Shopping to Eat Healthy

 If your goal for 2022 is to improve your health and wellness, start by stocking your pantry with healthy food options. You're much more likely to increase healthy consumption and make healthier recipes if you have a healthy ingredients on hand.

Stock up on whole grains, frozen/canned and fresh in season produce, and lean unprocessed protein options.

Here is a great grocery list option to get you started.

Utah State University professionals have created a recipe platform for healthy recipe creation using ingredients you have on hand. Stock you pantry with healthy choices and check-out these forms to CREATE healthy meals your family is sure to love. Click below links for free downloads.  

CREATE a soup

CREATE a stir-fry

CREATE a skillet meal

CREATE a salad

CREATE a sandwich/wrap

CREATE a pizza

CREATE a smoothie

Check out the links below and let me know what you think. CREATE a stir-fry and CREATE a smoothie are two of my favorites.

Fruit Kabobs

Christmas is a time for celebration and traditions. Unfortunately this time of year also brings a variety of sickness. Combating illness with a healthy dose of Vitamin C can prevent sickness and increase your recovery rate. 

Berries and citrus fruits are filled with vitamin C. Finding ways to increase your fruit intake during the holidays can improve your wellness and prevent sickness. 

Check out these celebratory fruit kabobs your family is sure to love:

Grinch Fruit Kabobs

• grapes
• strawberries
• marshmallows

Candy Cane Kabobs

• Strawberry slices
• Banana slices

Santa Fruit Kabobs

• Banana
• Stawberries
• Marshmellows
• Mini Chocolate chips

 Banana Snowmen Kabobs

• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Mini chocolate chips

Increase your wellness this holiday season with these healthy fruit kabobs!

ENTER TO WIN $50

HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Kane County residence take this 1 minute survey and enter to WIN A $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD!!

https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dbw3dzimwXaCxqS

 

Kitchen tips

Creating meals at home is both budget friendly and nutritious. Time can be a hindering factor in the commitment to home cooked meals. As can confidence in the kitchen. 

Knowing a few time saving tips can help boost your cooking confidence and increase your cooking efficiency. Check out these 4 simple kitchen tips and tricks to improve your kitchen performance and time management.  

Hopefully these tips motivated you to spend more time in the kitchen and less time dining out. Your wallet and waste line will thank you!
 

Blueberry Avocado Smoothie

Blueberries provide many health benefits. At only 80 calories for a 1 cup serving these berries provide essential nutrients including: vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber, and important antioxidants. Ward of sickness and toxins in your body with this tasty, nutritious recipe. 

Recipe of the week: BLUEBERRY AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

 

Healthy Snacks

 Setting realistic goals is a great step towards success. Improving your caloric and nutrient intake can seem overwhelming. Starting small allows you to improve your lifestyle and stay consistent. Consistency brings change and success. 

Consider starting with increased attention to your snack choices. Making healthy choices between meals can make a bit difference in your health outcome.

Check out these simple, inexpensive options:

#1 Avocado and Mango: spread mashed veggies or diced fruit on whole grain crackers.

#2 Apple, Banana & Peanut Butter: use peanut butter as a protein packed dip with your favorite fruit and veggies.

#3 Hummus and Veggies: spread hummus on whole grain crackers or use as a dip with your favorite vegetables.

Choosing healthier snacks can satisfy hunger between meals, without unneeded calories, sugar and sodium.

Healthy Holidays

The holidays are in full swing. Keep your healthy goals on track this season with these healthy dessert and appetizer recipes!

 

Increase Physical Activity

Increasing physical activity is a great start to improving your health. Physically active adults are less likely to develop chronic disease and mental illness. Finding a fitness routine that works for you is half the battle. No matter how you choose move, increasing activity will benefit people of all shapes, sizes and abilities. 

Check out these simple tips to improve your healthy lifestyle today:

1) Set realistic goals and increase over time: Over ambitious goals can increase your risk of injury and muscle soreness. This discomfort can prevent consistency. Starting slow is a great way to improve your lifestyle, and stay consistent for increased chance of success.

2) Get your heart pumping: Exercise can look different from day to day. Find something you enjoy that gets your heart rate up, and continue for a minimum of 10 minutes for best results.

3) Strength train for healthy muscles and bones: Twice a week focus on strength activities. Examples include: push-ups, lifting weights, resistance band training or heavy duty yard work. Strength training improves bone health and stimulates muscle growth.

4) Make active choices throughout your day: Simple activity choices can make all the difference. Park you car further from a building entrance, take the stairs, and spend break-time going for a brisk walk. Physical activity can easily be incorporated into any busy schedule, 10 minutes at a time.

