Author Archives for Shape Your Future

4 Ways to Feed a Crowd on a Tight Budget (and Schedule)

Anyone who’s ever hosted a large group knows one thing: It takes a village to (affordably) feed a village —…

Skip the Sugary Latte. Snack on 6 Healthy Pumpkin Spice Treats Instead!

Fall is here! It’s the time of year for carving pumpkins … and craving pumpkin spice. The only issue? Pumpkin…

9 Ways to Stretch Your SNAP Dollars

It’s no secret: Feeding a family costs a lot — and even though SNAP benefits can be a lifesaver, they…

7 Foods That Are Shockingly High in Sugar

We won’t sugarcoat it: Eating too many sweets can wreak havoc on our health. While it’s OK to treat yourself…

5 Healthy Ways to Feed the Entire Family for Under $12

Lunch, dinner, weeknight or weekend, cooking on a budget is a challenge — especially when you want something healthy. These…

4 Ways to Use Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

When it comes to cooking, we love simplicity — especially on those busy weeknights when life is at its most…

How to Set Your Family in Motion

When it comes to health, parents are their kids’ biggest role models — with eating patterns and exercise. Leading your…

Easy Ways to Drink Less Soda

Many common beverages like soda, energy drinks, sports drinks and juice boxes are hiding a big secret — they’re full…

5 Ways to Role Model Healthy Living for Your Kids [Plus, 20 Resources to Make Starting Simple]

Kids seemingly jump from 0 to 17 in the blink of an eye. That is why it’s so important to…

3 Cheap Seasonings Every Kitchen Needs

What’s one trick for sticking to healthy eating? Flavor. Stock your pantry with these three basic spices, and you’ll rarely…

5 Easy Tips to Make Veggies the Star of the Show

Eating more veggies packs a lot of perks. They’re high in fiber and other nutrients, which can lower your blood…

3 Reasons to Make a Healthy Change NOW

When life gets hectic, we can lose sight of our health … and gain weight without realizing it. Sound familiar?…

Talkin’ About Tobacco

9 Healthy Items to Grab from the Convenience Store

No supermarket in sight? No problem! Here are 9 healthy meals and snacks you can grab from most gas stations…

How to Form Healthy Habits that Stick

Starting new habits is a lot like slinging spaghetti noodles. You may think you have them under control, but they…

How to Apply for WIC in Oklahoma in 5 Super-Easy Steps

Becoming a mother is a big deal — with big life changes and a long list of new expenses ……

Back to School Hacks

Fact: kids LOVE the freedom of summer. As the fall semester approaches, you can make the back-to-school transition easier on…

7 Activities to Celebrate the Summer Games

For fans of competition — and camaraderie — the Olympics are must-see TV from start to finish. Rooting for your…

Veggie Grilling Guide

Grill Vegetables — And Fruit There are so many benefits to grilling vegetables. High in fiber, vitamins and minerals, veggies…

Fun Summer Activities for the Whole Family

Long days and sunny afternoons are here! Here are some of our favorite ways to keep the family active and…

5 Ways to Reduce Stress

Everyone experiences stress in one form or another. But, as you can probably guess, not all forms of dealing with…

Home Gardening: How to Get the Freshest Produce

Nothing beats fresh produce. It makes recipes healthier and so much tastier. Here in Oklahoma, there are two ways to…

How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and veggies are essential to giving your kids the nutrients to grow up strong and healthy. However, as every…

Nutrition 101 for Teens in Oklahoma

Winter Meal Makeovers

Guest Blog By: Chef Valarie Carter, MPH – OU/TU Culinary Medicine Although January can be cold and gray and the…

Unlock Your Best Sleep Yet

Good sleep is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. It helps us be productive and energetic while regulating our mood…

THIS Will Have You Drinking More Water

The science on sugar-sweetened beverages is in. They are a leading cause of weight gain, obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart disease…

Discover the Power of One Healthy Habit

Maybe it was sparked by an inspiring story you read. A workplace challenge. The realization that you couldn’t keep up…

Shape Your Future Healthy Kitchen is Here

Shape Your Future Partners With Oklahoma Tourism To Help Oklahomans Move More This Summer

Celebrate Parks and Rec and Picnic Month this July with outdoor physical activities OKLAHOMA CITY, July 09, 2020 – As…

Make Summer Sensational with Easy, Healthy Tips

Shape Your Future Connects Oklahomans to FREE, Helpful Resources for Healthy Living OKLAHOMA CITY, JULY 6. 2020 – With summer…

10 Refreshing Recipes for Summer

Summer is the perfect season to start eating a little healthier. As the temps rise, so do our cravings for…

7 Meals to Make in 20 Minutes or Less

Busy weeknights usually call for quick, easy dinners. But too often, convenience gets put before nutrition. Sure, frozen pizza, hot…

No Sunlight? No Problem. Here’s How to Be Active Anyway.

