer parents the recipes included in the first section of the packet. Have some copies of each recipe available for parents to take when they pick up their children, or have the kids create holiday recipe books out of them to give to their parents as a gift. Be creative!

December Holidays ~ Traditions & Customs, Food & Recipes

This section contains basic information on winter holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s. Educators should highlight key points for each of these holidays and discuss them with the students. Traditional cuisine for the holidays should be of particular focus. Ask the kids what kinds of foods they eat with their families on the holidays. Have discussions about how healthy different holiday foods are, how they can be prepared healthier, or what other healthy options might be considered as alternatives. Get the kids thinking! Snack time is a great time to add additional discussions around holiday foods and traditions.

**If possible, make one of the recipes included in this section with/for your students. They are all traditional holiday foods, but are healthier recipes. **

How to Learn about December Holidays

Learning about celebrations for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa is a great way for secular kids and kids of different cultures and religions to feel connected to others during the December months.

Educators and parents who wonder how to learn about December holidays can explore the traditions of other cultures to find the answers. Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are the three major holidays of the season and there are resources online and in most communities for learning about each one.

It's hard to ignore the holidays in December. Those who wish to teach children about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other winter holidays in an informational manner without religious dogma, have a lot of resources at their disposal. Beginning with the History Channel's video series entitled History of the Holidays, families can find resources on the internet for teaching about the holidays.

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa

Christmas is the Christian tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin birth and that he is the one and only son of God sent to save humans from eternal damnation from sin. In the U.S., Christian celebrations of Christmas are everywhere and secular families don't often need to research or create lesson plans or find activities for teaching about the meaning of Christmas.

Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the oil that allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem after it was destroyed by Antiochus. Jewish folklore says that they only had enough oil for one day and it lasted for eight days. Websites for Jewish children, like Torah Tots are a great place for children to learn about Hanukkah with printable coloring pages and other learning activities.

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor of Africana Studies at California State University Long Beach. Beginning the day after Christmas and ending on New Year's Day, Kwanzaa has unique symbols and rituals designed to celebrate the seven principles of Kwanzaa and unite Africans all over the world.

Healthy Holiday Snacks

Get your kids into a festive spirit this year, and give them some delicious, healthy treats with our easy-to-make holiday snacks. The three quick recipes below save time, help your children avoid extra fat and calories, and provide ample opportunities for creativity! So let the fun begin!

The search for green and red fruits is all part of the fun. It can begin in your own pantry, or in the supermarket. Mix family favorites with something new. Some preserved fruits, such as dried cranberries or canned cherries may require a bit of supermarket sleuthing. Specialty stores and food catalogs are another good source for exotic additions. See what you can dig up!

What you need:

Green fruits:

 kiwis  green grapes  green apples  gooseberries (canned)  honeydew melon (fresh or frozen)

Red fruits:

 strawberries  cherries (canned or dried)  red grapes  cranberries (dried)  pomegranates  red apples

Simple directions: Wash, peel, and cut fruits as needed. Arrange on a platter in the shape of a wreath. Tips for preschoolers: Adults can cut fruits into triangles and squares. Talk about the colors and shapes of the fruit while arranging. Your child can help arrange the fruits by color, kind, and shape. Tips for older children: Encourage your child's artistic expression in arranging the fruits. Creative ideas include concentric circles, wedges, pictures, or something a little more abstract. Stuffed dates

Dried fruits are traditional holiday foods. In earlier times they were the only fruits available during cold winter months. This easy-to-make treat is a classic, and one that even the youngest child can help to make.

What you need:

 whole dates (pits removed)  walnut halves  granulated or powdered sugar (optional)

Simple directions: Slide walnut halves into the slits on each date. Squeeze the date flesh around the nut. Roll in granulated or powdered sugar or leave plain. Arrange the stuffed dates on a serving plate.

Roasted chestnuts

Fresh roasted chestnuts are a seasonal food, available only during the winter holiday season. Although popular for centuries in Europe, North America, and Asia, many Americans have never tried them. Unlike other nuts, chestnuts are relatively low in fat and calories, which makes them a healthy snack. Remember, fresh chestnuts are perishable, so store them in the refrigerator and keep them covered to prevent drying out. Although this is quick and easy, cutting the tough outer shell does require a sturdy adult hand. Children can peel off the brittle shells with their fingers, after baking.

What you need:

 fresh chestnuts

Simple directions: Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut criss-cross slits through the shiny brown outer shell. This lets steam escape and prevents the chestnuts from exploding. (If the cut is deep enough it also makes peeling off the shells easier). Put in a shallow pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes or long enough to handle. Be sure to peel away both the outer shell and the bitter inner husk. Enjoy the sweet nutmeats inside. Note: Instead of baking chestnuts in an oven, try cooking them over an open fire. Avoid putting them directly in the flames or they will scorch.

Original URL: http://life.familyeducation.com/holidays-and-seasonal-events/recipes/36227.html

Mexican Christmas and Dia De Reyes

In Mexico, Christmas (Navidad) is a religious observance which begins with the Posadas, nine days before Christmas Eve, which is the holy night, or Noche Buena. The Posadas are meant to honor the nine days that Joseph and Mary spent looking for lodging.

Mexican Christmas Traditions, for Navidad (Christmas)

To celebrate Posadas, families will spend the nine days before Noche Buena visiting each other's homes and hosting guests in their home. Each home has a nativity scene, and there is a ritual upon arriving at each home, meant to emulate the arrival of Mary and Joseph on their pilgrimage to Bethlehem. Over the course of the evening, they pray the Rosary and sing songs. The children enjoy a pinata with fruit, nuts and, rarely, wrapped candies. Adults enjoy merriment, a feast and usually alcoholic beverages.

At midnight on Christmas Eve, families in Mexico go to church for Midnight Mass and then return to their homes. They have dinner with family, welcoming friends without families into their homes, and then place the baby Jesus into the manger of their nativity scene.

Christmas Gifts

Families in Mexico do not give children Christmas gifts on Christmas Day. After Christmas, on New Year's Eve, there is another midnight mass, to thank God for all of the blessings received through the year. On January 6th Mexicans celebrate El Dia De Reyes, also called The Day of the Kings, or Three Kings Day, or Wise Men Day.

Three Wise Men; The Magi

After Jesus was born, the wise men, the magi, followed the star to Bethlehem and brought gifts. Each magi brings children Christmas gifts, and they're placed in their shoe. The wise men figurines are added to the nativity scene on this day.

Like children in the USA, children in Mexico often spend all day playing with their new toys while the adults prepare a meal. In Mexico, this meal is called Merienda de Reyes, and it celebrates the Epiphany. Bakeries sell Rosca de Reyes, special breads with little ceramic babies baked inside. Whoever gets the baby in their piece is the guardian or god parent of the Baby Jesus and has a special part to play in Candelaria, which takes place February 2nd.

Celebrating Candelaria

On Candelaria, the nativity scene is put away and whoever is the guardian of the baby hosts a party. That person must make a christening gown for baby Jesus and prepare tamales for the feast.

Celebrating Christmas in Mexico takes nearly a month, and is filled with many feasts and plenty of opportunities to visit with friends and family. Instead of Santa Claus bringing several presents, like in the US, the Wise Men bring presents to children, just like they did for baby Jesus. December holidays are a great way to learn about other cultures.

"This is a traditional dessert for parties and special occasions," says Olga Fusté. "In tropical climates, this dish is frequently made with coconut milk."

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup pudding)

Ingredients 2 cups water 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick 1 cup uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice 2 1/2 cups fat-free milk 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons grated lime rind 1/2 cup golden raisins 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed, stirring occasionally. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in fat- free milk, sugar, and rind; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 25 minutes or until mixture thickens and becomes creamy, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in golden raisins and vanilla.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 254 (8% from fat) Fat: 2.3g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.1g) Protein: 6.1g Carbohydrate: 52.2g Fiber: 1.5g Cholesterol: 7mg Iron: 1.7mg Sodium: 172mg Calcium: 135mg

Olga Fusté, MS, RD, Diabetic Cooking for Latinos, Cooking Light, AUGUST 2007

Mexican Champurrado

A special hot chocolate thickened with masa and flavored with piloncillo and anise seeds.

Serves: 4 - 5

I N G R E D I E N T S

1/2 cup fresh masa (corn dough) or 1/2 cup masa flour (masa harina) mixed with a 1/4 cup hot water to blend 2 1/4 cups low-fat (1%) or fat-free (skim) milk 1 1/2 cups water 1 disk Mexican chocolate 3 tablespoons piloncillo (Mexican dark brown sugar), chopped or 1/3 cup brown sugar plus 2 teaspoons molasses 1/4 teaspoon crushed anise seeds (optional)

I N S T R U C T I O N S

Place the water and the masa into the jar of a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium sized saucepan. Add the milk, chocolate, piloncillo (or sugar, molasses combination) and the anise seeds if you wish to use them. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking with a molinillo or whisk until the chocolate and sugar is melted and well-blended. Strain the mixture through a medium sieve (optional) and serve hot, in mugs.

About Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the Jewish Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication. Hanukkah is also written Hannuka or Chanukah The holiday begins on the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew Month of Kislev and lasts eight days. Hanukkah usually falls in the month of December, but occasionally can start in November.

The books of the Maccabees tell the story of Hanukkah which occurred in 165 B.C. After three years of struggle, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antiochus. The Jewish people held festivities in the Temple of Jerusalem, and rededicated it to God. After removing all Syrian idols from the Temple, the Jews found only one small cruse of oil which to light their holy lamps. Miraculously, the cruse provided oil for eight days. Judas Maccabaeus, the Jewish leader, then proclaimed a festival to be observed by Jews.

During Hanukkah, gifts are exchanged and contributions are made to the poor. Each evening, one additional candle is lit on the Hanukkah menorah (Candelabra). By the last evening, eight lighted candles stand together.

Hanukkah foods

Fried food reminds us of the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days when the Maccabees purified and rededicated the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Potato pancakes (latkas in Yiddish and Livivot in Hebrew) and doughnuts (soofganiot in Hebrew) are traditional Hanukkah treats.

Some rabbis have taken the explanation of why we eat fried food on Hanukkah one step further. They say that oil is like studying Torah in two ways. 1) Oil is not a food we eat by ourselves and not necessary for out daily existence. It simply adds pleasure to our food and life, as does the study of Torah. 2) Oil has the potential to illuminate. If you stand in a dark room you can light oil to see the room around you. Study of Torah can also illuminate our world for us. No-Fry Potato Latkes (Hanukkah)

Enjoy! If you prefer to fry latkes instead of baking them, don't add oil to the latke mixture as directed below. Use a non-stick skillet and fry latkes in a little oil, about 2 tsp. per batch. Drain on paper towels to absorb oil. One no-fry latke contains just 1 gram of fat, compared to 2.7 grams for the fried version! 4 tsp. canola or vegetable oil, divided 4 or 5 medium Idaho potatoes (2 lb./1 kg.) 1 medium onion 1 clove garlic, if desired 1 tbsp. fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried) 1 egg & 2 egg whites (or 2 eggs), lightly beaten 1/4 c. flour (white or whole wheat) 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1. Place oven racks on the lowest and middle positions in your oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil. Spray each baking sheet lightly with non-stick spray, then brush each baking sheet with 1 tsp. of oil. (This provides a crispy exterior to the latke.) 2. Peel potatoes or scrub them well if you don't want to peel them. Grate potatoes. (The processor does this quickly.) Transfer them to another bowl. Use the processor to finely mince onion, garlic and dill. Add potatoes, egg, egg whites and remaining 2 tsp. of oil to the processor. Mix using quick on/off turns. Add remaining ingredients and mix briefly. If over- processed, potatoes will be too fine. 3. Drop mixture by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon to form latkes. Bake uncovered at 450°F for 10 minutes, or until bottoms are nicely browned and crispy. Turn latkes over. Transfer pan from the upper rack to the lower rack and vice versa. Bake about 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until brown. Best when served immediately. Yield: 2 dozen medium latkes or 6 dozen minis. Serve with applesauce, low-fat sour cream or yoghurt topped with minced lox and chives. Latkes freeze well. Nutritional Information: 36 calories per medium latke, 1 g fat (0.1 saturated), 9 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 92 mg sodium, 143 mg potassium, trace iron, <1 g fiber, 10 mg calcium.

All images and recipes © Norene Gilletz 2006 (www.gourmania.com) About Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated over 7 days from 26 December thru 1 January, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits of the harvest" in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.

Each day, a principle of Kwanzaa is celebrated:

The Seven Principles

Date Principle in English Principle in Swahili

December 26 Unity Umoja

December 27 Self-Determination Kujichagulia

December 28 Collective Work & Responsibility Ujima

December 29 Cooperative Economics Ujamaa

December 30 Purpose Nia

December 31 Creativity Kuumba

January 1 Faith Imani

Can people who are not of African descent participate in Kwanzaa activities?

Kwanzaa is clearly an African holiday created for African peoples. But other people can and do celebrate it, just like other people participate in Cinco de Mayo besides Mexicans; Chinese New Year besides Chinese; Native American pow wows besides Native Americans.

Can people celebrate Kwanzaa and Christmas? Is Kwanzaa an alternative to Christmas?

Kwanzaa was not created to give people an alternative to their own religion or religious holiday. And it is not an alternative to people's religion or faith but a common ground of African culture. Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, but a cultural one with an inherent spiritual quality as with all major African celebrations. For what Kwanzaa offers is not an alternative to their religion or faith but a common ground of African culture which they all share and cherish. Kwanzaa Foods Yam

Yams (Dioscorea batatas, and other species of Dioscorea) are common throughout the world's tropical areas. The yams most commonly cultivated in Africa may have come from Asia in the first century AD. Yams are a staple food throughout much of Africa, but are particularly important in Western Africa, where they are used to make Fufu and other Fufu-like staples.

What you need

 yams (not sweet potato)

What you do

 Cut yams into large serving-sized pieces.Wrap each piece in aluminium foil (or banana leaves), as one would wrap baking potatoes. Bake in a hot oven, or roast on an outdoor grill until tender. Serve with salt, pepper, and butter.  Yams can also be boiled, steamed, or fried. Yams must be cooked before being eaten.

