The Extension Institute of Human Development & Relationships provides the tools Wisconsinites need to thrive as well-rounded, capable individuals and families. Our programs promote aging-friendly communities, coach effective parents and help families put technology, mindfulness and financial awareness to use.
We encourage consumers to use ‘Best By’ dates on food and beverage packaging as a guide to decision-making, knowing that these dates are applied to food packages as indicators of quality, not safety. Most food products are not even required to carry a ‘best by’ or ‘best if used by’ date. The exception to this […]
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It’s national Food Safety Education Month and National Family Meals Month. A great way to start the school year off right is to remember that food safety is the foundation of a delicious family meal. The Story of Your Dinner offers creative tools and messages to frame food safety throughout the chain of prevention — […]
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In time for Food Safety Education Month (September) and back-to-school, the USDA has issued back-to-school food safety tips focused on….hand washing. Why is Lesson #1 Hand Washing? According to Dr. Mindy Brashears, USDA Under-Secretary for Food Safety, USDA research has found that consumers fail to properly wash their hands 97% of the time. “Washing hands is one […]
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Households with children in grade school and high school will spend almost $700 on back-to-school shopping this fall, according to the National Retail Federation. Clothing, electronics, and school supplies are the top three expenses listed by families in the Federation’s annual July survey. Households with a college student will spend closer to $1000 this year […]
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A short heat process known as blanching is generally recommended before freezing of vegetables. Some canning recipes also call for a short blanching, or heating, step prior to placing vegetables into the jar. Blanching helps to stabilize the color, especially of peas and other green vegetables, and it protects flavor and texture. Blanching also helps to cleanse […]
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Federal law gives everyone the right to request three free credit reports each year—one each from the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. There are three ways to order your free credit report: through the mail, by phone toll-free, or at the official website AnnualCreditReport.com. Extension’s “Check Your Free Credit Report: 2/2, 6/6, 10/10” […]
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Cutting Food Waste While Maintaining Food Safety Published on April 15, 2019April 15, 2019 by Barb Ingham Food safety and food waste are both major concerns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually – the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans […]
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Finding reliable information online Published on April 12, 2019 by Barb Ingham It’s so often challenging to sort through all the information found online. How can a person tell if the information is from a reliable source? And from an Extension-educator standpoint, how do we know that the information is based on credible research so […]
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No soap and water? Try hand sanitizers. Published on April 12, 2019 by Barb Ingham Washing your hands is one of the most important things you can do to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to people around you. The best way to prevent the spread of infections and decrease the risk of getting sick […]
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Safe handling of cooked rice Published on April 5, 2019 by Barb Ingham I received a question about the safety of reheating cooked rice. It seems that internet sites caution against reheating rice (at all), or reheating rice only once, or storing cooked rice for only 1 day before eating and/or discarding. Another site suggested […]
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