March 27, 2010 Earth Hour at 8:30 PM local time

Earth Hour 2010 Reminder. Be a part of a Worldwide Event. Today at 8:30 pm local time join the World in turning off your lights for one hour.


To learn more about how you can be involved visit Earth Hour, 2010

Getting children with special needs involved in the kitchen

Getting children with special needs involved in the kitchen

Supermarket Enquirer. When Did Single Serve Meals Start Serving 1-1/2 People?

Supermarket Enquirer

When did single serve meals go from one serving to 1.5 servings?
Read the Labels.

2010 Food Safety Education Conference

Opening speakers at the Food Safety Education Conference

Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack video remarks to 2010 Food Safety Education Conference, March 24, 2010, Atlanta, GA.

March 24th, National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day

Raisins can be enjoyed plain, in cooking, desserts and covered with chocolate. Raisins are a popular dried fruit and when covered with rich dark chocolate you have a taste sensation enjoyed by young and old alike.

Nutrition Information
(based on a 1/2 cup serving)
Calories 95;
Fat (g) 3.8;
Saturated Fat (g): 2.5;
Cholesterol (mg): 2.5;
Sodium (mg): 7.4;
Trans Fatty Acid (g): 0.0

Enjoy National Chocolate-Covered Raisins Day

Diabetes Alert Day, 2010

Diabetes Alert Day

The American Diabetes Association has designated March 23, 2010 as Diabetes Alert Day.

The American Diabetes Association is at the forefront of the fight to prevent, treat, and cure diabetes. They provide education, promote awareness, advocate on behalf of diabetes patients and are the authoritative source on diabetes in the United States.

To learn more about the American Diabetes Association and events planned for Diabetes Alert day, Visit American Diabetes Association Alert Day

How God Chooses a Mom for a Disabled Childby Erma Bombeck

To Moms of Special Need Children.

This was given to me when I learned Jake had Cerebral Palsy.

I believe the story has been passed along to thousands of mothers who just recently learned they were given a special gift from God - a Special Needs Child.

On January 19, 1989 we learned Jake had cerebral palsy. The doctor explained that Jake might never walk, talk or even recognize us. I cried and I could not bring myself to see Jake until a few hours later. I quietly walked into his room. It was about 5:00 AM. I looked down at Jake in his crib and he looked up and smiled at me. I knew he recognized me. I picked up Jake in my arms and I told him, "We will travel this journey together and learn all that we can so you will have a wonderful life".

Jake is the most important person in the world to me. When he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, my friends and family would comfort me and say "God never gives you more than you can handle". I thought they were crazy and just didn't know whatelse to say. It took awhile for me to believe this, but in time I would understand my son would be one of my greatest teachers.

How God Chooses a Mom for a Disabled Child
by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth; son; patron saint, Matthew."
"Forrester, Marjorie; daughter; patron saint, Cecelia."
"Rudledge, Carrie; twins; patron saint... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God ? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a handicapped child a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence. She'll have to teach the child to live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, this is a woman I will bless with a child less then perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see - ignorance, cruelty, prejudice - and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

Exceptional Parent's Mission Statement:
To Develop, Translate, and Share Information as Tools for Positive Change for the Special Needs Community

World Down Syndrome Day

March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day.
To learn more about this event, visit the website of
World Down Syndrome Day.

Meet a family who shares their amazing story of love and living.

Maple Syrup Saturday

New York’s maple industry is hosting its 15th annual "Maple Weekend". 150 sugarhouses across the state will open their doors to share the syrup-making process from tree to table.

How to Make Maple Syrup.



Maple Syrup: Calorie Information

National Poultry DayCooking, Safety and Nutrition

Poultry is an excellant source of protein and lower in fats than red meat (especially if you remove the skin). There are about 3,200,000 poultry recipes on the Internet.

Cooking, Safety and Nutrition are key to enjoying poultry.

USDA Guidance on Cooking Poultry


USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline answers questions about safe storage, handling & preparation of meat, poultry & eggs.
Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at:
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)
Or send Email to: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov



Safety is important when handling poultry and meats. The USDA requires that safe handling instructions be posted on all packages of raw and not fully cooked meat and poultry.

Calorie Facts about Poultry.

For additional information on Poultry visit the USDA Website. There are Fact Sheets for Labeling, Safety, Handling and Quality.

Broward County Dietetic Association celebrates National Nutrition Month from the Ground Up

Broward County Dietetic Association celebrates National Nutrition Month from the Ground Up.

The BCDA spent this weekend (March 13-14) at the Flamingo Nursery. The community loved meeting the Registered Dietitians and enjoyed the free mini pots of herbs and nutrition information being passed out.







BCDA members (from left to right) Tracy Wilczek, Stacy Roberts, Jennifer Keil and Ashley Johnson

BCDA members Jennifer Keil (left) and Ashely Johnson (right) help shoppers at the Nursery





BCDA members Jennifer Keil, Stacy Roberts and Ashley Johnson

Happy St Patrick's Day - Eat something Green

Happy St Patrick's Day. Eat something Green. Here is a list of natural green foods rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Girl Scouts Respond to Nutrition Questions

Mom was a girl scout leader and my sister Janet and I were girl scouts and brownies. I found this old home video from 1960. Mom and other leaders took a group of us girls on a field trip to an Animal Farm and Botanical Gardens (Nassau County, Long Island, New York).

It was a wonderful experience and extra special since mom was our leader. I learned about charity, commitment, friendship, family and a whole lot more. However, we did not learn about nutrition in the early 1960's.

