Food Programs
Below are select food-related programs offered by Purdue Extension Health and Human Sciences Educators. For additional food programming topics and options, please contact your local county Extension office.
Cooking Under Pressure
The new Electric Programmable Pressure Cookers (EPPC) are a very popular appliance in home kitchens. This small kitchen appliance is a versatile multi-cooker that can do the job of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and more, and also saves you counter space and money. If you would like to learn more about the features, the benefits, how to safely operate, and sources of recipes – because you are considering a purchase OR you have one but haven’t taken it out of the box – then this class is for you!

Dining with Diabetes
Diabetes adversely impacts the lives of over 10 percent of adults in Indiana dealing with this chronic condition. People with diabetes may experience financial struggles due to higher healthcare costs and are at increased risk for developing long-term health problems. Dining with Diabetes is a cooking school that offers a practical approach to eating well for those with type 2 diabetes and their caregivers. The program consists of four sessions and a reunion. Program topics include:
- Planning meals and snacks with delicious and healthy recipes
- Cooking demonstrations and food sampling
- Motivation and support — connect with others who are living with diabetes
- Ideas for being more active
- An understanding of how diabetes affects your overall health

Food Allergies 101
Food allergies are on the rise. Today, one in 13 children and one in 10 adults in the United States have a food allergy. This presentation defines a food allergy, identifies the signs & symptoms of an allergic reaction, list the most common food allergens, reviews ways to prevent an allergic reaction, and provides resources for further reference and education.
Food Budgeting and Meal Planning
Food Budgeting and Meal Planning is a one-hour program about how to get the most nutritious food for your dollar. The following topics will be covered:
- Create a Grocery Game Plan
- Eating Better on a Budget
- Food Storage Chart
- Food Safety Tips
- Leftover Makeovers/Refrigerator Reboots
- Make Your Own Casserole Leftovers

Food Labeling: What’s in there anyway?
Food packages have a lot to say. Are they worth listening to? Identify primary components of food labeling, interpret and understand marketing label claims, understand how to make informed food decisions.

Plant Based Eating: Pros and Cons of a Plant-based Diet
Plant-Based Eating is a 1-hour program about the popularity of plant-based eating, the health benefits and the challenges to following a plant-based diet.

ServSafe
Food Protection Manager
Beginning in 2005, the Indiana Food Code required one individual per food service establishment to have food protection manager certification when inspected by the local Board of Health.
Purdue Extension Educators provide the training and proctor the exam for food service employees to obtain this certification. Using the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe® Food Protection Manager curriculum, hundreds of food service employees are certified or re-certified in food protection manager certification annually in Indiana.
ServSafe® training and certification sets the standard in food safety with the most up-to-date and relevant information. It brings together the current best practices to meet the industry’s changing needs. Participants in the training stay engaged, retain the information better, and understand how to apply it. For more information, please visit.
The certification is valid for five (5) years and then must be renewed by successfully completing the certification exam.

Food Handler
The ServSafe Food Handler course is for anyone who needs basic food safety and food handling training, including home-based vendors (HBVs), food service workers, volunteers, or others who work with food who only need the basic training. This course is NOT intended for foodservice managers. To obtain your foodservice manager certification, you must take the ServSafe® Food Protection Manager course and exam.
ServSafe® Food Handler satisfies training requirements for HBVs outlined in Indiana House Bill 1149. This program focuses on key aspects including basic food safety, personal hygiene, cross-contamination and allergens, time and temperature, and cleaning and sanitation.
The half-day training includes a booklet and assessment. The Certificate of Achievement is valid for three years.
The ServSafe® Food Handler training fulfills the food safety training requirements mandated for home-based vendors in the state of Indiana. After passing the assessment, your Food Handler Certificate of Achievement will be documented with the National Restaurant Association so that you have easy access at any time to look up and prove your training.
For more information, please visit.

Steps to a Healthy You: Embracing a Healthy and Mindful Eating Pattern
Steps to a Healthy You is a five-session series focused on eating a healthy Mediterranean-style eating pattern (a.k.a. eating the Med Way). Sessions focus on the 7 Simple Steps to Eating the Med Way. Each session explores 1-2 simple steps, a mindfulness skill, and features Med Way recipes. Food demonstration and/or cooking instruction is included in each session.
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