Moving the Little Ones

It is spring time and the weather can change from day to day.  It can be hard to have outdoor activities with your kids.  This is a great time to play and spend quality time with your kids at home.  Do not let the weather be an excuse to get physical activity.  Kids can learn healthy habits from being active each day.  Some of the health benefits of being active and getting regular physical activity include:

• Develop strong bones and muscles
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Improve sleep
• Improve concentration in school

It is important for kids to get 60 minutes of physical activity each day.  This does not mean kids have to exercise for 60 minutes all at once, but it can be in 10 minute bursts of activity added up throughout the day.  Here are some indoor fun ideas that you can do with your kids.

• Create treasure hunts inside your house.  Plant some treasures in each room.   Make a list of objects and have kids go on a 'treasure hunt'.  
• Play Freeze Dance.  Take turns in planing 'freeze dance'.  Lead the kids and control the music.  When the music is off, FREEZE! When the music comes back on, DANCE!  Kids love to dance!
• Clean the bedroom.  Your kids can help keep their room neat and it gets them moving.
• Host a basketball shoot out using foam balls.  Use a trash can as a hoop.  Keep things interesting by moving the basket around and rotation where the shooter starts.
•  Have a sock war.  You can ball up clean socks and have an indoor snowball fight.
• Play bowling. Use empty water bottles or cups and foam ball to make bowling alleys.

Don't let the weather stop you from getting physical activity!

Container Gardening on a Budget

If you have decided to try container gardening this year, you might be wondering, "how much is this going to cost?"  The answer is simple. There are many ways to keep costs down and still have great success growing fruits and vegetables in containers.

1. Start from seed.  If you start your plants from seeds, it will cost a lot less than buying plants.  If you decide to buy plants, however, you can save money by buying small plants.  They will grow fast once they are planted.
2. Share or trade seeds and plants.  You might find that a pack of seeds or a 6-pack of small plants provides more than you need for container gardening.  One way to cut costs and avoid waste is find a gardening friend and share or trade your extras.
3. Buy supplies on sale.  Watch the newspaper for spring sales on seeds and plants.  In the fall when the growing season is drawing to an end, look for sales on containers, potting soil, and other supplies.
4. Be creative.  Shop yard sales and flea markets for inexpensive containers, or look around your house for things that you already have.  An old laundry basket, a pail, or even a child's wagon make fine containers.  Be sure to punch holes in the bottom of any container you use to provide proper drainage.
5. Make your own compost.  Compost provides the nutrients your plants need to grow.  Make your own compost using food waste and grass and plant clippings from your yard.
6. Buy fewer flowers to beautify your yard.  No need to buy lots of flowers to make your hard look great.  Fruits and vegetables grown in containers do "double-duty" -- they not only provide delicious food, they look beautiful, too.  Add just a few flowers to the fruits and vegetables plants in your containers to add color.  You will be surprised how great your yard, steps or balcony will look this year.

For answers to your gardening questions, 

contact the University of Maryland Home and Garden Information Center 

For more information on gardening, visit Grow It, Eat It from University of Maryland Extension 

Thoughts of Spring -- Thoughts of Gardening

Are you getting tired of winter?  Cloudy days, chilly winds, and snow on the ground make spring seem very slow in arriving.  One way to get your mind off winter is to start planning a spring garden so when spring actually arrives, you will be ready.

Maybe you are thinking, "but I don't have room for a garden" or "I don't know much about growing vegetables or flowers".  If this is the case, container gardening might be for you.  Container gardening can be located anywhere, it is inexpensive, and takes very little space.  And there are many, many resources at the library or on the web that provide the information you need to be successful.

Not convinced?  Here are 6 reasons to try container gardening this year.

1. It is easy.  All you need is a container -- any container will do -- some potting soil, and seeds or plants.
2. It is inexpensive.  There is no need to buy costly containers.  You can grow vegetables and flowers in just about anything.  Look around your house and you'll be surprised how many things will work -- an old clothes basket, a pail, your child's old wagon, or even a canvas bag.  You also can find low-cost containers at flea markets or yard sales.
3. Requires only a small space.  Even if you have a small yard or live in an apartment, you can find some space for container gardening.  Containers fit on your front steps, a fire escape, or balcony.
4. Almost all plans do well in a container.  Almost any plan that will grow in an in-ground garden will also do well as a container-grown plant.  Vegetables that do especially well in containers include: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, green onions, beans, lettuce, squash, radishes, and parsley.
5. Container gardens are beautiful.  Healthy fruits, vegetables and flowers growing in a container add color and beauty to your house or apartment.
6. The whole family can get involved.  Container gardening provides opportunities for parents and kids to work together on a project and have fun doing it.  Many kids love having their own container garden.  Choosing plants, planting and watering help kids learn how things grow and develop responsibility.  Even better, both adults and kids are more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables if they helped to grow and prepare them. 

For more information on container gardening, visit: 

University of Maryland Extension -- Container Vegetable Gardens

Texas A&M Extension -- Vegetable Gardening in Containers

Add "Green" To Your Plate for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner!  How about making St. Patrick's Day fun this year by making healthy recipes with green foods for you and your family to enjoy.  St. Patrick's Day can be a great excuse to add green fruits and vegetables to your family meals.

Adding green foods into your diet can help make your body strong inside and out.  The nutrients found in green fruits and vegetables can help the immune system, fight and prevent diseases and also help with managing your weight.

Check out the list below.  How many green foods can your family eat this week?

	Green Fruits	Green Veggies
	·         Avocado ·         Green Grapes ·         Honeydew Melon ·         Kiwi ·         Green Apples	·         Artichoke ·         Asparagus ·         Broccoli ·         Brussels Sprouts ·         Green Beans ·         Leafy Greens ·         Celery	·         Cucumbers ·         Peas ·         Green Peppers ·         Snow Peas ·         Spinach ·         Zucchini

Check out the SNAP-Ed recipe finder for easy, quick recipes.  You can search by food, so enter in any of your favorite green foods for a yummy recipe to try.

Enjoy St. Patrick's Day!

Did You Know? March is National Nutrition Month!

Every March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) hosts National Nutrition Month to help highlight the importance of making healthy food choices.  This year's theme is "Get Your Plate in Shape". 

By now, hopefully you have seen the USDA's new food icon, MyPlate, which replaced the food pyramid last year.  MyPlate shows the five food groups on a plate, making it easier to see the variety and portion size of each food group.  This month we hope you and your family can fine-tune your plate by following these simple tips. 

1. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables:  Any way works!  Choose fresh, frozen, canned or dried.  Make sure to eat a variety of colors.
2. Choose whole grains: Make at least half your grains whole.  Whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, quinoa, and barley, provide more nutrition than processed, white grain products.
3. Lighten up your dairy:  Select fat-free or low-fat dairy products to lower calories and fat intake.  Great choices include low-fat yogurt, 1% or non-fat milk, and low-fat cheeses like mozzarella and swiss. 
4. Smart protein choices: Choose lean meats or plant-based proteins.  Good choices include: chicken, turkey, fish, beans, eggs, tofu or nuts.  Avoid greasy or fried foods.

For more information and free National Nutrition Month materials, visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ChooseMyPlate