April 30, Mr. Potato Head Celebrates his Birthday with an Important Health Message

Mr. Potato Head is a beloved American toy, who has been around for 61 years. He has gone through many changes, but over the last few years, he has become involved in physical fitness and healthy eating. In this birthday video, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head share their admiration for the Let’s Move and Kid’s Eat Right campaigns. They discuss cutting back on salt, butter and sour cream and increasing their physical activity.

Mr. Potato Head Celebrates his Birthday
with an Important Health Message 

History

Mr. Potato Head was invented by George Lerner in 1949 and first manufactured and distributed by Hasbro in 1952. Mr. Potato Head made his debut on April 30, 1952 as the first toy advertised directly to children on television. Before this, all toy advertising was directed to parents. This commercial revolutionized marketing. Over one million kits were sold in the first year.

In 1952, the original Mr. Potato Head kit provided separate plastic parts to be stuck into a real potato or other vegetables. By 1964, due to government regulations, Hasbro was forced to include a plastic potato "body" in its kits. This change was due to choking hazards and sharp pieces.

        

Special Appearances and Awards

1987. Mr. Potato Head gives up his pipe to Surgeon General C. Everett Koop in Washington, D.C. and became the "Spokesspud" for the American Cancer Society's annual "Great American Smokeout" campaign. 

May 1, 1992. Mr. Potato Head turns 40 years old and receives the President's Council for Physical Fitness award at the third annual Great American Workout.

1995. Mr. Potato Head made his Hollywood debut with a leading role in the Disney/Pixar movie, Toy Story.

1996. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head joined the League of Women Voters and their "Get out the Vote" campaign.

1997 Mr. Potato Head became the "spokesspud" for Burger King’s new French fries campaign.

1999. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head starred in Toy Story 2.

March 24, 2000. Mr. Potato Head is inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.

February 12, 2002. Mr. Potato Head rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

2002. On his 50th birthday, Mr. Potato Head is awarded his own official AARP card.

2002. The Rhode Island Legislature gave approval to feature Mr. Potato Head on a state auto license plate in order to raise money for charity.

2005. Mr. Potato Head became the national “spokesspud” for the United States Potato Board.

2010. Mr. Potato Head appeared in Toy Story 3.

2011 Hasbro unveils a new, noticeably thinner Mr. Potato Head at the 2011 International Toy Fair convention in New York City.

Vintage Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Commercial

 

Toy Story 2 Bloopers with

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head

Resources.

Hasbro, Inc. is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of toys, games and other family entertainment. Hasbro is the manufacturer of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Hasbro has a long tradition of supporting children worldwide through a variety of philanthropic programs.  Their mission is to assist children in triumphing over their life obstacles and to bring the joy of play into their lives.  Visit Hasbro Community Relations to learn about the many programs Hasbro supports.

To learn more about the history of Mr. Potato Head, visit " The Mr. Potato Head® Collector's Page". The World's Largest Resource For Mr. Potato Head Information and History.

April 29 - May 5, 2013 Screen-Free Week

Screen-Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff, founded 1994) is an annual event in which parents, children, teachers and others across the country turn off screen media (TV, video games, computers, cell phones, etc.) and celebrate the magic of being unplugged. Screen-Free Week is a program of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

Screen-Free Week

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under 2 and less than 2 hours per day for older children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents create an electronic-media-free environment in children’s bedrooms.
 

The Benefits of Reduced Screen Time

• Reducing screen time can help prevent childhood obesity.

• Children who spend less time watching television in early years tend to do better in school, have a healthier diet, and are more physically active.

Hazards of Too Much Screen Time

•Adolescents with a television in their bedroom spend more time watching TV and report less

physical activity, less healthy dietary habits, worse school performance, and fewer family

meals.

• Children with a television in their bedroom are more likely to be overweight.

Alternative Activities During Screen-Free Week

• Prepare a family meal together.
• Take a walk in the park.
• Join a family fitness group.
• Plant a vegetable garden or grow a fruit tree. 
• Visit the zoo.
• Plan a picnic or barbecue.
• Go to a museum.
• Take a nature hike.
• Organize a scavenger hunt.
• Learn yoga.
• Go dancing.
• Volunteer for a community or charitable organization

Resources
*American Heart Association, Limit Tube Time and Get Your Kids Moving
*Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Screen-Free Week Organizer's Kit 
*Family-Friendly Things to Do During Screen-Free Week
*20 Alternatives to Television

April 28, World Day for Safety and Health at Work

The 2013 World Day for Safety and Health at Work focuses on "The Prevention of Occupational Diseases". 

