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Food and Family

Find Food Access Sites Near You

Sauk Valley Food Bank

Enter your zip code into the box on the "Get Help" tab to show food pantries and distribution sites near you. Follow their Facebook page for information about other ways to get food, including drive-thru giveaways.

Sauk Valley Foodbank

Find Food IL

This statewide resource shows food pantries and meal sites, as well as, grocery stores and farm markets that accept SNAP/LINK and WIC.

Find Food IL

Fighting food insecurity in the Sauk Valley

OSF Healthcare maintains a list of community resources to assist individuals facing food insecurity. Most resources listed are near Dixon, IL. This list is updated at least once per year.

Food Access in the Sauk Valley

Healthy Food on a Budget

Having trouble putting healthy food on the table for your family with today's food prices? You're not alone. Extension can help you get the most from your food budget with information, recipes and tips for stretching your food dollars.

Food Preservation

Did you know Extension has food preservation resources, including free home canner testing? Call 815-632-3611 for an appointment to bring in your dial-gauge pressure canners to test for accuracy. If the dial-gauge is not measuring the correct pressure, foods may be under-processed, which increases the risk of serious illness from botulism. Annual testing is recommended.

Get up-to-date preserving information from Illinois Extension.

Cottage Food Law

Are you considering selling food grown or made in your home, like vegetables, breads, or custom cakes? If so, learn more about how to comply with the Illinois Cottage Food Seller regulations to ensure your products are safe for the public and your home business is in compliance with the law.

What to Feed Baby?

There is a lot information—sometimes conflicting!—about what, when and how to feed your baby. Illinois Extension can help with expert information to put you at ease when feeding your baby.

Healthy Family Choices

Illinois Nutrition Education Programs

Illinois Nutrition Education Programs provide nutrition education to individuals and families in communities around the state of Illinois. This program is provided as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed).

By providing easy solutions through in-person lessons and online resources, this program makes the healthy choice an easy choice where families eat, learn, live, shop, and play. Programs are based on current research and engage learners in practical, hands-on classes and activities.

Program staff also partner with local organizations as part of the overall effort to promote healthier food choices. By focusing on improving food access, increasing the likelihood of healthy choices, and helping families save more money, we are making a difference in the lives of Illinois families and their communities.