Halloween Safety Tips

Tuesday is Halloween and kids will be excited and not paying attention.  Here are some safety tips to keep in mind.



Walk Safely

1. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
2. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. 
3. Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
4. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
5. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to
   the left as possible.  Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
6. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Trick or Treat With an Adult

1. Children
   under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult
   supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision,
   they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat
   in groups.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

1. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
2. Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
3. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. 
4. When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. 

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

1. Slow
   down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are
   excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
2. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
3. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
4. Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
5. Drive
   slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on
   earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
6. Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Reposted from Safe Kids Worldwide



Halloween Safety Tips

 

Potatoes Healthy or Not

Potatoes are on sale this week and the weather is a little cooler, so I purchase a couple of bags.  My daughter had been asking for potato soup.  But the weather tricked us and it is a little to warm to enjoy soup, so the potatoes will have to wait.  Potatoes will stretch your food budget, can potato dishes be healthy choices?

It can be confusing to make sense of how potatoes fit in healthy eating habits. Some sources talk about potatoes as loaded with nutrients, yet others say potatoes don’t even count toward goals of eating more vegetables because they are full of starch.

Nutrients, Calories and Phytochemicals – A medium potato is rich in vitamin C and offers even more blood-pressure-friendly potassium than two medium bananas. Potatoes provide other protective nutrients, including the phytochemical quercetin and dietary fiber (particularly with the skin on).
Along with corn, peas and lima beans, potatoes are categorized as a starchy vegetable. Each serving has more carbohydrate and calories than non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, lettuce or tomatoes, making some people think potatoes are high-calorie.

A medium potato – defined by the USDA Nutrient Database as about 2 ¼” to 3 ¼” in diameter — has about 160 calories. Potatoes are also relatively low in calorie density (how many calories a food contains per ounce)  which research suggests is important for weight management. Although not as low in calorie density as non-starchy vegetables, plain potatoes are somewhat lower in calories than a similar portion of rice or pasta.

Glycemic index – Another concern cited about potatoes is it that it ranks relatively high on the glycemic index, a measure of how much carb-containing foods raise your blood sugar. Research demonstrates real health concerns from blood sugar surges after eating.  Studies also show that flavorings and other foods that accompany a food changes how it the food affects blood sugar.

Here are some ideas for maintaining the "healthy" potato as you prepare your dishes.

High-nutrient preparation – How you prepare potatoes affects nutrient content. Boiling – especially with skin removed – allows nutrients to leach into the cooking water. Baked or microwaved potatoes have from 40 to 100 percent more potassium, and about twice the amount of vitamin C, as boiled potatoes.

Watch your portion – Small and medium potatoes are a rich source of potassium and moderate in calories and carbohydrate. Yet baked potatoes commonly served at restaurants are two to three times that size. That size potato, or the large order of fries that has become the norm, provides as much carbohydrate as three to four (or more) slices of bread.

Variety among vegetables is vital to get the full spectrum of nutrients and phytochemicals that promote good health.  Consider preparing dishes with a variety of vegetables mixed with the potatoes.

Watch the toppings - The potato is actually low in calories, it is the toppings we add to the potato.  Look for lower fat topping.  Make your mashed potatoes with chicken broth for rich flavor without the added calories of butter and milk.  Bake potato slices with a little olive oil instead of frying.  Limit the amount of butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon that you add to your potato.  Look for herb mixtures that add great flavor and no calories.

Adapted from article in AICR HealthTalk is by Karen Collins, MS, RDN

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Easy Whole Grain Snacks

Fiber is important for your health.  High fiber foods help us to stay fuller longer and helps our bowels work better.  Whole grain foods have more fiber than refined grains, but they also have many extra trace nutrients that help us stay healthier.  New research is proving that the phytochemicals in whole grains are linked to a lower cancer risk.

Try these quick and easy trail mixes to get started eating more whole grains. Featuring delicious healthy grains like rolled oats, cereal, bran and yes, even popcorn!

Popcorn Trail Mix
2 cups air-popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups unsweetened whole-grain oat dry cereal
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 Tbsp. dried blueberries
3 Tbsp. dried cranberries
3 Tbsp. dry-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. chopped dried pineapple
2 Tbsp. roasted pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp. dry-roasted sunflower seeds
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Makes 10 servings.

Per serving: 91 calories, 3 g total fat (less than 1 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 37 mg sodium.

N-R-G Trail Mix Snack
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup unsalted almonds
1/2 cup dried apple pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup oat circles
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
Put all the ingredients into a big bowl. Stir well with wooden spoon. Divide into six equal amounts in small resealable plastic bags.
Makes 6 servings

Per serving: 210 calories, 12 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 50 mg sodium.

Source: AICR eNews Sept 7