Konnecting with Kris Blog

Connect with Saline County FCS agent Kris Boulton.

Five Snow Safety Tips

Learn Five Snow or Cold Weather Safety tips and learn how to make Chicken and Dumplin's Casserole adapted from an old time favorite. Winter can be a really fun time of year. We can go outside and have a snowball fight. We can go sledding. We can build snowmen. While you're outside having fun it's really important you stay warm and safe when it's cold outside. You need to be prepared. If you're not prepared, you can be uncomfortable, feel downright rotten, or you could be in danger. Learn five tips of snow safety and a comfort food recipe that I've adapted from an old time favorite. So hopefully you'll be able to stay warm even though the temperatures are very low.

Tip One dress in layers

Dressing in layers is one of the best ways to stay warm and toasty, even when it's cold. You can start off with lots of layers on and you can peel them off as you heat up, depending on where you live and how cold it is. Some of us need more layers and some may be less. But if you're in doubt, go for more layers to start. You can always peel or take some off. Whatever you do, always leave your coat on. That's one layer that should always stay on for your top half.

Start by putting on long sleeve undershirts like thermals, then put on a turtleneck, one or two shirts, a sweater and a coat. If you can pick out clothes that are made of fabrics other than cotton, because cotton will not keep you warm. On you bottom half put on long underwear or thermals again and pull on a pair of heavy pants.

Try to avoid jeans or light cotton pants like khakis because again, they won't keep you very warm. They will make you colder if you fall and get wet. Some type of waterproof pants are best. Finish up with socks that are heavy and waterproof. If you're going to be doing a lot of trekking or outside walking, you'll want to wear boots that have good tread, that keep you steady on the snowy or the icy areas.

Tip Two Grab your Hat

You may be all bundled up and ready to head outside, but did you forget something? Help hold your body heat in by wearing hat on top of your head. You'll stay much warmer with a hat on than not. Tons of heat escape from right on the top of your head. Using scarves, face masks, and earmuffs are also great for covering you up, so you'll stay comfortable longer. And don't forget your mittens or your gloves. The waterproof kind are best. If you know you're going to be playing out in a lot of snow, keep your hands warm and dry. It's very important because your fingers are very sensitive to cold.

Tip Three Drink up

I know that sounds like hot weather advice but it's actually good advice for warm and cool temperatures. When you're outside in the cold and you're breathing hard, you lose a lot of your body water through your breath. The best way to get that water back is to drink up. Warm drinks or soups keep you warm and hydrated from the inside out when it's cold. Stopping to have something warm to drink has two other bonuses. First, it makes you go inside to get warm for a few minutes while you're drinking and second, you're going to need to go to the restroom after you drink so you'll be able to warm up during that time.

Tip Four Take it easy

If you're outside having fun, it's easy to forget to pay attention to your body, but if your body temperature drops even four or five degrees while you're outside, it can make you feel really bad. That's why you need to be alert to your body's signals. If you're starting to shiver or your teeth are chattering, it's a message from your body that you need to head inside. If you ever feel dizzy or weak, those are sure signs you need to go inside and take it easy for a while.

Tip Five Avoid Frostbite

If you're outside on a cold day & you're not wearing enough protective clothing, you could be in danger of getting frostbite. Frostbite is when your body's tissues freeze and it usually happens to skin that is exposed. If you're playing it safe in the car by wearing heavy clothes, socks and mittens and taking breaks to go inside when you think you need them, you probably won't have any problem or danger of frostbite. If you're ever outside and you can't feel your fingers, toes, cheeks, ears or nose it might be a sign of frostbite. If you even think for a second that you may have frostbite, go inside. In the meantime, wiggle the numbing body part as much as you can. This will make more blood go to the area if it's possible. Hold the part against another body part of your skin that's warm. If you ever think you have frostbite, never immerse the affected body part in hot water or hold something hot against it. Putting it in warm water is OK. If these complications continue, remember to consult your physician.

Chicken and Dumplins Casserole Recipe

One of the comfort foods we enjoy during the cold months is chicken and dumplings. The recipe I want to share with you today is a casserole chicken and dumplings. So it's a little bit different than traditional chicken and dumplings, but it's really tasty.  I've also made some adaptations for the recipe so it can be a healthier choice for us to enjoy this winter. This is a casserole recipe, so though the texture is a little different, it does taste like chicken and dumplings.