Category:

Plan Ahead

Showing: 1 - 4 of 94 RESULTS
Updated on Be Creative English Invite Your Kids Plan Ahead

10 Recipes for the 2023 Holiday Season

The holidays are a great time to be around family, friends – and food! If you’re looking for a healthy twist on your favorite holiday dishes or wanting to try something new, you’ll love these ten recipes for this year’s holiday season.

Start with a Warm, Cozy Breakfast

Start your day off right with these easy and festive breakfast recipes:

Sweet Potato Pancakes [1] 

Bring in fall flavors like pumpkin pie spice to add a festive twist on a breakfast classic with sweet potato pancakes! 

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins 

Incorporate oats to your morning muffins to add some whole grains early in the day.

You can fill yourself up for longer by pairing your pancakes or muffins with eggs or yogurt. You can also try adding a side of your favorite fruit to make them more nutritious!

Try an Easy Entree this Holiday Season

Spending all day in the kitchen is so last holiday season! Try this delicious slow cooker (like a Crock-Pot) recipe so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your friends and family.  

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Vegetables 

Mix-it-up by adding your favorite veggies for a well-rounded dish. 

Show Off with Colorful Side Dishes 

Impress everyone at the table with these colorful side dishes packed full of vitamins and minerals.  

Green Bean Casserole [2] 

Keep the holiday traditions while being heart-healthy with a lower-sodium green bean casserole recipe. Using extra herbs and spices keeps the flavor we all know and love while decreasing your salt intake. 

Holiday Stuffing  

Take more time with your family Thanksgiving day by making this yummy side the day prior. Store in the refrigerator in a Ziplock bag to save time on a busy holiday.

Kale and Cranberry Stir-Fry [3] 

Take more time with your family Thanksgiving day by making this yummy side the day prior. Store in the refrigerator in a Ziplock bag to save time on a busy holiday.

Candied Yams 

Don’t sacrifice the flavor of sweet potato casserole but lower some calories, sugar, and fat by candying yams instead. Be ready to give out this recipe to your friends and family- they will be asking you to share this delicious dish. 

Don’t Forget the Delicious Desserts 

Make sure you leave room for dessert because you won’t want to miss out on these tasty treats!  

Apple Bread Pudding 

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring! With fruit, whole grains, and nuts this dessert is full of nutrients and delicious.  

Sugar & Spice Cookies [4] 

Sugar and spice make everything nice – but adding raisins makes it better! Sneak raisins or your favorite dried fruit into these cookies to give you and your guests some extra nutrients.  

Stay Hydrated…and Warm! 

Don’t forget to stay hydrated during your holiday festivities! Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, and try mixing it up with these festive beverages that will put you in the holiday spirit.

Homemade Hot Chocolate 

Snuggle up with your loved ones and sip on some delicious hot chocolate. This timeless beverage is warm, chocolatey, and packed with calcium!  

Couple sitting under a blanket both holding mugs of hot chocolate with candy canes

Tingly Herbal Tea

This blend of spices and flavors  provides a little kick without caffeine. This is a perfect pick-me-up herbal tea to be enjoyed anytime of year! 

cup of orange herbal tea with a bunch of cinnamon and scoops of spices in the background

If you’ve got leftovers, we also have some helpful tips for safely storing and reheating them in our Advice for Holiday Cooks blog. You can also try spicing up your leftovers throughout the week or sending some home with family or friends if you’re running low on fridge space.  

We hope you enjoy these ten festive recipes as much as we do, and that they add something new to your holiday table! Enjoy your celebrations with friends and family this year, and we wish you a happy, healthy holiday! 

Sources:  

[1] MyPlate: Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe: https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/sweet-potato-pancakes  

[2] MyPlate: Green Bean Casserole Recipe: https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/myplate-cnpp/sarahs-green-bean-casserole  

[3] MyPlate: Kale and Cranberry Stir-Fry Recipe: https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/kale-and-cranberry-stir-fry  

[4] MyPlate: Sugar & Spice Cookies Recipe: https://www.choosemyplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/sugar-and-spice-cookies-better-baking-mix  

Published on December 6th, 2023

Written by Sierra Woodruff, MS/DI student | Edited by Jung Sun Lee, PhD, RDN; Tristen T. Webb; and the nutrition education team

Updated on English Focus on Health How to Cook Better Plan Ahead Shop Smarter Store Food Uncategorized

From the Kitchen of Food Safety Specialist Carla Schwan

September is National Food Safety Education Month. We have some great tips to keep you feeling well with your outdoor activities this fall.

