Good morning, how are you? I wanted to share our series featuring Food Holidays: March 6th, 2022. I would like to ask you a question. Did you know March is National Peanut Month? With us celebrating Peanuts that should include Peanut Butter which means it’s time to back Peanut Butter Cookies. Which Charlie can create in his Homeschool Cooking Class? Would you like to help us make cookies this morning?
National Peanut Month
In March during National Peanut Month, I would like to ask you to join the celebration featuring one of America’s favorite snack foods the Peanut.
Peanuts is little legume and a powerhouse of flavor and versatility. Did you know humans have been consuming the Peanut since around 1400 BC. Peanuts are known as Groundnuts. Did you know the Peanut grows underground and belongs to the Leguminosae family which includes Peas and Beans? According to the National Peanut Board, Peanut consumption increased to 7.9 pounds per capita in 2021.
Here is a fun fact to share with your students; Two U.S. presidents were Peanut farmers: Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
When it comes to plants packing protein power, Peanuts provide a whopping 8 grams per ounce, more than any other Nut according to The Peanut Institute. Remember, the Peanut is not a Nut! Nuts grow on trees. The Peanut is also high in Antioxidants. This goober as Peanuts is called in the South are also high in Vitamins E and B6, and Peanuts are rich in Minerals such as Magnesium, Iron, and Zinc. Studies also show Peanuts when paired with other nutrient-rich foods, this helps us absorb nutrients better, too.
Revolutionary inventions and discoveries made the Peanut easier to cultivate during the late 1800s and early 1900s. One such contributor was Dr. George Washington Carver who is considered the Father of the Peanut. Dr. George Washington Carver dedication and research into the Peanut led him to publish “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption” in 1916. Dr. George Washington Carver continued interest resulted in more delicious uses for the Peanut.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPeanutMonth
Eat Peanuts all month long. Peanuts add a punch of flavor to almost any dish. Eat Peanuts whole or spread Peanut Butter on a Sandwich. Bake up a treat using Peanuts. You can also learn more about the history of peanuts, George Washington Carver, or how Peanuts have been cultivated over the years. No, matter how you celebrate Peanuts, be sure to use #NationalPeanutMonth on Social Media.
NATIONAL PEANUT MONTH HISTORY
National Peanut Month had its beginnings as National Peanut Week in 1941 but the Holiday later morphed into a month-long celebration in 1974.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
