Here are some tips:

• Grocery stores will feature picnic foods this week. If your family grills or picnics frequently, you may be able to stock up and save.
• If you are barbequing, consider having everyone bring their own main dish and a side dish to share. Assign appetizers, fruit sides, vegetable sides, and desserts. Then you can supply the beverages, grill, tableware, etc.
• If you aren’t grilling, consider using the more inexpensive beef or pork roasts to make a batch of shredded meat to put on buns or serve with rice. Another idea would be Any Day Chicken Salad.
• If you are making the sides for the party, don’t go overboard with choices. The greater the variety, the greater the expense, more time spent in preparing, and usually more leftovers. I plan one starchy side like potato salad/baked beans/macaroni salad, a fruit or vegetable salad/tray, plus a simple dessert like bars or cookies. If you are having shredded meat as I mentioned before, think about a big bowl of rice (very cheap and super easy to make, especially if you cook it in the oven or a rice steamer). Here are some ideas from our recipe collection. These are all very simple to make so your kids can help you (kids tend to enjoy eating food they help make).

Creamy Cauliflower Salad

Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

Fruit Kabobs with Yogurt Dip

Crunchy Cabbage Salad

Waldorf Summer Salad

As for the beverages make ice tea, lemonade or a drink mix and have water and lemon slices on hand.

Keep it simple and enjoy your guests.

Blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries not only are delicious, but they are also top in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. (Antioxidants may help increase our immune function and protect against cancer and heart disease.)

Purchasing Berries

Berries (except for cranberries)  are “in season” in late spring and summer which means they will be less expensive now than other times of the year.

When buying, look for firm, plump, full-colored berries. Avoid buying bruised or oozing berries. Turn the container over to check berries at the bottom. Berries don’t continue to ripen after harvest, so when choosing strawberries stay away from green or yellow ones.

When I see a good deal on berries, I buy extra and freeze them. To freeze, put a single layer on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer. When frozen, put them in a freezer bag. This way they don’t freeze together and you can take out just what you need.

Storing Berries

When you get berries home, cover and refrigerate them but wait to wash them until you are ready to use them. This way they will hold for several days. To wash, put the berries in a colander and spray with clean running water and then spread on a paper towel to dry.

How to Serve Berries

Try to serve berries au natural so you don’t add a bunch of calories to them. Here are a few ideas:

• Put some in a plastic container to eat as a snack or lunch on the go
• Add to a bowl of whole grain cereal
• Make a yogurt parfait
• Sprinkle on salads
• Make fruit kabobs along  with other fruits such as pineapple chunks, bananas, and grapes.
• Add to frozen ice cream or yogurt
• Make smoothies

For more information about berries, here are a couple of resources:

Selecting, Storing, and Serving Ohio Blueberries, Blackberries, and Raspberries

It’s the Berries

Here’s some information from the publication:

1. Is cornmeal a whole grain?

The stone-ground variety is a whole grain.  Regular cornmeal is degermed (has the germ of the grain removed) so it is not a whole grain.

2. What’s the difference between steel-cut oats and old-fashioned rolled oats?

Steel–cut oats are cut into small pieces with a steel blade.  Rolled oats are steamed, than rolled into flakes. Quick-cooking oats are rolled thinner and cut into smaller pieces to cook faster.

3. Is wild rice a grain?

No, but it offers similar nutritional benefits as whole grains and it is gluten-free.

4. Is whole wheat couscous a grain?

No, it is tiny pasta made from semolina.

If you have questions about amaranth, quinoa, faro, or wheat berries, check out the publication.

Our Supreme Grilled Cheese Sandwiches deliver all of the good filling ingredients but less bread (and calories). I have served them for lunch with soup and fruit and also as an appetizer cut into quarters. They are great because you just make them in a skillet on the stove. You can also modify them for your family by adding tomatoes or mushrooms and changing the type of cheese (but remember mozzarella is lower in fat and melts well).

