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Category Archives: Fresh Tips
Best Treats to Beat the Heat
By: Bridgette Wilson As I was driving down 183 heading home one afternoon, the temperature on my car’s dashboard read 100. No wonder I was feeling like a piece of sizzling bacon cooking in a cast iron skillet. I cranked up the A/C and started to reminisce about my childhood ice cream memories. It was always a special part of my ‘Texas Summer Survival Kit’. Every summer, my mother would make her own ice cream. I can recall those hot humid nights of Houston sitting on the back… Read More →
Recap: Food Preservation Workshops
This year we got to hold two Food Preservation workshops at our office. The first workshop focused on pressure canning while the second focused on water-bath canning. First Workshop: Pressure Canning Our first workshop was taught by Dr. Connie Shepard from Comal County. The workshop started off with a power point presentation over canning basics and how to can food safely. Our family and Consumer Sciences agent, Sonia Coyle helped participants cook up the canning liquid that gets placed in the jars to preserve the carrots. After the… Read More →
Three Keys to Healthy Grocery Shopping
“With the New Year a few months behind us now, hectic schedules and daily distractions have gotten in the way of our most well intended resolutions. If you are still looking to work on being healthier this year, eating healthier is a good option that may be easier than it seems. As Hippocrates (the “father” of modern medicine) once said, “Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine thy food.” We are realizing more and more how much our daily behaviors and our food choices impact our health… Read More →
6 Tips to Help You Pack Lunches Like a Pro
By: Amanda Schroeder Though it seems to have just begun, summer is officially coming to a close and, for many of us, this means settling into a school-time routine. Even if you are child-free and/or not in school, this time of year also signifies earlier mornings to accompany the reemergence of school zone speed limits, school buses, and overall heavier morning traffic. Waking up with the roosters can be quite the challenge and, let’s face it: sometimes that snooze button feels like an absolute necessity! Despite the busy… Read More →
The Difference Between the Dates
By: Rachel Nannola Ever wonder what the date on the side of a food package means? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that Americans throw away the equivalent of 162 billion dollars in food every year. The dates on the sides of packaging can be confusing, which is probably why people are throwing away food unnecessarily. So let’s talk about what each type of packaging date means: “Sell by” date tells the store how long to display the product, which means you should buy the product before… Read More →
Are You Hungry or Just Thirsty?
By: Kelly Kleiman Did you know that the cues for hunger and thirst are the same? The same part of your brain interprets signals for both hunger and thirst. Many times when you think you are hungry, you may only be thirsty. The signs of hunger include feeling weak, irritable, and moody. You will also notice your stomach rumbling. Hunger comes on gradually, not suddenly. The signs of thirst or dehydration may mimic hunger, but can also include dry eyes, headache, and dizziness. The best way to identify… Read More →
Fresh Tips: Staying Healthy On the Road
By: Wren Fair As Memorial Day weekend officially kicks off the summer travel season, you may be looking to take a road trip that doesn’t totally wreck your healthy eating habits. Most of us are confronted with hunger at some point on the road, and often gas stations and fast food restaurants are the only options for a hungry traveler. Though it may be tempting to throw your better judgment to the wind and spring for chips and a candy bar, you can save money and maintain healthy… Read More →
Fresh Tips: When Life Gives You Lemons….
By: Wren Fair Store them properly and keep them juicy! I’ve been so dismayed recently to discover that seemingly fresh limes and lemons are both juice-less and lifeless when I finally fish them out of the fridge. I decided to do a little research and here’s what I’ve found: Lemons and Limes are best stored in a sealed plastic bag in your refrigerator! I always assumed that because of their thick skin I could leave them to their own devices in my crisper drawer. However, Lemons and Limes… Read More →
Fresh Tips: Extend the Life of Your Greens
By: Wren Fair Introducing Travis County FCS’s Fresh Tips, providing you with simple tricks to keep your food fresh longer! 10 Minutes to Longer Lasting Greens Have you ever brought home a beautifully robust head of lettuce or swiss chard, only to open your fridge two days later and discover the leaves wilted? Well, believe me, this has happened to me more times than I can count. Most of us will not use an entire bunch of greens as soon as we get home from the store, but… Read More →