April 2020

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Most soups and stews are made from a base of stock or broth.  Have you ever wondered what the difference is between these two items?  The main differences are:

• the use of bones or meat
• length of cooking time
• the type of seasonings added

Stock is made using bones (unless it’s a vegetable stock), water, and a mixture of aromatic vegetables including onions, carrots and celery. The mixture is simmered on the stove top for at least 2 to 6 hours. Generally, there are no seasonings added to stock. This makes stock a lower sodium option for recipes, and a great base for recipes that already have significant flavor. The use of bones in stock makes it a thicker, more gelatinous consistency. 

Broth, on the other hand, takes less time to make, and contains meat (unless it’s a vegetable broth), vegetables and seasonings. Broth is generally simmered on the stove top for no more than two hours, as cooking meat in liquid for longer periods of time toughens the meat.   

Given these definitions, bone broth – which has become increasingly popular in the last few years – is a bit of a misnomer. Bone broth is technically a stock because it is made using bones, as well as vegetables and herbs. It is simmered on the stove top for 12 to 24 hours.

Determining whether to use stock or broth in a recipe may depend on what you are making.  Typically, stock is used in sauces, gravies, stews and as a braising liquid for meats.  Broth works well as a base for soups, stir-fry dishes, dumplings, stuffing, and for cooking grains and legumes.

Although broths and stocks can be purchased in cans and cartons at the grocery store, it is fairly easy to make your own at home. Making broths and stocks from scratch can be a cost saving activity if you save and utilize meat and vegetable scraps that would otherwise be thrown away. Stock can be made on the stove top, in a slow cooker, or even in an electric pressure cooker! The Kitchn provides instructions for making chicken stock using each of these methods.

Sources:

Foster, K. (2018). What’s the Difference Between Bone Broth, Stock and Broth? The Kitchn. https://www.thekitchn.com/the-difference-between-bone-broth-stock-and-broth-254174

Jones, T. (2017). What are the differences between stock and broth? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/stock-vs-broth

Rattray, D. (2019). What’s the Difference Between Stock and Broth? The Spruce Eats. https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-stock-and-broth-3057787

Written by: Joyce Riley, MS, RD, LD. Former Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Union County.

Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, MPH, RD, LD. Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Franklin County.

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Yesterday was Easter. Under normal circumstances, my family would gather at my grandparents house in observance of the holiday for an after-church lunch, and then an egg hunt for the little ones. This year was noticeably different. My husband and I watched a live-streaming church service from home and then ate lunch in our kitchen with our 1 year-old son. We did, however, take our son out for his first egg hunt! My grandparents watched from their porch while my husband and I helped our son find eggs they “hid” in their yard.

Reflecting on Easter 2020, I found the activity of naming gratitude and loss to be a helpful way to identify and process the various emotions I have experienced this season. We all have experienced loss this season, with some losses being bigger than others. Many have felt the impact of canceled vacations, sports seasons, concerts and other events. Some have lost loved ones. Family traditions and celebrations for holidays, birthdays, weddings and other events have been modified. It is normal and natural to experience grief associated with these losses. Naming your losses is a way to identify and validate the emotions you feel as you grieve.

Don’t stop with naming losses, however; take time to make a list of things for which you are grateful as well! Pairing a list of gratitude with your list of losses does not minimize the impact of your loss, and it can help you remain hopeful and optimistic during difficult times. Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of gratitude practice on overall health, ability to cope with stress and outlook in general.

In my reflection regarding this holiday weekend, I took time to appreciate the opportunity I had to visit with my grandparents, even though it was a non-traditional visit. My son is happy and healthy, which is a true blessing.

What are you grateful for this season?

Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Franklin County, [email protected]

Reviewed by: Lisa Barlage, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Ross County, [email protected]

Sources:

Griffin, B.R. (2020). Naming loss and gratitude with young people in these uncertain days. Fuller Youth Institute. https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/naming-loss-and-gratitude-with-young-people

Miller, K.D. (2020). 14 Health Benefits of Practicing Gratitude According to Science. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-gratitude/

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COVID 19 has added stress to our lives in a way that just a few month’s ago was unimaginable. Now more than ever, it is important for parents to take care of themselves so they can take care of their children. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. We know that when families are experiencing stress, children are more likely to be abused or neglected.

Protective Factors are “conditions or attributes (skills, strengths, resources, supports or coping strategies) in individuals, families, communities or the larger society that help people deal more effectively with stressful events and mitigate or eliminate risk in families and communities”. Strengthening Families identifies 5 Protective Factors to help families build resiliency and support:

1. Parent Resilience: No one can eliminate stress from parenting, but building parental resilience can affect how a parent deals with stress.
2. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development: Having accurate information about raising young children and appropriate expectations for their behavior help parents better understand and care for children.
3. Social and Emotional Competence of Children: A child’s ability to interact positively with others, to self-regulate, and to effectively communicate his or her emotions has a great impact on the parent-child relationship.
4. Social Connections: Friends, family members, neighbors, and other members of a community provide emotional support and concrete assistance to parents. Social connections help parents build networks of support.
5. Concrete Support in Times of Need: Parents need access to the types of concrete supports and services that can minimize the stress of difficult situations, such as a family crisis, a condition such as substance abuse, or stress associated with lack of resources.

We all face challenging times in our lives, but when we have supports in place, we have the tools we need to accept, adapt or overcome them.  Building your own resilience is one way to support your child because it gives them stability and confidence in knowing that they can rely on you. Creating this type of environment for your child makes them feel safe and builds self-reliance, problem solving and self-regulation which are skills they will use throughout their lives. For more about resilience check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r8hj72bfGo.

For ideas and strategies to maintain your sanity and support your children during the pandemic, check out this Parent’s Guide to Surviving COVID-19 from the Brookings Institute or these resources from our co-workers at Iowa State University Extension https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/disaster-recovery.

Writer: Heather Reister, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Butler County.

Reviewer: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.

Sources:

Center for the Study of Social Policy’s Strengthening Families (2018). About Strengthening Families and the Protective Factors Framework. https://cssp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/About-Strengthening-Families.pdf

Gail Innis, Protective Factors: What are they and how can they help families? February 17, 2014, Michigan State University Extension, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/protective_factors_what_are_they_and_how_can_they_help_families

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