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

Publication Number: P2100

Take the Guesswork Out of Roasting a Turkey

Publication Number: P3287

Food Safety Certification and Market Access

Publication Number: M1946

A Community Report for Marion County

Publication Number: P2648

Curing Pork Products At Home

Publication Number: P2920

Basic Labeling Requirements for Food Products Entering Commerce

Wooden honey dipper lying against a small jar of honey that is covered with a decorative piece of fabric tied with a string.

Give honey credit, but not too much

November 28, 2018 - Filed Under: Food and Health

Many people appreciate its flavor and soothing affects, but honey may receive more credit than it deserves.

Since ancient times, people have tried to use honey for medicinal purposes. Even today, people hope it will manage allergies, weight or diabetes. However, the use of honey just might not be as powerful as some believe.

A close-up of honey-cranberry granola bars that shows in fine detail the oats and cranberries.

The Food Factor | Homemade Honey-Cranberry Granola Bars

November 23, 2018 - Filed Under: Food, Nutrition

Making my own snacks gives me complete control over the ingredients. I love to use local honey in this recipe for homemade granola bars, which are lower in calories than most store-bought options, and are high in fiber. And the cranberries give this snack that sweet-tart combination I enjoy. (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

A round peanut butter and jelly sandwich sits on a white plate. It is decorated to look like a turkey, with green, red, and yellow apple slices for feathers, chocolate chips for eyes, cheese for a nose and legs, and a small bit of bacon for a wattle. The plate sits on a multicolored floral placemat.

Thanksgiving Fun for Kids

November 19, 2018 - Filed Under: Food

Thanksgiving season, while full of fun, laughter, and family, can also be hectic. Having small children can add to both the joy and the craziness. (Photo by Michaela Parker/Cindy Callahan)

A mixture of diced onions, green and red bell peppers, scrambled eggs, and shredded cheese on a flour tortilla.

The Food Factor | Breakfast Burritos

November 9, 2018 - Filed Under: Food, Nutrition

I’m always looking for ways to make healthy eating easier! This recipe for breakfast burritos makes eight tasty treats you can easily freeze for a low-cost, protein-filled breakfast on the go! (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

Young man strains to handle a bale of hay at the back of a farm utility vehicle in a pasture with black and white dairy heifers clustered behind and watching.

Grant reveals concerns for agricultural families

November 6, 2018 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Farming, Farm Safety, Food and Health, Rural Health

A million-dollar grant acknowledges that farmers and families living in rural areas battle many of the same mental health challenges as urban residents face.

A woman wearing a white visor, maroon shirt, jeans, and boots marks a clipboard as five cows and three calves rest under a tree.

What’s New

About Extension, Beef, Marketing and Business Planning, Rural Development, Food, Food Safety, Health, Nutrition, Rural Health
Volume 4 Number 3

Greg Chambers is one Mississippi producer who’s focused on innovating. Whether he’s growing soybeans and wheat on his Prentiss County property or raising cattle and goats on other acres, Chambers is always looking for a better, more efficient way of doing things.

A little girl in a white chef’s hat stands beside her mother

Tried and True

Food, Rural Health
Volume 3 Number 4

For anyone relying on Pinterest, Facebook, or other online recipe sites to plan healthy meals, Marilyn Lunsford is encouraging those home cooks to look in a different, more local place.