nutrition

Hungry or Full?

Waiting too long to eat between meals or overeating at meals can make you question whether or not you are hungry or full. Not drinking enough water  throughout the day can also contribute to feeling hungry.   We’ve put together 5 tips to help you recognize whether your body is telling you that it needs […]

Questions About Feeding Your Family?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may be difficulty when you are worried about the affordability of healthy foods and creating nutritious meals. UConn EFNEP, UConn Healthy Family CT, and SNAP-Ed are dedicated to helping you and your family achieve health goals. Scan the QR code to learn more or visit communitynutrition.cahnr.uconn.edu

Focus on Nutritious Low-Cost Foods

It’s #ThoughtfulThursday! Cook more, eat out less! Here are three tips to help you and your family eat right on a budget. Tag a friend who needs to hear this!   ¡Cocine más en casa, coma menos en restaurantes! Aquí presentamos tres consejos que le ayudarán a usted y a su familia a comer bien dentro de […]

Holiday Giving With Fairfield County Community Nutrition

The Fairfield County Community Nutrition team assembled and delivered a can opener and  ‘Canned Foods Fill MyPlate’ materials to the Jericho Food Pantry in Danbury. Seventy-five of Danbury’s most in need residents will receive the gift bags in time for the holidays.              

Respecting Our Roots with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation

A partnership between UConn and local tribes led to the development of Meechooôk Farm and other programs that strengthen the tribal community, their land-base, and self-sufficiency. Learn more about the project by reading this article. Financial support for this work was provided by the USDA NIFA Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP Awards 2017-41580-26950 and 2022-41580-37944). […]

Nutrition Education in Action

Extension is out and about – and you may run into us at a local event. Our nutrition educators were at two events on Saturday, September 17th.   First, the public learned how “Healthy Eating can Boost Your Immune System” through two on-site classes and cooking demonstrations at the Danbury Farmers’ Market. Participants learned how […]

ConnCAP and SNAP-Ed/EFNEP

Article by Riley Courtney In July, Heather Peracchio, RDN and summer Extension intern Riley Courtney visited UConn’s Stamford campus for the purpose of providing nutrition and healthy eating education to teen members of the ConnCAP program. To start off, the two instructed the group on some principals of nutrition using the USDA’s MyPlate as a […]

What is SNAP-Ed? Intern Jenna Zydanowicz Explains

My name is Jenna Zydanowicz, I am a rising junior, and an Allied Health Science major. I have a passion for nutrition, engaging with the community, and trying to promote healthy lifestyles. I love being able to educate families, children, and adults on the importance of nutrition and still eating well on a low income […]

Nutrition Education in the Community Through SNAP-Ed

Hello everyone! My name is Brooke Bosco, and I am a rising senior majoring in Dietetics. This summer I am an extension intern working with the UConn School and Family Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education Program (SNAP-Ed). UConn Healthy Family CT SNAP-Ed works towards accomplishing Connecticut’s goals and objectives to deliver nutrition education and […]

Infant Formula Shortage

Infant Formula Shortage – y en Espanol Have you or someone you know been impacted by the infant formula supply shortage?  You may be wondering how this happened and what to do about it. In February 2022, Abbott Laboratory, an infant formula company, recalled several of its formulas due to complaints about infants affected after […]

Umekia “Mickey” Taylor: Educator Spotlight

Merging Fitness and Nutrition to Create Healthy Lifestyles  Umekia “Mickey” Taylor ’83 (CAHNR) merges fitness and nutrition to help people create healthy lifestyles. She is a community nutrition extension educator and the supervisor for Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in New Haven County. “UConn Extension’s nutrition outreach education is valuable because we […]

Extension EFNEP Programming Positively Impacts Participants

Our Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) shifted during the pandemic, just as everyone did. Last summer I had the opportunity to work with Bristol and New Britain HRA programs teaching their summer youth employment program. Their Program Director asked me to create a five-week virtual class, with 16 hours’ worth of work per […]

Ready, Set, Go! For a Healthier You!

