Food and the Environment

Collage of fiddleheads in colander and fiddlehead ferns in the ground.

Fiddleheads and Food Safety

— By Kathy Savoie, Extension Professor, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Fiddleheads—you either love them or don’t want them anywhere near your plate! My family loves them, so we’ve had many spring adventures along riverbanks, streams, and brooks during early May in pursuit of these delicacies. Like all enthusiasts, I can’t reveal my secret place. […]

Read more

Collage of cabbage, tomatoes, and conning jars.

How to Plan Your Garden for Canning and Preserving

— By Kate McCarty, Food Systems Professional, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Planting a Preserving Garden Early spring is a great time to plan your garden for the upcoming season. This year, plan to grow a little extra so you can preserve fresh vegetables for later use. Plan ahead and plant vegetables that are easy […]

Read more

Cutting Costs on Food Using the Unit Price Label

This blog post is a part of our “Ask EFNEP” series where members of UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) answer questions they are asked when delivering food and nutrition programs. This question was answered by Brenda Bracy and is part two of a two part series going over how to […]

Read more

Family of four grocery shopping, two adults, one is a woman and one is a man, and there are two boys in a shopping cart.boys

Saving Money on Food for the New Year

This blog post is the second of our “Ask EFNEP” series where members of UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) answer questions they are asked when delivering food and nutrition programs. This question was answered by Brenda Bracy. Brenda has worked with EFNEP in Cumberland County for the past 25 years. […]

Read more

several reusable water bottles on a table

Reducing Your Foodprint in the New Year

As we prepare to start a fresh, new year, consider how your food choices can make a positive impact on your foodprint and the world we live in. What is a Foodprint? A “foodprint” is the sum of all impacts our food intake has on the environment, animals, and people. It takes many resources to […]

Read more

Storage containers in a refrigerator with fresh produce on the shelves

Reducing Your Foodprint: Back to School Lunches

What is a Foodprint? A “foodprint” is the sum of all the resources that are used to produce our food, as well as the impacts our food systems have on the environment, animal welfare, farmers, and other workers within food systems, the local economy, and public health. Five Tips to Reduce Your Lunch Foodprint Reducing […]

Read more

How to Make the Most of Your Leftovers

Got leftovers? Don’t be so quick to toss extra food into the trash. You can safely store your delicious dishes to enjoy later and prevent foodborne illness by following a few important steps. Before deciding to store your leftovers, ask yourself these two questions:  Has your dish entered the “Temperature Danger Zone” of between 40-140 […]

Read more

Healthy diet vegan food, veggie protein sources: Tofu, vegan milk, beans, lentils, nuts, soy milk, spinach and seeds. Top view on white table.

Where Do You Get Your Protein? A Helpful Guide To Plant-Based Protein Options

Are you curious about incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet but worried about not getting enough protein throughout the day? There are plenty of healthy, affordable, sustainable, and delicious plant-based protein options. Whether it’s plant-based protein options such as tofu, tempeh, seitan, legumes, nuts, seeds, or quinoa, there are plenty of plant-based protein options […]

Read more

assorted dried beans, peas and lentils in sacks

How to Become a Vegetarian

Have you been thinking about a plant-based diet? Maybe you have embraced “meatless Mondays” or your interest in a vegetarian diet is fueled by concerns for animal welfare or the environment, or as a way to improve your health. Whatever your reason for choosing a vegetarian diet, I have tips and resources you can use. […]

Read more