Supreme Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Serving Size:  1 open faced sandwich | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup peppers, red or green (1 medium)
• 1/2 onion
• 4 slices (about 8 ounces) firm bread
• 2 tablespoons light mayo or salad dressing
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 4 slices (3/4 ounce each) mozzarella cheese
• Non-stick spray

Directions

1. Slice onion and pepper very thin.
2. Lay out 4 slices of bread and spread with the mayo.
3. Sprinkle lightly with garlic powder.
4. Add in layers the spinach leaves, peppers, onions, and a slice of cheese.
5. Heat a skillet to medium low. Spray with non-stick spray. Lay sandwiches in pan. Cover with plate, lid, or aluminum foil.
6. Heat sandwiches until cheese melts (about 2-3 minutes) or until the bottom is golden brown.
7. Serve warm.

But does healthier mean more money? Not necessarily! It’s all about being a smart and creative shopper. Here are some examples for classroom snacks:

Classroom Snacks – 24 children

Your Child’s Birthday Classroom Party – 24 children

Other ideas to get the most nutritional “bang for your buck:”

What do you bring when it’s your turn? Please pass along your ideas…

Additional Resources

• Kid-Friendly Fruits and Vegetables
• Make Celebrations Fun, Healthy and Active

Guest Blogger, Carrie Scheidel

We recently signed up our 4-year-old daughter for dance class. At the end of her first class she had the biggest smile on her face and I could tell she had fun. Then the teacher said, “Wait –everyone gets a piece of candy for doing such a great job!” A piece of candy for dancing? She got two tootsie rolls and since my younger daughter was with, I told her that she had to give one to her. This resulted in her crying all the way home over candy, when we could have been talking about much fun she had at dance. The teacher may have thought that candy added excitement to her class, but it really took away from the fact that the girls just had a great time dancing!

I realize some may say it’s just a piece of candy. However, it’s not just a piece of candy. Children are being exposed to treats all the time: snacks provided at preschool by parents, lollipops at the local bank, sports drinks after soccer, candy at daycare for behavioral rewards, classroom parties, ice cream parties for reaching a class goal, free samples at the grocery store, and the list goes on and on. And this is on top of the treats that parents provide at home.

It has gotten to the point that snacks are considered treats. And it’s hard not to think this way. Treats tend to be provided with much more excitement and star appeal. Have you looked at the “snack food” aisle at a grocery store lately? There are not very many healthy options. Have you seen the different kinds of fruit snacks (a.k.a. glorified gummy bears)? They take up a good portion of the aisle and almost every cartoon character has its own box! And the number of Pop Tart flavors available is breathtaking.

Children need snacks throughout the day; this goes for adults too! However, it’s all about the kinds of snacks that we consume and provide for our children. When thinking of what snacks to have available, think of what you would serve during a meal, as snacks should be just as nutritious, just in smaller portions. It really comes down to the food groups: fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. Take the guesswork out of what snacks to have around and you will be surprised at the choices your children make when you make choosing healthy foods the easy choice.

Some tips:

• Make snacks available to them at their level. Is your fruit bowl on the top of your counter?  Younger children cannot see the bowl, let alone reach it to make it a selection.
• Have a plastic bin in your fridge towards the bottom full of snacks that are ready to eat, such as cheese sticks, yogurt tubes, reusable drinking containers filled with milk or water, sliced apples, oranges (cut in “smiles”), fruit cups, small bags of baby carrots, cooked noodles, small sandwiches, etc.
• Choose whole-grain items. There are more and more of these available each week, it seems.
• Move less healthy snack options to a higher shelf so they are less tempting and eventually just remove them from your home and save them for road trips or special occasions.
• Avoid pre-portioned snacks, as you are often paying for the packaging (not additional food). You can portion out servings at home in resealable snack bags that your children can decorate with stickers to get them involved in the process.
• Take your children with you to the grocery store. By allowing them to a part of the selection process within certain parameters it provides them ownership for the snacks that are available at home.

Additional Resources

• Snack Tips for Parents
• Cut Back on Your Kid’s Sweet Treats Tip Sheet

How do you handle snacks at your house? Do you have ideas to share?

Guest Blogger, Carrie Scheidel

Our feature recipe for March is Fiesta Skillet Dinner. Fixing up the recipe was easy while following the simple directions. The recipe calls for 2 cups of cooked chicken. I decided to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can use packaged, precooked chicken or precooked canned chicken.

While cooking the chicken, make sure the raw chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Poke a meat thermometer in the middle of the chicken to test for doneness. Overall, the recipe took about 30 minutes to cook from start to finish. Cooking the boneless skinless chicken breasts took the longest amount of time. To save time with cooking, I suggest cutting the raw chicken into cubes before cooking.

