25 Ways to Eat Better in the New Year

1. To help with portion control, use the smallest plate that will hold your food.

2. At mealtime, serve from the stove instead of putting a serv-ing bowl on the table.

3. Make double vegetables and serve them first, to take the focus off meat.

4. Switch to whole wheat pasta.

5. Eat vegetarian one night a week.

6. Cut back on butter or margarine—newer whole grain breads are tasty on their own.

7. Try substituting whole wheat or oat flour for up to half the flour in pancakes, muffins or other baking.

8. Switch from whole milk to low-fat or skim milk.

9. Skip the cream and sugar in your coffee and tea.

10. Don’t put a salt shaker on the table.

11. Drain and rinse canned beans to get rid of up to 43% of the salt they contain.

12. Eat fish twice a week—once a week is a good start.

13. Cook with vegetable oil instead of butter.

14. Use nonstick pans to cut down on fat in cooking.

15. Buy leaner cuts of meat and remove the skin from poultry.

16. Use brown rice instead of white.

17. Dress salads lightly. When eating out, ask for dressing on the side so you can control how much you use.

18. For more vitamins, choose darker green lettuce rather than iceberg lettuce.

19. Add extra vegetables to soups, stews, casseroles and pas-ta dishes.

20. To cut back on salt and sugar, choose no-salt-added canned vegetables and fruits canned in 100% juice.

21. Eat whole or cut up fruit instead of drinking juice.

22. Add berries to your breakfast cereal.

23. Eat breakfast every day.

24. To cut down on “mindless eating,” don’t eat in front of the TV.

25. Eat more slowly, to give your body a chance to feel “full.”

Source: Debbie Clouthier, Extension Associate for Food Safety and Preservation; University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Cooperative Extension Service

Campbell County

3500 Alexandria Pike

Highland Heights, KY 41076

(859) 572-2600

Fax: (859) 572-2619

Campbell County January 2016

Upcoming Events

Cricut Jan. 11

CCES 6:00 p.m.

Homemaker Chili Cookoff Jan. 23

CCES 2:30 p.m.

What’s for Dinner Jan. 28

CCES 1:30 p.m.

Soups for the Season Feb. 16

CCES 1:30 p.m.

Mommy and Me in the Feb.-Sept.

Garden and Kitchen 5:30 p.m.

CCES

Natural Fibers (Textiles) March 8

CCES 1:30 p.m.

Embracing Life as You Age March 10

CCES 1:30 p.m.

Crop March 12

CCES 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Cooking Up Diabetes April 12, 19,26

CCES 1:00 p.m.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Seasonal……………………….1

Nutrition & Food………...2

Health & Wellness……….3

Recipe…………………………...3

Healthy Relationships...4

Life Skills……………………….5

Make a Resolution to be Food Safe in the

New Year!

Get your new year off to a safe start by resolving to follow the four basic steps to food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill Clean: Wash hands and surfac-es often to get rid of harmful bacteria. Wash your hands with soap

and warm wa-ter for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, and after using the bath-room, chang-ing diapers or handling pets.

Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water before and after prepar-ing each food.

Wash dishcloths and towels often, using the hot cycle of your washing machine, or use paper towels to clean kitchen surfaces.

Rinse fresh fruits and vegeta-bles under running water, in-cluding those that will be peeled. Use a clean vegetable brush and running water to scrub firm-skinned fruits and vegetables.

Separate: Don’t spread bacte-ria by cross-contamination. Separate raw meat, poultry,

seafood and eggs from other foods in your shopping cart, grocery bags and refrigerator.

Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and a different one for fresh

fruits and vegetables. Never place cooked food on a

plate that previously held the raw food.

Cook: Cook to temperatures high enough to kill the bacteria that cause illness. Use a food thermometer to

make sure that all cooked foods are at a safe internal tempera-ture: 145 degrees F (with a 3-minute rest time) for roasts, steaks and chops; 160 degrees F for ground meats and egg dishes; and 165 degrees F for poultry, casseroles and leftovers. Shell-fish should be cooked until they are opaque or their shells open

during cooking. Cook eggs until the yolk and

white are firm. Only use reci-pes in which eggs are cooked or heated thoroughly.

When using a microwave ov-en, cover food, stir and rotate, for even cooking. Use a food thermometer to be sure that the food has reached a safe internal temperature.

When reheating sauces, soups and gravy, bring to a boil be-fore serving.

Chill: Refrigerate promptly to slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Refrigerate or freeze meat,

poultry, eggs and other perish-ables as soon as you get them home from the store.

Never let perishable foods (raw or cooked) sit at room

temperature for more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer (one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees F).

