The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is community-based and provides research-based food and nutrition education to Michigan residents who are receiving or eligible for food stamps in each of Michigan's 82 counties.  The FNP is provided in collaboration with MSUE, the Michigan Family Independence Agency, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.  Education focuses on shopping behavior, food safety, dietary quality and food security.  In addition to individual or group series, educational opportunities include presentations and a variety of promotional educational activities.

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MSU Extension Osceola County Nutrition Education

Links to Internet Resources Below:

• Nibbles University of Illinois - Ideas for Families on Parenting, Nutrition, Daycare & School Success
• Food Stamp Nutrition Connection
• MyPyramid & MyPyramid for Kids
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
• Food Safety Information
• 24 Carrot Press
• Consumer Reports on Health
• Senior Series Fact Sheets Ohio State University
• Washington State Dairy Council
• National Dairy Council
• Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis

Growing Readers is a gardening project with low-income families that have small children. MSU Extension staff goes to each family's home breaks ground, plants a garden, helps maintain a garden with bi-monthly visits. Each visit there is a lesson for the parents and children that include eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, literacy, food safety, and preservation of the foods they grow.

 First year garden.  The Mantis Tiller Donation made  our jobs easier.  

This family's soil was very sandy, we had to transplant what we could salvage into containers.

Horse manure compost was applied to the garden below.

Project FRESH, Michigan's Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, provides participants in WIC with nutrition education and coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at local farmers' markets.  In addition to providing fresh produce to nutritionally at-risk individuals, the program promotes awareness and use of farmers' markets as well as Michigan-grown produce.  Project FRESH is a joint program of the Michigan Department of Community Health and MSUE and is available in 75 Michigan counties.  In 2003, over 34,000 nutritionally at-risk, low-income women and children received Project FRESH coupons.  Of participants returning a follow-up survey, 63 percent reported eating more fruits and vegetables, 40 percent bought a fruit or vegetable that they had never tried before, and 51 percent learned a new way to prepare or cook fresh fruits or vegetables.  Of farmers returning a follow-up survey, 78 percent reported that participating in Project FRESH increased their farmers' market sales.

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory.

Furthering Families

Furthering Families provides informational materials to help families cope with food safety, financial management, and family stress issues.

Furthering Families is a grant-funded partnership between Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture made available through the Bovine TB Eradication Project.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program(EFNEP) 

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) provides nutrition education to low-income families with children. MSU Extension instructors provide education in a way that is fun and interesting to help families maximize their resources.

Family Nutrition Program

The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) provides nutrition education to anyone eligible for or receiving food stamp benefits. MSU Extension collaborates with other agencies to coordinate efforts and refer families to local community services that best meet the families' needs.

This website is an outcome of the work done as part of the Voices and Visions Food Safety Project directed by the MSU Extension Food Safety Area of Expertise Team and the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center at Michigan State University. Be sure to look at the page of useful links.

Food Preservation Resources

MSUE Preserving Food Safely

National  Center for Home Food Preservation

Penn State Home Food Preservation Database