This dish is relatively inexpensive. The cost per serving is only $1.26 and 1 ½ cups is one serving.

This dish is loaded with flavor from the creamy cheddar cheese to the mild spice from the tomatoes and chili powder! My fiancé was very pleased with the robust flavor and dished up a second helping! Pair the dish with crunchy, raw vegetables such as carrots and slices of green pepper. Add a fruit for sweetness like a vanilla banana pudding parfait! If you are looking for a simple way to curb your taco or burrito craving, try the Fiesta Skillet Dinner today!

Guest Blogger,

Allyson Woltman , Iowa State University Dietetic Intern

Fiesta Skillet Dinner

The site has new features and recipes, updated content, and easy access to recent blog posts, videos, and our social media outlets. Here’s a sneak peak of what you’ll find when you visit …

How To Channel
A completely NEW feature, this section contains a collection of videos and handouts focused on food shopping, food preparation, food safety & storage, and recipes. Take a minute and watch one of my favorite new How To videos:

Recipe Collection
Who doesn’t like browsing through recipes? Ours are easy, low cost, nutritious, and now organized in categories similar to what you might find in a cookbook – appetizers, main dish, soup, side dish, salads, snacks, and desserts. We also have a category highlighting recipes that have a video tutorial available.

Cost of Food At Home Calculator
This ever-popular tool is still available to help you determine a reasonable amount to spend on food for your family.

Activities
Up for a challenge? Spend some time on our online activities:

• Are you a saavy shopper? –  Test your shopping skills in the supermarket game!
• Quick meals for busy families – When you’re in a hurry to feed your family, you have to balance time, money and nutrition. What will save you the most time and money?

Social Media
Not only do we have a website and blog, we’re all over social media, too! It’s easy to access Spend Smart Eat Smart social media outlets on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Like our page, follow us on Twitter and Pinterest and if you haven’t already subscribed, signup to receive our weekly blog updates sent directly to your inbox.

There’s more, but I don’t want to totally spoil the surprise. Check out what we’ve been up to on the new site and let us know what you think!

- Kristin

Written by Allyson Woltman, Dietetic Intern

Peanut Butter Balls

Nutrients Per Serving (One ball) Calories 70, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Iron 0 mg, Protein 2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Calcium 40 mg, Carbohydrates 9 g, Vitamin A 25 RE, Sodium 55 mg, Total Fat 2.5 g, Vitamin C 1 mg, Dietary Fiber 0 g

Recipe provided by Washington State Dairy Council http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/recipes/hhp/NFDM-Recipes.pdf

When I make this meatloaf I use 85% lean ground beef to save money. First, cover a cooling rack with foil. Then poke holes in the foil to allow the fat from the ground beef to drain. Then place cooling rack on top or inside of a cake or jelly roll pan. After the meatloaf is formed, place it on the foil covered cooling rack. If you are using a 90% or 95% lean ground beef there isn’t much fat to drain so you can use any baking dish you like.  You could also make the meatloaf with ground pork or ground turkey. Be sure to use a thermometer to make sure it is done.  The minimum internal cooking temperature for ground pork and beef is 160 degrees and  ground turkey should be cooked to 165 degrees.

I think one of the reasons I like this meatloaf is because of the sweet topping. We were careful to use a small amount of sugar. Since I am heating the oven when I make this meatloaf, I try to include baked potatoes or sweet potato fries in my menu.

Mouth Watering Meatloaf

Servings: 6 | Serving Size: 1/6 of loaf | Per Serving: $.88

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 carrots)
• ½ cup dry quick oats
• ¼ cup nonfat milk
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup ketchup, divided (¼ cup in meatloaf and ¼ cup in sauce)

Sauce:
2 tablespoons brown sugar or white sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix together the ground beef, onion, carrots, oats, milk, egg, black pepper, salt, and ¼ cup ketchup.
3. Form the mixture into a loaf and place on broiler pan.*
4. Bake for 50 minutes.
5. Stir the remaining ¼ cup ketchup and sugar in a small bowl.
6. Remove meatloaf from oven and spread the sauce over the top and sides of meatloaf.
7. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.

* You can make a broiler pan by laying a wire cooling rack on top of a jellyroll pan or cake pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Poke holes in the aluminum foil so the meat juice can drain.