Super Snack Lady is more than Nutrition!

Did you know that Super Snack Lady works with teachers to do cross-curricular work during her visits?  What exactly does that mean you ask?  It means that Super Snack Lady teaches students about more than just the fruits and vegetables.  Below are some ways that Super Snack Lady incorporates other subject matter into her lessons:

• We count how many pieces of fruit or veggie we are given.
• We discuss the color of the produce.
• We use descriptive words to desribe our produce. Oval, rough, smooth, juicy, delicious, yummy in our tummies, and crunchy are a few examples.
• We tie in geography and talk about where our produce comes from.  When often point out on a map what states the produce grows in and talk about how far it traveled to get to us.
• We attempt to do a short burst of physical activity that gets the students' bodies moving and gives their minds a quick break.
• We work on visualizing by having students close their eyes while Super Snack Lady describes the fruit or vegetable.  Once students can picture the produce in their mind they raise their hand to have a guess at what produce Super Snack Lady brought.
• An art teacher at one of Super Snack Lady's schools did an activity with her 2nd graders which included using My Plate to create a balanced meal (check out those photos below).
• One teacher recently did a compare and contrast chart with her students that compared lemons and oranges.

As you can see Super Snack Lady works hard to make her visits worth while for the teachers and students alike.  Not to mention that a lot of activities are "more fun" for the kids if it involves a yummy snack at the end of it!

A student's artwork from Hoover elementary.
Can you tell what's on their plate?

Another student's artwork from Hoover.
Corn, watermelon, and green beans. YUM!

One last piece of artwork from Hoover.
Chicken leg, pear, apple, and grapes.  Sounds great to
Super Snack Lady!

Here, There, Everywhere!

Sometimes kids wonder what Super Snack Lady does when she isn't at their school.  Well, Super Snack Lady is one busy person!  Currently she visits 6 schools a month which equals about 40 classrooms and 1,000 students!!!  That is a lot of kids that Super Snack Lady sees every month.  

While Super Snack Lady isn't at your school she is probably at another school.  Some days she has to be in the office she is based out of making up the monthly newsletters and preparing the yummy snacks you eat.  Of course some days she has to go shopping and get the food or other supplies (like plates and napkins).  Lastly, she attends a lot of meetings in order to make connections with other people who are passionate about kids being healthy. 

Below you will find some pictures of Super Snack Lady doing what she does.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day Super
Snack Lady volunteering at Mt. Mercy
University.  She helped package
meals for starving children.
(She's on the left in the purple shirt!)

The mix that was packaged is made
into a stew or soup full of healthy
nutrients that kids need.

These boxes will provide 6,400 meals to starving children
in America and other countries.

This is a nutrition visit at Hoover Elementary.
Super Snack Lady comes during PE time.
She is saying, "Hold up your green bell pepper!"  :)

Here Super Snack Lady is teaching kids
how to peel an orange to make it easier to eat.
A lot of kids learned how to peel an orange
this month! 

How Staying Active Shaped America's History

First and foremost, HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY!

No one can deny that MLK Jr. played a major role in shaping America's history and culture.  Without Martin Luther King Jr. the civil rights wouldn't have moved along at the pace it did- or maybe it wouldn't have happened at all.  Overall the Civil Rights Movement prided itself on being peaceful and using non-violent protest to make their statement. 


Did you know that MLK Jr. led several Freedom Walks?  

These walks happened in towns all over America and were peaceful protest to African Americans being segregated from whites.  One particular walk- the Freedom Walk in Detroit in June of 1963 drew a crowd of 125,000 people!!!  It lasted over an hour and a half and was several miles long.  It is considered a pretty big turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.

MLK Jr. is pictured in the middle of this photo
next to the man in the hat.  As you can see
this is a very peaceful walk through Detroit.

The other big march that MLK Jr. led was The March on Washington took place in August of 1963 and drew a crowd of 250,000 people!! This is where his famous I Have a Dream speech took place.

Martin Luther King Jr. is pictured on the right
forging forward during the big March
on Washington.

An approximate 250,000 people (with about 1/4 of them
being white) participated in the March on Washington.

Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. did so much of his civil work while on his feet? How can YOU change the world?  How can you change the world while staying fit and being active?  In an age where everything (including this blog!) is digital, it is important to remember how we got to where we are and how we continue to make a difference in the future.  Perhaps your difference is just a personal one- you eat a new fruit this week, or add a vegetable to your diet, or walk to the store instead of ride there.  Every big change starts with small steps.  In the honor of Martin Luther King Jr. think about the change you want to make in your life and in the world!
 

Super Snack Lady Night at NewBo Market!

                   MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!!

Super Snack Lady is going to be at the NewBo City Market on Thursday February 7th from 5pm-7pm!!  

