University of Illinois Extension

Events (6)

Tweens Pop-Up Walking Club

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Mon, 06/21/2021 - 12:00 - Fri, 06/25/2021 - 12:00

Henry Public Library, 702 Front Street, Henry, IL 61537

Tweens walking club written on animated trees and sun

Five Flavors: How the Palate Changes: Lessons for Living July

2 PM

Thu, 07/08/2021 - 12:00

Online

colorful spices

Tweens Pop-Up Walking Club

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Mon, 07/12/2021 - 12:00 - Fri, 07/16/2021 - 12:00

Putnam County Library, 214 N 4th Street, Hennepin, IL 61327

Tweens walking club written on animated trees and sun

Making Fresh Salsa

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Tue, 07/13/2021 - 12:00

Putnam County Community Center, 128 First St., Standard, IL 61363

salsa ingredients onion, tomato, lime, cilantro

Tweens Pop-Up Walking Club

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Mon, 07/26/2021 - 12:00 - Fri, 07/30/2021 - 12:00

Memorial Park, Wyanet, IL 61379

Tweens walking club written on animated trees and sun

A Taste of the Food Forest: Black Currants

6 PM - 7 PM

Thu, 08/19/2021 - 12:00

Refuge Food Forest (701 E Lincoln Street, Normal, IL)

Blog Posts (97)

What to expect at the farmers market

farmers market vendors and produce

Is ghee healthier than other fats?

A spoon scooping ghee out of a glass jar. Flowers on the table around the jar.

How much caffeine is too much?

Two cups of coffee on platers with a leaf design in the foam.

Make the most of berry season

Text says "make the most of berry season" with a picture of a dozen blackberries in the background.

Improve your health with the Mediterranean diet

May is Mediterranean Diet Month: Golden retriever puppy saying Time to Explore the world's healthiest eating plan

Eat a radish from top to bottom

Eat a Radish from Top to Bottom

Can you say Worcestershire?

Text says "Can you say Worcestershire?" with an image of sliced meatloaf

Eat your best to de-stress!

busy parent

Where to get your vitamin D sources

Text says "sources of vitamin D" with image of sun shining in a field

Get your fruits and vegetables in by sampling the seasons

Text says "Get your fruits and vegetables in by sampling the seasons" and image is of carrots.

Eating for a healthy gut

Text says "Eating for a healthy gut" with a picture of a yogurt parfait with yogurt, granola, and berries

Practice self-care to manage stress

Puppy chewing on a rope. Chew on this... Practice self-care to manage stress

What's the difference between scallions and green onions?

Bowl of cut green onions.

Turn strawberries into jam and fruit leather and salsa

Turn strawberries into jam and fruit leather and salsa

Debunking five nutrition myths

Overhead view of a bowl of oatmeal with fruit, a cup of coffee, and avocado on a cutting board.

Save on sodium with homemade refried beans

A maroon bowl with refried beans

Homemade granola bars

A stack of granola bars on a white plate.

What onions (and alliums) to use when

What Onions (and Alliums) to Use When

Shift your habits for better nutrition

healthy shift ideas like using olive oil instead of butter, eating quinoa instead of white rice and choosing sugar-free beverages over soda and juice.

Savor the versatility of poppy seeds

A white bowl full of poppy seeds.

For the love of mashed foods

Mashed sweet potatoes in a bowl

5 heart healthy breakfasts under 5 minutes

5 heart healthy breakfast items including oatmeal, protein smoothies, avocado salad on toast and egg scramble wraps

How to improve the quality of your sleep

Getting quality sleep and be ruff - puppy sleeping

All life stages accounted for in the new dietary guidelines

Grapes, tomato, lettuce, bread, cheese, meat, and red pepper.

Healthy eating – Is more than you realize

Food Journal, healthy foods and sweet desserts

Enjoying Sweet Potatoes All Over the Country

Enjoying Sweet Potatoes All Over the Country

Thanksgiving 2020

thanksgiving dinner

Cabbage Recipes for Every Season

Every Season Recipes for Cabbage

9 Sweet and Savory Pumpkin Recipes

Sweet and savory pumpkin recipes with tips on shopping, storing, and cooking

Get in-spiralized by zoodles

Spiralized zucchini and carrot noodles on a black plate, with a whole carrot and zucchini off to the side.

Pumpkin, a fall favorite

Nutrition and Pumpkins

The versatility of cauliflower

Three slices of cauliflower on a cutting board.

