All posts by Code Roadies

July Fruit of the Month: Watermelon

The July Fruit of the Month is Watermelon!

Did you know…

While most of us can’t think of watermelon without thinking of summer get-togethers, watermelon’s place at American picnic tables is only the most recent development in the history of this amazing fruit.

Originating in southern Africa (where it grows wild), watermelon eventually found its way to ancient Egypt, where it was first grown as far back as 2000 B.C. In fact, watermelon seeds were discovered in King Tut’s tomb! Spreading from Egypt, this fantastic fruit could then be found in the Middle East and India in the 7^th century, and then as far away as Spain and China. Europeans eventually brought the watermelon to North, Central, and South America in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Today, it’s one of the most popular fruits in the world.

In addition to being quite the well-traveled fruit, watermelon is incredibly good for you. It has a high water content and provides decent amounts of the electrolyte potassium—so not only will watermelon hydrate you, but it’s great for balancing the water content in your cells and fighting off cramps—yet another reason to have watermelon on hand at the beach, lake, or poolside! Watermelon also has plenty of vitamin A (good for skin, eyes, white blood cells), vitamin C (a natural antioxidant), and B6 (good for nerves, blood, antibodies, and protein digestion).

In terms of nutrition, watermelon claims one of the top spots for lycopene content (only guava and a few others have more lycopene per serving). Adding more watermelon to your diet is a surefire way to get more of this essential antioxidant.

So… “How do I pick the best melon?”

It’s actually easier than you think! First, check the field spot (the lighter part of the melon that rested on the ground during its growth). Is the field spot cream-yellow (good) or orange-yellow (better)? Then it’s ripe. And don’t shy away from “webbing.” The dark brown splotches that “web” over parts of some melons aren’t a bad sign—they’re actually proof of how many times the flower was pollinated by bees! More pollination, more webbing… better melon. Shape is important too—the rounder the melon, the less watery and more sweet it will be. The melon should also feel heavy for its size, and sound hollow when knocked or thwacked. Finally, pay attention to the stem. Larger, green stems indicate the melon was picked too soon. Look for a smaller, drier, brownish stem.

Learn more about watermelon, and grab a delicious watermelon smoothie recipe with this Pick It! Try It! Like It! fact sheet.

Don’t stop there! Find ways to promote watermelon and other amazing fruits & veggies at your work, school, childcare, and in your community!

Sources:
Eat Well, Live Well Campaign, Pick It! Try It! Like It!, Fruits & Veggies More Matters,
CDC’s table of most nutrient-dense fruits & veggies, National Watermelon Board

Can’t get enough fruits and veggies? Be sure to check out Harvest of the Month, a downloadable educational program designed to make learning about fruits and veggies easy, tasty, and fun!

Show me more Fruits & Veggies of the Month!

The Delicious & Nutritious Superpowers of Diabetes-Friendly Foods

For people with diabetes, making the right food choices can sometimes feel complicated or confusing. And while individual dietary needs should always be carefully discussed with your doctor or nutritionist, there are a few go-to diabetes-friendly foods – sometimes called “diabetes superfoods” – that will not only come to the nutritional rescue but may also help make meal planning and snacking a little easier.

A great place to start is with fruits and vegetables. Dried, canned, frozen, or fresh all contain the same overall nutritional benefits and will hit the spot when you need a quick snack, or can even fill you up when you’re ready for a meal. Here are just a few reasons to put fruit and veggies at the top of your list:

Fruits and veggies are packed with nutrients that can boost your energy levels.
They provide a solid dose of fiber which helps fill you up and keeps your digestive system happy!
Low calories and lots of color and texture to add to your plate.
Eating more fruits and veggies may lower your risk for many diseases including some types of cancer, high blood pressure, and even heart disease.
Fruits and veggies have low glycemic indexes which help keep blood sugar levels steady.