When Daylight Savings Time ends, the days grow shorter, and the nights grow longer. And your options for staying physically…

How to Be Healthy at Work During the Holidays

Free Local Activities in Oklahoma

Oklahoma offers tons of free activities that help get you and your family moving. From hiking trails to biking trails…

How to Shop Healthy at the Dollar Store: 10 Things to Buy

While dollar stores are great for products like paper plates and party supplies, surprisingly, you can find healthy food products…

25 Healthy Hacks for Busy Parents

Parents are busy. It’s the understatement of the century. To help make your lives a little easier and your kids’…

Shape Your Future Helps Oklahoma Kids Reduce Their Risk of Obesity

SHAPE YOUR FUTURE HELPS OKLAHOMA KIDS REDUCE THEIR RISK OF OBESITY September Is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Shape Your…

Stay Hydrated at OSU & OU Games with Free Shape Your Future Water Bottles

Shape Your Future, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), has joined Oklahoma State University (OSU) Athletics and…

5 Tips for Tackling Stress The Healthy Way

Food is the fuel that powers our lives. Full of energy and nourishment, it’s the building block of a healthy…

The Benefits of Physical Activity

When you were growing up, getting physical activity was easier. Recess was your favorite part of the school day. You…

Grow Your Own Food This Spring and Summer

Here at From Seed to Spoon, we are excited to share how easy it is to start growing your own…

Understanding Calories

Calories measure how much energy foods and drinks provide. Our bodies store and “burn” calories as fuel, which we use…

10 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

We all know fruits and vegetables should be key staples of our daily diet – but sometimes filling half your…


Set Simple Goals and Make Healthy Swaps in 2019

For more information contact: Whitney Dinger, Public Information and Outreach Specialist whitneyd@tset.ok.gov (405) 521-4959 (office) (405) 227-0488 (cell) Set Simple…

6 Tips To Beat The Winter Blues

Winter is here, and it often means staying indoors and being less active. Freezing temperatures don’t have to put the…

4 Easy Ways to Start Living Healthier

A healthy life involves more than just a salad for lunch every once in a while. In addition to eating…

5 Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes

Rates of type 2 diabetes, the most common type, have been on the rise in recent years. In Oklahoma, the…

How Screen Time Affects Kids’ Health

According to a report by Common Sense Media, in 2013, kids 8 and under spent about 15 minutes per day…

10 WAYS TO MAKE THANKSGIVING DINNER HEALTHY

Thanksgiving can be a hard time to make healthy choices, but here are some easy ways to make your holiday…

5 Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Oklahoma

September kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month, and Oklahoma has tons of healthy ways to celebrate! You can get your 30…

5 Maneras Para Celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana en Oklahoma

El mes de septiembre empieza el Mes de la Herencia Hispana y Oklahoma tiene muchas maneras saludables para celebrar. Tu…

10 Meaningful Ways to Address Childhood Obesity

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and our goal is two-fold: to raise awareness of the growing childhood obesity…

Oklahoma State Department of Health Launches New State of the State’s Health Report and Interactive Website

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has unveiled a new website for the updated State of the State’s Health…

10 Easy Hacks to Create a Healthy Workspace

It may feel like there aren’t enough hours in your extremely busy day to eat healthy and be physically active.…

8 Great Ways To Keep Kids Active On Break

This spring break promises to be unique. However, the pandemic doesn’t have to keep all the fun on lock down. Below, we have eight great ways…

Fall in Love with These Free, Healthy Valentine’s Day Ideas.

Roses are red. Violets are blue. Teachers will love these healthy Valentine’s Day ideas… and parents will too! Help your…

Family-Friendly Activities

Adults need 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Kids need 60. Now, how can you and your family get…

Choose Small Changes Over Big Resolutions

It can be tempting to set big, bold resolutions at the beginning of each new year. You feel motivated to…

Tomato Sauce Uses: One Recipe. Endless Sauce-abilities.

