Food, Nutrition and Health Information

Local News

Chautauqua 2012
(Posted on 1/31/2012)
March is the month that most gardeners come out of hibernation. Pruning, raking, tilling and clean-up will start in earnest. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach can help you ease into the bustle and have some fun by coming to the 9th Annual Horticulture Chautauqua in New Hampton. The Chautauqua was popular 100 years ago when people attended lectures for current information. Today, everything is on the internet, but it is still hard to beat a real person who can answer your questions! The Northeast Iowa Horticulture Chautauqua will be held on Saturday, March 3 from 9 am to 3 pm at the New Hampton Middle School. Twelve presentations will be offered covering a wide variety of topics. Participants will choose four sessions to attend that day.

ServSafe® Training Coming to Decorah
(Posted on 1/18/2012)
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering ServSafe® food safety training to help you meet industry standards. This training is recognized by more health jurisdictions than any other food safety training program in the United States. Created by the industry, for the industry, the ServSafe® program is one of the industry’s strongest educational programs and is administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. (NRAEF)

New Online Tool Helps Users Explore Potential Markets
(Posted on 4/14/2011)
If you are a farmer, the age-old question of “how much of a market is there?” has plagued you forever. A new tool may help Iowa farmers answer that question, at least if they grow fruit and vegetable crops. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Iowa State’s Transportation Research Institute have teamed up to create the web-based Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Market Planner.

News from Iowa State University Extension

Morel Mushroom Certification Workshops Scheduled for March and April
(Posted on 2/9/2012)
Individuals who would like to be able to sell morel mushrooms legally within the state of Iowa can take a three-hour certification workshop in March or April. Workshops are being offered at several locations across the state.

Use MyPlate to Make a Better Pizza
(Posted on 1/31/2012)
One food with the potential to include all the food groups is pizza. But can this well-loved entree that is notoriously high in fat, sodium and carbohydrates fit on MyPlate? Yes it can, with a few modifications,says an ISU Extension and Outreach nutrition specialist.

Forget ‘Forbidden’ – Focus on Foods to Eat More Often
(Posted on 1/3/2012)
Many people make New Year’s resolutions to slim down. Their plans often involve rigid diet regimens that make them feel deprived. So instead of avoiding "forbidden" foods, focus on foods you can eat more often, says an ISU Extension and Outreach nutrition specialist.

Healthy Choices Don’t Have to be on Hold during Holidays
(Posted on 12/19/2011)
Make smarter choices during food-filled holiday festivities, says Sarah Francis, an ISU Extension and Outreach nutrition specialist. Control portion size, exercise and join the Live Healthy Iowa Challenge.

Poverty and Food Needs Profiles Offer County Data
(Posted on 12/16/2011)
Poverty statistics have climbed during the past decade, and food insecurity rates have increased across Iowa and the nation as a whole. Researchers from Iowa State University have assembled the latest data on these issues in a series of publications, now available online.

Eat Simpler, Healthier with New Healthy & Homemade Cookbook
(Posted on 12/6/2011)
Need a holiday gift or an addition to a personal cookbook collection? The Healthy & Homemade cookbook from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is a great resource for any family.

Videos Demonstrate Internet Supply/Demand Tool for Farmers, Markets and Consumers
(Posted on 11/30/2011)
Take a tour of the MarketMaker website by viewing recently released videos highlighting everything MarketMaker has available. MarketMaker is an online tool connecting family shoppers with farmers and everyone in between – including restaurants and grocery stores.

Get Answers to Holiday Food, Stain Removal Questions from ISU Extension’s Answer Line
(Posted on 11/15/2011)
What’s the best way to thaw a frozen turkey? Is it safe to make pies and vegetable dishes a couple days before the big family gathering? And what’s the best way to deal with the leftovers? To get answers to these and other holiday food questions, call Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Answer Line, 800-262-3804.

Extension Food Safety Specialist to Conduct Seminar on New Federal Law
(Posted on 11/7/2011)
Angela Laury will work with Iowa producers and manufacturers to promote food safety as the new food safety specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. One of her first assignments is introducing food producers to the Food Safety Modernization Act, a new federal law designed to encourage food safety through preventive measures.

Third Group of Iowa Volunteers Visits Uganda
(Posted on 10/12/2011)
A third group of volunteers traveled to Uganda in August this year as part of the rural development program, Bridging the Gap: Increasing Competitiveness of Ugandan Women Farmers in the Marketplace. This farmer-to-farmer program pairs Iowa women farmers with eight groups of women farmers in the Kamuli District of Uganda.

Staff

Lynette Houser - Regional Youth Coordinator
Phone: 563-382-2949
Fax: 563-382-2940
Email: lmanders@iastate.edu

Cindy Baumgartner - Nutrition and Health Specialist
Phone: 563-927-4201
Fax: 563-927-3744
Email: cbaum@iastate.edu