Health and wellbeing in Cassia County

Health and wellbeing

Family and consumer sciences programs work to improve the quality of life of adults, children and families — specifically through healthy lifestyles, nutrition, food safety and financial management. Contact the UI Extension, Cassia County office at cassia@uidaho.edu or 208-878-9461 for information on current classes and programs.

Home food preservation

UI Extension is your source for current and safe recommendations for preserving foods at home. Explore food preservation information, classes and resources.

Preservation series

Learn how to produce high quality preserved foods and the science behind food preservation and food safety. Individuals with little or no previous food preservation experience are welcome to enroll. This workshop is offered several times throughout the year. Classes are taught by local UI Extension educators throughout the Magic Valley area. Classes include the most up-to-date recommendations from USDA research. The program has four sessions and a six-hour lab for hands-on food preservation. For more information, please contact Grace Wittman at 208-878-9461 or gwittman@uidaho.edu.

Topics include:

• Food safety
• Canning acid foods (fruits, tomatoes)
• Canning low acid foods (meats, vegetables)
• Making jams, jellies and preserves
• Pickling
• Dehydration
• Freezing

Preserve at home 
Preserve@Home is a six-week online course includes downloadable educational material, online discussion board to facilitate student interaction, a real-time chat with classmates and open book lesson quizzes. Individuals with little or no previous food preservation experience are welcome to enroll. Contact the UI Extension, Cassia County office at cassia@uidaho.edu or 208-878-9461 for information.

Food safety advisors

Master Food Safety Advisors are volunteers who donate their time to provide safe, up-to-date food safety information to community members. Anyone with an interest in food preservation and food safety can apply for the Master Food Safety Advisor Program by taking the Home Food Preservation Series. Contact the UI Extension, Cassia County office at cassia@uidaho.edu or 208-878-9461 for information.

After the course, participants volunteer 30 hours of community service. They provide reliable, research-based food preservation information to the community.

Service opportunities include

• Answering telephone calls
• Assisting with and/or teaching classes
• Staffing booths
• Making displays

Eat Smart Idaho

Eat Smart Idaho provides nutrition and physical activity education for limited resource Idahoans. Eat Smart Idaho helps adults and families learn the basics of healthy eating, smart shopping, food safety, quick meal preparation, managing limited grocery dollars and higher levels of physical activity.

Classes are taught at emergency food sites, food stamp offices, adult rehabilitation centers, public housing sites and schools with many free and reduced lunch participants.

For more information, please visit the UI Extension Eat Smart Idaho website, or contact Cammie Jayo, Eat Smart Idaho program coordinator, at cjayo@uidaho.edu or 208-734-9590.