By Blake Jackson
The University of Missouri Extension is expanding its “Freeze It!” program to help reduce food waste across rural Missouri communities.
Food waste continues to be a growing environmental and health concern. “Freeze It!” aims to empower rural families to better manage their meals and minimize waste by teaching strategies like meal planning, freezing leftovers, and sharing extra food, says MU Extension nutrition and health specialist Rachel O’Halloran.
The program’s expansion is funded through a grant from the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development. “Our goal is to reduce food waste and promote healthy, home-cooked meals, especially in rural areas where access to waste diversion programs and health education can be limited,” O’Halloran says. “This grant allows us to build capacity and reach more families with proven strategies that make a difference.”
The funding will support eight “Freeze It!” program series in rural Missouri, provide professional development for MU Extension health faculty on collaborating with local waste management agencies, and help establish statewide infrastructure for ongoing program support.
Pilot programs have already reached over 75 rural residents and demonstrated measurable reductions in household food waste. Participants report cooking more meals at home, eating healthier, wasting less, and saving money.
The initiative also tackles significant health disparities in rural Missouri, where residents face higher rates of diet-related illnesses, poverty, and limited access to nutrition education, notes MU Extension nutrition and health specialist Carrie Elsen. “By teaching effective meal management and food literacy, we’re not just reducing waste, we’re improving lives,” Elsen says.
The project, titled “Addressing Household Food Waste in Rural Communities,” is led by O’Halloran, Elsen, and Sarah Wood, assistant extension professor in the MU Department of Health Sciences.
Photo Credit: pexels-denise-nys
Categories: Missouri, Education, General