January 2008 eNewsletter

Welcome to OurOhio.org

Tips for eating healthy while dining out
The next time you go out to eat, don’t wait until the end of the meal to ask for a doggie bag. Ask the waiter to bring it with your meal so you can put part of it away before you even start eating. Doing this can help prevent you from eating too much, said Melissa Kalb, a registered dietician with the Faculty and Staff Wellness Program at Ohio State University.

You can cut down on the size of your meal, which tends to be very large at restaurants, by asking for the lunch size portion or by sharing it with someone, Kalb said. You also can opt for an appetizer instead of an entrée. While soups and salads sound like healthy choices, sometimes they are filled with fat and calories. Watch out for cream-based soups and sauces, Kalb said.

For other suggestions for a healthy dining out experience click here.

Survey Says...
Take our short survey and win the Not Fancy, Just Good Food cookbook!

At Our Ohio we are continuously working to appeal to your special interests. Please tell us what you want to see more of, by taking a minute to answer this short survey!

The first 50 respondents will receive the Not Fancy, Just Good Food cookbook, a collection of recipies contributed by some of Ohio's best home cooking experts.

Be one of the first 50 respondents and win your cookbook today!

Click here to take the survey.

Creating Garden Interest in
Winter

Now that winter has finally arrived, and the ground is frozen and snow covered, it doesn’t seem quite fitting to be focused on the garden. Nevertheless, the winter landscape with its lack of bright colors, leaves, and flowers, offers a blank canvas to let your imagination wander. Take a look out the window and try to come up with some ideas on how to make the yard a four-seasons garden. A four-seasons garden is appealing year-round, with blooming bulbs in spring, annuals and perennials in summer, and colorful leaves in fall, but what can your garden offer during the cold winter months?

Click here for some great suggestions of shrubs, grasses and trees to spruce up your winter garden.

Each Stage of Life Affects
Your Financial Picture

When you hear the words “financial strategy,” it might sound like something only rich people need. Fact is, everyone can benefit from having a strategy. Meeting with a financial professional can help you get answers to investment questions you may have right now and create a strategy for a more secure future.

Financial professionals commonly look at your financial picture in terms of “life stages,” as a way to put your needs in the context of the risks you’re exposed to at different times in life.

“A good investment professional can help you navigate down the path of life’s journey, no matter where you are along the way,” said Chris Starcher, Consumer Solutions Center director at Nationwide Financial Services.

Find out how to manage the most important life stages and their risks by clicking here.

Searching for Eagles in
Adams County

February is right around the corner, and one of the best months to see majestic bald eagles in Ohio's Adams County. Eagles have become regular visitors during the late winter months, and eagle sightings occur frequently during this time. No place is better to spot an eagle than along scenic U.S. Route 52 as it follows the Ohio River through Adams County. The 30 miles of U.S. 52 that transverse the southern part of the county closely follows the Ohio River shoreline through sparsely populated and rugged mountainous terrain making it ideal habitat for bird watchers to observe wintering eagles.

To plan an expedition on Ohio River Scenic Byway, click here for more information.

Our Ohio Television Series

The Our Ohio television series, airing on public television stations around the state, takes viewers across Ohio to meet the faces and visit the places that touch our values, culture, heritage and much more.

Stations airing Our Ohio can be found by clicking here.

Coming up next on Our Ohio
Our Ohio visits Carillon Park, Serpent Mound, Learning Tree Farm, Great Lakes Brewing Company and Reef Systems Coral Farm. Chef Pierre explains how to eat more and lose weight, and gives some planning tips for game-day parties.

Click here for complete episode descriptions and schedules.

Our Ohio TV trivia

Some Ohio farmers grow soybeans for Honda. But that’s not all. Find out where soybeans end up on the next episode of Our Ohio!

What country does Honda ship the Ohio Soybeans to?

Watch Our Ohio this weekend and email your answer to info@ourohio.org.

The first 10 correct respondents will receive an Ohio Farm Bureau ice cream scoop!

To find out what time the show airs in your viewing area, click here.

Test drive a Farm Bureau membership today!

Ohio Farm Bureau is offering an introductory membership for new members. For $35, new members can experience Farm Bureau and all its member benefits for 2008. To join, visit www.GrowWithFB.org or call 888-GrowWithFB (888-476-9948).