Thaw frozen food safely—in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never leave food out on the counter to thaw. Any food thawed in cold water or in the micro-wave should be cooked imme-diately.

Always marinate food in the refrigerator.

Divide large amounts of lefto-vers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the re-frigerator.

Use or dis-card refrig-erated food on a regular basis. Find USDA safe storage times for various foods at http://www.fightbac.org/safe-food-handling/chill.

Keep your refrigerator at 40 degrees F or below, your freezer at 0 degrees F or be-low. Use an appliance ther-mometer to be sure the tem-perature is safe.

To help keep your family safe from food poisoning, now and in the months to come, always re-member to clean, separate, cook and chill! Source: Debbie Clouthier, Extension Associate for Food and Nutrition, University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Page 2

With the cold weather on the way, it is important to make sure your child is stay-ing safe while out in the elements. Snow is a great way for kids to stay physically active, but you will want to be sure they are staying warm and dry while play-ing the day away.

It is helpful to make sure your child has on enough layers to be outside. Several layers, followed by a sweater and a coat, is a good way to start off the day. If your child is getting warm, you can take off a layer under the sweat-er and coat. For the under layers, try to stay away from 100% cotton clothes as cotton does not keep kids very warm. Try to stay with wool or other fabrics such as fleece. Don’t forget that a coat should remain on.

A hat and gloves or mittens are also very important for both chil-dren and adults. Hats keep heat in the body and gloves and mittens help keep fingers warm and dry. Waterproof gloves or mittens are really the best choice for children. This is very important if they will be

digging in and playing in the snow.

Don’t forget about the feet. The feet may need to layer more than

one pair of socks. And don’t forget some boots or other waterproof shoes. If your children will be playing in the snow, you will want to make sure the boots have some treads. This will lessen the chance that they will slip and slide all over the snow and ice. As a general

rule, dress your child as you would dress yourself outside.

Don’t forget the sunscreen. As snow is white, it can reflect up to 85% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. No one wants sunburn—but especially not in January.

Some kids may tell you that they are “fine” even when they are showing signs of being very cold. Many kids do not like wearing big and bulky things and will try to wear fewer layers. You can explain that if they get hot, you can take off some

of the under layers.

If your child is starting to show signs of being cold you should bring him or her inside. If the teeth start chattering or he or she is shivering, it is time to take a break from the cold. Another sign it is time for a break is a red nose. Offer warm beverages such as warm milk, cocoa or cider as a treat for coming inside. It is also a good idea to make sure your child is well warmed and rested be-fore allowing him or her back out.

Taking the time to make sure that your child is dressed properly before going outside will make it more enjoyable. Hopefully you can layer up and play out in the snow, too.

Source: Parent Health Bulletin; January 2016; University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

KEEPING KIDS WARM IN THE COLD

Page 3

White Turkey Chili 1 tablespoon oil 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 4 cups chopped, cooked turkey 3 cans (15.5 ounce) Great Northern beans, drained 1 can (12 ounce) whole kernel corn, undrained 4 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken broth 1 teaspoon chili powder

1. Heat oil in large saucepan (at least 4 quarts) over medium heat.

2. Add onion and celery. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes. 3. Place the rest of the ingredients in the saucepan. Stir well. 4. Cover and cook about 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir

occasionally until thoroughly heated. Makes 8 Servings. Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 220 calories, 5g total fat, 50mg cholesterol, 460mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 27g protein.

COPING WITH THE DEATH OF A SPOUSE

Losing a spouse is a difficult and painful loss to bear. With such a death, there is often a sense of losing a part of oneself which can be overwhelming as it leaves the surviving spouse feeling alone, isolated and incomplete. For some, the world seems surreal as people you know keep moving and living, while your disbelief and disorientation keeps you watching from a distance or simply going through the motions with little to no feelings. With such raw emotion, it is not uncommon to feel confused or as if you cannot cope. Such depressed moods and behavior are normal aspects of grief associated with the death of a spouse.

It is normal for spouses to feel:

Lost. Multiple losses are experienced including the loss of companionship, shared activities and language, intimacy and your number one fan and supporter.

Angry. When the person you trusted and depended on most “leaves” you, it is not uncommon to feel deserted.

Old. When we become preoccupied with death, we tend to take on feelings of being old and/or thinking about our own deaths more than ever.

Sick. When you are grieving, you are at greater risk of not taking care of yourself and you become more susceptible to health issues that interrupt physiological, emotional, social and mental health.

Afraid. Being alone can cause fear of conducting daily activities and routines by yourself, fear of taking care of yourself and fear of the future.

