Extension Connection is your connection to Missouri’s land grant based research institutions. University Extension is the statewide program of the University of Missouri system and Lincoln University. University of Missouri Extension programs are open to all.

You can hear Janet Hackert's live Extension Connection radio spot at mid-day on Fridays on KCHI (103.9 FM; 1010 AM) Chillicothe, MO; KTTN (92.3 FM; 1600 AM) Trenton, MO; and KAAN (95.5 FM; 870 AM) Bethany, MOenton, MO; and KAAN, Bethany, MO

Topics by Janet Hackert, Nutrition Specialist: 

Cooking Meat Safely (June 30, 2000)

Safe Drinking Water (June 23, 2000)

Dad's Nutrition (June 16, 2000)

Dairy Month (June 9, 2000)

Herbal-Drug Interactions (June 2, 2000)

Health Insurance for Kids (May 26, 2000)

Preparing for the Harvest (May 19, 2000)

Mom’s Nutrition (May 12, 2000)

Feeding Kids (May 5, 2000)

Cooking with Kids (April 21, 2000)

Farmers Markets (April 14, 2000)

Inhalant Abuse Prevention (April 7, 2000)

Cooking Meat Safely (June 30, 2000)

Keeping their families safe is important to most people. So is serving food that’s tasty but not overcooked or dried out. These are two good reasons for using a meat thermometer when cooking meat. Just looking at the color of the meat can be misleading. Did you know that one out of every four burgers turn brown in the middle BEFORE reaching the safe temperature of 160ºF inside? And that a hamburger that’s brown through and through may only be 135ºF. That’s plenty warm enough to grow lots of bacteria, but not hot enough kill them.

On the other hand, ground beef can have an internal temperature of 160ºF and still be pink in the middle. That means that if I was waiting for the meat to look brown, I might cook it longer than was necessary to be safe.

Ground beef, as well as ground pork, veal and lamb should be cooked to 160ºF. Ground turkey or chicken should be 165ºF in the middle to be done. Fresh beef should be cooked to 145ºF for medium rare to 170ºF for well done. Chicken, turkey and other poultry should be cooked to 180ºF, except the breast, which is safe at 170ºF. Pork should be cooked to 160-170ºF and egg dishes to 160ºF.

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Safe Drinking Water (June 23, 2000)

Water comes in lots of forms. The most common source is municipal tap water. This water is treated to make sure it’s safe for drinking and is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Some folks who live in rural areas have their own source of water. To be sure of its safety, well water can be tested by the local Health Department.

Bottled water is the other option. Within this option there are several types. Mineral water is water that naturally contains certain levels of minerals. Spring water comes from a natural spring in the ground. Purified water or demineralized water is water that has had its minerals removed by deionization, reverse osmosis, or distilling. Distilling is done by evaporating the water to steam then condensing it back to purified water. Purified water is labeled according to the process used to purify it. Sparkling water is water that either has a natural "fizz" or has had the carbon dioxide added. Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration since it is considered a food.

Dad's Nutrition (June 16, 2000)

When we refer to healthy choices, we’re really looking at two main aspects that people can generally control for themselves: what they do and what they eat. Both of these can affect the risk of two leading causes of death for men – heart disease and cancer.

Being physically active can help lower high blood pressure, increase good HDL cholesterol, control weight and reduce stress. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, "eating right, plus staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, can cut cancer risk by 30-40%." And eating right means, among other things, getting at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This by itself could "reduce cancer rates more than 20%." And as dads, there’s the added incentive that an easy way to get your kids to eat their veggies is for them to see you eating yours.

Plant foods that are big in health benefits are tomatoes, broccoli and soy. Fresh and canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa and even ketchup are loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Watermelons, strawberries and other red produce also contain lycopene that may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Broccoli, and cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts, have fiber, Vitamin C and beta-carotene (the precursor to Vitamin A). Soy foods that are high in soy protein may help lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

June is National Dairy Month. So what better time to look at fitting dairy foods into our daily eating plans. Most people know that dairy foods have lots of calcium and that calcium is needed at any age for strong bones and teeth. Calcium is also important for muscle contractions, blood clotting and maintenance of cell membranes.

So how can we fit dairy foods in? Try these:

And if you have too much trouble digesting dairy products, consider other foods that contain that needed calcium, like fortified orange juice, cereal or bread, or that contain calcium naturally like tofu and salmon.