There are, of course, a few standout fruit and veggie superstars that you’ll want to have on-hand whenever possible:

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are bursting with so much good stuff, you simply can’t eat too much!
Citrus fruit like lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges will give you your daily supply of vitamin C and soluble fiber.
Berries of all types are delicious little powerhouses packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber making them a sweet treat anytime.

In addition to fruit and vegetables, there are some other nutrient-rich-good-for-your-health-diabetes-friendly and delicious foods to keep in mind when you are planning your menu:

Beans are a great source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, and protein. In fact, just a 1/2 cup of beans gives you as much protein as an ounce of meat without the saturated fat.
Sweet potatoes can be baked, mashed, roasted, or chunked and added to all kinds of dishes. Versatile and packed with fiber and Vitamin A they are a yummy addition to your plate.
Tomatoes are another standout food that can be enjoyed raw, cooked, pureed, as a sauce or soup, and are bursting with vital nutrients like Vitamins C and E.
Fish – any fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon) is an excellent addition to your menu. Try it baked, grilled, or broiled twice a week and you’ll be well on your way to meeting the US Dietary Guidelines recommendation of 8 ounces of seafood per week.
Whole grains are loaded with magnesium, B vitamins, chromium, iron, and folate. Check the label to make sure the first ingredient listed uses the word “whole” (like “whole wheat” for example). Brown rice, wheatberries, oats, and oatmeal are also “whole” grains.
Nuts and seeds can be a hunger-buster when the munchies come calling. Just an ounce will go a long way toward controlling your appetite and as an added bonus will give you a nice dose of magnesium and fiber.
Milk and yogurt (fat-free or low-fat varieties) contain calcium and many fortified products are a good source of vitamin D as well. Combine with your favorite fruits and veggies for a perfect filling snack.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be a chore when you start with a list of diabetes-friendly foods. And don’t forget: 1/2 of your plate should be fruits and vegetables, 1/4 protein (beans or lean meat), and 1/4 should be whole grains.

Check out the American Diabetes Association for fantastic healthy recipes and for even more ways to incorporate diabetes-friendly foods into your regular meal planning routine.

Sources: American Diabetes Association, Fruits & Veggies More Matters, NIH

Concessions Kit

The Munch Code Concessions Kit is FREE! Request your kit below and a representative from the SD Department of Health will contact you within 7-10 days to follow up.

What’s included in the Concessions Kit?

Poster
18” x 24”

Policy Book
5.5” x 8.5”, 14 pages

Reference Card
8.5” x 11”, 2 sided

Stickers
3” Munch Code
2” Green, Yellow, RedPlace the color coded stickers on menu boards, product displays/boxes, or related signage

Reuseable Bag

Request Concessions Kit

Inventory is currently on-hold, but contact us and we’ll add your request to the wait list.

Get the FREE Munch Code App!

The Munch Code Game is a fun way for kids, parents, and teachers to practice healthier between meal snacking. Based on a simple color code, similar to traffic lights, the player discovers which foods and drinks are “green” (eat a bunch) which ones are “yellow” (have just a little) and which are “red” (not so much).

The app (for iPhone and iPad) comes in handy wherever and whenever people are making decisions about what to eat and drink “on the fly,” — especially grabbing snacks at concessions and convenience stores.

GET THE FREE MUNCH CODE APP

*sample game pages

Vending Kit

Contact us if you are interested in any of the below vending machine and snack bar signs and stickers to promote the Munch Code at your worksite. Availability is limited.

Free-standing Sign

1. Free-standing Sign
12.5” x 60”

12” Metal stand included

Poster

2. Poster
17” x 32”

Machine Topper

3. Machine Topper
36” x 14”

12” Metal stand included

Side Mount or Hanging Sign

4. Side Mount or Hanging Sign
9.5” x 14.25”

Attach this double-sided sign to the machine’s side with an adhesive clip, or hang it from the ceiling with a gripper rail.