Welcome any youth between the ages of 7 and 18 interested in challenging themselves to improve how they feel and how they feel about themselves.  Join us for the next 6 weeks in learning about ways to practice good habits, and getting rewarded for doing it.  We will be holding a weekly workshop on a […]

UConn EFNEP Adult Course May 2021 Graduates!

Heather, Molly, and Juliana of our UConn Expanded Food and Nutrition Program led participants through a virtual nutrition and cooking class.  After completion participants shared: “Best class ever!” “The class was great, complete information, I liked it and learned a lot about food, hygiene, and sugary drinks. The drink class was very informative! Thank you […]

Danbury Head Start and EFNEP Zoom Graduation

“Me encanto aprendí mucho.” “Fue de mucha ayuda y ahora lo pongo en práctica. Me ayudo mucho a comer más saludable y a gastar menos dinero comprando comida en ofertas.” “Tratare de integrar a mis comidas todos los consejos que aprendi en esta clase ya que son muy productivos. Gracias por compartir con nosotras todos […]

UConn EFNEP Celebrates National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month! This past year has proven that nutrition and health are more important to all of us than ever. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is UConn Extension’s outreach nutrition program in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). Since EFNEP’s inception as a USDA demonstration program […]

CT Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member Spotlight: Heather Peracchio MS, RDN, CD-N

Heather Peracchio MS, RDN, CD-N Do you have a current/past  position with the CT AND Board? I have been many positions on the CT AND board but currently I am the Food Security and Sustainability Co-Chair.   What inspired you to become a RDN? My first year at UConn I found the course ‘The Science […]

Eat SMART in the New Year!

Written by UConn registered dietitian-nutritionist Donna Zigmont, RDN, CD-N   Source: Free goal setting clip art Every January, millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions to make positive changes in their lives. After a very difficult 2020 due to COVID-19, we are hopeful that 2021 will be more promising for all of us. Many of […]

UConn 4-H in 40: Surviving the Holidays

UConn 4-H presents 4-H in 40 A Series of Virtual Workshops for Adults the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm.  These workshops are open to any interested adults- volunteers, 4-H leaders, parents, and community members. The opportunity to register will continue through the year. Each presentation is 20-30 minutes long, followed by 10-20 minutes […]

Pumpkin’s a Good Pick for Your Health!

Written by UConn Dietetics Student Alexa Horkachuck Autumn is finally here, which means that pumpkin flavored products are flooding into your local grocery store. If you’re a fan, you will find everything from pumpkin cream cheese and pumpkin spice lattes to pumpkin pastas and soups. There is bound to be a recipe that you would […]

Fall is Here – Stay Hydrated

Written by UConn Dietetics Masters Student Shawn Lada We may be having cooler days now, but it is always important to stay hydrated. Keeping your body hydrated helps your heart, brain, muscles, and joints to stay healthy, along with keeping you regular and preventing urinary tract infections! During hotter days and summer months your body […]

Cholesterol Education with the UConn Dietetics Program

Written by UConn Dietetics student Madeline Fulton 93 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have total cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dL. Nearly 29 million adult Americans have total cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL.1 Too much cholesterol circulating in your blood can put you at risk for developing heart disease and stroke. What […]

Tropical Smoothie – A Healthy Recipe with Dianisi Torres

Dianisi Torres of our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) makes a healthy tropical smoothie with you using ingredients from the Dollar Store. The presentation is in English and Spanish. Dianisi Torres, de nuestro programa Educación Alimentaria y Nutricional Expandida de la Extension de UConn, conocido como EFNEP, hace un licuado tropical […]

Velazquez Answers Nutrition Questions on Radio Amor in Bridgeport

The global pandemic is challenging everyone. It’s made many of us more conscience of the threats surrounding us every day. Many people are more aware of the food they eat and health impacts of their nutritional choices. Extension educator Zoraida Velazquez is answering questions for Bridgeport and residents of surrounding communities each Friday morning on […]

Pizza – A Healthy Recipe with Dianisi Torres

Dianisi Torres of our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) makes a healthy pizza with you using ingredients from the Dollar Store. The presentation is in English and Spanish. Dianisi Torres, de nuestro programa Educación Alimentaria y Nutricional Expandida de la Extension de UConn, conocido como EFNEP, hace una pizza saludable con […]

Sugar Sweetened Beverages and You

Sugar sweetened beverages are prevalent throughout society, although they are not the best choice from a nutritional standpoint. Learn what a sugar sweetened beverage is, why they present nutritional challenges, and what are better alternatives. Video created by Caroline Thiede, UConn Allied Health Sciences student.  

