Harvest of the Month

Spring has finally sprung and so has April! It is time to start promoting the April monthly themes! April is National Gardening Month. Gardening is a great way to be active and grow your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Check out these tips and resources to celebrate eating healthy, ways to include more vegetables into your day, and being physically active. Using EatFresh.org, you can also find great recipes using April’s Harvest of the Month, Salad Greens.

April themes

• Nutrition:  Add More Vegetables to Your Day
• Harvest of the Month: Salad Greens
• Physical Activity: Gardening

Add More Vegetables to Your Day

It can be easy to eat more vegetables, especially when you fill half your lunch or dinner plate full of them! Eating vegetables is important because they provide vitamins and minerals, and most are low in calories. To fit more vegetables into your meals, follow these simple tips. It may be easier than you may think.

Here are some tips for increasing your vegetable intake throughout the day:

• Savor the flavor of seasonal vegetables
• Include some vegetables in your breakfast or snacks
• Spice up your vegetables with herbs and seasonings
• Choose vegetables in a variety of colors
• Choose a vegetable that is new to you

Additional resources:

Vary Your Veggies

Start Simple with MyPlate - Vary Your Vegetables

Choose Your Veggies

MyPlate - Vegetables

Harvest of the Month: Salad Greens

One cup of salad greens – like butterhead, green leaf, red leaf, and romaine – is an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin A. To add more zip to your lunch, try a vegetable salad with tangy avocado dressing.

Featured recipes:

To change the language of the recipe, please visit EatFresh.org and type the recipe name in the search bar. Use the globe icon at the top right corner and select what language you desire.

• Vegetable Salad with Tangy Avocado Dressing – Try this tasty salad as part of your next lunch!
• Autumn Salad – This refreshing salad is wonderful all year long!

Additional salad greens facts and recipes:

• Discover Foods - Lettuce
• EatFresh.org - Lettuce
• Seasonal Produce Guide - Lettuce  

Energize Your Body with Gardening

Many gardening activities are types of aerobic or strength training activities. Aerobic activities help the heart and lungs. Strength training activities improve muscle and bone strength. Gardening is also a great way to grow your own fruits and vegetables. Adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day, and strength training activities at least 2 days a week.

Examples of gardening activities:

• Raking
• Moving items with a wheel barrel
• Mowing with a non-power-push mower
• Shoveling and digging
• Pruning

Additional resources:

• American Community Gardening Association
• UC Master Gardeners
• Gardening | USDA
• Guadalupe River Park Conservancy

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