Cookin’ it Fresh Challenge Engages Youth, Chefs, Community; Promotes Local Food

The month of April has been a fun and exciting time for re:TH!NK and the Winnebago County Farm to School program as we geared up for a major food event.

The Oshkosh Area School District, in partnership with the re:TH!NK’s Winnebago County Farm to School program, hosted the first annual Cookin’ It Fresh Challenge on April 19th, 2015 at Oshkosh North High School. Approximately 150 people attended the event.

The competition was modeled after the Harvest Challenge in Vernon County, which has been popular there for the past 6 years.  The cooking competition challenged students from Oshkosh North and West high school to influence their school lunch menu by creating new entrées using locally grown foods that would appeal to student’s tastes.

Each team of students was to create their entrée to meet the National School Lunch program nutritional guidelines while incorporating locally grown foods. The teams were paired up with a local chef who mentored the students throughout the project. The restaurants the student teams worked with were, “The Roxy”,” Mahoney’s” ,”Beckets”, and “Fratello’s”.

The purpose of the event was also to help students learn more about school foods, food safety, local foods, cooking skills, and how to make nutritious foods taste great. Several students and chefs were asked what their favorite part about the experience was. Student Kyra Eirman stated, “I really like having an impact on what we eat at school.” Another student claimed, “Learning about the school’s difficulties when preparing food”. Chef Elliott Boushele from The Roxy stated, “the team bonding” and Chef Scott Roekle from Fratello’s in Oshkosh stated, “working with the students”. Overall, the first annual Cookin’ It Fresh Challenge was a success.

Entrée’s were presented to a panel of judge’s and later served to the community. A vote was taken as to the favorite dish.  The four entrée’s the teams create d were, “Turkey Vegetable Alfredo Cannelloni (Team Roxy)”, “Pork Roulade served with Brown Rice and Steamed Broccoli (Team Becket’s)”, “Roasted Vegetable Thai Coconut Curry with Tofu or Chicken served over Brown Rice (Team Mahoney’s)”, all served with Fresh Dinner Rolls, and “Chicken Walking Tacos made with Tortilla Chips (Team  Fratello’s)”.

Prizes were awarded to the winning teams, including a traveling trophy for the judge’s choice, a hand-crafted painted pottery dish for the community choice, and one of the entrée’s served on a future high school lunch menu for the student choice.  The award winners were, Team Fratello’s who won both the judge’s choice and student award, and Team Roxy, who won the community choice award.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from the event will support a project to put salad bars in all elementary, and middle schools in Oshkosh.

Look out for Chicken Walking Tacos made with Tortilla chips on the future Oshkosh areas school district lunch menu! We look forward to next year’s Cookin’ It Fresh Challenge.

The  competition was made possible through funding from a USDA Farm to School grant, and is supported by re:TH!NK/Winnebago County Health Department, Oshkosh North Communities Program, the University Studies Program at UW Oshkosh, and other community partners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Every April the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Inc (NCADD) look at important issues in regards to underage drinking, and this year’s theme, “For the Health of it: Early Education on Alcoholism and  Addiction,”  is designed to look at the impact that alcohol abuse and addiction have on young people and their families.
So to get started let’s look at some of the data on underage drinking. According to the 2014 YRBS data of the high students in Winnebago County:

• 16.1% of students said that rode in a car or other vehicle that was driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol during the last 30 days

• 59% of students have had at least one drink in their lifetime and 29.7% of students said they had a drink within the past 30 days.

• 16.8% of students had their first drink before the age of 13

• 17.2% of students have binged drank (had 5 drinks of alcohol or more in row within a couple of hours) during the past 30 days

• 40.3% neither approve nor disapprove of binge drinking

Underage drinking can put youth at a significantly greater risk for consequences in life including sexual assault, lack of academic achievement, social problems, motor vehicle accidents, and even death. In a study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, it was found that more than 97,000 college students were victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rate. In this same study, 25% of the students had reported academic problems that related to drinking. 150,000 college students reported an alcohol-related injury, and 1,825 college students die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries each year.

So what can you do?

Talk about alcohol and other substance abuse issues with teens. If you don’t know how to get the conversation started check out this: Talking with Children

Research know the signs and symptoms of alcohol or substance abuse

Get Help If you know someone who is ready for help there is a list of local providers here: bit.ly/reTHINKLocalResources 

And remember, addiction can happen to anyone.

Not a Replacement

Yesterday was Kick Butts Day, a day across the United States where youth advocates stand out, speak up and seize control against Big Tobacco. Kick Butts Day celebrated their 20 year anniversary of advocates across the nation standing up to tobacco companies that are targeting our youth to be their next customers.

