Food, health and nutrition
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University of Minnesota Extension improves food literacy, physical activity, food safety and healthy food access for Minnesotans and the food service industry.
On this page
Food safety
Preserving and preparing
Canning, freezing, drying, pickling, safe meals, food storage
For food entrepreneurs
Make and sell food from home, safe food sampling
For food service industry
Food manager and employee certification
For food processors
Becoming licensed acidified food processor, especially of acidified foods, on-site education
Sanitation and illness
Washing fruits and vegetables, food allergens, preventing food poisoning
Health care
Health insurance literacy
Select a workshop to build your staff's knowledge and confidence to teach about health insurance literacy, or partner with us to offer workshops directly to the people you serve.
Health insurance literacy toolkit
Extension helps individuals acquire the knowledge, ability, and confidence to find and evaluate information about health plans, select the best plan for their circumstances, and use the plan once enrolled.
Protecting health for older adults
Get tips for eating healthy and staying active to help you live a longer, healthier life.
Health care directive workshop
Arrange for us to come and teach on this important topic. Excellent resource for employee groups, community organizations, and more.
Making long term care decisions
Follow these strategies and tips to help your family cope when faced with problems and decisions related to long term care.
Minnesota Health Care Directive Planning Toolkit
Write down your wishes for your care in a health care directive.
Local foods
Farmers markets
Get tips for shopping at farmers markets on a budget.
Supporting farmers markets in accepting SNAP benefits
Get an overview of all the steps necessary to accept SNAP benefits at a farmers market in Minnesota.
Power of Produce (PoP) club
Get all the materials and resources you need to successfully start a PoP Club at your local farmers market.
Mental health and well-being
Stress and change
Tips, online courses and resources for understanding and coping with stress.
Mental health
Mental health information that goes beyond illness.
Nutrition and healthy eating
Teaching nutrition education
Find information regarding nutrition education programs and curriculum that target low-income youth, families and individuals.
Save money on food
Learn about nutrition assistance, food budgeting and more.
Making good food choices
Helping Minnesotans with limited financial resources make the healthy choice the easy choice, including better food shelves and healthy inexpensive recipes.
Systems and food networks
Find a map and directory of food networks in Minnesota and get more details about recent and upcoming events.
Building better food shelves
Training, print materials, and videos are available free of charge to food shelf directors, volunteers, and others working to improve healthy food access.
Physical activity
Energizers for nutrition education
Short group activity ideas for educators to get participants of all ages moving in a class, conference, or business meeting environment.
Classroom energizers
Use these classroom-based activities that integrate physical activity (PA) with academic concepts.
Healthy & Fit on the Go
Tip sheets to help keep you and your family healthy and fit when you're on the go.
School and child care nutrition
Project breakFAST toolkit
Access guidelines, templates, and more to get your school breakfast program started and make it successful.
Farm to school
Learn about the Farm to School program that grows healthy kids, farms, and communities.
Great Trays
Learn about Great Trays, providing training for school nutrition leaders.
Great Trays Toolkit for School Foodservice
Toolkit provides tools, information, and resources to plan student-tested nutritious menus that meet current nutrition standards for school lunch and breakfast programs.
Child care providers
Are you a child care provider who would like to learn more about simple changes to mealtimes and snack-times to improve kids' well-being? If so, these courses are for you.
Workshops for school foodservice professionals
Bring one of these workshops on increasing participation in school breakfast, creating Smarter Lunchrooms, serving fruits and vegetables, and lowering sodium to your school district.
Go Wild with Fruits & Veggies! educational package
Go Wild with Fruits & Veggies! is a is a comprehensive program that encourages students in grades 3-5 to eat more fruits and vegetables, and become more physically active.