Food and Health
Food is a daily need that all Mississippians have in common—we all need to eat, and most of us love to eat! But food choices also have a significant impact on health, from getting a breakfast boost that powers up our brains for a successful day to fighting heart disease. The MSU Extension Service strives to make sound, science-based information available and understandable to help Mississippians of all ages make positive decisions about their health and wellness.
Extension is the home of the Office of Nutrition Education, which administers two federally funded nutrition education programs—the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and the Family Nutrition Program (FNP), known nationally as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-ED).
Extension also offers the ServSafe training for personnel working in our state’s restaurants, school cafeterias, and food businesses. We also provide the TummySafe training for those working in child-care centers.
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of infirmity.” — World Health Organization, 1948
Publications
News
Mix up the holiday menu with this Green Bean, Cranberry and Nut Salad!
For this holiday season, I was looking for a way to mix up the menu a little bit and offer something a little lighter. This Green Bean, Cranberry and Nut Salad is perfect.
Did you know that the classic orange carrot we all know and love is actually not the original color of carrots? (Photo from Canva)
Have you ever seen purple, yellow, red, or white carrots? The first time I saw a bag of ‘rainbow’ carrots in my grocery store, I had to do a double take. Carrots are only supposed to be orange, or at least, that’s what I thought.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi Board of Animal Health is asking backyard bird owners to be vigilant in their biosecurity procedures after a commercial breeder chicken flock in Lawrence County tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI.
Join our Walk with Extension 12 Days of FITMAS Challenge beginning December 5 and get tips for moving more and adding more vegetables to your diet.
With all the upcoming holiday get-togethers around the corner, it can be easy to move less, sit more, and gain weight. This year, join our Walk with Extension 12 Days of FITMAS Challenge, which emphasizes moving more and eating more vegetables.
When planning your charcuterie board, keep food safety in mind! (Photo by Canva)
Charcuterie boards are all the craze right now, and rightfully so! They’re fun to make and delicious to snack on. With the holidays coming up, they’re sure to be the talk of the party!
Success Stories
When teachers and administrators at Leland School Park began taking steps to install a school garden in 2019, they had no idea they would get a first-of-its-kind outdoor classroom.
Kendra McGregory, a Houston, Mississippi, fourth grader, attended the program for the first time in 2021.
Sharing links to popular social media posts and new feeds.
When Carey Williams decides he’s going to do something, he relies on patience, work ethic, and tenacity to find a way to get it done.
At Winona Career and Technical Center, students studying culinary arts participated in the Eating Smart, Being Active program, delivered by the Mississippi State University Extension Service in the spring 2022 semester.
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