"Worldwide, occupational diseases continue to be the leading cause of work-related deaths. According to ILO estimates, out of 2.34 million occupational fatalities every year, only 321,000 are due to accidents. The remaining 2.02 million deaths are caused by various types of work-related diseases, which correspond to a daily average of more than 5,500 deaths. This is an unacceptable Decent Work deficit.

The inadequate prevention of occupational diseases has profound negative effects not only on workers and their families but also on society at large due to the tremendous costs that it generates; particularly, in terms of loss of productivity and burdening of social security systems."

On Apr 28, 1970 (signed into law in 1971) was the founding of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Safety in Restaurants

Slips and Falls

Foodborne Disease OSHA Standards

Control and Prevention

Control of foodborne diseases is based on avoidance of contaminated food, destruction of contaminants, and prevention of further spread of contaminants. Prevention is dependent upon proper cooking and storing practices, and personal hygiene of food handlers.

The quality of food, and controls used to prevent foodborne diseases, are primarily regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and local public health authorities. These diseases may be occupationally related if they affect the food processors (e.g., poultry processing workers), food preparers and servers (e.g., cooks, waiters), or workers who are provided food at the worksite.

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSHA Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
40 Year History
 

National Office
U.S. Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210

April 26, 2013, National Arbor Day

"Arbor Day is a time to celebrate the wonders of nature, and to plan for an even greener future by planting and caring for trees."

John Denver - Plant a Tree

While growing up in East Meadow, New York, we had a huge apple tree in our yard. I would climb up the tree and sit on the branches for hours. I loved eating the apples while watching the world below.

When Jake and I moved into our home in 1998 we planted a mango tree. We watched it grow and flourish. Then in 2005, Hurricane Wilma hit and damaged the tree. For years we tried to nurse the tree back to health, but the infection had spread into the roots.

Finally on April 25, 2012, we had the old tree removed; and we replanted a new Valencia pride mango tree.

Planting a fruit tree is good for the environment, economical, and marks  special moments in one’s life.

Our Mango Tree

Visit the Arbor Day Foundation. Resources, membership, free trees and a lot more.

Our Nation's Forests are National Treasures

April 26, National Pretzel Day joins National Dance Week

Pretzel Dips

Nutrition Information

Pretzel Recipe: Pizza Pretzel with

Pasta Sauce

In 2003, Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell declares April 26 National Pretzel Day to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state's history and economy.

Enjoy a pretzel while getting some exercise
Alex Wong from FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance"
choreographed a Pretzel Dance for Auntie Anne's in
honor of National Pretzel Day and National Dance Week.

A Brief History Of The Pretzel,

presented by Synder's of Hanover

Auntie Anne's Donates Pretzels

to Hunger Relief Organizations

A Look at Pretzel Commercials

Over the Last 39 Years

In 1971, the use of the word "Salt", did not have the
negative effects it has today

 - as seen in the Mister Salty Pretzel's commercial below.

Today, the popular advertisement words

are Sustainability or Renewable.



April 25, Red Hat Society Day

Red Hat Society Day (RHS) is an international social organization founded in 1998 for women approaching the age of 50 and beyond. The society is the largest women’s social group in the world with over 70,000 members in the United States and 25 other countries.

The members are dedicated to making the world a better place by actively promoting and supporting fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and fitness for each individual, as well as demonstrating the value and contributions of women to society at large.

Mission Statement
The RHS is a global society that connects, supports and encourages women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and fitness.
  *Fun. To celebrate life at every age and stage.
  *Friendship. To solidify and support the expansion of the bonds of sisterhood.
  *Freedom. To discover and explore new interests and renew abandoned ones.
  *Fulfillment. To realize our personal potential.
  *Fitness. To embrace healthy, life-lengthening lifestyles.

By maintaining a thriving social networking community, and offering a variety of services and group experiences, the Red Hat Society supports and encourages Members to get the most out of life.

To learn more about the Red Hat Society, visit their website at www.redhatsociety.com

April, National Garden Month a Tribute to the Cooperative Extension

The ground has thawed from the winter, at least in most areas. Many people are deciding if they want to start a garden or what crops will they be planting this year.

Gardening is a passion of mine. I initially started my studies in agronomy and later changed to nutrition. The cooperative extension became an important part of my education and a wonderful resource. It was also the first job I had as a dietitian, teaching nutrition in a summer program through Cornell University Extension.