Fufu

Fufu (Foo-foo, Foufou, Foutou, fu fu) is to Western and Central Africa cooking what mashed potatoes are to traditional European-American cooking. There are Fufu-like staples all over Sub-Saharan Africa: i.e., Eastern Africa's Ugali and Southern Africa's Sadza (which are usually made from ground corn (maize), though West Africans use maize to make Banku and Kenkey, and sometimes use maize to make Fufu). Fufu is a starchy accompaniment for stews or other dishes with sauce. To eat fufu: use your right hand to tear off a bite-sized piece of the fufu, shape it into a ball, make an indentation in it, and use it to scoop up the soup or stew or sauce, or whatever you're eating.

In Western Africa, Fufu is usually made from yams, sometimes combined with plantains. In Central Africa, Fufu is often made from cassava tubers, like Baton de Manioc. Other fufu-like foods, Liberia's dumboy for example, are made from cassava flour. Fufu can also be made from semolina, rice, or even instant potato flakes or Bisquick. All over Africa, making fufu involves boiling, pounding, and vigorous stirring until the fufu is thick and smooth.

What you need

 two to four pounds of yams (use large, white or yellow yams; not sweet potatoes, not "Louisiana yams"); or equal parts yams and plantain bananas  one teaspoon butter (optional)

What you do

 Place yams in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until the yams are soft (maybe half an hour). Remove pot from heat and cool yams with running water. Drain. Remove peels from yams. Add butter. Put yams in a bowl (or back in the empty pot) and mash with a potato masher, then beat and stir with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. This might take two people: one to hold the bowl and the other to stir.  Shape the fufu into balls and serve immediately with meat stew or any dish with a sauce or gravy. To eat it, tear off a small handful with your fingers and use it to scoop up your meat and sauce.

Kwanzaa “First Fruits” Salad

A wide variety of tropical fruits, both native and non-native, are cultivated in Africa. It is more likely that any of the fruits listed in this recipe would be eaten as a snack than made into an elaborate fruit salad. In Western Africa, the closest thing to a dessert course is the "after-chop" and a popular "after-chop" is fruit salad. Fruit Salad is usually served after a meal of Groundnut Stew or Palm-Oil Chop. In Eastern Africa, Swahili people make a Saladi ya Matunda for dessert. One interesting thing about the African fruit salad is the use of the avocado. A perfectly fine fruit salad can be made from just three or four of the ingredients listed below. A fruit salad makes a fine dessert course for an African-style dinner.

What you need

 Any of the following (fresh or canned): o avocado o banana o grapefruit o guava o mango o melon o orange o papaya o peach o pear o pineapple o tangerine  juice of one lemon -- or -- chopped, crushed mint leaves  grated coconut or chopped roasted peanuts  sugar (optional) (honey can also be used)

What you do

 If using canned fruits: drain and save the liquid. Peel and remove seeds from the fresh fruit as necessary, cut fruit into bite-sized pieces.  Combine all fruit in a glass bowl. Add the lemon juice (or mint leaves), some sugar water (water which has been boiled, mixed with sugar, and allowed to cool- -or use some of the liquid from the canned fruits). Stir gently. There should only be enough liquid to coat the fruit; it does not have to be covered in liquid.  Cover the fruit salad and allow it to stand for a half hour before serving. The fruit salad may be refrigerated after it has stood for an hour. It should be eaten the same day it is made. It does not keep well overnight.  Top with grated coconut or chopped peanuts immediately before serving.  Eastern Africa's Saladi ya Matunda is made without the lemon juice, (or mint), coconut or peanuts; it substitutes sugar for sugar water. Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Ingredients

 1 smoked turkey leg  2 qts water  3 cloves garlic, crushed  1 large onion, chopped  2 tsp. salt  2 hot chili peppers seeded and chopped  2 bunches collard greens, washed, stems removed and cut into pieces.  2TB. vinegar.

Directions

1. Bring turkey, water, garlic, onion, salt and peppers to a boil in a large pot. 2. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 1-1 1/2 hours until almost tender. 3. Add greens; return to boil. Simmer, uncovered 40-50 minutes until greens are tender. 4. Remove turkey; cool slightly then take turkey off the bones and return to pot; discard the bones. 5. Drain. 6. Before serving toss with 2 TB vinegar.

About New Years

New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year. It is celebrated as a holiday in almost every country in the world. It is a time of gaiety, sharing with friends, remembering the past, and hoping for good things in the future. In the United States, thousands of people jam Times Square in New York City to welcome the New Year at midnight. The transition between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day is an exciting one. In Times Square, people count down the seconds to welcome the new day as the New Year ball slowly descends and lights up the area.

Not all countries or cultures celebrate New Year on January 1st. The Chinese, Egyptian, Jewish, Roman, and Mohammedan years all have different start dates. Chinese New Year starts on a different day each year. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians celebrated their New Year about the middle of June. That was the time when the Nile River usually overflowed. January 1was recognized as New Year's Day in the 1500's with the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar. The Julian Calendar places the New Year on January 14. The Jewish New Year, a feast day, is celebrated about the time of the fall equinox, in late September.

In ancient Rome, the first day of the New Year honored Janus, the god of gates, doors, beginnings and endings - the month of January, named after Janus, was originally called 'Januarius'. Janus had two faces - one which looked ahead to see what the new year would bring, and the other looked backward to see what happened during the past year. Ancient Romans celebrated New Years by giving gifts to friends and family members - some even gave gifts to Senators in exchange for favors!

In England, Druid priests celebrated their New Year on March 10. They gave branches of mistletoe to people for charms. Later, English people followed the custom of cleaning their chimneys on New Year's Day. The English believed this brought good luck to the household for the coming year. The expression "cleaning the slate" came from this custom. It means making resolutions to correct faults and bad habits. People resolve to make themselves better in the New Year. It is still customary even today to make a list of New Years resolutions for the coming year.

Ritos del Año Nuevo

(New Year's rituals - Mexico)

Superstition or not, many here in Mexico have the custom of ritos del Año Nuevo (New Year's rituals). Some rituals include foods, others prescribe certain clothing, and still others warrant attention for religious interest.

As the clock strikes midnight, it's common to eat twelve grapes--one at each ding, one at each dong of the bell. While eating the grapes, you make a personal wish for each one you consume, welcoming the new year that's beginning. It's helpful to write down the twelve wishes so as not to forget one or choke in the rush to swallow the grapes before the clock finishes striking the hour!

Eating a tablespoonful of cooked lentils on New Year's Eve is said to bring prosperity and fortune. You can also give raw lentils--just a handful--to family and friends with the same wish.

Spill clean water on the sidewalk in front of your house as the clock rings in the New Year. Your house will be purified and all tears will be washed away.

Happy New Year-Answers for Kids The Ways People in Different Countries Celebrate © Melissa Howard

Dec 7, 2007 Do you ever wonder what they do in China to celebrate the New Year? Or how do people in India celebrate the New Year?

Do as the Roman’s Do: The Roman New Year

The Roman calendar calls the first month of the year, January. January comes from the Roman god Janus who was considered the god of beginnings and endings. Traditionally, Roman’s gathered in the temple of Janus on New Year’s Day to give thanks for the year and to feast. Their celebration was a bit like a combination of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s because they also exchanged presents and wished people a Happy New Year.

Today, Roman’s still give gifts. They also celebrate the idea of getting rid of the old. To symbolize the passage of the old, many people throw cracked or chipped dishes out of the window.

The Balinese New Year

In Bali, they celebrate the New Year at the spring equinox. The equinox is the time of the year when the day and night are the same length, twelve hours. In the spring, the days start getting longer after equinox.

The Balinese people make a paper mache demon that they march through town while people make lots of noise with gongs and drums to help drive away the evil spirits so that the New Year will be good. At the end of the day, they set the demon on fire. On New Year’s day, people are quiet and peaceful and try to stay home.

Nigeria’s Ibo People Unique Celebration

At the end of the year, the children must all run into their homes and slam the doors shut. If they are outside when the Old Year leaves, they might be carried away! When the New Year starts, everyone runs outside and clap their hands and yell for the New Year.

Rosh Hashanah: The Jewish New Year

Rosh Hashanah takes place in the fall. It is known as the birthday of the world. Jewish families go to synagogue where a priest blows into a shofar, which is a ram’s horn. At this time of the year, Jews pray for the world community and promise to try to be better people in the New Year.

Chinese New Year

The Chinese pay special attention to family during their New Year celebrations. Often, they have family reunions and take time to honor their ancestors. During the Chinese New Year, families gather to watch parades, which feature dancers, acrobats, clowns and most importantly a huge paper dragon. The dragon is important because the dragon is a Chinese symbol for strength and luck.

The Diwali Festival or Festival of Lights in India The Diwali Festival is the New Year celebration in northwestern India. It is celebrated during November’s new moon. The Diwali Festival is beautiful to see. Oil lamps are lit for the goddess Lakshmi, who symbolizes wealth and prosperity. People light the lamps and put them in windows, doors, roofs, and porches. They also float lamps on lakes and rivers. They believe that if the lamps they place on the water stay lit until they have floated away and can no longer be seen, that they will have the luck they wish for.

The New Year in Southeast Asia

For many Asians, the New Year begins when the weather is very hot and dry so they celebrate with water. People are anxious for the monsoons that come in the spring and the water festivals remind them that soon the rain will start and the leaves will turn green and the rice paddies will once again be full of water.

They believe that water washes away what is bad in people and so people toss bowls of water on one another to help wash way their bad deeds.

Reference

Bernhard, Emery. Happy New Year! ISBN 0-525-67532-9 (Lodestar Books, 1996)

Read more: http://kids-educational- activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/happy_new_yearanswers_for_kids#ixzz0VGIAcSN6 Lively Up Yourself New Year’s Lentil Soup Recipe

In many countries, eating lentils on New Year's for good luck is a custom that goes back to the ancient Romans. Lentils are considered as a symbol of good luck and prosperity; their round shape, reminiscent of coins, is supposed to ensure riches for the coming year.

I've found that French green lentils and black beluga lentils hold their shape nicely - they don't go to mush in the pot. I sometimes used fire-roasted organic crushed tomatoes, they lend a lovely deep smoky flavor to whatever you use them in. If you come across them, give them a try in this soup. If not, regular crushed tomatoes are just fine. Can't find greek yogurt, no problem - just use whole plain yogurt. Vegans can skip the yogurt entirely and finish the soup with a generous drizzle of good olive oil instead. And just a reminder, this makes a nice big pot of soup, so use a large pot - I eat the leftovers all week.

2 cups black beluga lentils (or green French lentils), picked over and rinsed 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 2 cups water 3 cups of a big leafy green (chard, kale, etc), rinsed well, deveined, finely chopped

Saffron Yogurt a pinch of saffron (30-40 threads) 1 tablespoon boiling water two pinches of salt 1/2 cup 2% Greek Yogurt

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

While the lentils are cooking, make the saffron yogurt by combining the saffron threads and boiling water in a tiny cup. Let the saffron steep for a few minutes. Now stir the saffron along with the liquid into the yogurt. Mix in the salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and salt and saute until tender, a couple minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, and water and continue cooking for a few more minutes, letting the soup come back up to a simmer. Stir in the chopped greens, and wait another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if need be. Ladle into bowls, and serve with a dollop of the saffron yogurt.

Serves 6 to 8.

101 Cookbooks http://www.101cookbooks.com/

Theme-Based Lessons and Activities

This section provides several lesson plans and activities around December holidays and food labels.

December Holidays— There’s a Holiday Meal Planning Activity that is highly encouraged. This allows students to take what they’ve learned about traditional holiday foods and about the food groups (November:MyPyramid) and to apply that to creating a menu for a healthy holiday meal while having fun and working together in small groups and learning important life skills. There’s a fun holiday song activity too!

Food Labels— You’ll find some basic information on how to read and interpret food labels. Some are even appropriate to distribute for student use. There are also worksheets and different lesson options included, as well as several sample food labels. To make these lessons more practical, have the kids bring in a label of a food or their favorite snack from home and have them use those for some of the activities. This is another great opportunity to have the students work together in small groups.

Holiday Meal Planning Activity for Kids

Giving children the opportunity to plan a meal from start to finish is sure to further expand their love and teach them all that is entailed in cooking for themselves and their family. If they are involved in cooking at a young age they are likely to always have a love for it. Involving children in meal planning and preparation makes it easier for kids to plan and make healthy choices and also helps train them to be able to take care of themselves when that time comes.

Here’s what to do:

 Review with children the different winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Years), highlighting the typical cuisine that varies among the holidays and cultures within.

 Divide students into small groups and tell them they will be creating a “menu” for a healthy holiday celebration dinner. You can choose to focus on one specific holiday, assign certain groups of kids to a particular holiday, or let the kids decide for which holiday they would like to plan a meal. You can even have them combine foods from all of the holidays into one winter holiday feast.

 Encourage students (especially older students) to think about some of the traditional holiday foods and to try to come up with healthier ways of preparing them, or to think of healthier alternatives to these options.

 Give each group a copy of the 2-sided handout that has “Chef Solus and the Explorers Introduce the Food Groups” and “The Food Groups: What Makes a Serving” listed at the top of either side. Remind the students about what they learned last month about the Food Pyramid, and tell them to include something from each of the food groups in their meal, trying to focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat and dairy options.

 Distribute the menu template to the groups. Have them come up with a name for their “restaurant” and fill that in on the banner at the top. They should fill in the name of the holiday for the menu they’re creating on the line before “Dinner.” Once they have created their dinner (give them additional paper to work on), they should list the items on their menu.

 Have the groups present their menus to the other students, or make copies and let them take them home to share with their parents. Highlight some of the healthy options they included, and generate discussion about how some of the items could be made even healthier. This can be a great and fun learning experience for kids of all ages.

for

______Dinner

______

Chef Solus and the Explorers Introduce The Food Groups Grains Group Grains are foods like cereal, bread, spaghetti, rice and crackers. Grains give you energy. Try to make half of your servings whole grains. You can tell if something is a whole grain because the name usually has the word “whole” in it.