Herbal-Drug Interactions (June 2, 2000)

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Health Insurance for Kids (May 26, 2000)

But there’s good news. MC+ for Kids, Missouri’s Health Insurance Program for Children may be just the ticket for families who can’t afford insurance for their children. Children, from newborns all the way up to 19 years old, who have not been covered by insurance for the last 6 months are eligible if their family’s income is up to 300% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that means if the family income is $4,263 per month or less, the child or children would be covered. At the highest level of income there’s an additional requirement that health coverage at less than $90 per month is not available. With this coverage, families pay anywhere from nothing to a co-pay per doctor’s visit but no cost for prescriptions to a monthly premium and co-pay for visits and prescriptions, depending on their income level.

MC+ for Kids covers all medically necessary services. It includes the physicals they need to play in sports. It covers primary care if they’re sick or hurt, as well as preventative care. Dental, pharmacy and vision care are also covered. Other coverage is also available.

I’ve just finished planting my garden this week and with the possibility of rain in the clouds overhead, I’ve begun to think about the harvest. If the weather cooperates and the harvest is good this year, this is a good time to start thinking about how it will be handled. If you plan to use the freezer, like I do, clean out previously stored produce to make room for this year’s crop. And while the stores are low, this is the ideal time to defrost the freezer. This makes more room for stored items and helps the freezer to run more efficiently.

If you plan to can your produce, there are things you can do now so everything will be ready when you start picking. Canning is the process by which microorganisms that can cause food spoilage are destroyed before sealing the food in an airtight jar. Under-processing can leave a potentially dangerous level of bacteria in the food. University of Missouri Extension has some wonderful guide sheets on the guidelines and procedures for canning lots of different products, giving the latest recommendations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These are available at your local Extension Center or on the web.

Each year before you can vegetables, have the dial gauge of the pressure canner checked. Doug Holt, Associate Professor of Food Science at University of Missouri, recommends that if the gauge is more than one pound per square inch off from a standard value, the gauge should be replaced. Many Extension Centers in the Northwest Region have a standardized tester and can test your gauge for a minimal cost. The test takes about 20 minutes, so I often suggest that people let us know when they’re coming (so we can have the tester’s water boiling and ready to go when they arrive). Others prefer to drop off their lid and have it tested while they run errands in town. Either way, only the lid is needed for the test.

The pressure canner’s seal also needs to be checked. If steam escapes around the edges of the lid, the problem may be resolved by ‘plumping’ the rubber ring. Boil the ring for 10 minutes in a quart of water and ½ cup vinegar. Replace it inside the lid while still hot. If steam still leaks out or if the ring is cracked and brittle, replace it with a new one.

Mom’s Nutrition (May 12, 2000)

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Moms are known for how they take care of others. But these days, with such great demands on them, many women don’t take care of themselves as well as they could. With 70% of women now working outside the home (according to the U.S. Department of Commerce), good nutrition for optimal health is a must. But it’s got to quick and easy too.

Although there are many nutrients both men and women need to be healthy, Eat Right Montana, in their Celebrating Healthy Families 2000 campaign, emphasize five nutrients that moms need to keep themselves healthy and ready for each day.

Many fad diets these days restrict the intake of all carbohydrates but carbohydrates are the body’s main fuel for energy. Carbohydrate foods with lots of calories and not many other nutrients, like pop, candy and sugar, can surely be dropped from the daily diet. Nutrient-dense carbs, like whole grains, vegetables and fruits, provide the energy needed, along with fiber for good digestion, in tasty, healthful packages.

Although many protein sources may contain lots of fat, lower fat choices are often available. Protein as a part of a healthy breakfast helps maintain a feeling of satisfaction longer into the day. Low fat options of dairy foods, eggs, meat, nuts and beans can add lots of flavor and are easy to take along on a busy morning.

Iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies. Low intakes of iron can leave a person feeling like they have no ‘get up and go.’ Pump up the iron with choices like red meat, fortified cereal, poultry, fish, beans and spinach. To make the most of the iron in food, especially from plant sources, Vitamin C-rich foods, like orange juice with fortified cereal in the morning, help the body absorb the iron better.

Calcium builds strong bones and teeth, and it also keeps the heart and other muscles strong. Although dairy foods are the most common sources of calcium, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables and fortified fruit juices are other great sources. An 8-ounce glass of milk provides 30% of the calcium most people need daily. Moms need at least 1000 mg of Calcium every day.

Feeding Kids (May 5, 2000)

Here are some tips. First off, it’s important to realize that preschoolers grow in spurts and that when they are growing or getting ready to, they are more likely to eat more than at other times. So he may not be interested in eating just because he isn’t hungry. And that’s ok.

When food is offered, be sure it’s in bite-sized pieces – and that means bite-sized for a 3-year-old. Make portions reasonable for a little guy. Imagine how you would feel if a plate piled high to overflowing were placed in front of you with the expectation of you eating it! Think – little portions for little bodies. Remember also that small children eat smaller amounts but more often.

