May 2015

Cook With Watermelon: Nutrition, Tips & Silly Food Facts

Silly Food Fact

Just how big can a watermelon grow? Well, the world record is a colossal 268 pounds, grown in Arkansas in 2005. On the other side of the scale, a mature watermelon can be as tiny as 1 pound. There are an unbelievable 1200 varieties of watermelon, and they aren’t always red inside. You can find yellow, orange, and white watermelon, too. Seedless varieties are the most common (only 20% of melons sold have the familiar small, black seeds).

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The Coolest (and Healthiest) Ice Cream Social on the Block!

As the weather warms up and school lets out for the summer, a few essentials come to mind: sun, fun, and, of course, ice cream parties! If you think ice cream parties can only have the sugary, preservative filled ice creams that line your grocery store’s shelves though, think again! We’ve got plenty of terrific ideas to help you create a fun-filled ice cream party with ice cream that’s actually yummy and good for you! So celebrate summer’s coming arrival by having an ice cream party of your own. We’ll tell you everything you need to make the coolest and healthiest ice cream; all you need to do is decide who to invite to your summer ice cream party!

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Cook With Collard Greens: Nutrition, Tips & Silly Food Facts

Silly Food Fact

Ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to enjoy collard greens. In the mid 1600’s, this delicious vegetable was brought over to America by Europeans. Fast forward to present day South Carolina, where they love collard greens so much they decided to make it their state vegetable! Their neighbor, North Carolina, even holds the official festival for collard greens called the Ayden Collard Festival!

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Kid’s Activity: Tea Party Time!  Hosting Your Own Kid-Approved Tea Party

If you’ve ever looked longingly at your parents’ refreshing cup of tea, this is the activity for you! Yes, even though tea is typically reserved for grown-ups, there are plenty of teas that are perfectly safe for you to have, as long as you know the right teas to drink! Many herbal teas are tasty, caffeine free, and much healthier alternative to sugary juices or sodas. Don’t stop with just sipping on your cup of tea, gather a few supplies and host a tea party.

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Cook With Cantaloupe: Nutrition, Tips & Silly Food Facts

Silly Food Fact

Did you know that the cantaloupe we all know and love, with it’s sweet, orange flesh, is actually a muskmelon!? The only “true” cantaloupe is grown in Europe. It’s name originated from Cantalupo, Italy, where it was first cultivated. This delicious fruit is cousins with many of our favorite fall veggies, like squash, pumpkins, and gourds! Collectively, these crops are referred to as the Cucurbitaceae family. 

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Don’t Be Duped: Learning to Spot Junk Food Disguised as Healthy Choices

It’s not always easy being a kid. You aren’t big enough to do all the things you want to do, you have more homework than you know what to do with, and to top it all off, junk food companies often try to trick you into believing their foods are healthy! That’s right, in efforts to get you and your parents to buy their products, companies use bright colors and tricky language to get you to believe their products are healthier than they really are. Thankfully, you’re a smart little cook who can’t be duped. Watch out for these junk foods disguised as nutritious choices. 

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Cook With Blueberries: Nutrition, Tips & Silly Food Facts

Silly Food Fact

Wild blueberries only grow in North America (and we produce nearly 90% of the worlds blueberries!). The early American colonists even created gray “paint” by boiling blueberries in milk! Today, wild blueberries are called “lowbush”, while commercial species are referred to as “highbush”. Maine produces 25% of all lowbush berries, while Michigan dominates the highbush market. In Canada, blueberries occupy half of all fruit acreage! 

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