March 2025

Volume 3 Issue 3

Upcoming Events

Join us for a class, visit us at an event!

Kitchen Restore Donation Drop Off

March 1 & 20 | 10:00-12:00 PM

Dig Your Dinner: Spinach

March 19 | 12:00-1:00 PM (virtual)

Pantry Staples: Extraordinary Grains

March 11 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

National Nutrition Month Lunch & Learn: Food Connects Us

March 14 | 12:00-1:00 PM

Kids in the Kitchen: Get Ready to Bake!

March 21 | 10:00-12:00 PM

Four Course Living

March 27 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Healthy Yards Expo

March 29 | 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

JCPRD 50+ Partner Programming

Eating Across the Life Cycle: Mar 4 @ Roeland Park

Debunking Health Myths Mar 11 @ Meadowbrook

Spruce Up Your Salads: Mar 27 @ Matt Ross

Visit

Programs and Events

to Register!

Need a speaker? Have questions about food, nutrition, or our classes? Contact us!

foodhelp@jocogov.org

Food connects us. It is more than nourishment for our body - it is a powerful connector that brings people together and creates lasting memories and highlights traditions. As we celebrate National Nutrition Month, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how food unites us across cultures, families, and communities while also promoting health and well-being. Typically when you hear the word ‘cuisine’ you think of global cuisines that are a specific type or food from a specific country or region of the world. But we can take it a step further and examine our regional cuisines (e.g., KC bbq vs Texas bbq) and even family cuisines like what is served at your house during a certain holiday or celebration. Traditional recipes, cooking techniques, religion, types of foods, eating etiquette, etc. are all passed down from generation to generation and plays a vital role in our identify as individuals and our culture.

This month, take time to appreciate the role food plays in your life—not just in fueling your body but in connecting with others locally and around the world.

Try cooking a new dish from a different culture.
Visit a new restaurant featuring a global cuisine.
Gather friends and family for a meal.

Mealtime is a universal way of bringing people together. Research show that families who eat together tend to have stronger bonds, better communication, and even healthier eating habits and health outcomes.

If you want to learn more about how food connects us, try some foods from different cultures, and bond with fellow community members, consider attending our lunch and learn on March 14 at 12:00pm.

In Good Health,

Chelsea Reinberg, MPH, RDN

Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health Agent

Fun Food Facts

Cheese

Cheese is the most stolen food in the world! In fact, about 4% of cheese worldwide is stolen. You may wonder why cheese is one of the most widely stolen foods. Fancy cheeses are quite expensive and are often stored in large quantities during the aging process. One of the largest thefts of cheese recorded took place in Italy in 2015. Over the course of two years, the thieves stole about $875,000 worth of cheese (more than 2,000 wheels)!

Recipe of the Month

Arepas Reina Pepiada (Chicken and avocado filling)

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breast
2 cups water
1 small yellow onion, sliced
Pinch of salt and pepper
3 ripe avocados
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 heaping tablespoon Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups arepa flour (Harina PAN)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoon oil

Preparation

In a crockpot or pressure cooker, cook chicken with water, onion, and salt and pepper until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Set chicken aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mash the avocados. Add the garlic, bell pepper, cilantro, Greek yogurt, and lime juice. Stir until combined.
Shred the cooked chicken and mix with the avocado mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Arepas:

In a large bowl, combine arepa flour and salt. Gradually add the water, stirring until a dough forms. Knead for 1-2 minutes to let flour hydrate and thicken.
Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll each into a ball, then flatten into disks about 3 inches wide.
Heat a skillet over medium heat with 2 teaspoon of oil. Cooke the arepas until gold on both sides, about 5-7 minutes per side.
Slice the cooked arepas in half to create a pocket, then fill with the chicken avocado mixture and serve.

Recipe by Gabby Puche, MS, RDN

Kitchen Corner

With Spring right around the corner lots of fresh, leafy greens will soon be plentiful in gardens and markets alike. One of the best ways to prep multiple salads for the week is to pack salads in a jar. Follow these simple steps and you will have tasty salads ready to go for a quick and healthy lunch.

Put your salad dressing in the bottom.
Add any hard chopped vegetables like carrots and bell peppers next.
Add beans, grains or cooked pasta next. Make sure they are cooled first!
Add cheese and proteins next. If you are making in advance, wait to add proteins until the day of.
Add softer vegetables and fruits like tomatoes or strawberries next.
Add nuts, seeds, and lighter grains like quinoa next.
Fill the rest of the jar with your salad greens. Go ahead and pack them in tight!
Put a lid on and store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
To eat, pour all ingredients into a bowl and mix.

Making salads in a jar are a great way for kids to also prepare themselves a healthy lunch or snack!

K-State Research and Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Program information may be available in languages other than English. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including alternative means for communication (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, and American Sign Language) may be requested by contacting the JoCo KSRE Office two weeks prior to the start of the event at (913) 715-7000. Requests received after this date will be honored when it is feasible to do so. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request.