Meals in the Field for Farm Families

Farming combine in background with text in foreground reading Meals in the Field

Making quick meals for at-home learning

Four quesadilla slices and pico de gallo on a blue plate

Bring home the starfruit

A wicker basket on a table filled with a dozen starfruit.

3 Apple Side Dishes for Fall

Three apples on wood background

Know your knives

Chopped tomatoes surrounding a knife

Pass the chili sauce

What to eat and avoid during pregnancy

Photo of pregnant woman

Pickling is old tradition with new appeal

photo of pickles

Perk up your dinner with pesto

Basil leaves on a wooden table.

Pump up the iron with iron-rich foods

Yellow weight on a barbell.

Don’t believe everything you read, except this

healthy immune system from eating fruits and vegetables

Why water?

Blue background, glass in the middle of picture with water being poured into it.

Eating Beets from Root to Stalk

Fresh beets with leaves and stems on granite background

Think food safety before you hit the trails

Hiking trail in the woods.

We're moving!

Tablet with food surrounding

Put your freezer to work

Ice cubes

Canned fruit counts

Chicken and vegetable recipe in gray bowl, set on table with fork and spooon.

Ripe for Eggplant Season

Little Bok Choy Cabbages Welcome Big Flavors

Bok choy on marbled background

A2: A New Milk on the Market

glass of milk with straw set on a picnic table

Practice Mindful Eating for Your Health

person eating apple

Picnic Safety and Fun

Grass with sun coming through the trees.

Lactose intolerance: do you have to avoid dairy completely?

Milk pouring into glass set on wooden table

Fighting to Reduce Food Waste

Garbage can with overflowing food

Don’t Leave Behind the Leftovers!

Casserole

Burgers Meet Meatless Alternatives

black bean burger

Dye Spring Colorful with Plant-Based Egg Dyes

Wicker basket filled with live grass, flowers, and dyed eggs

Matcha Madness: Health Benefits & Recipes

Green tea late with foam flower in a white mug

Fishing for Omega 3's During Lent

Salmon fillet

Sweet, Hot, or Smoked Paprika?

spices

University of Illinois Extension Helps Area Residents "Live Well"

parents and baby

Fill Up on Phyllo Cups

puff pastry

3 easy ways to boost fiber in your meals & snacks

Time to prioritize family mealtimes

Cooking Together

spoon with heart

Show your heart some love with these 3 lifestyle tips

What Makes Brown Sugar Brown?

orange and brown sugar

Persistent Persimmons

persimmons

Soy sauce varieties: What's the best option?

soy sauce and chopsticks

The Wisdom of Elderberries

elderberry

Dare to Cook with Dill

Dill coated white fish and asparagus on white plate and blue background

Getting Outdoors for Campfire Cooking

Cast iron pot hanging over campfire

Healthy Holiday Hacks

wreath

The Secrets of Sour Cream

potatoes

Roasting Your Favorite Root Vegetables

vegetables

Jerky Guide: Shopping, Storing and Preparing

Three strips of jerky on white plate with blue background

The Temptation of Tempeh

tempeh

Extension staff help address food insecurity in Tazewell County

Man receiving food sample

Benefits of Pumpkin

pumpkin

Should I Eat Like a Caveman?

porridge

Winter Squash, Autumn Favorite

squash

Wild Eats - Part 1 (Introduction to Deer)

Deer eating near tree

Wild Eats: Easy Venison Recipes

Wild Eats: Venison Nutrition and Cooking Tips

Chimichurri sauce over sliced venison

The Mysterious Pumpkin Seed

pumpkin seeds

5 healthy aging tips for all ages

The Many Benefits of Ginger

ginger

A Squeeze of Lime

lime

Keeping Citrus Simple with Lime, Lemon, and Orange

Picture of a lemon, lime, and orange on white background

Asparagus: A Spring Delicacy

Make it at Home: Sauerkraut

Game for Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scape on gray background

Age well with the Mediterranean diet

Paprika: The Story Behind the Spice

Cooked chicken wing, leg, and thigh

Make the most of your oats

Sweet and Savory Oats

News Releases (78)

Making fresh salsa class offered at Putnam County Community Center

Add spice to your life with growing and cooking with herbs program

Free Summer Healthy Kids Pop-Up Walking Clubs Ages 8-12

Food Myths: Debunked

Five benefits of walking by pacing Carlinville Plaza with Extension

Únase a Abriendo Caminos y despeje el camino hacia la salud Hispana con la Extensión de la Universidad de Illinois

Join Abriendo Caminos and Clear the Path to Hispanic Health with University of Illinois Extension