To complement the video is a sample of the song called "Julliette" (Girls Scout Founder) by Melinda Carroll. To obtain the complete song - go to http://gsmusic.com/about/about-melinda.html

"The Girl Scouts of the USA is an organization dedicated solely to girls—all girls—where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world. In partnership with committed adult volunteers, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives, like leadership, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth."


Girl Scout Cookies:
Nutrition and Safety History
Girl Scouts Respond to Nutrition Questions
How Well Do You Know Your Girl Scout Cookies?
Each Cookie has a Mission

Nutrition and Safety History of Girl Scout Cookies.

In 1960, licensed bakers first began wrapping Girl Scout Cookie boxes in printed aluminum foil or cellophane to protect the cookies and preserve their freshness. In 1961, 14 licensed bakers were mixing batter for thousands of Girl Scout Cookies annually. By 1966, a number of varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mint, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Nutrition information was not required on the labels during this time.

In the early 1990s, eight varieties were available, including low fat and sugar-free selections.

By 2007, Girl Scouts of the USA announced that all their cookies now had zero trans fat per serving; many required reformulation to accomplish this.

Girl Scout cookies are listed as having "0 trans fat per serving" and will have packaging saying Trans Fat Free. The cookies are not truly trans fat free, as various partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs, i.e., trans fats) are still listed in the ingredients. Nonetheless, they now have a sufficiently small amount per serving to comply with the government's official standards for the Trans Fat Free label. (The official rules allow the label to appear where there are fewer than 0.5 grams per serving.)

Recall
On February 23, 2010, Little Brownie Bakers announced a recall of some batches of the Girl Scout Cookie, "Lemon Chalet Crèmes". While the cookies were safe to eat, some of the packages had an off odor and taste.

Girl Scouts Respond to Nutrition Questions

Q: Don't Girl Scout Cookies contribute to the childhood obesity problem?
A: Starting with our youngest members, the Girl Scout organization promotes a healthy lifestyle for its girl members, which includes a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Our health and fitness programs encourage girls to adopt healthy fitness and eating habits early in life and continue them into adulthood. Girls are also taught to consider ingredient contribution to their overall diet and portion size when choosing snacks.

In addition, the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) released a research review entitled Weighing In: Helping Girls Be Healthy Today, Healthy Tomorrow. Weighing In addresses various underlying causes leading to the epidemic of obesity and of being overweight among children and adolescents and the lifestyles, culture, and behavior that have contributed to this condition. Read more about this research review.


Q: Should people with diabetes buy or consume Girl Scout Cookies?
A: For consumer convenience, each of our two licensed bakers lists dietary exchanges on the cookie box and cookie order form so people with diabetes and adults with children with diabetes can make informed choices. The amount of sugar and carbohydrates is also listed. Dietary exchanges should always be consulted, even if a product is labeled "sugarless."


Q: Why don't you offer cookies that are whole-wheat, wheat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, organic, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, low-fat, non-fat, fat-free, etc.?
A: The demand for specialty cookie formulations is simply not great enough to make it economically feasible to offer a variety of specialty types. Of all the different possible formulations, sugar-free seems to be the most popular, yet in the past, even the sugar-free Girl Scout cookies that have been offered have had to be discontinued due to lack of demand. Our bakers continue to experiment and develop formulations that balance the best tasting cookies using the healthiest ingredients.

For a complete listing of Girl Scout Cookie Nutrition Facts, go to: http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.littlebrownie.com/downloads/NLIs_All.pdf

How Well Do You Know Your Girl Scout Cookies?
Can you match the cookie to their name?
(Answers and Calories are listed at the end of the article.)

Each Cookie has a Mission
Girl Scout Promise, Law, Motto, and Slogan


Promise:
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Promise is often recited at Girl Scout troop meetings while holding up the three middle fingers of the right hand, which forms the Girl Scout sign. Girl Scout policy states that the word "God" may be interpreted depending on individual spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, "God" may be substituted with the word dictated by those beliefs.

Law:
I will do my best to be Honest and fair,
Friendly and helpful, Considerate and caring,
Courageous and strong, and
Responsible for what I say and do,
And to respect myself and others,
respect authority, use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Motto:
"Be Prepared."

Slogan:
"Do a Good Turn Daily"

Answers to: "How Well Do You Know Your Girl Scout Cookies?"

Congratulations to all the Registered Dietitians, 2010

The goals of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) are to provide consumers with information on how to lead healthy lives, promote education, advance nutrition knowledge through research, and learn to make healthy choices.

I am proud to be a member of ADA. Through our association, I learned compassion, charity, friendship, and knowledge.

Thank you and congratulations to all the dedicated dietitians. This year I would like to extend a special thank you to the RDs I’ve met on-line. The Internet has brought the world closer together and opened avenues for learning, teaching and sharing.

Dietitians-Online was created to acknowledge the contributions of Registered Dietitians on the Internet and their global impact. We have come a long way.

Food Recall Puts Spotlight Back on FDA

Food Recall Puts Spotlight Back on FDA.

Positive food messages can impact eating habits

Positive food messages can impact eating habits: "Donna L. Hollinger MS, RD, LD is a registered dietitian in the Nutrition Center at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. ...


See all stories on this topic"

March is National Nutrition Month

National Nutrition Month is highlighted in this
short video. Illustrated are words associated with a healthy lifestyle
and the 2010 theme, Nutrition from the Ground Up.

Words: Planting, Growing, Harvesting, Balance, Variety,
Choices, Moderation, Change, Commitment, Planning, Activity



To learn more about National Nutrition Month (NNM)
go to http://www.eatright.org/nnm