5) Be active your way: With endless ways to be active find a variety that you enjoy. Try something new: walking, hiking, biking, dancing, fitness classes or gardening. Possibilities are endless. Finding your passion will improve your success. Get up and get moving, your way!

6) Use the buddy system: Improve the success of others, and increase your commitment with someone with similar interests and goals. Physical fitness efforts with support will improve efforts and consequently success rates.

7) Set goals and track your progress: After you determine your goals, choose a way to track your progress. Pictures, measurements, stamina or endurance are great progress indicators. Avoid weight measurements as tracking methods. Muscle weight is heavier than fat. Making scales an unreliable progress measurment method.

8) Add on to your active time: Once you establish a fitness routine increase your activity time weekly. The more time your spend being active the more benefits and results you will achieve. Start small, and consistently add-on to improve results and improve benefits. 

9) Increase your effort: As you increase your time also work to improve your intensity. Increasing reps, speed and performance are great ways to build intensity.

10) Have fun: Most importantly make physical activity enjoyable. Setting a routine that you better tolerate will increase commitment, enjoyment and goal achievement!

https://extension.usu.edu/fscreate/ou-files/2020-22-staff/Be_Active_Adults.pdf

Healthy Utah Community Designation

 The Healthy Kane County Coalition applied for a state designated award back in September. Previous coalition health program efforts and projects were noted in detail. 

Kane County was one of 7 cities in the state of Utah to receive the Healthy Utah Community designation. A huge shout out to all who contributed to these efforts, and strive to further improve the healthy lifestyle efforts in our community. 

This award was recognize by Mayor Houston at the October city council.

Check out this virtual award presentation that was presented at an awards banquet this past month.

Healthy Active Lifestyle

Finding the time to exercise isn't always easy. Understanding the importance of exercise is just a start. Ask yourself what your barriers are. Once you determine where you lack, it becomes easier to address those specific struggles. 

Setting an example for your children is a great motivation. Helping them start healthy habits at a young age will strengthen their commitment and attention to health and wellness.

If time or consistency is your struggle, consider pairing exercise with a habit you already have.

• Calf raises while brushing your teeth.
• Squats while waiting for the microwave to finish.
• Crunches or push-ups during commercial breaks.

Improve your sleep, energy levels, mental health, and endurance by improving your exercise efforts. Know your goals, and find ways around your personal barriers! 

Perfect Pineapple 101

Incorporating pineapple into your snacking routine can provide digestive and immune benefits for your body. 

Pineapple selection can be deceiving. With these 3 tips you're sure to make a quality choice!

Once you've made the perfect selection, select a cutting method to avoid waste. Here are some useful cutting and peeling techniques you've got to try!

 

Fruit and Veggie Appeal

 There's no secrets about the benefits of fruit and vegetable intake. From decreasing chronic disease development to preventing sickness and increasing recovery rates, upping your fruit and veggie intake is a no brainer. 

Here are some EASY tips and tricks to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your daily routine.

#1 Increase Appeal: Making produce an appealing choice is a great start. Purchasing produce in season will ensure quality and visual appeal. Serving with sauces or dips (recipes below) is a great and easy way to up your fruit and vegetable intake!

#2 Modify your Snacking: What's your go to snack? Consider rotating fruit and vegetables into your snacking rotation. Carrot sticks, apple slices, dried mangos or berries parfaits. There are endless possibilities!

#3 Transform your Desserts: If you're guilty for sweet tooth indulgences, incorporate fruity desserts into your line up. Peach or berry cobbler, apple crumble, berry topped ice cream or parfaits. Adding the nutrient benefits of fruit to your favorite desserts can increase nutrient intake without making much change.

#4 Fun in Variety: Switch it up! Repetitive food options get old... the same cereal, repetitive recipes, banana and apple overload? Try a new variety of fruits and veggies. Try purchasing the fruit or veggies on sale each week. Grocers typically highlight seasonal produce with sales, due to the large quantity and quality of the item. This helps you save money and ensures a natural rotation to your selection.

#5 Ease of Access: Making the healthy choice the easy choice will increase intake naturally. After returning home from the store rinse berries, peel and chop veggies. Store them in fridge in clear, visible containers for fast, convenient snacks. A fruit bowl on the counter is another way to draw attention to healthier choices.

Check out these fun, simple crowd pleasing fruit and veggie dips!

SPOOKY treats!

SPOOKY holiday snacks in 3 ingredients or less!

#1) Cinnamon Faces:

#2) BOO Pops!

#3) Broomsticks: