February is National Lamb Month

Celebrate Lamb Month by trying a great American lamb product.

Grilled lamb chops
Grilled lamb loin chops. Photo by Naotake Murayama from Los Altos, CA, USA.

If you are you thinking about what to cook for dinner, consider lamb! February is National Lamb Lovers Month. That means it is time again to consider a delicious dish you may not have tried in a while or try something entirely new. American lamb is a tender and tasty meat product, and it is available year-round.

According to Michigan State University Extension, lamb is an excellent source of protein, zinc, selenium and B vitamin. In fact, the average 3 ounce serving of American lamb has around 175 calories and meets the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidelines for lean meat. Lamb is also a good source of iron and riboflavin. To learn more about the nutritional benefits of lamb, visit this lamb nutrition article.

Lamb naturally contains many essential nutrients that, when cooked properly, can be a very enjoyable eating experience. Great recipes for cooking lamb can be found on the American Lamb website. As with any meat product, it is imperative that it is cooked properly to the recommended temperature. To aid in this, utilize the American Lamb website for their cooking time and temperatures by cut page.

More than 5.2 million sheep are raised by roughly 80,000 farmers and ranchers across the United States. Michigan is home to about 2,300 operations and approximately 85,000 sheep. To source locally produced lamb, you can find a producer by visiting the Michigan Sheep Producers Association website.

MSU Extension and the Michigan 4-H Youth Development program help to create a community excited about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). 4-H STEM programming seeks to increase science literacy, introducing youth to the experiential learning process that helps them to build problem-solving, critical-thinking and decision-making skills. Youth who participate in 4-H STEM are better equipped with critical life skills necessary for future success.

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