Milwaukee County UW-Extension participates in the Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program. WNEP helps limited resource families and individuals choose healthful diets, purchase and prepare healthful food and handle it safely, and become more food secure by spending their food dollars wisely.

For more information about WNEP programs, download our flyer in English and Spanish
( 2 pages, 104 KB).

Tips of the Season

Cookouts

Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with family and friends. Now more than half of Americans say they are cooking outdoors year round. So whether the snow is blowing or the sun is shining brightly, it’s important to follow food safety guidelines to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and causing foodborne illness. The summer season brings picnics and back yard cookouts with family, friends, and great food!

Check out the B-B-Q Cookout Safety and Make a Cooler fact sheets and use these simple guidelines for grilling food safely.

B -B-Q & Cookout Food Safety (2 pages, 204 KB)
Make a Cooler (1 page, 237 KB)

Don’t forget to plan balanced meals for your cookout. Try to include foods from at least 3 different food groups for each meal. Choose healthy foods from the food groups without added fat or sugar.

GRAINS – make half your grains whole grain.
VEGETABLES – eat a variety of colors. Try to include a dark green leafy and an orange veggie.
FRUITS – eat a variety. Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit.
MILK – get calcium rich foods. Choose low-fat or fat-free milk products.
MEAT AND BEANS – Choose low fat or lean meat and poultry. Choose more fish, beans, nuts, and seeds.

What's in Season...

Save money and enjoy the best flavors of the season. Wisconsin grown produce can offer economical nutrition. Check out these fact sheets about using and enjoying Wisconsin produce.

Asparagus (1 page, 309 KB)
Rhubarb (1 page, 319 KB)
Spinach (1 page, 297 KB)

Shop at a Milwaukee area farmer's market for locally grown produce.

Nutrition: It's a Matter of Fact

Gayle Coleman and Susan Nitzke, Nutrition Specialists at University of Wisconsin Extension advise us that we should not be mislead by media headlines or e-mail messages that present one nutrition message on one day and a contradictory nutrition message on another day. Media headlines can be misleading because they might be based on just one study rather than the cumulative research. It’s important to get the whole story and choose foods sensibly by looking at the big picture. A single food or meal doesn’t make or break a healthful diet. When consumed in moderation in the appropriate portion size, all foods can fit into a healthful diet. Healthful eating is not the same for everyone. For a quick estimate of what and how much you need to eat, go to: http://MyPyramid.gov and click on MyPyramid Plan. Check out the other links at MyPyramid.gov for more “Steps to a Healthier You.”

My Pyramid home page

WNEP Programming Includes:

Youth
In partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, WNEP provides lessons on choosing healthier snacks, food safety, and eating a variety of healthy foods each day for students in over 50 schools.

Seniors
In partnership with the Milwaukee County Department on Aging and other local senior centers, WNEP provides nutrition education for older adults on eating foods with less fat, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, tips on menu planning, and shopping for one or two.

Adults with Disabilities
In partnership with Transitional Living Services, WNEP provides nutrition education to adults with special needs. Materials are developed to convey topics in an understandable way. Topics taught are choosing foods with less fat, shopping, increasing fruits and vegetables, preparing low fat healthy meals, food safety, and proper sanitation.

And Many More!
WNEP works with many other community partners like MPS and SDC Head Start, Childrens Outing Association, Milwaukee County WIC, Second Harvest, Hunger Task Force, and Milwaukee County Corrections providing nutrition lessons on topics such as feeding young children, healthier snacking, purchasing nutritious foods, preparing foods in healthier ways, and eating a variety of nutritious foods every day.

Federal Support

Federal Support
WNEP programming is supported by the USDA, FoodShare Wisconsin, UW-Extension, and local partners.
Read more about our federal funders

Improving the Community Through Better Nutrition