Please be advised that the clip has a permanent adhesive, which is not repositionable.

There are 2 WAYS to display this sign:There are 2 WAYS to display this sign:

Green, Yellow, and Red Sticker Packet

5. Sticker Packet

These stickers are repositionable and each packet comes with 189 stickers (3 sheets).

The sticker sheet can be written on by hand or printed on with a laser printer using the Word template.

Download Template

Master Food and Beverage List

The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) Master Food and Beverage Lists were created in June 2016 and include products and nutrition information available for purchase at that time. It includes a wide variety of snack products that could be utilized in vending machines, snack bars, and micro-markets. However it does not contain all available products. DOH lists these products without preference or endorsement. Based on the nutrition fact label, these products meet the guidelines for the GREEN, YELLOW, or RED Munch Code category based on the South Dakota Healthier Vending & Snack Bar Standards. It is important to pay close attention to the product size. The same product in different sizes can fall into different Munch Code categories due to increased or decreased portion size.

The product lists were developed to provide worksites with a basic list of food and drink options that are currently on the market. Below are some possible ways to utilize the lists:

Search for the name of your favorite food or drink to quickly determine GREEN, YELLOW, or RED status.
Use to determine the color status of the products your vendor currently offers if a vendor product list is available.
Search for additional GREEN and YELLOW options to offer or to negotiate with your vendor to make available.
Utilize during your initial Vending Machine and Snack Bar Analysis (Appendix B in the toolkit). If the products currently in the vending machine or snack bar are in these Master Lists it will be a fast way to determine the color status.

To search product options, use the following Excel files:

Healthier Vending Calculator

Choose a food or beverage category from the drop down menu and fill in the numbers for each of the nutrition facts from your snack label to see if you’re choosing the right snack.

Green items are the healthiest & provide a healthful portion of fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, or whole grain.

Yellow items have added sodium and calories and should be eaten occasionally.

Red items are the least healthy and should be consumed sparingly.

CALCULATOR

Nutrition Facts Information

Beverages should contain less than 40 total calories per item.

Beverages should contain less than 40 total calories per 8 ounces.

To be graded Green, beverages should be plain or carbonated water.

To be graded Green, snack items should contain 200 total calories or less per item.

Snack items should contain 250 or less total calories per item.

Less than 11% of a snack’s calories should come from saturated fat (exluding nuts and seeds without added fats or oils).

To be graded Green, milk should be 2%, 1% or fat-free.

To be graded Green, milk should be unflavored.

To be graded Green, dairy should be 2%, 1% or fat-free.

Snack items should contain zero trans fat (≤ 0.5 grams per serving).

To be graded Green, snack items should contain 230 mg sodium or less per serving.

To be graded Green, 100% fruit or vegetable juice should contain 230 mg sodium or less per serving.

Snack items should contain 480 mg sodium or less per serving.

Snack items should contain less than 36% sugar by weight.

To be graded Green, 100% fruit or vegetable juice should be 12 oz. or less.

To meet the Green standards, the first ingredient of a grain product should be a whole grain.

To meet the Green standards, the first ingredient of a granola product should be a whole grain, nut or seed.

To meet the Green standards, fruit cups should be packed in 100% juice or water.

To meet the Green standards, nuts and seeds should have no added fats or oils.

Healthier Vending & Snack Bar Toolkit

The Healthier Vending and Snack Bar Toolkit provides businesses with guidelines for incorporating healthier food and drink options in vending machines and snack bars at their workplaces. This toolkit serves two purposes:

Inform employees about what they are eating and which choices are healthier.
Increase choices by making healthier items more accessible, more appealing, and more affordable.

Employers all across the country are creating healthier work environments. Worksites have the opportunity to encourage healthy eating habits and help prevent health problems that can lower quality of life for employees and reduce productivity.

Download a PDF of the South Dakota Healthier Vending & Snack Bar Toolkit now!

Download PDF