What is the Cooperative Extension?

The Cooperative Extension, also known as the Extension Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, is a research based educational program designed to help people in the areas of agriculture and food, home and family, the environment, community economic development, and youth and 4-H. The service is provided in every state's designated land-grant universities. 

NIFA is the federal partner in the Cooperative Extension System. It provides federal funding to the system and, through program leadership, helps the system identify and address current issues and problems.

History 

The Morrill Act of 1862 established land-grant universities to educate citizens in agriculture, home economics, mechanical arts, and other practical professions. Extension was formalized in 1914, with the Smith-Lever Act. It established the partnership between the agricultural colleges and the USDA to provide for cooperative agricultural extension work. 

Over the last century, the extension has adapted to changing times, and it continues to address a wide range of human, plant, and animal needs in both urban and rural areas. The cooperative extension focuses education in six major areas: 

1. 4-H Youth Development 
2. Agriculture
3. Leadership Development
4. Natural Resources
5. Family and Consumer Sciences
6. Community and Economic Development

Below are educational videos prepared by various Cooperative Extensions across the United States.

How to Grow Blueberries

North Carolina Cooperative Extension

University of California Cooperative Extension Turns 100

Caring for Asparagus

University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Eat Smart New York! - 

Cornell Cooperative Extension Westchester County

Color Yourself Healthy

University of Nebraska

Florida Statewide Extension Sustainability Programs

Resources
1. To find your nearest Cooperative Extension office.
2.  National Gardening Association
3.  Food Gardening Guide

April 22, Earth Day Small Changes make a Big Difference

April 22, 1970 was the first Earth Day and it awakened almost 20 million Americans from all walks of life to launch the modern environmental movement. From that first earth day came the passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other environmental laws. Today the Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

A Billion Acts of Green®
A Billion Acts of Green® – the largest environmental service campaign in the world – inspires and rewards simple individual acts and larger organizational initiatives that further the goal of measurably reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainability. 

Earth Day 2013 - The Faces of Climate Change

Earth - Small Changes make a Big Difference

YouTube has a wide range of resources, from the young, older, news, family, scientist, schools, communities, governments and industry describing how they are making a difference and how we can make a difference in saving our Earth.

Mobilize The Earth

Green Mom

Cost of Food

Americans have been spending less and less on what we eat. But those savings come with a high cost: obesity, diabetes, and big health care bills. Here's a look at how our diet has changed over the last 50 years, and what we can do to make it better.

Recycle Guys

April 21 - 27, 2013: National Volunteer Week Volunteer to Stop Child Hunger in the United States

Volunteer to Stop Child Hunger in the United States

Becoming educated on child hunger in the United States is the first step towards finding a solution. The facts will surprise you. Hunger exists in every community and can affect families of any demographic. Use these resources to educate yourself and community members of all ages on where hunger strikes, how often, and what factors contribute to hunger. You can also find the food banks and action centers taking steps against hunger in your community so you can join in the fight. Together, we can do better.

In the photograph above, we used MyPlate to plan for our donation.
*If foods are going to a food bank, use only shelf-stable items. A shelf-stable food requires no refrigeration.

You may want to make a food basket for a family in your community. Knowing the food will be given to a family right away will allow you to include fresh fruits and vegetables.

Use of any specific brand of food is not an endorsement.
-Dr. Sandra Frank, 

How to Build a Table

What Will You Bring to the Table? 

Powered by generationOn

“GenerationOn Mission: To inspire, equip, and mobilize youth to take action that changes the world and themselves through service. 

About GenerationOn: A global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. They are the youth division of Points of Light. 

GenerationOn has brought the nation's leading youth service organizations and programs under one umbrella including Children for Children, The League, Learning to Give, and Kids Care Clubs, HandsOn Schools. By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, generationOn gives kids the opportunity to see firsthand the issues in their communities and the tools and resources they need to respond and become part of the solution”.

Points of Light connects people to their power to make a meaningful difference by providing access to tools, resources and opportunities to help volunteers use their time, talent, voice and money to meet the critical needs of our communities 

Resources.

1. 10 Steps to make volunteering fun!
2. Plan a project
3. Child Hunger Fact Sheet For Kids
4. How to make a tablecloth

April 20, Lima Bean Respect Day

Lima beans are fresh in summer, though they are most commonly found dried, canned or frozen, all year long. Lima beans are also known as "Butter Beans"  in many parts of the United States.