Vegetables Group Vegetables are foods like broccoli, carrots, green beans, potatoes, spinach, and corn. Vegetables help keep you healthy and feeling good. You should try to eat at least one dark green vegetable or one orange vegetable each day.

Fruit Group Some fruits are apples, pears, cantaloupe melon, watermelon, grapes, and blueberries. Fruits fight off infections and help you heal when you get hurt. Fruits are a tasty snack to eat every day.

Milk Group The milk group includes foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream and pudding. Foods from the milk group have calcium, which helps to grow strong bones and healthy teeth.

Meat & Beans Group The meats and beans group includes foods like hamburgers, chicken, fish, eggs, beans and nuts. Foods from the meat and beans group are full of protein to help you build strong muscles. Try to eat leaner, less fatty meats to keep your heart healthy.

Visit www.ChefSolus.com for printable worksheets for kids, nutrition education games, puzzles, activities and more! Copyright © Nourish Interactive, All Rights Reserved The Food Groups: What makes a Serving?

In each food group, look at these different Food Guide Pyramid examples of the serving size, showing 1 healthy serving of each food group. How do these compare with what your portions look like?

Grains Food Group 1 slice bread, waffle or pancake ½ bagel, hamburger bun, or English muffin ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal 1 cup ready to eat cereal

Vegetables Food Group ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) 100% vegetable juice 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables or salad ½ cup cooked or canned vegetables

Fruits Food Group 1 medium apple, orange or banana ½ cup fruit (canned, cooked or raw) ½ cup (4 fluid ounces) 100% fruit juice ¼ cup dried fruit (raisins, apricots or prunes)

Milk Food Group 1 cup milk or yogurt 2 ounces processed cheese (American) 1 ½ ounces natural cheese (cheddar)

Meat and Beans Food Group 1 tablespoons of peanut butter counts as 1 ounce ¼ cup nuts or 20-24 almonds 1 medium size egg 2-3 ounces of poultry, meat or fish (2-3 servings) ¼ cup of beans

Visit ChefSolus.com for Free online nutrition games, fun activities and parent and child nutritional tools!

Visit ChefSolus.com to learn more about the USDA Food Pyramid, Food Groups and Healthy Eating. Free online nutrition games, puzzles, coloring pages, and more fun handouts and printables. The fun nutrition education website for families and kids! Copyright © Nourish Interactive, All Rights Reserved Healthy Holiday Tunes

Students will re-write the lyrics to Frosty the Snowman or

Jingle Bells with a healthy spin!

Here’s what to do:

 Play a recording of one or both of the songs (if you don’t have them, you can play them from YouTube) and have the kids sing along so that they are familiar with the tunes.

 Divide the kids into small groups and ask them to think about the healthy messages they have learned. Provide some examples to trigger their minds (importance of fruits and vegetables, rainbow on my plate, whole grains,  physical activity, re-think your drink, etc.).

 Have them create their own lyrics to the tunes of one of the songs using a healthy theme.

 Let the budding rock stars sing their Healthy Holiday songs to everyone!

Example (to the tune of Jingle Bells):

Holidays, Holidays People like to eat Oh what fun it is to shop And buy some healthy treats, Oh Holidays, Holidays Don’t forget to play Remember it’s important to Be active every day! Frosty The Snowman

Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul, With a corncob pipe and a button nose And two eyes made out of coal. Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say, He was made of snow but the children Know how he came to life one day. There must have been some magic in that Old silk hat they found. For when they placed it on his head He began to dance around. O, Frosty the snowman Was alive as he could be, And the children say he could laugh And play just the same as you and me. Thumpetty thump thump, Thumpety thump thump, Look at Frosty go. Thumpetty thump thump, Thumpety thump thump, Over the hills of snow.

Frosty the snowman knew The sun was hot that day, So he said, "Let's run and We'll have some fun Now before I melt away." Down to the village, Jingle Bells

With a broomstick in his hand, Running here and there all Dashing through the snow Around the square saying, In a one-horse open sleigh Catch me if you can. Through the fields we go He led them down the streets of town Laughing all the way. Right to the traffic cop. Bells on bob-tail ring And he only paused a moment when Making spirits bright He heard him holler "Stop!" What fun it is to ride and sing For Frosty the snow man A sleighing song tonight. Had to hurry on his way, But he waved goodbye saying, Jingle bells, jingle bells "Don't you cry, Jingle all the way, I'll be back again some day." Oh what fun it is to ride Thumpetty thump thump, Thumpety thump In a one-horse open sleigh, O thump, Jingle bells, jingle bells Look at Frosty go. Jingle all the way, Thumpetty thump thump, Thumpety thump Oh what fun it is to ride thump, In a one-horse open sleigh. Over the hills of snow.

Food Labels

Food labels are simply an explanation of what ingredients are included in the product and the nutritional information of the food item. They can help you to understand what you are eating and help you in eating healthier.

Included in a Label:

 Serving size. This tells you how much one person should eat at one time. The number of servings per product gives you an idea of how many servings is included in the bag or item. Ideally one serving should be used per person. Serving size helps you learn about portion size. Servings over 400 calories are high.

 Nutrition facts are included such as total fat, calories, protein, sodium, carbohydrates and other things. Calories listed and fat grams will be listed for each serving not the whole product.

 A list of ingredients. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The first ingredient listed is what the product's main ingredient is. If sugar or corn syrup is the first ingredient then that food item is mostly sugar, which is not the best choice for nutrition. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, it probably not good for you! Also listed is whether or not the product contains any of the eight most common food allergens.

For good health you should watch your fat and calorie intake, as well as check the sodium. You would be surprised at how much sodium (salt) some common products have in them. Food Label Reference Guide

Watch out for the red areas. Donʼt get fooled by forgetting to look at how many servings are in the package. The nutrition information is based on only 1 serving!

Look for foods that are high in these green areas. Thatʼs the good stuff your body need!

Use the 5% and 20% rule. 5% is low and 20% is high for any of these nutrients. Go higher in the Green areas Stay lower in the red areas

You know how books have a table of contents that explains what's inside? Or maybe you have a toy that came with a diagram that identified each small piece. Nutrition labels are sort of like that. They tell you what's inside the food you're eating and list its parts.

Get Your Nutrition Facts Straight

The Nutrition Facts food label gives you information about which nutrients (say: nu-tree-ents) are in the food. Your body needs the right combination of nutrients, such as vitamins, to work properly and grow. The Nutrition Facts food label is printed somewhere on the outside of packaged food, and you usually don't have to look hard to find it. Fresh food that doesn't come prepackaged sometimes has nutrition facts, too.

Most nutrients are measured in grams, also written as g. Some nutrients are measured in milligrams, or mg. Milligrams are very tiny — there are 1,000 milligrams in 1 gram.

Other information on the label is given in percentages. Food contains fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Food also contains vitamins, such as A and C, and minerals, such as calcium and iron. Nutrition specialists know how much of each one kids and adults should get every day to have a healthy diet. The percent daily value on a food label tells you how this food can help someone meet these daily goals.

On food labels, they base the percentages on a 2,000-calorie adult diet. So looking at the label above for two crackers, a grownup would see that they provide less than 1 gram of fiber, only 3% of the person's daily needs. So that means he or she would have to eat other foods to get 100% of the fiber needed each day. Similarly, the person would see that the crackers provide nothing toward the daily goals for vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, or iron.

Comparing Labels

Food labels aren't ideal for kids because they're calculated based on what adults need to eat. A kid's diet might be more or less than 2,000 calories, based on your age, whether you are a boy or girl, and how active your are. Likewise, kids may need more or less of certain food components and nutrients, such as calcium and iron. But kids can still get important information from food labels. They can get a general idea about what the food contains, how much is in a serving, and how many calories are in a serving. Kids also can use labels to compare two foods. Which one has more fiber? Which one has more fat? Which one has more calories per serving?

The ingredient list is another important part of the label. Ingredients are listed in order so you get an idea of how much of each ingredient is in the food. When something is listed first, second, or third, you know that this food probably contains a lot of it. The food will contain smaller amounts of the ingredients mentioned at the end of the list.

With that in mind, check ingredient lists to see where sugar appears. Limit foods that mention sugar in the first few ingredients. That means it's a very sugary food. Sugar has different names, so it might also be called high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sucrose, or glucose.

Serving Size

The nutrition label always lists a serving size, which is an amount of food, such as 1 cup of cereal, two cookies, or five pretzels. The nutrition label tells you how many nutrients are in that amount of food. Serving sizes also help people understand how much they're eating. If you ate 10 pretzels, that would be two servings.

Servings per Container or Package

The label also tells you how many servings are contained in that package of food. If there are 15 servings in a box of cookies and each serving is two cookies, you have enough for all 30 kids in your class to have one cookie each. Math comes in handy with food labels!

Calories and Calories From Fat

The number of calories in a single serving of the food is listed on the left of the label. This number tells you the amount of energy in the food. The calories in a food can come from fat, protein, or carbohydrate. People pay attention to calories because if you eat more calories than your body uses, you might gain weight.

Another important part of the label is the number of calories that come from fat. People check this because it's good to limit fat intake to about 30% of the calories they eat.

Total Fat

The total fat is the number of fat grams contained in one serving of the food. Fat is an important nutrient that your body uses for growth and development, but you don't want to eat too much. The different kinds of fat, such as saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat, will be listed separately on the label.

Cholesterol and Sodium

These numbers tell you how much cholesterol and sodium (salt) are in a single serving of the food. They are included on the label because some people should limit the amount of cholesterol and salt in their diets. Cholesterol and sodium are usually measured in milligrams.

Total Carbohydrate

This number tells you how many carbohydrate grams are in one serving of food. Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of energy. This total is broken down into grams of sugar and grams of dietary fiber.

Protein

This number tells you how much protein you get from a single serving of the food. Your body needs protein to build and repair essential parts of the body, such as muscles, blood, and organs. Protein is often measured in grams.

Vitamin A and Vitamin C

These list the amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, two especially important vitamins, in a serving of the food. Each amount is given as a percent daily value. Other vitamins may be listed on some labels.

Calcium and Iron

These list the percentages of calcium and iron, two important minerals, that are in a serving of the food. Again, each amount is given as a percent daily value and other minerals may be listed on the label.

Calories per Gram

These numbers show how many calories are in one gram of fat, carbohydrate, and protein. This information is the same for every food and is printed on the food label for reference.

Now that you know a little more about food labels, you can read up on what you're eating!

Reviewed by Mary L. Gavin, MD. Date reviewed: April 2008 HOW TO READ THE NEW FOOD LABEL

7 UNIT

© 2001 UTHSCSA "Positively Aging®" a trade mark of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 7-4 r FOOD LABELS STUDENT WORKSHEET NutritionNutrition Facts Facts Serving Size 1 cup (252g) Remember that an important recommendation, Example: Servings Per Container about 2 especially for Americans, is to keep the pe rcent Amount Per Serving of calories from fat less than or equal to 30%. Calories 220 Calories from Fat 30 To find the percent of calories from fat:

1)Divide the calories from fat by the total 1) calories f rom fat 30 = 0.1363636 number of calories. total calories 220

2)Multiply by 100 to change the decimal 2) 0.1363636 x 100 = 13.63636 into a percent. 0.1363636 = 13.63636%

3)Round to the nearest whole percent 3) 13.63636% = 14%

REFRIED BEANS 1.How much is one serving of beans? _____ Nutrition Facts Facts 1 Serving SizSizee / cup2 cup (128g) (128g) Servings Per Container about 3.5 2.How many calories are in one serving of beans? _____ Amount Per Serving Calories 120 Calories from Fat 20 % Daily Value* Total Fat 2g 3% 3.How many calories from fat are in one serving of beans? _____ Saturated Fat 0.5g 3% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 560mg 23% 4.Find the percent of calories from fat in these beans. _____ Total Carbohydrate 23g 8% Dietary Fiber 6g 24% Sugars 1g Protein 7g 5.How many calories are in one cup of beans? _____

Nutrition Amount/Serving % DV* Amount/Serving % DV* Facts Total Fat 9g 14% Total Carbohydrate 22g 7% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Dietary Fiber less than 1g3% Serving Size 1 package (38g) Cholesterol less than 5mg 1% Sugars 4g PEANUT BUTTER Servings Per Container 8 SANDWICH CRACKERS Calories 190 Sodium 420mg 18% Protein 6g Calories from Fat 80 Vitamin A 0% •Vitamin C 0%•Calcium 0% •Iron 4%

6.What is the serving size of the peanut butter sandwich crackers? _____

7.How many calories are in one serving of crackers? _____

8.How many calories from fat are in one serving of crackers? _____ 7 9.Find the percent of calories from fat in the crackers. _____

10.If there a re six crackers per package, how many calories in one cracker? _____ UNIT

1.1/2 cup or 128 grams 2.120 calories/serving 3.20 calories from fat 4.16.6=17% calories from fat 5.240 calories 6.1 package or 38 grams 7.190 calories/serving 8.80 calories from fat 9.42.1=42% calories from fat 10.31.6 or 32 calories per cracker

7 UNIT

Graphing Our Snacks Students graph the fat content of their favorite snack foods.

Subjects Mathematics Health --Arithmetic --Nutrition --Statistics --Our Bodies

Grades  3-5  6-8  9-12

Objectives

Students will:

 gather information from Nutrition Facts labels on their favorite snack foods.  graph the calories from fat (younger students) or calculate and graph the percentage of fat (older students).  share their graphs with classmates.  reflect on what they learned from this graphing activity.

Materials Needed  a selection of snack foods to choose from (students might bring in from home the nutrition labels from favorite snack foods or you might provide packages -- or photocopies of Nutrition Facts labels from packages -- of snack-packs sold in grocery stores)  Graphing Our Snacks printable work sheet

Lesson Plan

December is a great time to challenge students to look at the things they eat. In this activity students will examine some of their favorite snack foods for their nutritional value.

 Young students will graph the "Calories from Fat" information on the Nutrition Facts label.  Older students will graph the "percentage of fat." That information can be determined by dividing the "Calories from Fat" by the "Total Calories per Serving" information that appears at the top of any Nutrition Facts label.