Learn tips to keep food safe whether you’re at a tailgate party cheering on your favorite sports team, a family barbecue or maybe enjoying a day at the park with your friends. Read on to learn helpful information to avoid food-borne illness in our fourth blog in our “From the Kitchen of” series. 

We are excited to introduce Dr. Carla Schwan. Carla is an assistant professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist at UGA as well as the director at the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Carla experienced a life-threatening food-borne illness when she was 12 years old after sharing a burger with her dad. The burger contained a life-threatening type of germ, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, that led to Carla being hospitalized for a month. Not only did she suffer during this time, but in the long term, the harmful bacteria is thought to have been the cause of her developing an auto-immune disease that affects her intestines. In addition to the life-long effects of pathogenic E. coli on Carla’s health, it has cost thousands of dollars in health expenses. Sadly, this food-borne illness could have been easily prevented.

This food-borne illness led Carla to her passion for helping others learn how to avoid the terrible sickness she suffered. She went to school to receive her degree in food science. Read on for Carla’s tips to remain food-safe while enjoying activities outdoors!

Tips on staying safe while enjoying your outdoor events from Carla and other UGA Food Safety Experts can be found in this video from UGA Food Safety Experts [1]. We have highlighted some key safety tips from this video:

  1. Plan:
    • Separate coolers for drinks and food
    • Plates and utensils for handling both raw foods and cooked foods separately
    • Warming pans and fuel to keep hot food hot
    • Meat thermometer
    • Hand sanitizer or hand washing station
  2. Purchase:
    • Keep raw foods separate from already cooked foods and produce when in your cart, on the checkout belt, or in grocery bags to keep germs from spreading.
    • Come prepared with a cooler in your car if you will not be home to store your cold foods in the refrigerator within 2 hours or 1 hour if the outside temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Prepare:
    • Wash your hands with soap and water and wash all produce with cold running water before preparing.
    • Prepare food at home when possible- like cutting fruit and marinating meats. Be sure to store raw meat and produce in separate containers.
  4. Transport:
    • Pack the cooler with food and ice right before leaving and store in the shade when possible.
    • Fill an insulated container with hot water and dump it out carefully before storing hot food in the container.
  5. Set up:
    • Clean all working surfaces before setting out food to cook and any surfaces on which food will be served.
  6. Cook:
    • Be careful to keep raw food separate from all other cooked foods and produce.
    • Wash any surface that has touched raw meat. Wash hands with soap and water after handling raw meats.
    • Use a meat thermometer to make sure poultry is cooked to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit and hamburgers are cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
  7. Serve:
    • Wash hands or use hand sanitizer before serving or wear plastic gloves.
    • Have a different serving utensil for each different food item.
    • Keep hot food in a warming dish with fuel underneath and cover with foil when not serving food.
    • Keep cold food stored in ice in a cooler that is separate from cold drinks. This will keep the cooler with the food from being opened every time someone gets a drink out of the cooler.
  8. Store:
    • Set a timer to put away cooked food within 2 hours, unless the temperatures are above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (store within 1 hour).
    • Only buy what you need and share leftover food with other people.

Follow these great tips from Carla when buying food for your outdoor activities:

  • Buy produce in season. See the What’s in Season Chart to determine when your favorite fruits and vegetables are being harvested in Georgia.
  • When using store-bought frozen foods like frozen vegetables, know that they are not always ready to eat. If the label does not say ready to eat, follow the directions on the package on how to cook the food.
  • Check fresh produce for insect bites, bruises, and cuts- bacteria can get in any opening in the fruit or vegetables. If the bruised part is cut away and washed, it is okay to use.
  • Follow directions on packages of already cooked meats. The package will tell you if you do not have to do anything else to the food once you open the package.

Carla’s favorite Food Talk recipes:

Carla likes to relax by listening to music in her kitchen as she cooks these recipes and more. Help us celebrate National Food Safety Education Month by practicing these food safety tips while enjoying your outdoor activities! Stay tuned for more tips from this “From the Kitchen of” blog series.

[1] Tailgating Tips from UGA Food Safety Experts

Written by Leslie C. Davis, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES | Edited by Tristen T. Webb and the nutrition education team