And be creative. Maybe the boy in our scenario likes bananas and peanut butter. These are both nutritious foods. So call it a meal. Or if the appeal for french fries is the dipping, try carrots cut in strips and dipped in dressing or yogurt. Or try french toast fingers dipped in jelly. Maybe the pizza’s greatest attraction is that he can eat it with his fingers. Many preschoolers like finger foods. Try creating your own pizza at home – spruce up a plain frozen pizza with cheese, vegetables or anything that the child might like. Or try an open face sandwich, fruit, cheese or lunchmeat roll-ups, or other fun and easy ways that the child can feed himself. Sometimes using a fork or spoon for a preschooler is as much of a challenge as adults might have mastering eating with chopsticks for the first (or fifteenth) time.

Cooking with Kids (April 21, 2000)

6^th graders I’ve talked with have usually fixed themselves something to eat, but not all know how to cook safely and what to choose for more healthful meals and snacks. Connie Evers, in her Feeding Kids newsletter, says, "Cooking projects give children a boost in confidence, exposure to new and/or healthful foods and often provide the curiosity and motivation needed to continue cooking at home."

If this weekend offers a teachable moment for you and the kids in your life, why not try a little cooking project and involve them. To start out, be sure the food prep will be done safely. Like the real estate adage of ‘location, location, location,’ food safety’s adage is ‘hand washing, hand washing, hand washing!’ And that doesn’t mean sloshing them quickly under some water and drying them on your pants. Scrubbing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, rinsing, then drying them well is how it needs to go. Of course, all dishes and surfaces should also be clean before starting food prep.

Some fun ideas to make with younger children include Almost a Pyramid Sundae and Healthy Nachos. The sundaes combine foods from almost every food group. Let them start with low-fat vanilla yogurt, fresh or frozen, and top it with their favorite fresh, frozen or dried fruit. Add chopped nuts or sunflower seeds for a little protein and toasted oats, wheat germ or broken graham crackers from the grain group. The only thing that’s missing is the vegetable group – you’ll have to be pretty creative to get that into this sundae!

Nachos can be a healthy food for a snack or a meal by adding nutritious toppings. Use baked tortilla chips for a lower fat option. Refried beans, grated cheddar cheese, grated zucchini, cooked corn, chopped lettuce or fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, salsa and low-fat plain yogurt turn a snack into a tasty, quick and easy meal that’s nutritious too.

Turn children on to cooking by involving them in the preparation and cooking processes. If kids can, let them help cook, depending on their abilities. For example, mix up pancake batter together and let them pour it in the pan – making all kinds of letters and spring shapes, as they like. Older children can be involved in more complicated cooking projects like making pies and cakes, cooking a ham and spicing it up with the secret family recipe or making bread (with or without a bread machine).

Farmers Markets (April 14, 2000)

We are also seeing a group of consumers getting into the retirement age. They had gardens when they were younger and still like to have fresh produce but they can’t manage their own garden. Many other younger consumers are also learning what garden fresh produce tastes like and they want to include it in their food plan.

Inhalant Abuse Prevention (April 7, 2000)

According to the 1997 National Household Survey on Drugs, 21% of eighth graders had abused inhalants. There are over a thousand common products that have a potential to be abused in this way. They include products commonly found in the home, school or workshop, such as glues, nail polish remover, paint products, correction fluid, markers, lighter fluid, cleaning agents, gasoline and hair spray, to name just a few.

So what’s the big deal? Inhaling these substances, with the aim of "getting high" can lead to intoxication, but can also result in short term memory loss, hearing loss, arm and leg spasms, bone marrow, liver and kidney damage, brain damage and even death. According to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, inhalant abuse, or ‘huffing’ or ‘sniffing’ as the kids call it, is "an equal opportunity method of substance abuse." These products are available to just about anyone – to use or abuse.

A parent or grandparent, youth group leader, or other concerned adult can notice the signs of inhalant abuse and perhaps catch it before it becomes a serious problem. These include unusual breath odor or chemical odor on clothing, slurred or disoriented speech, drunk, dazed or dizzy appearance, signs of paint or other products where they wouldn’t normally be, such as on the face or fingers, red or runny nose or eyes, spots and/or sores around the mouth, nausea and/or loss of appetite. Chronic inhalant abusers may also show signs of anxiety, excitability, irritability or restlessness. Some other things to watch for if you suspect inhalant abuse include sitting with a pen or marker near the nose, frequently sniffing their sleeves, chemical-soaked rags, bags or socks out or hidden.