Provide students with a copy of the Graphing Our Snacks printable work sheet. If you teach young students, label the y axis "Calories from Fat" before photocopying the work sheet. Older students can label the y axis "Percentage of Fat."

Students will graph the fat content of three different types of snack food of their choice -- for example, different types of chips or a variety of snacks that might include pretzels, peanuts, cheese puffs, and others.

Assessment

Provide an opportunity for students to share their graphs and make brief statements about their findings and what they learned from this activity.

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Graphing Our Snacks

Name ______

For use with /dailylp063.shtml © Copyright 2006 EducationWorld.com. Education World grants educators permission to reproduce this page for classroom use. 1 Learn to read food labels for nutrition information Worksheet

Write in the name of the Food Labels you are using.

Name of Food Label A

Name of Food Label B

Circle your Food label that is best described:

1. most sodium per serving: Label A Label B

2. most carbohydrates per serving? Label A Label B

3. most saturated fat per serving? Label A Label B

4. least sugar per serving? Label A Label B

5. more calories from fat? Label A Label B

6. more fat per serving? Label A Label B

7. has less sodium? Label A Label B

8. least amount of calories per serving? Label A Label B

9. most protein per serving? Label A Label B

10.most total fat per serving? Label A Label B

11. most Vitamin A? Label A Label B

12. most Calcium? Label A Label B

Visit www.ChefSolus.com for printable worksheets for kids, nutrition education games, puzzles, activities and more! Copyright © Nourish Interactive, All Rights Reserved 2 Learn to read food labels for nutrition information Worksheet

Which food item do you think is more healthy and why?

Instructions For Teacher: Have the students cut-out and bring to school food labels from packaged food items that are in their home. (With their parents’ permission, of course). Have the students trade food labels with their classmates so that each student has 2 food labels. Have the student use their food labels to ﬁll out the Food Label Worksheet.

Harvest of the Month: Sweet Potatoes and Root Vegetables

Health and Learning Success Go Hand-in-Hand Studies show that good nutrition and regular physical activity can help students focus on school work and maintain healthy immune systems, helping them to fight off the flu and colds that tend to spike during the winter months. Harvest of the Month connects with core curricula to give students the chance to explore, taste and learn about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. It links the classroom, cafeteria, home and community to motivate and support students to make healthy food choices and be physically active every day.

Taste Testing with California Sweet Potatoes Taste testing activities allow students to experience the featured produce with their senses, engaging them in the learning process and creating increased interest, awareness and support for increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables. Tools: n Raw “dry flesh” and “moist flesh” sweet potatoes,* whole and quartered; canned sweet potatoes; one variety per every four students n Map of California n Pencil and paper *California grows both “dry flesh” and “moist flesh” varieties. Sometimes the “moist flesh” are referred to as “yams,” but they are sweet potatoes. Activity: n Taste the dry flesh sweet potato, noting the texture, smell, color, taste and consistency n Locate on the California map where dry flesh sweet potatoes are grown n Repeat the exercise using the moist flesh and canned sweet potatoes Classroom Discussion: n Compare the regions where dry and moist flesh varieties are grown. Discuss what affects the color and texture of the flesh (e.g., altitude, temperature, climate, weather). n What is the difference in taste between the raw and canned sweet potatoes? How do they compare in taste to other yellow/orange fruits and vegetables? For more ideas, reference: School Foodservice Guide – Successful Implementation Models for Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Produce for Better Health Foundation, 2005, pp. 39 - 42.

Cooking in Class: Reasons to Eat Nutrition Facts Sweet Potato Dip Sweet Potatoes Serving Size: 1 cup, cubes (133g) Calories 114 Calories from Fat 1 Ingredients: One serving provides: Makes 30 tastes at ¼ cup each n An excellent source of beta carotene — % Daily Value almost four times the recommended Total Fat 0g 0% n 3 cups boiled or canned sweet potatoes Daily Value. Beta carotene is a Saturated Fat 0g 0% n precursor to Vitamin A that may help Trans Fat 0g 3 tablespoons cinnamon n 3 teaspoons nutmeg the body fight sickness and disease. Cholesterol 0mg 0% n n 1½ cups nonfat plain yogurt A good source of fiber, Vitamin B6 and Sodium 73mg 3% potassium, all of which aid in a variety n 3 cups unsalted crackers or flat bread Total Carbohydrate 27g 9% of health needs from metabolism to Dietary Fiber 4g 16% Mix sweet potatoes and yogurt together energy and cognitive performance. Sugars 6g in a mixing bowl. Add spices. Serve with n A source of Vitamin C and several Protein 2g crackers or bread. essential minerals, including calcium Vitamin A 377% Vitamin C 5% Calcium 4% Iron 5% Source: Pasadena Unified School District and magnesium. Nutrition Network Source: www.nutritiondata.com For more ideas, reference: Kids Cook Farm-Fresh Food, December Events SWEET POTATOES n CDE, 2002. California Kiwifruit Day December n National Handwashing Awareness Week n Winter Solstice Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams — How Do Sweet Potatoes Grow? What’s the Difference? Sweet potatoes are tropical vegetables and are grown mostly When it comes to sweet potatoes and in California and in the southern states (North Carolina, yams, it can be a bit confusing. Here are a South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas few things to remember: and Georgia). Hot days and warm nights are important for successful commercial production, which explains why they n What the general public often calls “yams” thrive in the long, hot summers of the South and the West are actually sweet potatoes. Coast. However, sweet potatoes can be grown wherever n To avoid confusion (since the terms are generally used there are150 frost-free days for them to develop. interchangeably), the USDA requires that the label “yam” always be accompanied by “sweet potato” — but there Sweet potatoes are propagated from sprouts or vine cuttings is a big difference. See the chart below to compare the called slips. In California’s San Joaquin Valley, sprout characteristics of yams and sweet potatoes. production begins around early March. Sprouts are grown from plant stock, of which approximately six to eight bushels Sweet Potatoes Yams are needed to produce enough sprouts to plant one acre of What is it? Root Tuber sweet potatoes. Skin Smooth Scaly and rough Sandy, well-drained soil is generally best for sweet potato Color ranges depending on Color ranges from production. Roots will begin to form in 30 to 45 days and variety, from pale yellow to off-white to dark need nitrogen, phosphorus and potash for optimum growth. dark purple to bright orange brown A mature sweet potato will have four to five roots of varying Flesh Moist consistency and sweet Dry and starchy sizes, but the majority should have a 1¾-inch diameter and be three to nine inches in length. Maturity can be checked flavor Color ranges from by gently lifting the sweet potatoes out of the ground with Colors range from light off-white to yellow to yellow to pink, red or orange pink to purple a shovel and making sure they do not become detached from the vine. If the sweet potato is not mature, then it is Nutrition Very high in beta-carotene Very low in beta and other nutrients carotene and other necessary to lower it back down and cover with soil. nutrients Sweet potatoes can be easily grown at home, in the classroom or in the school garden. (See the School Garden For more information, visit: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/ section for details.) vegetables/sweetpotato.html For more information, visit: www.botany.org

S tudent Sleuths 1 What makes the flesh of a sweet potato so orange? Home Grown Facts 2 What health functions does Vitamin A provide for our California ranks third in sweet potato production behind bodies? Vitamin C? Vitamin B6? Iron? North Carolina and Louisiana. 3 What is the difference between a tuber and a root? 4 How are sweet potatoes similar to and different from yams? Almost 80 percent of California production takes place Include nutrition content, texture, skin and flesh colors, and in Merced County, followed by Fresno and Stanislaus geographic regions where each are found. counties. All three counties are located in the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in For information, visit: the world. www.sweetpotato.org www.5aday.com/html/educators/insights_ Most California grown sweet potatoes are marketed to the holder.php?columns=swpotatoes1 West Coast, Texas and Canada. There are many varieties of sweet potatoes, but three main varieties found in California markets are Hanna or Students for Sweet Potatoes Golden Sweets, orange-fleshed Beauregard and Red “Yams.” Suggest that students design special sweet potato place mats with holiday designs and games to distribute to nursing homes and friends for holiday meals. Students may also want to include sweet potato nutrition facts, history and recipes on the place mats. Just the Facts School Garden: Grow a Sweet Potato The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranks Houseplant the sweet potato as the No.1 most nutritious vegetable. Materials: Sweet potato, toothpicks, quart-size jar or glass The sweet potato is not a potato or even a distant cousin. with wide mouth, bottled water (non-chlorinated). Potatoes are tubers while sweet potatoes are roots. Methods: Wash sweet potato thoroughly. Insert toothpicks into Approximately 4.2 pounds of sweet potatoes per capita are the sides of the sweet potato about one-third of the way down. consumed annually in the United States. Place the sweet potato into the jar. Fill the jar with water. It would take 23 cups of broccoli to provide the same amount Results: In about 10 to 15 days, the sweet potato will begin of Vitamin A as in one medium sweet potato. to bud. For the next three to six months, vines will grow from the sweet potato. Train the vines to climb up or around Sweet potatoes are more nutritious when cooked with the skin. classroom objects. Keeping It Green: Always keep the jar filled with A Slice of Sweet Potato History non-chlorinated water. Keep the sweet potato plant in Sweet potatoes are believed to have been domesticated in moderate to full sunlight at room temperature or above 65 F. Central and South America nearly 5,000 years ago. They then For more ideas, visit: spread to Mexico, the Caribbean, the West Indies and parts of www.ncsweetpotatoes.com North America. www.lifelab.org When Christopher Columbus landed on America’s shores in 1492, the Native Americans were growing sweet potatoes. Columbus and his men loved the tasty sweet potatoes so Eat Your Colors Fruits and vegetables come in a rainbow of colors. Eat a much that they brought them back to Europe to grow their variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day — red, own, where they continued to increase in popularity. yellow/orange, white, green and blue/purple. Sweet potatoes The Spanish began cultivating sweet potatoes immediately. are in the yellow/orange color group. Soon they were profitably exporting sweet potatoes to n Yellow/orange fruits and vegetables help maintain a England where they were included in spice pies to be healthy heart, vision health and a healthy immune devoured at the court of Henry VIII. system. They may also lower the risk of some cancers. The French, not to be outdone, planted them at the request Examples include sweet potatoes, sweet corn, butternut of Louis XV. After his death, the popularity of the sweet squash, yellow peppers, pumpkins, oranges, tangerines, potato staggered for 30 years. Finally, the Portuguese persimmons and yellow figs. carried sweet potatoes to Asia and Africa where they have For more information, visit: become an important dietary staple. In the United States, www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov the sweet potato was a main source of nourishment for www.harvestofthemonth.com early homesteaders and for soldiers during the American Revolution and Civil War. The Pilgrims and Native Americans even ate sweet potatoes at the first Thanksgiving feast. What’s in a Name?

Pronunciation: swˉet p -te ˉa´tˉo Spanish name: camote The Story of George Family: Convolvulaceae Washington Carver Genus: Ipomoea George Washington Carver Species: I. batatas was an African American who The sweet potato is a perennial plant of the genus revolutionized Southern agriculture Ipomoea, with the development of a crop rotation in the family Convolvulaceae (morning glory family). The sweet potato’s tuberous roots are an important vegetable. method. Born in Missouri in 1864, he was derived from the studied farming and nutrition and soon Its botanical name, Ipomoea batatas, began to think of new ways in which Native Americans of Louisiana who were growing them as early as 1540 and referred to the roots as batatas. farmers could earn more money. He taught other farmers how to alternate Although the sweet potato shares its name, it is only distantly the soil-depleting cotton crops with soil-enriching crops such related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). The sweet as peanuts, peas, soybeans, sweet potatoes and pecans. potato is commonly confused with the yam, which also By alternating crops, the soil is replenished with nutrients, belongs to another family. (For comparison information on allowing farmers to re-plant the same land again and again. sweet potatoes and yams, refer to the chart on page 2.) The confusion began over 100 years ago when farmers and Carver also created new uses for sweet potatoes. He made stores marketed sweet potatoes as “yams” and the name about 100 new products from sweet potatoes including flour, ink, starch, synthetic rubber, tapioca, vinegar, a type of glue stuck. Despite recent branding regulations by the USDA, sweet potatoes are still widely known as “yams.” for postage stamps and 500 shades of textile dye. For more information, visit: www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/ S tudent Sleuths Adventurous Activities 1 Ask students to research some other products that History Exploration: George Washington Carver made using sweet potatoes. Ask students to research and write a report on the many How have those products affected or revolutionized medical and industrial uses that sweet potatoes have everyday life? provided throughout history. 2 Which former U.S. President was a sweet potato farmer Problem Solving: before taking office? Use the nutrient content of sweet potatoes in math problems. For information, visit: n Example: www.cayam.com/index2.shtml In order to get the same amount of Vitamin A that is contained in one medium sweet potato, a www.sweetpotato.org/kids.php?display=facts person would have to consume 23 cups of broccoli. www.ncsweetpotatoes.com How many sweet potatoes would it take to fulfill the same requirements as 100 cups of broccoli? How much Physical Activity Corner Vitamin A, Vitamin C and fiber would there be? Studies support a connection between regular physical For more ideas, reference: activity and increased levels of alertness, memory function www.nal.usda.gov/kids and learning. Children should engage in at least one hour www.agclassroom.org of physical activity every day to stay healthy and fit, both mentally and physically. Dedicate the month of December to Cafeteria Connections playing a different game or activity every day. The following n Encourage students to take part in the Students for Sweet are some examples. Potatoes activity by holding a Place Mat Contest between Objective: Develop memory, visual learning, locomotor skills classrooms. Add-A-Move Memory Game: n Use categories to help create interest, such as Most n Stand in front of the room and do a specific movement Creative, Most Festive and Most Informational. (e.g., hop up and down once) n Ask staff and older students to help judge the entries. Have student judges create a cafeteria bulletin board to n Ask students to mimic the movement display the place mats for a week. n Repeat using a different movement, for up to 10 times n Consider awarding prizes in each category by grade n Students act out the movements in same order as presented level. Students can then donate the place mats to senior citizen centers or nursing homes for the holiday meals. Go Farther: For more ideas, reference: n Ask students to do the movements in reverse Fruits and Vegetables Galore, USDA, 2004. Bring It Home: n Encourage children to suggest playing Add-A-Move Literature Links Memory Game with family members and explain how n Elementary: Farmer’s Market by Marcie Rendon and eating fruits and vegetables and doing physical activity Cheryl Walsh Bellville and Where Does it Come From?* by can affect memory. Amy Cage and Pamela Emery. Mathematical Jumping Jacks: n Secondary: What Are You Eating?* by Pamela Emery n Call out a math problem. If the answer is less than 20, ask and Karen Traiger, Starting All Over Again (The Cycles of students to give their answer in jumping jacks. Nature) by Louis Bechely and Karen Traiger and An Ag Q&A Catch: Interview* by Pamela Emery. n Play a game of catch where a student catches the ball, calls *Available through California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. out the answer to a question asked by the teacher, and quickly tosses the ball to someone else for the next answer. For more ideas, visit: www.sparkpe.org www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/physicalactivity Next Month: Oranges