1,300 Americans die every day from tobacco related illnesses, because of this, the tobacco industry is “Still Seeking Replacements” in order to stay in business. If all their customers are dying, how do the tobacco companies keep up their business? They market their products and seek "replacement smokers", specifically teens. This can be seen in tobacco industry documents.

The tobacco industry spends $1 million every hour to market tobacco products in the United States. Youth are speaking out and letting Big Tobacco know that they are #NotAReplacement for the customers they lose every single day. 

Youth in Winnebago County participated in Kick Butts Day and the #NotAReplacement Campaign. Members of the re:TH!NK Youth Coalition organized an event at Tipler Middle School and other members took selfies and posted them on social media.

Youth have a strong voice and are willing advocates for tobacco prevention. Listen to them.

 

Watch this short video created by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to learn more:





Links and Resources from: Kick Butts Day 2015

Dining Out with a Balanced Diet

Eating smart while eating out can be tricky. Whether you are out celebrating a birthday or grabbing a bite to eat on your lunch break, healthy options may not always be present or desirable. Unfortunately, the truth is that we could very easily consume over 1000 calories in under 5 minutes when eating away from home! The good news is that it doesn’t have to hard to dine out while maintaining a healthy diet. Here are some helpful hints to eating smart when dining out!

• Only eat half of your plate.  Most restaurants have enormous portion sizes.  Ask for a to-go box when you place your order, and pack up half of your meal when it arrives.  You won’t overindulge, plus you will have lunch for tomorrow!
• Don’t drink your calories. Skip the soda! Sugary drinks can easily add up to 500 calories to your meal. Stick with water or unsweetened iced tea.
• Choose a nutritious side.  Have you been craving a big, juicy burger all week? Go for it! It is okay to indulge every now and again. Add some nutrients to your meal by choosing a healthy side.  Swap the fries for steamed broccoli or a side salad.
• Be picky.  Don’t be afraid to tell your server how you want your food prepared.  Go ahead and ask for your chicken to be grilled instead of fried, or for a whole grain tortilla instead of a flour tortilla.
• Be prepared.  Many restaurants have their menus available online. Check out their options beforehand, and be prepared to make the healthy choice before you head to the restaurant.
• Choose a SmartPlate restaurant.  Lucky for you, there is already a list of local restaurants and their healthy options for your use! Head to www.smartplatewi.com to browse healthy menu items in the area, and try one for your next night out!

Treating yourself to a meal out doesn't have to be hazardous to your health! There are plenty of delicious AND nutritious meals to choose from!

National Condom Week!

With February comes Valentine's Day in addition to National Condom Week (February 8-14)!   Did you know that every year in the U.S. there are 19 million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with young people ages 15-24 accounting for almost half of them?  Last year in Winnebago County there were 434 cases of Chlamydia in the age group of 15-24 year olds, which is a very common yet preventable STI.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) explains that consistent and correct use of the male latex condom reduces the risk of STIs and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. However, condom use cannot provide absolute protection against any STD.

The most common reason condoms fail is that they are used incorrectly.  We encourage all individuals who think they may be in a situation where a condom should be used to first obtain a condom and familiarize themselves with it in order to use it correctly when the time comes. Remember to never re-use condoms. There are specific steps that should be taken for correct condom use which include:

1. Check expiration date on condom package.
2. Squeeze condom package to make sure it contains an air pocket.
3. Carefully open the condom package.
4. Remove condom from package.
5. Check rim of the condom to figure out which way to unroll it.
6. Pinch tip of the condom.
7. Place the condom on the erect penis and roll down.
8. Have sex.
9. Ejaculate.
10. While male is still hard, he holds on to the base of the condom and pulls out of partner.
11. Male turns away to take off the condom to prevent spilling on partner.
12. Tie up used condom and dispose.

 

Getting condoms does not have to be an expensive or embarrassing task.  There are many locations in Winnebago County that provide free condoms to people of all ages.  These include:

Winnebago County Health Department - Bulletin Board

112 Otter Avenue, Oshkosh

Neenah WIC Office - Bulletin Board

211 N Commercial St, Neenah

Planned Parenthood - behind counter (ask)
Satori Imports - on display in a bowl

411 N Main St, Oshkosh

New Moon Café - behind counter (ask)

401 N Main St, Oshkosh

House of Heroes - behind counter (ask)

407 N Main St, Oshkosh

Streets of Fire - on display in a jar

415 N Main St, Oshkosh

Exclusive Company - in a jar at entrance

318 N Main St, Oshkosh

The Magnet Bar - on display in a jar

519 N Main St, Oshkosh

For more information on STI prevention, testing and treatment please visit www.winnebagopublichealth.org

Happy Valentine's Day!