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Seasonal Treats and Tips

Back to School

Pennsylvania families are preparing to go back to school and need support with meal planning, packing lunches, after-school snacks, and more! Be Healthy PA is here for you!

Healthy eating is important at every age. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding what to eat or drink, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

Snacks

Healthy Eating Tips

  • Try to limit foods like cookies, candy, frozen desserts, chips, and fries, which often have a lot of sugar, unhealthy fat, and salt.
  • For a quick snack, try recharging with a pear, apple, or banana; a small bag of baby carrots; or hummus with sliced veggies.
  • Don’t add sugar to your food and drinks.
  • Drink fat-free or low-fat milk and avoid sugary drinks. Soda, energy drinks, sweet tea, and some juices have added sugars, a source of extra calories. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines External link call for getting less than 10 percent of your daily calories from added sugars.

Here are a few ideas for healthy after school snacks:

Fruit Kabobs with Dipping

Fruit kabobs make a colorful and fun snack that kids can help prepare.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Enjoy these delicious muffins for breakfast any time of the year using canned pumpkin and frozen cranberries.

Mealtime Tips

Enjoying a meal together is a great way to connect with your family. Here are some mealtime tips to try:

  • Remove distractions by turning off the TV and making a phone “parking spot” away from the table.
  • Have everyone share what they did during the day. What made you laugh or what you did for fun?
  • Try new foods at home. Kids need many opportunities to taste new food to “get used to it.”
  • Have adults and older kids talk about the color, feel, or flavor of foods. It’ll make them sound more appealing to younger kids that may be picky.
  • On nice days, opt for a change of scenery. For example, go to a nearby park for a dinner picnic.

Picnic Season

Visit our Recipes page and learn how to make this healthy, Soul Healthy Cornbread, and get some more ideas to create tasty recipes.

Seasonal Produce Guide

Summer is upon us and is a great time of the year to enjoy the foods that are grown locally and in season. Learn what fruits and veggies are available and learn what foods your family may learn to enjoy with special recipes by utilizing this Seasonal Produce Guide today.

Visit your Farmers’ Market

Learn more about accessing fresh fruit and veggies in your area!

Summer Meal Sites

Food is available for those in need over the summer months.

PA Veggie Books App

Visit the app store and download this application and create your personalized book of recipes today!

My Plate Kitchen

Recipes

No Bake Breakfast Cookies

Get the recipe and enjoy sweet breakfast cookies that can be prepared in advance for breakfast on the go.

Access Fresh Produce

Growing Vegetables from Scraps

Growing your own plants is not hard and you can do it in your own kitchen!

SNAP Gardens

You can grow your own fruits and vegetables from seeds!

It can be a fun activity that allows your whole family to get involved in.

Learn more about how you can participate in this activity and reap the benefits of gardening!

Seasonal Produce Guide

This guide can help you explore different fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Seasonal produce in your area will vary by growing conditions and weather. Remember, fresh, frozen, canned, and dried: fruits and vegetables are a delicious way to make every bite count!

Am I Eligible?

To check if you’re eligibile for SNAP benefits, click here

For information on WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), click here

For information on the CARES Rent Relief Program (RRP), click here

For information on a temporary change to SNAP Benefits in December, click here

PA NEN Team

Josh Miller-Myers, M.A., Interim-Director
Email: jmillermyers@phmc.org

Josh Miller-Myers joined PA NEN as Interim Director in April 2021. Josh is a nonprofit professional who also serves as Strategy Development Manager at Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), the parent organization of PA NEN and a regional public health institute that serves over 125,000 clients annually through more than 350 programs in 70 locations. In this role, Miller-Myers is a key contributor to the vision, strategy and execution for PHMC’s development and grant writing activities, program and project development, strategic planning, and external positioning.

Josh has spent over ten years in the nonprofit and government sectors where he focused on the intersection of housing, public health, and financial inclusion in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Josh is a current board member at the Latin American Economic Development Agency in Camden, New Jersey. Additionally, he serves on the Membership Committee with the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Greater Philadelphia Chapter and is a former fellow with The Center for Progressive Leadership. Josh earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Villanova University and became a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) in August 2017. A native of Southern New Jersey, Josh now calls South Philadelphia home, where he lives with his husband and enjoys running and cooking.  

Adelaide Mikec, M.Ed., Program Manager
Email: amikec@phmc.org

Adelaide holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA.  In 2020, she completed her Master of Education with a concentration in Health from Pennsylvania State University.  During her time at Pennsylvania State University, she worked as a graduate assistant at the Douglas W. Pollock Center for Addiction Outreach and Research.  In this position, she helped build partnerships with community organizations and veteran groups, developed resources and materials, assisted with needs assessments, developed future center initiatives, and served as a point of contact for the center.  

She is excited to put her skills and passion to work as PA NEN’s Program Manager!  Adelaide is primarily responsible for managing PA NEN’s social marketing contract, maintaining communication and relationships with program sites, managing day-to-day program logistics, as well as developing new methods and approaches to improving messaging.  She looks forward to growing with the company and helping others live their healthiest lives possible!

Philadelphia SNAP-Ed

FOOD SECURITY BY THE NUMBERS

SNAP recipients use their benefits to boost local economies, reduce food insecurity, and consume more fresh produce.
Every one dollar of SNAP benefits has an estimated economic impact of $1.70. Learn More

During the 2018/19 school year: 55,000 students reached by Eat Right Philly SNAP-Ed partners

Students reached by Eat Right Philly SNAP-Ed partners: 924

Parents and caretakers reached by Eat Right Philly SNAP-Ed partners: 3.4 million. Learn More

Healthy Beverage Choices

Rethink Your Drink Campaign

Visit Rethink Your Drink to get the tools you can use to help kids make healthy drink choices and reduce the number of sugary drinks they consume.

Less than 10% of calories should come from added sugars

Drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, sports drinks, and juice drinks.

Instead of drinking sugary soft drinks and juice drinks, drink water or unsweetened iced tea with lemon juice or infused water by adding fruit.

Drink water before, during, and after physical activity to stay hydrated.

It is recommended to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

As the weather gets hot during the summer months, remember to bring a bottle of water when you’re outside!

Add lemon slices or strawberries to your water to add natural sweetness and flavors.