Exploring California Root Vegetables: Taste Testing Getting Started: n Partner with your school nutrition staff, local farmers’ market, or grocery store to obtain produce for taste tests. Network for a Healthy California sh What You Will Need (per group): di Ra n ½ cup each of raw, peeled, and sliced jicama and turnips n ½ cup each of cooked* and sliced russet potatoes and rutabagas n Printed Nutrition Facts labels for jicama, turnips, potatoes, and rutabagas** Activity: n Record sensory impressions by creating a Venn diagram on the board. n Taste vegetables and note the look, texture, smell, color, and taste. n Ask students to write a reflection or thank you letter to the farmer or school

Jicama nutrition staff. Include sensory descriptions or reasons why they liked or disliked certain items. n Examine Nutrition Facts labels for all items. Discuss how they differ nutritionally. n Refer to Botanical Facts (page 2) and explain how tubers differ from roots. Turnip *Make arrangements to cook (steam) potatoes and rutabagas in advance. **Download from the Educators’ Corner of www.harvestofthemonth.com. For more ideas, reference: Par California Department of Education, 2002. snip Kids Cook Farm-Fresh Food,

Rutabaga Cooking in Class: Reasons to Eat Jicama Cucumber Salad Root Vegetables Ingredients: n A ½ cup of most root vegetables Nutrition Facts Makes 24 tastes at ¼ cup each provides an excellent source of Serving Size: ½ cup raw jicama, n 1 pound jicama, peeled and cut into vitamin C. sliced (60g) n Calories 23 Calories from Fat 0 ½-inch cubes A ½ cup of sliced jicama is a good n source of fiber. % Daily Value 2 medium cucumbers, quartered, n Total Fat 0g 0% and sliced ¼-inch thick Complex carbohydrates* (commonly Saturated Fat 0g 0% n 1 fresh lime referred to as “starches”) are a key Trans Fat 0g n 3 teaspoons chili powder nutrient in root vegetables. Cholesterol 0mg 0% n Small plates and forks *Learn about complex carbohydrates on page 2. Sodium 2mg 0% 1. Combine jicama and cucumbers in Champion Sources of Complex Total Carbohydrate 5g 2% a large bowl. Carbohydrates* Dietary Fiber 3g 12% 2. Squeeze lime juice over salad and n Corn Sugars 1g mix well. n Dry beans Protein 0g 3. Sprinkle seasoning over salad and n Peas Vitamin A 0% Calcium 1% n Sweet potatoes Vitamin C 20% Iron 2% mix well. Serve immediately. *Champion foods include those in which most of Source: Hawthorne School District, 2009. their calories come from complex carbohydrates. For nutrition information, visit: Source: USDA Nutrient Database www.harvestofthemonth.com. For more information, reference: Wellness Foods A to Z by Sheldon Margen, Rebus, 2002. Root Vegetables What Are Complex Carbohydrates? Botanical Facts n “Starchy vegetables” provide calories in the form of Root vegetables are the roots of plants that are eaten as complex carbohydrates. They also provide vitamins, vegetables. These roots grow into the ground from the minerals, and fiber. base of the plant stem. They anchor the plant, absorb water and nutrients, and store energy. Root vegetables are n The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and nervous divided into six subgroups: Tap Roots, Tuberous Roots, system. Corms, Rhizomes, Tubers, and Bulbs. n Most people should get 55-60%, or over half, of their Tubers differ from other roots in that they are swollen total calories from carbohydrates, preferably starches underground stems, capable of producing new plants and and naturally occurring sugars. storing energy for the parent plant. If the parent plant dies, n Complex carbohydrates are made of polysaccharides the underground tubers can create new plants. Other roots (long chains of sugar units) that come from plant-based can take nutrients from the ground, but cannot store energy foods. or use it for reproduction. So while every tuber is a root vegetable, not all roots are tubers.* n The body uses enzymes to break down complex carbohydrates like starch into glucose, which the body Subgroup Varieties then uses for energy. Tubers Potato, sunchoke, yam n In plants, starch is produced by photosynthesis. Tubers store the highest quantities of starch of all vegetables. Tap Roots Beet, carrot, cassava, jicama, parsnip, radish, rutabaga, turnip Source: Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition by Catalog, Whitney, and Rolfes, Sixth Edition, 2002, pp. 97, 114-117. Tuberous Sweet potato, yucca Roots For more information, visit: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov Corms Celeriac, eddo, taro, water chestnut Rhizomes Arrowroot, galangal, ginger, ginseng, lotus root, turmeric How Much Do I Need? Bulbs Garlic, onion, shallot A ½ cup of sliced root vegetables is about one cupped handful. Root vegetables come in a variety of colors and *Refer to Carrots, Potatoes, and Sweet Potatoes newsletters for more most can be eaten raw or cooked. The amount of fruits and information about root vegetable varieties. vegetables you need depends on your age, gender, and For more information, visit: physical activity level. Remind students to eat a variety of http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/specialty colorful fruits and vegetables throughout the day. It will help them reach their recommended daily amounts. Tuber Plant Recommended Daily Amounts of Fruits and Vegetables* flower Kids, Teens and Adults, Ages 5-12 Ages 13 and up leaf Males 2½ - 5 cups per day 4½ - 6½ cups per day Females 2½ - 5 cups per day 3½ - 5 cups per day *If you are active, eat the higher number of cups per day. stem Visit www.mypyramid.gov to learn more.

How Do Root Vegetables Grow? Root vegetables are cool-weather crops. Roots such as beets, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, and turnips can be stolon developing planted in early spring and late summer for two crops. tuber Tubers are a single-crop vegetable that can take up to (underground stem) one year to harvest. Roots need to be thinned so they have enough room to develop properly. Tubers do not developed tuber “seed” piece require thinning, but they do need plenty of space and soil covering the underground vegetables. For a chart with information about how to plant and grow root vegetables, refer to Root Vegetables Botanical young tuber Images (in the Educators’ Corner) on true roots www.harvestofthemonth.com. Adapted from: Buried Treasure: Roots & For more information, visit: Tubers by Meredith Sayles Hughes, 1998. www.ncsu.edu/sustainable/profiles/pppotato.html To download reproducible botanical www.urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/potato1.html images, visit the Educators’ Corner at www.harvestofthemonth.com. School Garden: To Dig or Not to Dig? tudent Advocates Demonstrate the importance of planting in loosened soil. In S n Form a Nutrition Advisory compacted or dense soil, there is less room for air, making Council to promote nutrition it difficult for water to drain. and school meals to student Materials: peers. n 20 root seeds of same variety (e.g., turnips, parsnips) n Collaborate with school n 4’ x 8’ garden area that has not been prepared (soil is nutrition staff to create a taste hard) testing event, make seasonal n String produce suggestions, or n Markers develop a standardized menu that complies with USDA n Spading forks school meal nutrition guidelines. Student Activity: For more information, visit: n Divide garden area in half using string. www.calsna.org/NAC/NAC.asp www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/menu/menu_planning.doc n Label one side “Bed A.” Use forks to loosen soil to six inches deep. n Label the other side “Bed B.” Leave it untouched. S tudent Sleuths n Plant equal number of seeds in Beds A and B. Record 1 Complex carbohydrates, like those found in starch, predictions about growth and harvesting in a gardening provide the body with longer releasing energy. How journal. does this differ from the energy provided by simple n Harvest mature plants and taste the edible parts. carbohydrates? n Write an analysis of which bed was more suitable for 2 What is a root? What is a tuber? List examples of each. plant growth and why. Compare it to original predictions. 3 Sweet potatoes (a root) are a good source of potassium. Complete Student Sleuths #5. (USDA defines a “good source” as supplying at least Adapted from: The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science by 10% daily value of a nutrient per serving.) List three Roberta Jaffe and Gary Appel, Addison Publishing Company, 1990. other fruits or vegetables that are good sources of For more ideas, visit: potassium. www.csgn.org 4 What is the difference between annual and perennial plants? Home Grown Facts 5 How do soils become compacted? What happens n Jicama is not commercially when the soil becomes compacted? How can we avoid grown anywhere in the compacting our garden beds? United States. For information, visit: n California leads the nation www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov in production of Daikon www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search radishes. www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/components/ 3115s01.html n Turnips are produced www.garden.org mainly as a small (approximately 400 acres) A Slice of Root Vegetable History commercial crop in Kern and Imperial counties. n Root vegetables were an essential part of the diet during n In California, parsnips are grown mainly in home gardens. the early evolution of humankind (about five million Source: www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Full_Report/ years ago). Volume_1,_Chapter_1_State_Level/California/st06_1_034_034.pdf n Turnip fossils were found in caves in China dating back Student Activity: thousands of years. California imports produce from other states or countries. n Jicama was brought to the Philippines and Malaysia by Locally grown foods, especially fruits and vegetables, are the Spanish in the 1600s. likely to be fresher and taste better than foods shipped n Rutabagas are believed to have originated in Bohemia from out-of-state. in the 1700s as a cross between the turnip and wild n Find more information about farmers’ markets and cabbage. local growers near you by going to www.ams.usda.gov. n American colonists relied heavily on root vegetables (Select “Wholesale and Farmers Markets” under because they could be stored for months in the harsh “Browse by Subject.”) Or, visit www.localharvest.org. New England winters. n At your local market, ask the produce manager where the For more information, visit: store buys its produce. www.idph.state.ia.us/pickabettersnack/common/pdf/factsheets/ For more information, visit: potatoes.pdf www.cdfa.ca.gov www.ba.ars.usda.gov/hb66/078jicama.pdf Adventurous Activities Just the Facts Math Analysis n Only the roots of jicama plants are edible. Compare and contrast the content of predominant n Turnips are members of the mustard family. nutrients – including vitamins and minerals – in different n The name rutabaga comes from the Swedish word root vegetable varieties (e.g., jicama, parsnips, rutabagas, rotbagga, meaning “thick root.” turnips, yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes). n The word Daikon comes from two Asian words: Helpful Hint: dai- (large) and kon (root). Complete in conjunction with Taste Testing activity on For more information, visit: page 1. www.uga.edu/rootandtubercrops www.panen.psu.edu/s.n.a.c For information, visit: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search Literature Links Cafeteria Connections n Research the history of turnips and rutabagas in Irish, n Examine the school lunch menu. List the different Scandinavian, and Russian cultures. choices of root vegetables. Have students design n Talk with a local dietitian to identify valid resources for posters promoting the nutritional significance of a root nutrition information. Discuss popular beliefs about vegetable of their choice. Display posters in cafeteria. carbohydrates and resolve myths and facts. n Ask students to select which root vegetables they n If allowed, conduct a taste test in a school library. Have will try. Record feedback and submit summary to the the librarian present literature, such as a book related to school nutrition staff with recommendations. food and/or nutrition. n Promote lunch time as a way for students to obtain For a list of book ideas, visit: maximum nutrition and help meet their daily fruit and www.harvestofthemonth.com vegetable needs. Design promotional messages around fruits and vegetables served that week. Physical Activity Corner For more ideas, visit: Form a “walking school bus” to promote physical activity. www.schoolnutrition.org For ideas on how to start a walking school bus, visit www.walkingschoolbus.org. A healthy lifestyle consists not only of a healthy overall diet, but also plenty of physical activity. The recommended amount of physical activity for children is 60 minutes on most days and 30 minutes for adults. For more information, visit: www.cawalktoschool.com

Activities & Resources Galore Visit the Educators’ Corner online for more resources: n Cooking in Class (recipe analyses, cooking tips) n Reasons to Eat (Nutrition Glossary) n How Does It Grow (botanical images, growing tips) n Student Sleuths (Answer Key) n Adventurous Activities n Literature Links (book lists) n Links to California Content Standards (all grades) All available at www.harvestofthemonth.com.

This material was produced by the California Department of Public Health, Network for a Healthy California, with funding from the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program). These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. In California, food stamps provide assistance to low-income households, and can help buy nutritious foods for better health. For food stamp information, call 877-847-3663. For important nutrition information, visit www.cachampionsforchange.net. © California Department of Public Health 2009. U N I V E R S I T Y o f C A L I F O R N I A Agriculture & Natural Resources

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Sweet Potato or Yam?

Yams and sweet potatoes are well loved around the world but many people do not know the difference between the two. What many call a yam is actually a sweet potato. Although they may look and taste very similar, the true yam and sweet potato are not botanically related. To avoid confusion, the USDA has made it a requirement that the label “yam” also say “sweet potato” but this has not cleared the confusion and has possibly made it even more confusing. Although sweet potatoes originate from Tropical America (Peru, Equator) importation into the U.S. is prohibited due to the concern over exotic diseases and insects, therefore, the sweet potatoes we grow here in the United States mainly come from southern Florida while yams are mainly grown in West Africa and Asia. So, unless you buy your “yams” from an ethnic store, they are sweet potatoes.

What is the difference, you may wonder? Many people don’t know that there is actually a big difference between sweet potatoes and yams. Sweet potatoes are roots found mainly in tropical America and are part of the Morning Glory family. Yams are tubers (or bulbs) of a tropical vine found in Central and South America, the West Indies, Africa and Asia.