Tomato sauce, tom-ahhh-to sauce. No matter what you call it, it’s healthy, tasty… and totally easy to make! With this…

How to Keep Your Kids Healthy (and Happy) on Halloween

Halloween is a kid favorite for a reason. There are spooky decorations, festive costumes and fun activities. But there’s also…

10 Ways to Make Your Family Walk Fun

A walk around the block is one of the easiest ways for families to get active. It requires no equipment.…

How to Work Out with A Busy Schedule

How to Start Working Out

No matter how busy your day is, how cozy your couch is or how enjoyable your TV shows are, physical…

Feel Like a New Man During Men’s Health Month.

Try these 9 activities this June. Men, it’s time to get active. No matter your age, shape or size, the…

5 Steps to Creating a Community Garden

April 22, 2017 marks the 47th annual Earth Day celebration. This Earth Day, make a world of difference with members…

6 Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Stay Healthy

Every kid should be healthy every week… especially during Every Kid Healthy Week this April!

The Benefits of School and Community Gardens

For the kids at Cleveland Elementary School in Oklahoma City, life is a garden… and they dig it. A few…

10 Back-to-School Swaps

With kids in school, life can get super hectic. The good news? Health and convenience can go hand-in-hand! Take a…

7 Free Winter Family Activities in Oklahoma

Staying active throughout 2020 has already required some creativity. The shorter days and colder weather just add another layer. However, daily…

HUNGRY FOR HEALTHY? CHECK THIS OUT.

Need help eating healthy on a budget? Shape Your Future has tons of tasty recipes to help you and your…

10 Creative Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Thanksgiving dinner means three things… Lots of food. Lots of laughs. And lots of leftovers. While all Thanksgiving food is…

Learn What Causes Diabetes and How to Reduce Your Risk.

Diabetes is a growing concern across Oklahoma. In the last 20 years, the diabetes rate among Oklahoma adults has more…

6 Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

There’s no doubt you’ll be gobbling up some turkey on Thanksgiving Thursday. But what else will you put on your…

10 Fun, Family-Friendly Fall Activities in Oklahoma

It’s fall in Oklahoma, which means the leaves are changing… and falling too. Raking the leaves is one way to…

Shape Your Future Encourages Oklahomans to Walk or Bike to School on October 5

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 3, 2016)— Shape Your Future is encouraging students, families, communities and schools across Oklahoma to “walk n’…

Walk N’ Roll on Walk or Bike to School Day

Are you ready to walk n’ roll?! Every October, thousands of schools across America drum up some fun and excitement…

Food Safety: A Step-By-Step Guide

Most people are aware that raw meat, poultry and seafood carry risks of foodborne illness. But did you know you…

Farmers Markets and the Benefits of Fruits and Veggies

From red apples to green beans, blueberries, and everything in between, fruits and veggies are colorful, flavorful and powerful for…

Pick a Park and Picnic during Parks and Rec Month

For more than 30 years, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Parks and Recreation Month. But parks aren’t…

Shape Your Future Encourages Oklahomans to Rethink Your Drink

Choosing water over sugary drinks supports a healthier weight, body and brain! OKLAHOMA CITY (June 6, 2016) – Shape Your…

Set Goals To Live Healthier In 2016 With Shape Your Future

Improve your health with simple changes this New Year OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 29, 2015) –Want to find out what kinds…

Healthy Activities to Try During Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Tips to help build healthy habits for brighter futures OKLAHOMA CITY – September 3, 2015 –To help bring awareness to…

The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline Offers New Services

More FREE Tools to Help Oklahoma Tobacco Users Quit OKLAHOMA CITY – (September 3, 2015)– The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, funded…

Visit Farmers Markets During National Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Month

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 29, 2015) – During “Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month” this June, Shape Your Future, a statewide health initiative…

Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle During National Nutrition Month

March is dedicated to encouraging Oklahomans to live healthier OKLAHOMA CITY (March 1, 2015) — March is National Nutrition Month, and with…

Join the Shape Your Future Summer Challenge

During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month OKLAHOMA CITY (April 29, 2015) – Lace up those sneakers, fill up those…

EAT BETTER, MOVE MORE IN 2015 WITH SHAPE YOUR FUTURE

Improve your health one step at a time this New Year OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 27, 2014) – This New Year,…

“Walk n’ Roll” on Walk or Bike to School Day

Shape Your Future encourages Oklahomans to walk or bike to school OKLAHOMA CITY (October 1, 2014) — Are you ready to walk?…