Nutrition Connections - UNH Extension

03/09/2026

🥞🍳 Last week was School Breakfast Week! Across New Hampshire, students enjoyed fun, nutritious breakfasts that start the day off right.

At Lempster Community School, students got to try homemade hollandaise sauce with eggs, pancakes, potatoes, and fresh fruit. Thanks to Superintendent Jim Lewis and Hunger Solutions for supporting this special week.

Over in Hudson, Dr. H. O. Smith Elementary celebrated with events at several schools, thanks to Food Service Director Karen Atheron, giving students healthy breakfasts and lots of smiles.

Our program is proud to support schools in making sure students have access to a healthy, balanced breakfasts because starting the day well nourished helps kids learn, grow, and thrive! 🌟

03/09/2026

If you’ve ever chopped, blended, or mixed vegetables into a meal so they go undetected, you’re definitely not alone.

Mixing vegetables into foods kids already enjoy can be a simple way to add nutrients to your child’s meals.

Some easy ways to try it:
🥕 Blend carrots or zucchini into tomato sauce
🥬 Add spinach
🧀 Mix mashed cauliflower into mac and cheese

While sneaking veggies in can help boost nutrition, it’s also important to keep offering vegetables in their whole forms too. Seeing and trying foods multiple times helps kids become more familiar with them. Research shows that repeated exposure can help children learn to accept new foods, even if they don’t like them at first.

Small steps can make a big difference when it comes to building healthy habits.


PickyEaterTips HealthyEating

03/06/2026

Looking for a simple way to start moving more?

Our Walk With Ease program can help.

This free six-week program is designed for adults who want to increase their physical activity safely and build confidence with movement.

Participants receive:
✔ A free guidebook
✔ Weekly lesson videos
✔ Encouragement and support
✔ Helpful tips for walking safely and comfortably

Research shows Walk With Ease can help:
• Reduce arthritis pain
• Improve strength and balance
• Increase confidence in being physically active

📅 Starts March 12
🕐 Thursdays | 12:30–1:30 PM
💻 Virtual via Zoom
💲 Free

Learn more and register here:

Whether you need relief from arthritis pain or just want to be active, the Arthritis Foundation’s six week self-directed Walk With Ease program can help you safely make physical activity a part of your everyday life!

02/27/2026

It’s - a great reminder that little changes can make a big difference for our kids & our own health ❤️

One little swap can make a big difference — like choosing whole grains, adding beans, picking fruit for snacks, cooking with olive oil, or using yogurt instead of full-fat dairy.

You don’t have to change everything at once. Pick one, try it this week, and see how it goes!

What swap will you try first? Drop it in the comments 👇

02/25/2026

Busy parents know slow cookers can save the day, but keeping meals safe is just as important as saving time. ❄️

Follow these simple food safety tips:
✅ Wash hands & thaw meat ahead
✅ Fill slow cooker ½–⅔ full — don’t overstuff
✅ Keep the lid on & cook until steaming hot
✅ Cool, store, and reheat leftovers safely
💡 Bonus: Prep veggies ahead, or use frozen for easy, stress-free meals

Safe, easy meals = less stress + happy family 💛

🔗 Check out our slow cooker recipes for more healthy, budget-friendly ideas (link in bio)

02/23/2026

Snowed in with the kids? ❄️ Cabin fever is real, and a few 5 minute movement breaks can save the day (and your sanity!)

Try these simple wiggle breaks⤵️:
🎶Dance to a favorite song - a few rounds of freeze dance can help burn some energy
🌋Play "the floor is lava" - lay pillows or other items on the floor & pretend the floor is lava
🔴 Quick scavenger hunt - search for items in your home. Examples: "find something red!"
🧘Do a family yoga session - throw on a kids yoga YouTube video

Even a few minutes of energy burned counts and you might get a tiny breather too 💛

02/11/2026

Putting together snacks that are balanced can feel stressful, especially on busy days... or on a tight budget... or when you’re already overwhelmed...

When in doubt, remember this simple tip👉 pair foods from 2 food groups.

This can help kids feel full longer and have the energy they need to grow and play.

Fresh, frozen, and canned foods all count.
Store-brand options work just fine.
And no — snacks don’t have to be perfect.

We’re here to help make feeding kids feel more doable, especially on a budget.

🔗 Learn more about our program (link in bio)

02/11/2026

If your child refuses vegetables every time they’re offered, you’re not alone & you’re not doing anything wrong 💛

Kids often need many chances to see & taste foods before they accept them. Pressure, forcing bites, or giving up completely can make it harder over time.

Instead, try offering vegetables in different forms like offering cooked instead of raw, mixed into familiar foods, or paired with flavors they already like.

These small changes can help kids feel safer exploring new foods while still supporting balanced meals. Progress doesn’t happen overnight.

👉 What is one food you can commit to offering in different forms this month!?

02/04/2026

🎉 BIG NEWS! NH Farm to School is now a part of UNH Extension!

Learn more below!

🎉 BIG NEWS! NH Farm to School is now a part of UNH Extension!

NH Farm to School is entering an exciting new phase as it moves under UNH Extension. Since 2003, the program has helped strengthen New Hampshire's local food system through education, policy, and strong partnerships nationwide.

With this transition, UNH Extension will build on that legacy by continuing to work alongside educators, farmers, and community partners to grow Farm to School efforts that connect young people to local food, agriculture, and healthy communities across NH.

01/28/2026

🥦🍅 Don’t let those veggies go to waste! Here are 5 easy ways to use them before they go bad:

1️⃣ Soups – Chop ‘em up and throw them in for a cozy, budget-friendly meal
2️⃣ Egg muffins, frittatas, or quiches – Great for breakfast or grab-and-go lunches
3️⃣ Pizza toppings – Load up your favorite veggies on homemade or store-bought pizza
4️⃣ Quesadillas – Sneak in peppers, spinach, or mushrooms for a quick, tasty dinner
5️⃣ Stir fry – Perfect for a fast, colorful dinner packed with veggies

💡 Tip: Freeze extra veggies if you can’t use them right away—they’ll last longer and save money!

What’s your favorite way to use up veggies? Tell us in the comments! 👇

11/13/2025

With the cost of groceries and everything going on with SNAP right now, it's understandable if grocery shopping feels stressful right now.😔 You’re not alone.

If you’re trying to stretch your budget and still offer healthy, filling meals for your family, MyPlate Kitchen is a free tool that can help. It’s full of easy, affordable recipes made with everyday ingredients, many of which use items you probably already have at home. 🍎🥫

You can even filter recipes by:
✅ What equipment you have (like stovetop, slow cooker, or microwave)
✅ Food groups you want to include (like veggies or whole grains)
✅ Time, cost, or ingredients you already have

It’s a great way to get new meal ideas that work for your family, and your budget. 💛

👉 Explore recipes here: https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-kitchen

11/05/2025

🎉Meet a couple of the amazing dietetic interns working with our program this fall: Liz & Whitney!

Both Liz and Whitney are working towards their Masters of Science degrees in Nutrition and completing their Dietetic Internships.

During their time with us, they have gained experience teaching kiddo's at NH Head Start sites about nutrition, moving their bodies & trying new foods!

We're so excited to have them working with us and happy to provide community nutrition experiences for this portion of their internships!

Comment a heart emoji below to show them some love! ❤️

Belknap-Merrimack Head Start and Early Head Start