There are two varieties of sweet potato: the pale version has a very thin, yellow skin with a bright yellow flesh. The darker skinned sweet potato has a thicker, orange skin with a sweet, moist flesh. Sweet potatoes come from the plant group Dicotyledon, are short and blocky with tapered ends, have smooth skin and are more moist and sweeter than yams.

Yams come from the Monocotyledon plant family, are long and cylindrical, have rough, scaly skin and are more dry and starchy than sweet potatoes. The true yam can be small or can grow to be very large. The flesh has a range of colors from off-white to yellow, pink or purple. The skin color may range from off-white to dark brown.

Both yams and sweet potatoes grow from October through March. California now ranks third in sweet potato production behind North Carolina and Louisiana. Close to 80 percent of California’s production takes place in the San Joaquin Valley, in Merced County, Fresno and Stanislaus counties.

Finally, a fact that not many realize is that sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A (they contain even more than carrots) while yams contain very little. Vitamin A is very important to aid in vision, a healthy immune system, healthy skin and a healthy heart.

So, next time you go to the grocery store, do something healthy for yourself. Buy a sweet potato and while you are there you can impress the produce person with a little trivia.

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Brought to you by Viva Vegetables A Utah State University Extension and Nutrition and Food Sciences Department campaign The goal of the Exploring Vegetables with the Senses lesson is to help children use ALL of their senses to experience sweet potatoes. If they build a more involved, sensory relationship with salad greens and associate positive things with sweet potatoes, then they may acquire a more positive attitude about eating sweet potatoes. Objectives: 1. Children will understand how sweet potatoes relate to four of their five senses (taste is a separate lesson): a. How do sweet potatoes feel? b. How do sweet potatoes sound? c. How do sweet potatoes smell? d. What do sweet potatoes look like? 2. Children will connect sensory experiences to what they already know: a. Does the feel of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? b. Does the sound of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? c. Does the smell of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? d. Does the shape or color of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? 3. Children will understand that eating sweet potatoes is an experience that can involve all of the senses.

Total Time: 30 minutes

Materials 9 One sweet potato for “hot potato” 9 At least 1/4 of a sweet potato for every student (1 raw piece, 1 baked piece) 9 Markers or coloring utensils for all participants 9 Worksheets for all participants 9 Baked sweet potatoes Preparation Required • Bake enough sweet potatoes that each child can have a piece of cooked potato. • Cut raw sweet potatoes into pieces, one for each child • Print out worksheets. This material was funded by USDA's Food Stamp Program. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call 1‐800‐221‐5689 or visit online at Viva Vegetables: Exploring Vegetables with the Senses http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htm. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture's policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. This institution is an equal Sweet potatoes opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326‐W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call (202) 720‐5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 1 | Page

LESSON PLAN Introduction: Game “Hot Potato” Time: 5 minutes • Ask the students to stand in a circle. • The educator will give one student a sweet potato. • The students will begin passing the sweet potato until the educator calls out “hot sweet potato.” The student holding the sweet potato at that point will be a volunteer for the next activity. Repeat to get two volunteers.

Objective 1: Children will understand how sweet potatoes relate to four of their five senses (taste is a separate lesson): a. How do sweet potatoes feel? b. How do sweet potatoes sound? c. How do sweet potatoes smell? d. What do sweet potatoes look like? Activity: Sweet Potatoes are a Treat for all Senses Time: 10 minutes • Have the two volunteers help pass out paper plates to all the students. These paper plates will include samples of different forms of a sweet potato. One piece will be raw and the other will be baked. • Explain that the only difference between the raw and baked sweet potato is that one was in the oven for a long time. • Ask the children to describe how the texture, appearance, aroma, and sound of the sweet potato changes as it is cooked by having them compare through each of the senses. Write the children’s answers on the board. • Describew ho to make mashed sweet potatoes from baked ones.

Objective 2: Children will connect sensory experiences to what they already know: a. Does the feel of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? b. Does the sound of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? c. Does the smell of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? d. Does the shape or color of the sweet potatoes remind them of something? Activity: If I Were a Sweet Potato Worksheet Time: 10 minutes • The students will be provided with markers and a worksheet. • Each student will draw a picture of him/herself as a sweet potato. They can use any form of potato (raw, baked, mashed, etc). • After drawing the picture, they will fill in the blanks about the aroma, texture, and sound of their sweet potato. This will help them associate it with other sensory experiences that they are familiar with.

Objective 3/Conclusion: Children will understand that eating sweet potatoes is an experience that can involve all of the senses. Activity: Discussion

Viva Vegetables: Exploring Vegetables with the Senses Sweet potatoes 2 | Page

Time: 5 minutes • What is your favorite way to experience a sweet potato? • Which sweet potato texture do you enjoy the most? • How would you make sweet potatoes at home?

Viva Vegetables: Exploring Vegetables with the Senses Sweet potatoes 3 | Page

This material was funded by USDA's Food Stamp Program. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call 1‐800‐221‐5689 or visit online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htm. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Viva Vegetables: Exploring Vegetables with the Senses Agriculture's policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, Sweet potatoes religion, political beliefs or disability. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326‐W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 4 | Page Washington DC 20250 or call (202) 720‐5964 (voice and TDD) USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Sweet Potatoes

Math Lesson Plan

Objectives: To utilize a variety of strategies and skills to solve various mathematical problems.

Materials Provided: Lesson plan activity Sweet potato math assignment

Materials Needed: None

Activity: Solve the problems on the Sweet potato Math Assignment Sheet. Have student’s show all work.

Sweet Potato

Math Assignments

1. In order to get the same amount of beta-carotene as is contained in one medium sweet potato, a person would have to consume 23 cups of broccoli. How many sweet potatoes would it take to fulfill the same requirements as 100 cups of broccoli? ______

2. 2/3 of a cup of sweet potatoes gives you 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin E. How many cups of sweet potatoes would be needed to meet the RDA of vitamin E for five football players? ______

3. What is the difference in the temperature required to cure sweet potatoes (85˚ F) and the temperature needed to store sweet potatoes (55˚ F)?

4. If sweet potato slips are transplanted in May & June and there are 4 weeks in each month, how many weeks do farmers transplant slips? ______

5. If harvesting sweet potatoes begins in August and ends in November, how many months are included in the harvest time for sweet potatoes? ______

6. If a sweet potato houseplant will begin to bud in 14 days, how many weeks will pass during this time? ______

7. How much time can you save by microwaving a sweet potato rather than baking it? By boiling rather than steaming?

Cooking sweet potatoes:

Bake: 50 minutes

Boil: 40 minutes

Steam: 45 minutes

Microwave: 5 minutes

Answer Key

Sweet Potato

Math Assignments

3. What is the difference in the temperature required to cure sweet potatoes (85˚ F) and the temperature needed to store sweet potatoes (55˚ F)? 3 0 ˚

4. If sweet potato slips are transplanted in May and June and there are 4 weeks in each month, how many weeks do farmers transplant slips? 8

5. If harvesting sweet potatoes begins in August and ends in November, how many months are included in the harvest time for sweet potatoes? 4

6. If a sweet potato houseplant will begin to bud in 14 days, how many weeks will pass during this time? 2

7. How much time can you save by microwaving a sweet potato rather than baking it? By boiling rather than steaming? Cooking sweet potatoes: Bake: 50 minutes Boil: 40 minutes Steam: 45 minutes Microwave: 5 minutes Microwaving vs. baking saves you 45 minutes. Boiling vs. steaming saves you 5 minutes.

Physical Activity

There are some fun physical activity lessons with a holiday theme included in this section. Substitute these for some of your regular activities to add some variety and fun!

Name of Activity: Winter Lake Skating

Purpose of Activity: To teach the student spatial awareness, directionality and balance.

Suggested Grade Level: K-2

Materials Needed: Large gym, poly spots, bean bags, paper plates, CD player with skating music, cones or lines to mark the edge of the lake.

Description of Idea

Tell students they are going to pretend to be ice skating on a frozen lake. Direct them to put on their "skates" (paper plates) and place a "Frosty Hat" (bean bag) on their head. Demonstate proper skating form, using the arms to give momentum to move side-to-side, forward or backward. The students will move the same arm with the same leg as they glide on the ice. Ice skating music will play and when the music stops the students must freeze. Call out a direction such as forward, backward, forward fast, forward slow. While skating, the students need to watch out for other skaters and the rough spots on the ice (poly spots). Students will attempt to keep the bean bag balanced on their heads. This will encourage them to look forward, rather than down while skating.

Assessment Ideas:

Ask the following questions to help the students think about the movements they made while skating: Did you drop your hat? Was it hard to skate with a hat on? Did you bump into another skater? Did you hit any "rough spots?" Which direction did you find the easiest to skate? Which was the most difficult?

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

For students in wheelchairs, have them practice the same maneuvers forward, back, etc., moving between the rough spots and other skaters.

Name of Activity: Frosty's Freeze Tag

Purpose of Activity: To allow students to improve their chasing, fleeing and dodging skills in a cooperative, fun, holiday atmosphere.

Prerequisites: Teach and review the concepts of safe travel in groups, chasing others, fleeing, and safe tagging.

Suggested Grade Level: PRE-K-2

Materials Needed: White yarn or fleece balls, boundary markers, music for Frosty the Snowman.

Description of Idea

Talk to the students about proper chasing, fleeing, dodging and tagging using the following cues: • move quickly • change direction quickly • change speed, pathways, and levels while moving • use soft touch when tagging • tag shoulders or back only

Designate several students to be taggers and give them a snowball (fleece ball). Students will travel around in general space, trying to avoid being tagged by the students carrying a snowball. If they are tagged, they become frozen in place like a snowman. They can sing along to Frosty if you are using this to stop and start the game. To become unfrozen, another student places a magic hat (imaginary) onto their head, and they rejoin play. Stress the importance of safe gentle tags and of helping others. Vary the movement activities, including the skills of skipping, galloping, hopping, and leaping. To encourage creative thinking while keeping the winter theme, include movements like ice skating and snowflakes falling.

Assessment Ideas:

When trading taggers, hold a brief discussion about how many students you see using the chasing, fleeing and dodging skills, and do a verbal check of understanding about what they should be doing to help keep from getting caught or to help them tag others. Name of Activity: Hanukkah Game

Purpose of Activity: Students will have the opportunity to participate in an aerobic conditioning activity while performing a variety of locomotor skills.

Prerequisites: Students should have the ability to perform the locomotor skills at least at a functional level.

Suggested Grade Level: K-5

Materials Needed: Bean bags, waist pinnies, yarn balls, holiday music.

Description of Idea

Set up: Have each student get a partner. Each group of partners receives 1 waist pinnie, representing the menorrah, 8 bean bags, representing the candles, and 1 yarn ball, representing the shamus candle, which is used to light the other candles. Have the partner groups arrange their bean bags in a pile on a line around the perimeter of the gym and place their waist pinnie about 15' - 20' towards the center of the gym. The partners decide who will be the candle carrier and who will be the candle lighter.

Introduction: Some students may not have knowledge or understanding of this celebration. There are a number of children's books that explain this holiday. The teacher could take five minutes to read a story about Hanukkah, or give an explanation. The classroom teacher may also be willing to read the story during class time prior to physical education class.

Game Play: Use holiday music to signal the start and stop of this activity. Tell students what locomotor movement they will be using. When the music starts, the candle carrier takes 1 bean bag (candle) to the waist pinnie (menorrah) and places it on it. The candle carrier then goes back to the partner (candle lighter) and tags him/her. The partner will take the yarn ball (shamus candle) to the waist pinnie and tap the bean bag with it, to indicate the lighting of the candle, and return to tag the first partner. This is repeated until all eight candles are lit. The shamus candle is left on the menorrah after lighting the eighth candle. The partners are finished when all candles are lit and they are seated where they started. Locomotor skills can change with each candle being lit. This would give the students eight different skills to practice.

(continued )

For example: • run • gallop • skip • hop • leap • jump • side-step • grapevine

Variations:

1. Have each candle carrier and candle lighter perform a fitness exercise when they have finished each trip to the menorrah.

2. Instead of bean bags, have the students tape up a fairly large (8 1/2" by 11") photocopy of a real candle on an opposite wall and then have the candle lighter move to the mennorah spot (half way between the "home spot" and the candles) and try to hit the candle with a fleece ball to light it.

Assessment Ideas:

Observe the students ability to perform different locomotor movements. Also check their pulse before and after activity to get an idea of their level of aerobic fitness.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

Kids in wheel chairs and walkers can do this activity easily without doing the locomotor movements.

Activity: Grinch Tag

Purpose of Activity: To provide students an opportunity to work on cardiovascular fitness while working on their chasing and fleeing skills in a fun holiday environment.

Prerequisites: How to safely chase, tag and flee from others.

Suggested Grade Level: K-5

Materials Needed: two to three green foam hand paddles, two 6" red Gator Skin balls

Description of Idea

Explain to the students that Grinches don't want Christmas to occur but that Santa and Mrs. Claus do. Two students will each have a green foam hand paddle and be the Grinches. Two other students will be Mr. and Mrs. Claus and each will be given a red Gator Skin ball. All other students are elves or Santa's helpers.

Tell the elves that the gym is their workshop and they are very busy this time of year running around the workshop to get all the toys ready for Santa to deliver. However, the Grinch has come into the workshop and is trying to get the elves to stop working by tagging them. If an elf is tagged by a Grinch (s)he can no longer work and "freezes" with legs apart and arms out to the side. Santa and Mrs. Claus want the elves to continue working and will touch the frozen elves with the red Gator Skin ball to send the elf back to work.

Switch taggers every minute or two. After they have run for awhile, switch locomotor movements to skipping, galloping, side-stepping, etc.

Variations:

To increase the cardiovascular work-out, older students, when tagged, can go to a designated area such as a hula hoop and perform various exercises. Suggestions include jumping jacks, ski jumpers or jump rope. When they complete the exercise they can jump out of the hoop and get tagged by Santa or Mrs. Claus to get back in the game.

Assessment Ideas: Prior to and after the game, have the students take their pulse so they can see how their heart worked by running. Also, discuss how well you saw chasing and fleeing by the students. Discuss safety in tagging, chasing and fleeing in the general space.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities: Allow students with motor impairments to be taggers, having another student assist with propelling the wheelchair while the student with a disability tags others. Name of Activity: Freeze and Thaw Continuous Tag

Purpose of Activity: A winter warm-up activity to increase the heart rate and warm-up the large muscles using holiday story characters.

