The Family Table - April 2025 Newsletter

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ISSUE 88 - April 2025

Growing Together:

Food, Family and Friends

This month we explore eye health and gardening for all ages.

Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist

Susan Quamme Wehlander, M.Ed., Family Science Specialist

EAT

Connect with Food During March — National Nutrition Month

Spring is bursting in full color with green grass and colorful tulips. April is National Gardening Month and also Sports Eye Safety Month. With healthy and protected eyes, we can enjoy the beautiful sights of spring and summer.

Which fruits and vegetables nourish eyes?

Think color! Corn, dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale), orange bell peppers, oranges, mango, broccoli, brussels sprouts, orange bell peppers and carrots can help nourish our eyes, regardless of age. Consider growing some eye-healthy produce or buying it in the grocery store.

Do you know the sports activities that can impair vision? Basketball, martial arts, hockey and other sports can lead to eye injuries, as can concussions. Spectators can be injured by balls that fly out of play. Use protective eyewear as recommended by an eyecare professional.

See the “eye” section on NDSU Extension’s Nourish website for more nutrition information.

Watch the video of how to make it on the NDSU Extension recipe website.

Citrus Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced

1 large grapefruit, peeled, segmented and diced

½ red onion, diced

½ jalapeno, minced

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime (approximately 2 tablespoons)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Makes four servings. Each serving of salsa has 60 calories, 0 gram (g) fat, 1 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber and 0 milligrams sodium.

Connect

Spring is Sprouting — Let’s Get Growing!

Spring is in the air, and that means it’s the perfect time for hands-on science fun with the whole family! Here are two simple, exciting ways to bring a little green into your connections with your children while learning about plants.

Start Your Own Mini Garden!

Give old plastic fruit containers a second life as mini greenhouses! Here’s how:

1. Clean the container.

2. Fill it with potting mix from your local garden store.

3. Plant vegetable or flower seeds.

4. Keep the soil moist — make a watering schedule and let everyone take turns!

5. Plant outside a couple of weeks after the last frost and enjoy all summer.

Watch this video for more details.

Make Your Own EggHeads!

Get creative with eggshell planters—perfect for growing microgreens or grass!

Step 1: Crack an egg gently near the top with a butter knife and pour out the egg.

Step 2: Rinse the shell under running water to thoroughly clean. Let it dry.

Step 3: Draw a fun face on it (add googly eyes for extra giggles!).

Step 4: Fill the shell with dryer lint, moisten it with a little water and then sprinkle on grass or microgreen seeds and a bit more lint.

Step 5: Place your watered EggHead in a warm, sunny spot and watch the “hair” grow!

Step 6: Who can give the silliest haircut to their EggHead?

No eggs? No problem! Use a paper cup, yogurt container or an old pot instead!

Bonus Science Fun!

Have kids record daily plant growth with drawings and notes.

Ask them:

What changes do you see?

How are the colors changing?

How tall is the plant today? What do you predict will happen next?

Savor the Savings

Children who help grow food are more likely to eat it. Plant a container garden in a large pot, such as a salsa garden or a pot of herbs such as basil. See the NDSU Extension Field to Fork website for recorded webinars and handouts.

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