There are warnings to avoid raw lima beans because they contain linamarin (also called cyanogens), which releases a cyanide compound when the seed coat is opened," according to Fruits and Veggies Matter. Linamarin is deactivated during cooking.

Nutrition Information

Modified Recipes

Lima Bean Burgers

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) can lima beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 onion, cut into wedges

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 egg or 2 egg whites

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray. 

2. In a medium bowl, mash lima beans with a fork until thick and pasty. Finely chop bell pepper, 

onion and garlic and stir into mashed beans.

3. In a small bowl, stir together egg whites, chili powder, and cumin. Stir the egg mixture into the 

mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. 

4. Divide mixture into four patties. 

5. Place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

6. Serve on a whole wheat hamburger bun with kale, onion, tomato slices, and avocado.

Nutrition Facts: 255 Calories; 12g Protein; 44g Carbohydrates; 9g Dietary Fiber; 6g Total Sugars; 5g Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 28mcg Folate; 4mg  Iron; 358mg Sodium

Baby Limas, Green and Yellow Beans, and Teardrop Tomatoes
with Mint Vinaigrette (original recipe) from Emeril Lagasse, 

"Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Eating Fresh"

The recipe needed very little modification, but with a few changes we were able to lower the calories, fat, sodium and sugar content. Excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and Folate and a good source of iron and calcium.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture
presents a Food for Thought 
video on Lima Beans.

Lima Beans: Educational Resources

The following resources can be found at the 
USDA and Snap Education.

Butter Beans and Lima Beans (PDF)
University of Florida. Sarasota County Extension.
Explores the difference between butter beans and lima beans.
Also provides nutritional information and recipes.

Kentucky Lima Beans (PDF)
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.
Information about selection, storage, preparation and a recipe.

April 19 - National Garlic Day Effectiveness of Garlic as a Medical Treatment

Garlic comes from the lily family and is the edible bulb from a plant. It is used as a spice to enhance the flavor of foods and in medicine, Garlic claims have been made to cure heart disease, cancer, colds, hair loss, bug repellant and many other medical conditions.

The medical research on the safety and effectiveness of garlic has been limited, flawed, inconclusive or failed to prove its curative powers in most of the claims made.

The following conditions have been rated based on the scientific evidence available as to the effectiveness of Garlic as a treatment. From Medline, a service to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health Department of Health and Human Services. Go to Medline for a complete listing of the findings presented.

Ratings
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;

B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.

High Cholesterol (Rate B). Multiple studies in humans have reported small reductions in total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins ("bad cholesterol") over short periods of time (4 to 12 weeks). It is not clear if there are benefits after this amount of time. Effects on high-density lipoproteins ("good cholesterol") are not clear. This remains an area of controversy. Well-designed and longer studies are needed in this area.

Anti-fungal, applied to the skin (Rate C). Several studies describe the application of garlic to the skin to treat fungal infections, including yeast infections. Garlic can cause severe burns and rash when applied to the skin of sensitive individuals.

Anti-platelet effects, blood thinning (Rate C).   Garlic has been associated with several cases of bleeding, therapy should be applied with caution (particularly in patients using other agents that may precipitate bleeding).

Atherosclerosis, hardening" of the arteries (Rate C).   Preliminary research in humans suggests that deposits of cholesterol in blood vessels may not grow as quickly in people who take garlic. It is not clear if this is due to the ability of garlic to lower cholesterol levels, or to other effects of garlic.

Cancer (Rate C).  Preliminary human studies suggest that regular consumption of garlic (particularly unprocessed garlic) may reduce the risk of developing several types of cancer including gastric and colorectal malignancies. Some studies use multi-ingredient products so it is difficult to determine if garlic alone may play a beneficial role. Further well designed human clinical trials are needed to conclude whether eating garlic or taking garlic supplements may prevent or treat cancer.

High blood pressure (Rate C).  Numerous human studies report that garlic can lower blood pressure by a small amount, but larger, well-designed studies are needed to confirm this possible effect.

Tick repellant (Rate C).  In early study, self-reports of tick bites were significantly less in people receiving garlic over a placebo "sugar" pill. Further well designed study is needed to confirm these results.

Upper respiratory tract infection (Rate C).  Preliminary reports suggest that garlic may reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infections. However, this has not been demonstrated in well-designed human studies.

Diabetes (Rate D).  Animal studies suggest that garlic may lower blood sugar and increase the release of insulin, but studies in humans do not confirm this effect.

Does fresh-cut garlic really
reduce the risk of heart disease?

Why go to the market,
when you can grow garlic in your garden.