Nutrition Connections - UNH Extension

12/31/2025

Cooking with kids doesn’t have to be messy, stressful, or perfect! 🍽️

Kids are more likely to try new foods when they help make them — and every age can pitch in! 👶

Here are age-appropriate kitchen helpers (based on CACFP guidance):

👶 Ages 2–3:
✔️ Practice washing hands & wiping surfaces
✔️ Play with safe utensils
✔️ Move pre-measured ingredients
✔️ Add ingredients to a bowl
✔️ Scrub or break soft fruits/veggies
Why it works: Builds confidence & curiosity with simple, safe tasks.

👦 Age 4:
✔️ All of the above
✔️ Peel easy fruits (like oranges or eggs)
✔️ Mash fruits/cooked veggies
✔️ Help set the table
✔️ Cut with safe, dull scissors
Why it works: Fine motor skills are developing — more meaningful participation!

👧 Ages 5–6:
✔️ All of the above
✔️ Help measure dry ingredients (stir, spoon, level)
✔️ Use simple tools (hand whisk, plastic knife)
✔️ Crush crackers or sprinkle toppings
Why it works: Great age for measuring and simple food prep.

👨‍👩‍👧 Ages 6–8:
✔️ All of the above
✔️ Clean and prep produce
✔️ Gather ingredients & equipment
✔️ Measure liquids
✔️ Crack eggs & knead dough
✔️ Help with dishwasher or cleanup
Why it works: They can follow steps and help with real prep work!

🧑‍🍳 Ages 9–12:
✔️ All of the above
✔️ Safe knife skills (chopping/dicing)
✔️ Work electric tools with help
✔️ Read labels & follow recipes
✔️ Plan simple meals
✔️ Take lead on cleanup
Why it works: Older kids can make real contributions and feel proud!

👶 Teens & Up:
✔️ All of the above
✔️ Create flavor combinations
✔️ Plan full meals
✔️ Teach younger siblings how to help
Why it works: Teens can take on more leadership and creative roles!

✨ Bonus: When kids help in the kitchen, they’re more likely to try the foods they helped prepare — and feel good about eating them!

👉 Save this for the next time your little helper wants to “stir!”

12/09/2025

5 Ways to Stretch Your Groceries When Every Dollar Counts ⤵️

Feeding your family in winter can feel extra hard — prices go up, kids are home more, and meals get bigger.

Here are 5 ways to stretch what you already have and make groceries last all week 👉 Swipe for tips that actually help.

12/04/2025

🌱 Calling NH educators and parents!

The MENA Research Lab is looking for YOUR voice in a new study about early childhood nutrition and parent engagement.

You may be asked to:
✔ Fill out short surveys about health and nutrition in early childhood
✔ Join group discussions about Farm to Early Childhood (Farm to ECE)
✔ Share ideas on how programs can better support families

Your input helps improve resources and nutrition education for young children across New Hampshire.

Interested? Fill out this quick screener and the team will reach out with details:
👉 https://unh.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eFCef3N9aJuYoHI

Thank you for helping support healthier starts for NH kids! 🌾💛

https://youtu.be/QFycRIBExwQ?si=jrIM51x_1RY0KFps

The MENA Research Lab invites educators and parents to participate in the Farm to Early Childhood and Parent Engagement research study. Educators may fill ou...

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

11/03/2025

These mobile sites are available for SNAP recipients only beginning Wednesday.

11/03/2025

👇👇👇

L.I.F.E. Ministries received gold level certification

WOLFEBORO — L.I.F.E. Ministries Food Pantry has been recognized as a Gold Certified Nutrition Pantry under the Nutrition Pantry Program (NPP), a nationwide program that combines the best practices of healthy pantry work with a “trauma-informed” approach. The program is sponsored by Leah’s Pantry, a California-based organization founded in 2006, and coordinated locally by the New Hampshire Food Bank. L.I.F.E. Ministries is one of only six food pantries in New Hampshire to receive this certification.
NPP applies principles and processes that promote a client and community-centered distribution. It lifts up the strengths of each pantry by offering technical assistance, resources, idea sharing, and connection to the community. The program measures six focus areas:
• Cultural and Dietary Accommodation: People of different backgrounds have access to food and information that fits their preferences and health needs.
• Nutrition Education: Clients, volunteers, and staff have access to nutritional and culinary education.
• Environment: Clients are warmly welcomed and healthy options are easy to access.
• Inventory, Food Sourcing and Waste Reduction: Healthy foods are prioritized for distribution. Pantries support a variety of waste reduction efforts.
• Community Connections: Pantries connect and collaborate with the community.
• Policies and Procedures: Policies and procedures are documented and align with a commitment to dignified, healthy distribution.
The program was coordinated by Tom Fiser, Vice President, and Diane Rock, Food Pantry Coordinator, along with volunteer Patty Walker, a Registered Dietician whose guidance on nutritional aspects of the program was invaluable. They worked closely with Meredith Howe, who coordinated the program for the New Hampshire Food Bank. Joy Gagnon, Health and Well-Being Teacher for UNH Extension who has been a long-time resource for the Pantry, has conducted nutrition classes for our clients. Blaine Kaiser, Operations Manager, and Kathy Davey, Food Coordinator, worked with the team to review our inventory and begin making adjustments to increase the availability of healthy food options.
“The Nutrition Pantry Program has been a significant achievement for us in two major ways,” said Bill Connors, the Food Pantry’s President. “From the nutritional standpoint, it is a big step toward focusing on nutrition education and increasing the availability of healthy food choices. We have an obligation to our clients to promote healthy nutrition, and we have an obligation to the donors who make our work possible to ensure that we are providing healthy food for our clients. Secondly, our Gold Level Certification is a major accomplishment. Our volunteers and our leadership team have worked hard to ensure that we have a highly functioning organization. This verifies that we are indeed operating at the Gold Standard.”
Connors also noted that our pantry staff – already a highly-motivated, hard working group of volunteers – was excited and inspired by the program.
“Thank you to everyone involved – not only the team who worked so hard on this program, but all of the volunteers who contribute so much effort to caring for our clients, and to Leah’s Pantry and the New Hampshire Food Bank for this recognition,” he said.
Although the Pantry has received this certification, the work is far from over; the NPP will be a program of continuous improvement, with periodic reassessments to be held in the future.