I would like to welcome you to our series sharing Food Holidays: March 2022. I have a question for you this morning. Did you know today is National Fresh Celery Month? This is one Vegetable we don’t use in our home. But when I was growing up my parents would use Celery in different recipes. Including Potato Salad and Pimento Cheese and Celery or Peanut Butter and Celery. Before you ask if I eat any of these no, I don’t. Although Stuffed Celery was a staple at out Christmas Meals.
National Fresh Celery Month
Looking for a new snack that’s low in calories and will leave you feeling guilt-free? During National Celery Month, which is celebrated throughout March, you are encouraged to try out new recipes that are based on or include this marshland vegetable. While most of us are familiar with consuming its stalk, the leaves and hypocotyl (below leaf seed) are also eaten and used in cooking. Native to the Mediterranean area and cultivated since antiquity, celery is a great addition to weight-loss diets, it’s relatively inexpensive to buy, and it brings new life to your meals.
NATIONAL CELERY MONTH ACTIVITIES
- Play celery wars with family and friendsYou can play celery wars by having a cook-off to see who can make the best or most creative dish with celery included. Celery wars can also be played by using celery as a defensive weapon (sword, etc.) and whoever’s celery stalk breaks first, loses the game.
- Memorize the different vitamins and minerals celery containsIt’s as simple as reciting your ABC’s. You can make flash cards or opt for basic recitation skills.
- Add celery to as many meals as you canIf it’s edible, celery can be eaten with just about anything. Be adventurous and sprinkle celery in your spaghetti, or as a side to your pork chops and mashed potatoes.
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CELERY MONTH
- It helps aid with digestive issuesCelery is an excellent source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and other vital nutrients such as dietary fiber. By eating celery, due to its high water content, it helps flush out your system in order for your food to be properly digested. It’s been said that celery can even prevent gallstones.
- It lowers blood pressure when consumed dailyHigh blood pressure can lead to a host of issues if left untreated. However, Vitamin K aids in clotting your blood, and celery is chock-full of it. This makes it an extremely heart-healthy vegetable.
- It’s easy to cookIt doesn’t take hours to prepare celery or to add it to a meal. You can make a dish as simple as soup and add celery to the broth, or you can chop up celery and eat it alone with peanut butter or some other dip. Celery also tastes great as an added ingredient to a green vegetable smoothie.
