Kids Corner

Celebrate Groundhog Day with a project this month. This is the day when the groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter snooze. According to the story, if the groundhog sees its shadow we need to gear up for another six weeks of winter. But, if the groundhog doesn't see its shadow, Spring will arrive soon. So with this little story in mind, make a game out of the event. Try some of the following activities and engage in some groundhog fun. (Kids try a few of these right away the big day for the groundhog is February 2nd.)

Before Groundhog Day, predict whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring. Write your predictions down on a piece of paper, include the whole family and share with each other your predictions. Display them in a common viewing place in your home (refrigerator, family bulletin board, etc.).

Check the local newspaper or listen to the news about the groundhog, find out as a family if the shadow was seen or not. Record the outcome on the sheet of family predictions.

Each day between Groundhog Day and the first day of spring check the weather forecast as family and record the temperature and conditions (or draw pictures).

On the first day of spring, review your family predictions and the recent weather conditions and determine who was most accurate.

Ask the Food Dude – Nutritionist

Is food safety something we should think about in our home?

As we strive to have more meals at home and together as a family, we need to keep food safety in mind. Yes, it is more common, actually three times, you will experience a foodborne illness from your home versus a commercial establishment. Make food safety education an agenda item during your next ‘family huddle’ or during a meal. Part of preparing healthy meals is following some basic food safety tips. Remember keep it simple and the whole family can participate.

Wash hands; before the meal, after the meal, before food preparation, during and after the meal is prepared.
Clean out the fridge, make it a family event, remove food and wash down shelves, if food has become a science project this may indicate it needs to move out of the fridge and into the lab or the garbage.
Make sure you refrigerator is working properly and able to maintain a temperature below 40° F.

Healthy Eating Ideas

Cook a bag of whole wheat pasta, season with fat free Italian dressing, stir in canned light tuna (packed in water), and top off with broccoli florets, tomatoes and parmesan cheese and serve on a bed of spinach or mixed salad greens.

Fruit “Taco”– combine a bag of frozen fruit with plain non-fat yogurt, fill taco shells or whole wheat pita halves, and top off with coconut and almonds

Add grapefruit and avocado wedges to a green salad.

Fun with Fruits and Vegetables

Citrus and more citrus is the “in fruit” this month. Enjoy great sources of Vitamin C and fiber with oranges and grapefruit while they are plentiful. Did you know Redblush, Star Ruby, Paradise Navel, Foster and Marsh are varieties of grapefruits? Taste a few and find out what kind your family enjoys. There a sweet and sour oranges, we probably know the sweet oranges (Valencia, Navel, etc.) but have you heard of Bergamot, Bittersweet Daidai (Japenese) or Chinotto? Treat your family to a sweet treat this month. A variety of both oranges and grapefruits are in stores, they are at their peak supply and taste during February. They are readily available and should be selling at lower prices, making them an affordable healthy choice.

Family Time

Finding indoor fun may be challenging this time of year, so call for a family huddle and make a list of possibilities in your home. Share thoughts on activities everyone in the home enjoys, and how some may need to be modified for indoor space. If someone loves basketball, try tossing a balled-up sock into a garbage can from different angles and in different body poses. Some ideas may include creating a:

camp out in your living room; get blankets and pillows, read a book by flashlight
scavenger hunt in your home/building/neighborhood; make a list of treasures to seek (pencil, jump rope, see a bird, chopstick, musical instrument, tennis racket, etc.)
heart healthy dancing and cleaning; turn up the music, vacuum, mop the floors, wash windows, remove snow, take the garbage out
yoga/stretch party; 10-20 minutes of flexibility activities (head tilts, shoulder rolls forward and backwards, back of legs – hamstrings, bending at waist forward, reaching for your toes, lower leg – calf, rounding of back)
movie night with healthy foods; air popped popcorn (top it off with a veggie seasoning package), veggies and low-fat dip, hummus and baked chips, cheese sticks
“family” stew, soup, chili; prepare and enjoy together

Ask the Play Ground Guru

What are some ideas for working on muscle strength and balance as a family?

Everyone can benefit from activity that strengthens muscle and improves balance. Children can participate in exercises that primarily use their own body weight as resistance, and grown-ups too can benefit. Something simple like a push-up can be done in a variety of positions, such as against a wall, or try the arm rest of a couch or from your knees. A fun game like tug-of-war can help everyone improve their strength and may even help with balance. Other ideas for strengthening muscles as a family would include rope or tree climbing, sit-ups, swinging on playground equipment (crossing the bars with your arms), squats and lunges (without weights), cartwheels/handstands (gymnastics). As a family some things to try for improving balance include have everyone stand one one leg, challenge each other to see who can hold the "flamingo" pose the longest. Try switching legs, practice one-legged exercises while tying your shoe.