While Super Snack Lady will probably be roaming around the market she will primarily be at the Kirkwood Culinary Kitchen where some of Super Snack Lady's friends will be doing live cooking demonstrations.  There will also be healthy, fresh products provided by various NewBo Market vendors for you to sample.  So, plan on bringing your family and checking out this awesome local resource!

Super Snack Lady recently made a mid-day visit
to take some photos at the NewBo City Market.

 Don't know where NewBo City Market is?  It's on the corner of 12th Ave and 3rd street South East, Cedar Rapids, Iowa!  This is pretty close to Mercy Hospital, the African American Museum, and Czech Village. 

Where Has FLAT Super Snack Lady Been Lately?

If you remember back to a little bit before winter break I introduced Flat Super Snack Lady who was going to be mailed all over the United Stated in an attempt to catch people staying healthy and participating in awesome physical activities.  Well, I'm here to report that I've gotten some pictures back of Flat Super Snack Lady's adventures!

Below are pictures from my friend, Amy, who took Flat Super Snack Lady to her family's dairy farm in northern Iowa.

Amy's family eats healthy and Flat Super Snack Lady
found her way into the basket of fruit! YUM!
What fruits do you see?

In this picture Flat Super Snack Lady helped
feed a baby cow! 

Do you notice anything different
about Flat Super Snack Lady?
(Hint: Look above her mouth)
This is fresh milk straight from a cow
on Amy's farm!

 Flat Super Snack Lady is traveling all over the United States!  Check back soon to see where Flat Super Snack Lady traveled next- and what she found people doing to stay healthy!!

January's Fresh Fruit and Vibrant Veggie!

As another month comes we all know that means that we will have a new fruit and veggie when Super Snack Lady comes to visit your school!  Below are pictures that will give you some hints about the fruit and veggie- see if you can guess what is it before Super Snack Lady comes.

Here is the fruit of the month, being peeled
so it can be eaten.  You might not be able to see it
but this fruit is VERY juicy!

Here is the bottom of the vegetable for January.
In this photo the bottom is cut off from the rest
of the vegetable.  Hint: This vegetable can come
in red, orange, yellow, or green!

Do you know what the fruit and vegetable are?

What Can You Do in January?

I often think of January and Febuary as slow months with long days spent inside while the weather is cold and cruddy outside.  Well, NOT THIS MONTH!  Below are some affordable, fun activities you can do together as a family.

Saturday January 5th, 9am-noon-  Wickiup Hill Learning Center: Bird Banding.  Birds come to feeders where you can observe them (from the inside of a heated building) and then they are caught to be banded.  The banding happens indoors so you can get a close up look at the birds which traditionally include goldfinches (the Iowa state bird!), woodpeckers, cardinals and other types of birds.  Cost: $2.50 for an adult, $1 for a child, or $5 for a family.

Thursday January 10th, 7pm-8pm- Cedar Rapids Museum of Art: Pajama Story Time.  A story, art project, and a sweet treat.  Cost: FREE

Saturday January 12th, 9:30am-11am- Wickiup Hill Learning Center: Recycled Art.  Kids explore making artwork with recycled materials.  They will create and decorate their own stuffed Plush Fish or magnetic Fridge Fish.  Advanced Registration Required (call 319-892-6485 to reserve your spot).  Cost: $5 per child.  Ages 5-10 welcome to come.

Sunday January 13th, 9am-11:30am- Pinicon Ridge Park by the boat rental: Kids Ice Fishing Clinic.  Learn how to jig with an ice fishing rod, attempt to see fish under the ice from the ice shack, and learn how a depth finder works!  Cost: $2.50 per adult, $1 per child, or $5 per family.

Saturday January 26th, 3:30pm-5pm- Usher's Ferry: Winter Bonfire.  Outdoor bonfire featuring a hot dog roast, toasty marshmellows, and hot cocoa.  Not to mention fun games and music.  Pre-registration is required (call 319-286-5731).  COST: $9 for an adult and $5 for a child.

Of course you can always find a local park to go sledding at or keep active by building a snowman or snow fort if we get more snow. 

Healthy Soup Recipes for those Chilly Iowa Winter Nights

Happy New Year!! 

While we were getting ready for winter break we got some snow here in Iowa.  I don't know about you, but that makes me want to make a big batch of yummy soup or chili!

The ISU Extension Office has a fantastic website called Spend Smart, Eat Smart that features tons of affordable, healthy meal options for your family.  Below are some of Super Snack Lady's favorite soup and chili recipes!

Winter Black Bean Soup

Loaded Potato Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup   The picture below looks DELICIOUS!

10 Minute Chili

Visit HERE for all of the Spend Smart, Eat Smart recipes!

Enjoy!  And make sure you bundle up when heading outside this winter season!

Also, if you want to get involved with FREE nutrition and cooking lessons please call the ISU Extension Office of Linn County at 319-377-9839 and ask for Tonia, Stephanie, or Sharon!