Category: EFNEP

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Many myths exist about safe ways to can foods. The reality is that food must be processed using the right equipment and the right recipes to ensure safety. The type of canner you need depends on the food you want to preserve. A water bath canner is used to […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent If you find meal preparation to be hectic after a long day at work and want to find a way to make it less of a drudgery, try a simple remedy:  Cook once, eat twice. If you have to cook anyway, why not cook twice as much as you […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Why is an apple a better choice than a bag of pretzels? They have roughly the same number of calories, but nutrients count, too. The apple provides fiber, Vitamin C, and potassium for an equal number of calories. Therefore, the apple has a higher nutrient density. A serving of […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Eggs can be a part of a healthy diet. However, they are perishable just like raw meat, poultry, and fish. To be safe, they must be properly stored, handled, and cooked. Some unbroken fresh shell eggs may contain Salmonella enteritidis bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Researchers say that […]

Patti Chapman, Nutrition Educator All of the more recently hired Nutrition Educators with the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) recently completed their Teen Cuisine curriculum training.   “Teen Cuisine is designed to teach youth from grades 6 to 12 important life skills to promote optimal health – both in the present and in […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Often children have an adverse reaction to being asked to eat fruits and veggies. If you want your kids to eat more produce the following easy tips are bound to help. Children like it when fruits and vegetables are in small, easy-to-eat, easy-to-grab, bite-sized pieces. Many children may be […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Research shows that cloth shopping bags need to be cleaned regularly to keep them from becoming breeding grounds for germs. Researchers at the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University in California tested reusable bags from 84 people entering grocery stores. While they did not find any harmful bacteria, […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Are your friends asking what to do with a surplus of chard, spinach, collards, kale, mustard greens, or turnip greens? Greens are excellent sources of vitamin A, calcium, folic acid, and fiber. Preserve extra spinach, collards, kale, and other spring greens by freezing, pressure canning, or drying them. Freezing […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent Home food preservers need to know what to do if a jar of food spoils or was improperly processed. Foods must be processed properly to kill bacteria that cause foodborne illness. High-acid foods like fruits and jams must be processed in a water bath canner to prevent molds and […]

Christine Patrick, County Extension EFNEP Agent There are lots of good reasons to eat soup during January, National Soup Month.  Soup warms the body during the cold days of January and February, but it also warms the heart and soul. It’s simple and it’s the ultimate comfort food—always a welcome change after the holiday frenzy. […]