Words on Wellness

Nov. 15: Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

     When in doubt, throw it out! To keep your family safe, keep leftovers for only three to four days in the refrigerator. Label condiments with the date you open them. Below is a list of how long they can last.

     • Olives: two weeks

     • BBQ Sauce: four months

     • Pickles: one to three months

     • Horseradish: three to four months

     • Relish: nine months

     • Hot sauce: one to three months

     • Taco sauce: one month

     • Ketchup: six months

     • Soy Sauce: one month

     • Mayonnaise: one to two months

     • Worcestershire Sauce: one year

     • Mustard: one year

     • Jams/Jelly: six months to one year

Nov. 29: Throw Out Your Leftovers Day

     This is a good reminder to either eat or freeze Thanksgiving leftovers within three to four days. To handle leftovers safely, use the following guidelines:

     1. Refrigerate food within two hours after cooking to keep it safe.

     2. Eat or freeze leftovers within four days.

     3. Use labels or masking tape and a black marker to write dates on food for the refrigerator or freezer. If you label leftovers in the refrigerator with the four-day-later date, you will see right away the last day you can safely eat them.

     4. Use Food Safety Charts, www.foodsafety.gov., to learn how long food can be safely stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

     5. Learn more about leftover food at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Activity – A Natural Mood Booster

     When the sun shines less in fall and winter, that can depress our mood. Regular physical activity lifts our spirits by releasing feel-good endorphins. Aim for 30 minutes of activity three to five days a week. You can engage in three 10-minute bouts of activity a day, if 30 minutes all at once is daunting. Try these ideas for indoor physical activity during the cold and icy months:

     • Turn on the radio and dance.

     • March in place while watching your favorite TV show.

     • Set an alarm to walk around your house or office every hour during the day.

     • Climb stairs.

     • Use workout videos. Explore streaming channels to find those that are free. Borrow an exercise video from your local library. Visit “Spend Smart. East Smart.” (spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu) for free physical activity videos.