Worry. Financial complications, insufficient resources or lack of knowledge or comfort regarding financial matters can consume widows and cause feelings such as “anxiety, fear, shame and anger.”

Excluded. Being a widow is a reminder that you are now half a couple in what may have been a “couple’s world.” Some surviving spouses find it easier to mingle with new people or people who did not know their spouse.

Much of the way in which a surviving spouse will act and feel depends on personality, the nature and duration of the marital relationship, the cause of death, previous experience with loss and death and the surviving spouse’s age and gender. It is important for you to express your positive and negative feel-ings and thoughts. It is important for you to grieve in a way that is healthy and helpful to you and to know that there is no script for this. Some spouses will want to talk about their loss for a very long time and this is okay.

Source: Family Caregiver Health Bulletin; January 2016; Uni-versity of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environ-ment

Measuring Your Financial Health in the New Year

Ronda Rex

Kate Vaught Thompson

Campbell County Extension Agents for

Family and Consumer Sciences

Page 4

Much like going to your family doctor for yearly checkups, it is a good idea to perform a financial checkup from time to time. Measuring finan-cial health can include subjective measures such as your personal satisfaction with your financial status, the amount of financial stress you experience, and how financially independent you feel. In addition, you can also evaluate your financial health through more concrete measures.

The following paragraphs give an overview of the various methods that a financial advisor may suggest in calculating your finan-cial health. It is a good idea to calculate these values on a fairly regular basis.

Liquidity ratio. This refers to your ability to meet your necessary expenses when faced with an emergency. It is recommended that you keep a three-to-six month emergency fund, meaning an ideal ratio is between three and six. Liquidity Ratio=Cash/Monthly Com-mitted Expenses.

Asset-to-debt ratio. This compares your assets to your total existing liabilities. It is always desirable to possess more assets than debt. Asset-To-Debt Ratio=Total Assets/Total Liabilities

Current ratio. This refers to your ability to meet short-term liabili-ties, which include all of your debt repayments to be made in the current year. Current Ratio=Cash/Short Term Liabilities

Debt-service ratio. This refers to the percentage of your income that is designated to debt repayment and the percentage of in-come remaining for other mandatory household expenses and savings. Lower ratios represent better financial management. Debt Service Ratio=Short Term Liabilities/Total Income

Saving ratio. This will provide you with insight as to how well your finances are managed and how likely it is that you can achieve your savings goals. Saving Ratio=Monthly Sur-plus/Monthly Income

Solvency ratio. This refers to your ability to repay all existing debts using your assets in the case of an emergency. You may wish to use a net worth calculator prior to figure this ratio. Solven-cy Ratio=Net Worth/Total Assets

Source: Family Financial Management; January 2016; University of Kentucky; College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Healthy Relationships

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A Word from the President

2016 is here! I hope your busy Holiday season was as fun and cheery as mine was! There’s nothing like visiting

with family and friends, reading Christmas cards, watching the little ones open their gifts, or listening to Christ-

mas carols. Makes it all worthwhile.

Have you made any New Years resolutions? I always tell myself I’m not going to make any but I usually do

anyway. This year one of my resolutions is to send a birthday card to every one of my family members. Not as

easy as it sounds but I’m really going to try. What are your resolutions? I hope that getting involved with the

Homemakers Association is one of them.

The annual conference is right here in Northern Kentucky this year. It’s very enjoyable, lots of classes and

crafts, vendors, daytrips. We’ve really planned a lot so that we can make Northern Kentucky’s conference

the one they’ll talk about all year! We need some volunteers to be hostesses, to help in the Silent Auction,

and several things in preparation for this event. Please consider assisting all of us who are already going to be

there volunteering to make this a great success.

I would love it if we can get high attendance to the conference as well. Forms will be arriving soon to pick up

at the extension office to fill out and return.

There’s a lot more going on this new year that will make 2016 the best year ever for Homemakers! I can’t wait

to get started! Together, we can make Campbell County Homemakers shine!

Mary White

Homemaker Thanks to all of you who attended the Holiday Treas-

ures Program. We hope you enjoyed yourselves, and

that you learned new holiday craft ideas! A special

thanks to all the homemakers/clubs who submitted

items, helped make the food, and helped setup and

cleanup. A very special thanks to Pat Gabel-

man and Laura Warpool for presenting the

items. You did a great job! We hope next year

a greater number of you talented homemak-

ers will submit your crafts! We know you all

are just bursting with ideas!

Fun at the Holiday Gathering

December 7

Claryville Club

Christmas Party

Learning about Cricut!

December 8