Prerequisites: Being able to move safely in a large space. Ability to perform a variety of locomotor movements.

Suggested Grade Level: 3-5

Materials Needed: 3-4 blue vests and blue yarn balls; 3-4 red hula hoops; a large rectangular space

Description of Idea

The majority of the students in the class are "Snow Angels." They are fleeing from 3-4 "Jack Frosts," who are wearing blue vests and holding blue yarn balls for tagging. (I use the color blue to resemble "cold.") When a "Snow Angel" is tagged by "Jack Frost," (s)he must freeze until a "Heat Meister" comes to unthaw them. The "Heat Meister" raises the red heat wand (hula hoop) above the head of the "Snow Angel" and lowers it slowly to the floor with the "Snow Angel" in the middle of the hula hoop (heat wand). When the heat wand gets to the floor, the "Snow Angel" may step out and get back into the game.

Assessment Ideas:

At the end of the instant activity period, have the students check their pulse.

Teaching Suggestions:

Switch "Jack Frosts" and "Heat Misers" often. "Jack Frosts" are not allowed to tag "Heat Misers." "Jack Frosts" cannot stand and wait for a "Heat Meister" to unthaw a "Snow Angel." Adjust the number of "Jack Frosts" and "Heat Misers" due to the number of students in the class.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

Any students who have difficulties moving, including those students in wheelchairs, enjoy being "Heat Misers." Name of Activity: The Twelve Days of Fitness

Purpose of Activity: I use this activity as a warm-up during the month of December. It's a great way to teach students about different types of exercises and how they relate to the different components of fitness.

Prerequisites: Students should know the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Suggested Grade Level: 1-5

Materials Needed: Bulletin board or wall space, different cut-outs of various Christmas/winter shapes (trees, stars, gloves, snowmen, etc.) with one exercise written on each.

Description of Idea

Begin this activity 12 classes before the winter vacation. Each day the students will come in and begin class by singing the "Twelve Days of Fitness" song and perform the exercises that correspond with the song. The first day students begin with one exercise and as the days increase they are required to do the new exercise as well as all the previous ones (as in the tradition of the Twelve Days of Christmas song). Each day, at the end of class, the teacher introduces the next component of the song so when the students arrive the next day they can begin with the exercise for that day.

A posted chart with drawings of the exercises, added to each day, can be available as a prompt for students to help in remembering the exercises each day.

Exercises can be used as listed or modified to meet the needs of the students. Younger students could do this warm-up activity as well, for example, using the various locomotor skills.

Here's how I sing the song and the exercises I have students do:

"On the __ Day of Fitness my teacher said to do..."

1 Set of Crab A-B-Cs (Students begin in "crab position" and tap their shoulder with the opposite hand saying the alphabet with each tap.) 2 Line Sprints 3 Laps of Jogging 4 Push-ups 5 Bicep Curls 6 Squat Thrusts 7 Mountain Climbers 8 Sit-ups 9 Jump and Taps (students stand next to a wall with arm closest to the wall extended - then they jump up and tap the wall) 10 Calf Raises 11 Jumping Jacks 12 Seconds of Stretching

Variations:

This activity can be used with younger students if the exercises are simple. For example, use the locomotor and body management skills that have previously been taught. 12 jumps on both feet, 11 side steps, 10 swinging sways, 9 gallop steps, 8 runs in place, 7 skipping steps, 6 hops on one foot, 5 twists and turns, 4 giant leaps, 3 high reaches, 2 forward rolls, and a big lap around the gym.

Assessment Ideas:

It's easy to assess whether students are learning the new exercises with proper form because there is so much repetition of exercises throughout this activity. When students line up to leave at the end of class, ask which components of fitness are demonstrated with the new exercise for that day. Ask which muscles were used and why it is important to strengthen those muscles.

Teaching Suggestions:

One can create a bulletin board outside of the gym to go with this activity. The bulletin board is designed to look like a calendar and each day put up a new paper cut-out out of a winter shape with the new exercise on it.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

Modify the exercises for students with disabilities and give the student a chart of the adaptations. For example, a student in a wheelchair can do abdominal tightening during the sit-ups, or stretch arms upward during the vertical jumps.

Name of Activity: Twelve Days of Winter Break

Purpose of Activity: To help students maintain their level of fitness during Christmas break.

Suggested Grade Level: 6-8

Materials Needed: Twelve Days of Winter Break Handout (listed below)

Description of Idea

This project will give each student the opportunity to earn extra credit toward their effort grade, as well as maintain/increase their fitness levels during the winter break. The program will start on the first day of your Winter break and end the day you return to school (or however long you, the teacher, would like it to last). For each day of the vacation, students are assigned an activity to perform, preferably with a family member or guardian. (If family members can't be used then maybe a teacher or a friend or neighbor would work). At the conclusion of each activity, parents/guardians initial the day to verify the activity was completed.

Daily Activities

Day 1: On the first day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 1 minute of modified push-ups.

Day 2: On the second day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 2 minutes of curl-ups.

Day 3: On the third day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 3 hugs from a family member.

Day 4: On the fourth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 4 healthy chores around the house, e.g. raking leaves, vacuuming , walking the dog, dusting.

Day 5: On the fifth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 5 minutes of jumping rope.

Day 6: On the sixth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 6 minutes of lower body stretches.

Day 7: On the seventh day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 7 minutes dancing with a family member.

Day 8: On the eighth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 8 minutes of reading the Washington Post Health Section for children.

Day 9: On the ninth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 9 minutes of playing at a local park.

Day 10: On the tenth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 10 minutes walking with a family member.

Day 11: On the eleventh day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 11 backward push-ups.

Day 12: On the twelfth day of Winter Break my Physical Education teacher gave to me, 12 minutes of jogging.

Parent Handouts

Mealtime: Get kids involved!

Get children interested in cooking at a young age and they will always have a love for it. Giving children the opportunity to plan a meal from start to finish is sure to further expand their love and teach them all that is entailed in cooking for themselves and a family. It also helps train them to be able to take care of themselves when that time comes.

Getting Started

 Start out by discussing a meal plan. Include all parts: appetizer (this can be as simple as a salad), main dish, sides, dessert, and drinks.  Go through the pantry together to see what items you already have and what you are going to need. Write out a grocery list with all of the items you still need to prepare the meal.  Scour the grocery ads together and note which items are on sale this week. This would be a good word recognition/reading exercise for you and your child to do together.  Have your child go through the coupons to find further deals and ways to save. Now would be a good time to stress the importance of saving, buying frugally, and meal planning according to your coupons. It would also be a great opportunity to go over numbers, denominational amounts, and percents with your child.

At the Store

 When you’re at the grocery store, be sure to allow your child to find and pick out the foods that pertain to their meal. Explain to them the importance to sticking to the list and buying the correct item/size to reduce waste. You could also spend some time discussing how to distinguish the best fresh fruits/vegetables, if you have them on your list.  At the checkout, allow your child to help put the groceries on the belt, turn in the coupons, and pay for the food. This will be really exciting for young children and could be used as an opportunity to talk about money and the different denominations again (if there isn't a long line behind you).

Dinnertime

 When the day comes for your child to prepare the dinner, allow them to actively participate in all parts of the preparation. You should give guidance and help when needed. Of course, you will need to handle any knives or raw meat for the young children.  Have your child prepare the salads (or appetizers) with all of the fresh ingredients first; teaching them when to make each item is important.  Read over the recipe, if using one, together, making sure to point out each step and stressing the importance of following the steps in order.  Aid your child in the preparation of the main course and side dishes, as well as the dessert. Take the opportunity to teach the younger ones about fractions (with measurements), the food pyramid, and the importance of creating a balanced meal.  Help your child set the table and serves the food. Seeing the finished product of a full, healthy meal is sure to put a smile on your child's face and give them a sense of accomplishment; not to mention they are much more likely to eat something they prepared themselves.

MyPyramid Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season Tips for Healthy Holiday Cooking  For gravies or sauces — If you are making pan gravy, first skim the fat off pan drippings. For cream or white sauces, use fat-free (skim) milk and soft tub or liquid margarine.  For dressings or stuffing — Add low-sodium broth or pan drippings with the fat skimmed off instead of lard or butter. Use herbs and spices and a whole grain bread for added flavor.  For biscuits — Use vegetable oil instead of lard or butter and fat-free (skim) milk or 1 percent buttermilk instead of regular milk.  For greens — Use skin-free smoked turkey, liquid smoke, fat- free bacon bits, or low-fat bacon instead of fatty meats.  For sweet potato pie — Mash sweet potato with orange juice concentrate, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and only one egg. Leave out the butter.  For cakes, cookies, quick breads, and pancakes — Use egg whites or egg substitute instead of whole eggs. Two egg whites can be substituted in many recipes for one whole egg. Use applesauce instead of some of the fat.  For meats and poultry (chicken and turkey) — ◊ Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking. ◊ Take off poultry skin before eating. ◊ Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying. ◊ Drain off any fat that appears during cooking. ◊ Chill meat and poultry broth until fat becomes solid. Skim off fat before using the broth. ◊ Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying. ◊ Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.

When shopping...

Start with a lean choice.

◊ The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts. ◊ The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin,

and ham. ◊ Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the

leanest poultry choice.  Use the food label to help you choose. ◊ Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean.” You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean. ◊ Processed meats such as hams, sausages, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added sodium. Check the ingredient and Nutrition Facts label to help limit sodium intake. ◊ Fresh chicken, turkey, and pork that have been enhanced with a salt-containing solution also have added sodium. Check the

product label for statements such as “self-basting” or “contains up to __% of __.” ◊ Lower fat versions of many processed meats are available. Look on the Nutrition Facts label to choose products with less fat and saturated fat.

De-Saturate

Use a nonstick pan with vegetable cooking oil spray or a small amount of liquid vegetable oil instead of lard, butter, shortening, or other fats that are solid at room temperature.

a Health for y Ca rk lif o or Serving Size 1 cup, cubes tw n (133g) e ia N Amount per Serving Calories 114 Calories from Fat 1 % Daily Value Total Fat 0g 0% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 73mg 3% Total Carbohydrate 27g 9% December Dietary Fiber 4g 16% Health and Learning Sugars 6g Success Go Hand-in-Hand APPLE GLAZED Protein 2g Studies show that proper nutrition can SWEET POTATOES Vitamin A 377% Calcium 4% help keep students focused on school Vitamin C 5% Iron 5% work and keep their immune systems Ingredients: Source: www.nutritiondata.com healthy, helping to fight off the flu and (Makes 4 servings at ½ cup each) colds that tend to hit hardest during 2½ cups unsweetened 100% winter months. With Harvest of the apple juice Month, you can help your family explore, ½ teaspoon cinnamon Healthy Help taste and learn about the importance of ¼ teaspoon salt • Children who eat school meals are eating more fruits and vegetables and 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly more likely to eat the recommended being active every day. sliced amount of fruits and vegetables every day than those who do not. The Harvest of the Month featured 1. Combine apple juice, cinnamon and vegetable is salt in a large skillet. • Encourage your child to eat the school breakfast and lunch. Ask your child’s 2. Add sliced sweet potatoes and bring teacher or call the school district’s main to a boil over high heat. sweet potatoes office for more information. 3. Reduce heat slightly and simmer. • Review the school menu with your child 4. Stir occasionally for 20–25 minutes and circle one meal that you would like to or until potatoes are tender and juice cook at home. Then cook it together. has been reduced to a glaze. 5. Serve warm. Adapted from: Discover the Secret to Healthy Living, Let’s Get Physical! Public Health Institute, 2004. • It’s easy to want to stay inside where Produce Tips it’s warm, but make sure your child gets out and plays. • Choose firm, dark, dry, smooth sweet Helping Your Kids Eat Healthy potatoes without blemishes. One • Challenge them to a basketball or • Replace baked potatoes and fries with soccer game. After playing outside, decayed spot can make the entire sweet baked sweet potatoes. Your child will potato taste bad, even when cut away. prepare apple glazed sweet potatoes think it’s dessert. together. (See recipe.) Do not store sweet potatoes in the • • Instead of potato chips, peel and slice refrigerator — the core will turn hard and • Ask your child to help you clean and raw sweet potatoes and serve with a put away the dishes. Assign other develop an unpleasant taste. To keep fat-free dip for a healthy snack. sweet potatoes fresh, store them in a dry, chores like vacuuming, dusting or Dice or peel raw sweet potato flesh into cool (55 – 60 F) place, like a pantry or • sweeping. salads and over soups for a sweet garage. For more physical activity ideas, visit: flavoring. www.kidnetic.com • Do not wash sweet potatoes until you For more ideas, visit: are ready to cook them, as the moisture www.verbnow.com www.harvestofthemonth.com makes them spoil faster. www.cayam.com • At normal room temperature, sweet potatoes should be used within a week of purchase. If stored properly, sweet potatoes will keep for a month or longer.

