National Mental Health Month

National Beef Month

National BBQ Month

National Loaded Potato Month

National Hamburger Month

National Egg Month

National Salad Month

National Salsa Month

National Strawberry Month

National Apple Pie Day (May 13)

National Grilling Day (May 16)

National Pizza Party Day (May 17)

Strawberry Coloring Sheet

Green Beans Coloring Sheet

Food Hero Recipes

Salsa Chicken

USDA MyPlate Book: Vegetables.

Sloppy Janes

Strawberry Milk

Vegetable Lasagna

Pineapple Carrot Smoothies

Banana Oatmeal Bread

What Behavioral Science Has To Say About Food & Mood

By Jason Riis

How might fruit and vegetable consumption lead to better a mood?

Fruits and vegetables are associated with better health outcomes. Better health outcomes can be associated with happiness. Therefore, fruit and vegetable consumption has at least an indirect effect on happiness (through improved health).

But fruit and vegetable consumption can have direct effects on happiness as well, most obviously through enjoyment of the taste, but also through the shared experience of eating foods widely known to be healthy.

Eating foods we know to be healthy can lead to a positive emotions like pride. It can also support feelings of increased self-esteem, especially if the fruit and vegetable consumption can replace some “guilty” food experiences. This is, of course, more powerful if the fruit and vegetable consumption is part of a habit or routine and really becomes part of one’s identity.

Psychologists Mike Norton and Liz Dunn argue that happiness is more readily built through social experience than through material reward. Many social experiences can be built through fruit and vegetable consumption. For example, preparing healthy foods for loved ones can be deeply satisfying. Sharing foods that have rich historical and cultural traditions can reinforce the experience of familial and social affiliation.

Sharing fruit and vegetable experiences can also lead to positive mood through public recognition. Receiving “likes” or praise on healthy-consumption-based social media posts can be a source of pride and joy. In an earlier piece, we shared some examples of post concepts (along with actual in-use hashtags). Two of my favorites are:

1. Kids helping parents cook with fruits and veggies. #VeggieChef

2. Family dinner, featuring veggies first. #VeggiesFirst #VeggieAppetizer

Download the whole article.

Sensory Gardening with Kids Activity Kit

What is a Sensory Garden?

Gardening is a ‘sense-sational’ way to engage kids in outdoor learning and play! With their incredible diversity of shapes, sizes, colors, scents, and textures, plants offer limitless options for designing a garden space to engage all the senses

ASAP's Local Food Guide

"Inside the 2024 Local Food Guide

ASAP’s annual Local Food Guide is the definitive resource for finding local food and farms throughout the Appalachian Grown region. Each year ASAP staff connects with markets, farms, and businesses to update listings, offering the most accurate information for consumers. The 2024 Local Food Guide includes:

• Listings by region for family farms, with colored dots to easily look for farms that offer u-pick, farm stands, lodging, visitor activities, and CSAs;

• Schedule and location for farmers tailgate markets;

• Partner business listings, including restaurants, groceries, wholesalers, artisan producers, and travel destinations;

• Produce seasonality chart;

• Feature stories about Tierra Fértil Coop, Wild East Farm, and The Liar’s Table.

• Recipes from farmers at Two Trees Farm (Sustainabillies), Lee’s One Fortune Farm, Two Stones Farm + Mill, Carringer Farm, and Terra Linga Growers."

We have some awesome Veggie Eaters!