Use Knives Safely

Knife Safety Tips

Learn three safety tips to prevent cutting your fingers. Share and practice these tips with other cooks in your kitchen. Recipes can list chopped ingredients as different sizes, chopped, diced, or minced. 

• Secure your cutting board by using a board with rubber feet or putting a damp towel under the board.
• Hold the chef’s knife close to the blade. This will give you better control.

• Your other hand will hold the food with fingers curled under. Your little finger and thumb should be behind your other fingers. This reduces the risk of you cutting the hand that is holding the food.

• Keep the tip of the knife on the board. Use a rocking motion pushing slightly forward on the food. Your non-knife hand moves as you chop the food. » Don’t raise the tip of the knife off the board.

Source: Eating Smart Moving More North Carolina Extension

Add More Fruits and Veggies to your Meals!

• Add canned carrots or canned green beans to prepackaged noodle meals » Toss peppers, onions, spinach, tomatoes into your scrambled eggs
• Add to chicken or tuna salad, grapes, mangos, and celery 
• Top your cereal with berries and bananas » Snack on snap peas, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, and apples

Easy Dinners Made Healthy!

What’s for dinner? How about something easy yet healthy to make at home. Making meals at home from simple ingredients you have on hand can save time and cost less. Today instead of getting fast food or already made foods from the grocery store, prepare these recipes at home. Oven baked chicken nuggets and oven fries are the start to a quick healthy dinner. Add a veggie and a piece of fruit for a complete meal.

Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 ¾ cups cornflakes, crushed
• 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into nugget-size pieces
• ¼ cup fat-free dressing such as ranch or honey mustard, barbeque sauce, or ketchup for dipping sauce

Directions

1. Wash hands. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Lightly spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Use a fork to whisk the egg and milk together in a small mixing bowl.
4. Place cornflakes in a plastic bag; crush finely. Add Italian seasoning to crushed cornflakes and mix well.
5. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then put chicken into bag with cornflakes and shake to coat.
6. Put coated chicken on a baking sheet.
7. Place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the baking pan from the oven.
9. Serve nuggets with dipping sauce of your choice.

Nutrition Information: Calories 190, Fat 3g, Sodium 160mg, Carbohydrate 14g, Fiber 0g, Protein 26g

Recipe Source: Eating Smart Moving More, North Carolina Extension

Oven Fries

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 4 medium baking potatoes or sweet potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt*

Directions

1. Wash hands. Preheat oven to 475°F.
2. Lightly spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Cut potatoes into strips about ½ inch thick.
4. Measure oil into a plastic bag or bowl, add salt to taste. Add potatoes and toss to evenly coat with oil. Spread strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in preheated oven.
5. Bake at 475°F for 20 minutes. Take baking sheet out of oven and turn potato strips over.
6. Return to oven and continue baking for 15 more minutes.

*Try one or more of these seasonings: pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika

Nutrition Information: Calories 160, Fat 5g, Sodium 15mg, Carbohydrate 25g, Fiber 3g, Protein 3g

Recipe Source: Eating Smart Moving More, North Carolina Extension

Nutrition Links Thrifty Tips

• Buy whole instead of precut vegetables.
• Lower the salt and oil by making your own chicken nuggets and oven fries.
• Make a double batch of chicken nuggets and freeze.

Learn more about cooking healthy on a budget!

Contact Nutrition Links to see if you are eligible for free nutrition classes: scan this QR code, call 888-778-3535 or email  nutritionlinks@psu.edu.