This blog is written by our staff who live throughout the State of Maine. They write tips for shopping, cooking, and eating healthy on a budget.
Whether you are from Kittery, Fort Kent, or anywhere in between, we hope that you will find something useful to help you and your family live healthier lifestyles.
Pro tip: Sort blog posts using the dropdown menu in the sidebar to explore more about Maine SNAP-Ed!
Written by Nutrition Educator, Holly Stuhr. Kids can be really picky eaters. To make your mealtime more enjoyable and less of a battle, set a Good Food Mood with these tips. #1 Get your little chef helping in the kitchen! Cooking together takes the mystery out of what they are eating. If kids help to…
Written by Beth Chamberlain, Nutrition Educator in Waldo County Do you decorate with pumpkins or are you more likely to sip your morning brew flavored with pumpkin spice? Maybe you do both! This time of year many a doorstep is donning a pumpkin or two, which adds a splash of color to the faded hues…
Written by Beth Chamberlain. Nutrition Educator, Waldo County. Several years ago Mark Bittman, well known American food journalist and cookbook author, wrote an article for the NY Times called, “Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less,” (find the article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/dining/18mini.html, or click to view as a PDF). While some of…
By Nicole Gurreri, Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator at Healthy Acadia In the heat of summertime, it’s hard to feel motivated to create healthy meals all day. Wouldn’t you rather be swimming or hiking than grocery shopping and cooking?! Simplify mealtimes this summer by transforming one pantry staple into three easy meals! Read on to learn…
Written by Beth Chamberlain, Maine SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator in Waldo County. With warm weather upon us we can be sure our community food pantry will be offering fresh, local produce. Or maybe you’re getting your garden fix from a nearby farm. Either way, with the growing season underway you may soon find yourself overrun with…
Beans are nutritious and delicious and have a very long shelf life. All good attributes! This post will teach you how to make dried beans a regular part of your cooking routine.
Loved by many for being budget-friendly, quick to prepare, and super versatile, oats are also well-known for being one of the healthiest grains on Earth. Benefits of oats Oats are a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. They even have positive effects on blood sugar, heart health, and digestive health. Beyond a simple…
Watch Nutrition Educators Cheryl and Jessica, from Somerset Public Health make Easy Red Beans and Rice. This simple recipe is made from mostly pantry staples and can be modified to meet your needs. Recipe tips: Swap fresh garlic for garlic powder Use black or pinto beans instead of red beans Fill a whole wheat wrap…
Growing success with the Growing Gardeners program Kingfield is a small, rural town nestled in the mountains of western Maine. In this small town is a gardening program with a BIG impact. The Growing Gardners program began in 2015 as a six- to eight-week after-school program. Volunteers and community partners worked with a Maine SNAP-Ed…
Whether you are a parent, guardian, educator, food service director, or another person who interacts with children in Maine, your influence is working. Data from the 2017 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) indicate that 74% of fifth and sixth graders in Maine choose fruit two or more times daily. Kids are getting the message…