This material was funded by USDA’s Food Stamp Program through the California Department of Public Health’s Network for a Healthy California. These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help buy nutritious foods for a better diet. For information on the Food Stamp Program, call 1-888-328-3483. © Copyright California Department of Public Health 2007. Californ Información Nutrimental una ia S a al Porción: 1 taza, en cubitos ar ud p a (133g) d b e le Cantidad por Porción R Calorías 114 Calorías de Grasa 1 La Cosecha % Valor Diario Grasas 0g 0% Grasa Saturada 0g 0% Grasa Trans 0g del Mes® Colesterol 0mg 0% Sodio 73mg 3% diciembre Carbohidratos 27g 9% Fibra Dietética 4g 16% La salud y el éxito en el CAMOTE EN ALMIBAR Azúcar 6g aprendizaje van mano a mano Proteína 2g Las investigaciones indican que la buena DE MANZANA Vitamina A 377% Calcio 4% salud ayuda a mantener a los niños concentrados en sus tareas escolares y a Ingredientes: Vitamina C 5% Hierro 5% (para 4 porciones de ½ taza) www.nutritiondata.com mantener sano su sistema inmunológico, Fuente: * el cual ayuda a combatir los resfríos y la 2 ½ tazas de jugo 100% de manzana sin endulzar gripe que predominan durante los meses de invierno. Con La Cosecha del Mes ½ cdta. de canela Consejos “frescos” usted puede ayudar a su familia a ¼ cdta. de sal • Seleccione camotes firmes, oscuros, descubrir, disfrutar y aprender sobre la 2 camotes pelados y rebanados secos y lisos que no estén magullados. importancia de comer más frutas y finamente Una parte podrida puede dar mal sabor vegetales y a mantenerse activa 1. Combine el jugo de manzana, la al camote, aún cuando se la corte. diariamente. canela y la sal en una sartén grande. • No almacene camotes en el refrigera- En diciembre, el camote es el vegetal de 2. Agregue las rebanadas de camote y dor — el corazón se endurecerá y dará La Cosecha del Mes. hierva a fuego alto. mal sabor. 3. Baje el fuego y deje hervir a fuego • No lave los camotes hasta antes de lento. cocinarlos, ya que la humedad los daña. 4. Revuelva de vez en cuando, de 20 a • Si los camotes se mantienen al medio 25 minutos o hasta que el camote esté ambiente, durarán hasta una semana suave y el jugo esté hecho almíbar. máximo. Para que duren un mes o más, 5. Sirva caliente. almacénelos en un lugar seco y fresco, Fuente: Discover the Secret to Healthy Living, Instituto tal como la alacena o el garaje. de Salud Pública, 2004. Ayude a sus hijos a comer sano Consejos saludables • Sustituya papas horneadas o fritas con ¡En sus marcas, listos…! camotes. Su hijo pensará que es el postre. • Los niños que comen las comidas • Haga que su hijo salga a jugar afuera • En vez de papas fritas, pele y rebane escolares tienen mayor probabilidad de aunque haga frío. consumir la cantidad diaria recomendada camotes crudos. Sirva con un aderezo • Organice un juego familiar de balon- de frutas y vegetales que aquellos que no sin grasa y disfrute de una botana cesto o fútbol. Después preparen juntos las comen. saludable. camotes en almíbar de manzana • Pique en cubitos o pele la pulpa de un • Anime a su hijo a que coma el desa- (ver receta). yuno y el almuerzo escolar. Pida camote crudo y échelo en ensaladas y • Pida a su hijo que le ayude a lavar información al maestro de su hijo o llame sopas para un sabor dulce. y guardar los platos. Déle otras tareas a la oficina principal del distrito escolar. Para más ideas, visite:* como sacudir, aspirar o barrer. Revise el menú escolar junto con su www.campeonesdelcambio.net • Para más ideas, visite:* hijo y escojan la comida que les gustaría www.cayam.com www.kidnetic.com cocinar en casa, ¡luego prepárenla * Los sitios web sólo disponibles en inglés. www.verbnow.com juntos!

Este material fue financiado por el Programa de Cupones para Alimentos del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, através de la Red para una California Saludable del Departamento de Salud Pública de California. Estas institutiones son proveedores y empleadores que ofrecen oportunidades equitativas. El Programa de Cupones para Alimentos ofrece asistencia nutricional para gente con bajos ingresos. Le puede ayudar a comprar comida nutricional para una mejor alimentación. Para obtener más información llame al 1-888-328-3483. © Derechos Reservados. Departamento de Salud Pública de California, 2007. Healthy Serving Ideas Nutrition Facts • Look for roots like jicama, parsnips, Serving Size: ½ cup raw jicama, turnips, rutabagas, and radishes at sliced (60g) your local market. Calories 23 Calories from Fat 0 • Peel and slice crisp jicama. Sprinkle % Daily Value with chili powder for a quick snack. Total Fat 0g 0% • Peel and cube parsnips and add to Saturated Fat 0g 0% your favorite soup. Trans Fat 0g • Sauté sliced turnips, turnip greens, and Cholesterol 0mg 0% chopped onions for a flavorful dish. Sodium 2mg 0% • Serve mashed rutabagas instead of Total Carbohydrate 5g 2% mashed potatoes. Dietary Fiber 3g 12% • Shred radishes and add to a green Sugars 1g salad. Protein 0g Vitamin A 0% Calcium 1% Vitamin C 20% Iron 2% The Harvest of the Month featured Jicama Piña Breeze vegetables are Makes 3 servings. 1 cup per serving. Cook time: 10 minutes How Much Do I Need? root vegetables • A ½ cup of sliced jicama, turnips, or Ingredients: rutabagas is about one cupped handful. ½ cup canned pineapple chunks with • A ½ cup of most root vegetables is an juice, packed in 100% juice excellent source of vitamin C. ½ cup fresh jicama, peeled and cut • Root vegetables are rich in complex into small pieces carbohydrates, or starch, which give ½ cup fresh orange, peeled and cut your body energy, especially for the Rutabaga into small pieces Jicama brain and nervous system. 2 cups 100% orange juice • Most people should get over half of their 1. Place all ingredients in a blender calories from complex carbohydrates. Turnip container. Good sources include fruits, vegetables, Health and Learning Success 2. Blend until smooth. Pour into and whole grains. Go Hand-in-Hand glasses and serve immediately. The amount of fruits and vegetables you Family meals can be a great time to care Nutrition information per serving: need depends on your age, gender, and for the body. Take time to set the table, Calories 117, Carbohydrate 28 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, physical activity level. Encourage your eat together, and share stories. Experts Protein 2 g, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, family to try a variety of colorful fruits and Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 5 mg agree that sharing meals may help to vegetables every day. It will help them avoid teenage smoking, alcohol/drug Source: Healthy Latino Recipes Made with Love, Network for a Healthy California, 2008. reach their recommended daily amounts. abuse, and depression. Use Harvest of For more recipes, visit: Recommended Daily the Month recipes and serving ideas for www.cachampionsforchange.net healthy ways to enjoy root vegetables. Amounts of Fruits and Vegetables* Let’s Get Physical! Kids, Teens and Adults, Produce Tips Ages 5-12 Ages 13 and up At work: Stretch with co-workers to • Select firm jicama that are smooth with • Males 2½ - 5 cups 4½ - 6½ cups no bruises or spots. Store in a cool, dry help relax during your break. per day per day place for up to four months. Keep sliced • At school: Encourage your child to Females 2½ - 5 cups 3½ - 5 cups jicama in a sealed plastic bag in the start a walking group during recess. per day per day refrigerator for up to one week. They can talk while they walk! *If you are active, eat the higher number of cups per day. Visit www.mypyramid.gov to learn more. • Choose small- to medium-sized turnips • With the family: Play touch football or that are smooth, round, and firm. Store tag this weekend. What’s in Season? in a cool, dry place for up to two months Gardening, doing yard work, vacuuming, Roots – like jicama, turnips, rutabagas, or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for sweeping – all types of physical activity radishes, and parsnips – are in peak up to two weeks. count towards your daily needs! season in late spring through fall. • Look for rutabagas that are heavy, smooth, round, and firm. Store in a cold, To find out how much activity you and Try these other good or excellent dry place for up to four months or in the your family need, visit: sources of complex carbohydrates for refrigerator for one month. www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity energy: corn, dry beans, peas, and sweet potatoes.

For important nutrition information, visit www.cachampionsforchange.net. For food stamp information, call 877-847-3663. Funded by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, an equal opportunity provider and employer. © California Department of Public Health 2009. Ideas Saludables de Preparación Información Nutricional • Pele y rebane la jícama. Agregue chile, Porción: ½ taza de jícama cruda, sal y limón. rebanada (60g) • Pele y corte en cubitos las chirivías y Calorías 23 Calorías de Grasa 0 agréguelas a su sopa favorita. % Valor Diario Sofría nabos rebanados, hojas de nabo • Grasas 0g 0% y cebolla picada y tendrá un platillo Grasa Saturada 0g 0% sabroso. Grasa Trans 0g • Sirva nabo sueco en puré en lugar de Colesterol 0mg 0% puré de papa. Sodio 2mg 0% Los vegetales de raíz son el vegetal de • Agregue rábano rallado a la ensalada. Carbohidratos 5g 2% La Cosecha del Mes Fibra Dietética 3g 12% BRISA DE JÍCAMA Y PIÑA Azúcares 1g Proteína 0g Rinde 3 porciones. 1 taza por porción. Vitamina A 0% Calcio 1% Tiempo de preparación: 10 minutos Vitamina C 20% Hierro 2% Ingredientes: ½ taza de jícama, pelada y en trocitos ¿Cuánto Necesito? NABO SUECO ½ taza de piña, enlatada en jugo JÍCAMA • Una ½ taza de jícama, nabo o nabo 100% natural sueco equivale a un puñado. ½ taza de naranja, pelada y en trocitos • Una ½ taza de la mayoría de los NABO 2 tazas de jugo de naranja vegetales de raíz es una excelente 100% natural La Salud y el Éxito en el fuente de vitamina C. 1. Ponga todos los ingredientes en el • Los vegetales de raíz son ricos en Aprendizaje van Mano a Mano vaso de la licuadora. carbohidratos complejos o almidón, Las comidas familiares pueden ser 2. Licúe hasta que quede cremoso. que le dan a su cuerpo energía, un momento maravilloso para cuidar Vacíe en vasos y sirva. especialmente al cerebro y al sistema nuestro cuerpo. Tome su tiempo para Información Nutricional por Porción: nervioso. poner la mesa, comer juntos y compartir Calorías 117, Carbohidratos 28 g, Fibra Dietética 3 g, • La mayoría de la gente debe obtener la historias. Los expertos están de acuerdo Proteínas 2 g, Grasa Total 0 g, Grasa Saturada 0 g, mitad de sus calorías de carbohidratos en que comer en familia puede ayudar Grasa Trans 0 g, Colesterol 0 mg, Sodio 5 mg complejos. Los encontramos en las a evitar que los adolescentes fumen, Fuente: Recetas Latinas Saludables Hechas con Amor, frutas, los vegetales y los granos Red para una California Saludable, 2008. consuman alcohol y/o drogas y que integrales. padezcan depresión. Use las recetas Para más recetas, visite: www.campeonesdelcambio.net La cantidad de frutas y vegetales que de La Cosecha del Mes y las ideas necesita depende de su edad, sexo y para prepararlas y servirlas y conocerá nivel de actividad física. formas saludables de disfrutar los ¡En sus Marcas, Listos…! En el trabajo: Haga ejercicios de vegetales de raíz. • Recomendación Diaria de estiramiento con sus compañeros de Frutas y Vegetales** Consejos Saludables trabajo durante el tiempo de descanso. Niños, Adolescentes y • Escoja jícamas firmes que estén • En la escuela: Anime a su hijo a Edad de 5-12 Adultos, Edad de lisas, sin mallugaduras ni manchas. iniciar un grupo de caminata durante el 13 en adelante Almacene la jícama en un lugar fresco recreo. Hombres 2½ - 5 tazas 4½ - 6½ tazas y seco hasta por cuatro semanas. • Con la familia: Jueguen futbol o a las por día por día • Escoja nabos de pequeños a carreras este fin de semana. Mujeres 2½ - 5 tazas 3½ - 5 tazas por día por día medianos que estén lisos, redondos y ¡Todo tipo de actividad física cuenta **Si es activo, coma el número más alto de tazas por día. firmes. Guárdelos en un lugar fresco y hacia sus requerimientos diarios! seco hasta por dos meses. Visite www.mipiramide.gov para aprender más. • Busque nabos suecos que sean Para saber cuanta actividad física ¿Qué está en Temporada? necesitan usted y su familia, visite:* pesados, lisos, redondos y firmes. Las raíces – como la jícama, nabos, www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity Almacénelos en un lugar fresco y seco nabos suecos, rábanos y chirivías – hasta por cuatro meses. están en su punto desde finales de primavera hasta el otoño. Pruebe estas otras fuentes buenas o excelentes de carbohidratos complejos: camotes, elote, frijoles y chícharos.

* Los sitios Web sólo disponibles en inglés.

Para información nutricional, visite www.campeonesdelcambio.net. Para información sobre los Cupones para Alimentos, llame al 1-888-9-COMIDA. Financiado por el Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, un proveedor y empleador que ofrece oportunidades equitativas. © Departamento de Salud Pública de California 2009. ool™ ftersch ning a ter r lear ewslet fit fo dian N t/Guar Paren December 2009

Celebrate! Have fun

experimenting!

Traditional Foods for Christmas You and your

Among Different Cultures child can have un Many cultures from around Christmas mas season in the Philippines. f ing the world celebrate Eve. Families also prepare lechon experiment or spit-roasted pig, lumpia, Christmas. Many families Common with favorite who have immigrated to the and adobo. dishes are family recipes United States adopt many stews made of Czech Republic, Lithuania, if you aspects of the American pork or beef Poland and Ukraine to see culture, interestingly enough, ke them and hominy in red chile An elaborate and ritualized can ma traditional foods usually sauce; or menudo made with meal of twelve meatless a little bit remain with the family and just beef tripe .Tamales are the dishes is served on are prepared for special healthier. most essential part of Christmas Eve among these occasions. Christmas dinner in the cultures. This is because the Start a new With such a huge variety of Mexican culture. pre-Christmas season is a ition by cultures in the United Filipino time of fasting, which is bro- trad States, it would be beneficial ding some The centerpiece of a Filipino ken on Christmas Day. Fish inclu and fun to share with your Christmas dinner is often the is eaten for dinner instead of althy food child the traditional foods he Jamon or Christmas ham, ham or other meats that served for Christmas among options at which is usually a cured leg were previously mentioned these cultures. y parties. of pork ham. It is usually with the other cultures. holida Mexican served with Queso de Bola, In Mexican culture the an Edam cheese ball served Christmas dinner is eaten on popularly during the Christ-

Brought to you by: Holiday Shake

Try this fun and You will need: extract healthy recipe! It’s 2 bananas Instructions: easy and makes a great 1 cup low fat or non fat 1. Place chunks of Christmas party treat milk banana into blender for kids. 3 tablespoons chocolate 2. Add milk, chocolate

chips chips, and vanilla and

1/2 teaspoon vanilla puree.