Choose Healthy Foods From Local Growers

"Eggs, From Farm to Fork" class being offered

Exploring Current Diet Trends: The Good, the Bad, and the Hard to Maintain

SNAP-Ed Healthy Cents lessons reach adults online

Volunteer Training for Abriendo Caminos, Clearing the Path to Hispanic Health, being offered

Illinois Extension leads efforts to address food insecurity in DeWitt and Piatt Counties

National Nutrition Month

Prevent, manage heart disease with healthy food choices

Meals for a Healthy Heart Free Online Classes with Cooking Demonstrations

Know your oats this Oatmeal Month

January Is National Baking Month

Health at Home Holiday Edition Free Webinar Series

Be creative with your Thanksgiving meal

Illinois Extension staff honored for life-changing programs

Extension Partners with Local Food Pantries

Extension campaign gives tips for reducing diabetes risk

Dining Out without Filling Out Virtual Class Offered

Hearty Soups and Stews Virtual Class and Cooking Demonstration Offered

Healthy Meals in the Field for Farm Families

Partnership connects urban youth to careers in ag and food innovation

Practical tips to manage your diabetes

New report shows UI Extension generates value 10 times its budget

September is Hunger Action Month

Stethoscope aids SNAP-Ed lessons in a unique way

Seniors, don’t just eat cereal for dinner

Carbohydrate Counting Basics webinar helps with meal planning for diabetes

Find Food Illinois: new community map locates food assistance sites

Calling All Creative Young Chefs to Show Us Your Cooking Skills

Stay hydrated in summer heat

Planning to Can Tomatoes

Reduce your risk of diabetes with proper nutrition

Celebrate National Grilling Month with important tips, new recipes

Tips for Preventing Apples from Turning Brown

Perfect Your Pickles

What’s Wrong with My Jam?

Take care of your teeth

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Dry and Dry Again

Fun with Fermentation

Freezing Garden Produce For Best Results

June Meal Tip

Upgrade Your Salad

Use safe, tested methods for preserving food

The Mediterranean Lifestyle

Fill your pantry with home-preserved foods

Every Step Counts

Is Gluten-Free Right for Me?

Cracking Open Canned Food Myths

Using Fresh Herbs in the Kitchen

Creative Cooking with Fewer Ingredients

“Egg”cellent Food Safety Tips

Improve your health at home: Online Webinar

New website offers advice for feeding babies

Tips for Keeping Frozen Food Fresh

Illinois Extension Offers Tips for National Nutrition Month

What's the Best Diet/ Plant-Based Eating Trend Grows

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Real Heart this Year

Extension Offers Free Program about Arthritis and Inflammation

Preparing Soup For the Heart - Jersey County

Preparing Soup For the Heart - Montgomery County

Preparing Soup For the Heart - Christian County

Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network Awards Six Mini-Grants

Registration open for University of Illinois Extension “Prevent T2” – a Proven Diabetes Prevention Program

University of Illinois Extension offering Certified Food Protection Managers Class & Exam in January - Montgomery County

Hack your January with Easy Slow Cooking Meal Preparation

Game Plan for a Healthier Holiday Season

University of Illinois Extension offering Certified Food Protection Managers Class & Exam in January - Macoupin County

Starting a School Garden Workshop Series Open to All Types of School Staff and Volunteers

Nourish Your Neighbor by Donating Healthy Food

Illinois Extension joins nationwide celebration of impact of school lunch programs

Extension Offers Free Program about Saving Money on Food Costs

Health Fair and Health Screenings Available at Mobile Food Market

Staff (12)

Margaret Cover

Margaret Cover

EFNEP Educator

Shasta Hladovcak

Community Worker, SNAP-Ed

Louise Hyneman

Louise Hyneman

SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator

Caitlin Mellendorf

Caitlin Mellendorf

Nutrition and Wellness Educator

Deosia

Deosia Miller

Champaign County EFNEP Community Worker

ACES Associate Dean and Director of Extension Dr. Shelly Nickols-Richardson

Shelly Nickols-Richardson

Associate Dean and Director of Extension

Lisa Peterson

Lisa Peterson

Acting County Director and Nutrition and Wellness Educator

Nayaab Sattar

Nayaab Sattar

SNAP-Ed Educator

Rebecca Schafer

SNAP-Ed Community Worker

Lorie Schwerer

Lorie Schwerer

McDonough County Office Support Assistant

staff photo of Kaitlyn Streitmatter

Kaitlyn Streitmatter

SNAP-Ed Educator

Melinda Vortman

Melinda Vortman

SNAP-Ed Program Coordinator