Cows’ Milk Alternatives – What you need to know about plant–based milk alternative options

People choosing plant-based drinks in place of cows’ milk has surged over the past eight to ten years. The popularity has fueled increases in sales and there are many options to choose from in grocery and health food stores. The biggest reason many people choose plant-based drinks is that they don’t tolerate dairy or want […]

Healthy Family Connecticut

Interested in more nutrition information for you and your family? The Healthy Family Connecticut website from the UConn Department of Allied Health Sciences offers many science-based and nutrition resources for you and your family to stay healthy that are offered in both English and Spanish. Resources are offered for Parents of Toddlers, Preschool Aged Children, […]

Make Your Own Energy Trail Mix

Check out this awesome recipe shared by our UConn Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program- EFNEP Educator Erica! Energy Trail Mix Many prepackaged trail mixes are very expensive, plus they might have extra added sugar or salt that you don’t need. You may never buy a bagged trail mix again after you try our recipe! We’ve […]

Ask UConn Extension Your Questions

UConn Extension has collaborated with our partners, communities and stakeholders for over 100 years. We are proud to serve all 169 cities and towns in Connecticut. The worldwide pandemic involving COVID-19 (coronavirus) has produced unprecedented challenges in the UConn community and around the world. Our services continue during this challenging time. We are still delivering the […]

Rooting for Root Vegetables

We’re rooting for winter with root recipes from our Put Local On Your Tray program. Visit https://putlocalonyourtray.uconn.edu/root-recipes/ to find some warm, filling and nutritious ideas for how to cook carrots, parsnips, beets, radish, or another root vegetable.

Why We Need Local Food in our Schools

Who wants local food in schools, and why? We’re partnering with 81 school districts in Connecticut through our Put Local On Your Tray program, and helping them to source local food from Connecticut farms. This short video explains the importance of local food in our schools: https://youtu.be/v9QrMjryulY   #UConnImpact

#AskUConnExtension – How do I lose weight?

Our UConn Expanded Food and Education Program (EFNEP) educators are often answer questions from participants about weight loss. Heather Pease, one of our EFNEP educators, offers the following guidelines: How do I lose weight? The beginning of a new year turns our focus towards renewal and change. Many people will make a “new year’s resolution” […]

Where can we get healthy food? #AskUConnExtension

Where can we get healthy food? Dr. German Cutz, one of our Extension educators, discusses urban agriculture as one option as we use innovative technology and new methods to grow food for our families and communities. #AskUConnExtension Video: Mike Zaritheny

Holiday Eating Survival Guide

Choose: Lower calorie appetizers- vegetables, or fruit Avoid lots of cheese, and fried foods Smaller plates and tall skinny glasses Know your limits: Eat before you go to a party or out holiday shopping Make a healthy food for the party Have a plan for healthy eating… 5 small appetizers and 2 drinks 2 mixed […]

Spend Family Time Outdoors Exploring Nature

As the holiday season quickly approaches, time with family and friends is important to many of us. In honor of this past National Take a Hike Day (it was November 17th), try getting in your quality time with some fresh air this weekend! Take advantage of a local trail or path to get the blood […]

Farm to School Month

It’s here! National Farm to School Month, which means its time for the HardCORE Challenge – eat a #CTGrown Apple or Pear to the CORE! Follow this link to find an Orchard near you. Fall is the quintessential time to visit a farm with apple and pear picking, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, cider donuts and so much more! We will be celebrating local agriculture […]

Growing Food and Health with the Mashantucket Tribe

“The mission statement of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) states they will ‘…establish a social, cultural and economic foundation that can never be undermined or destroyed…,’” says Tribal Councilor Daniel Menihan, Jr. MPTN was facing challenges growing their fruits and vegetables at a scale to meet the tribe’s needs on their land in Ledyard, […]