Food as Medicine

This Food as Medicine session explores the intersection of nutrition science, functional foods, and seasonal dietary strategies to support health, prevent chronic disease, and address emerging public health priorities. Designed for faculty, practitioners, and health-focused educators, this session integrates current research with practical applications for individual and community wellness.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will:

1. Understand Seasonal and Functional Foods: Examine the benefits of spring-specific foods, including their nutrient density, phytonutrient content, and role in supporting detoxification, immunity, and cellular health.
2. Explore Superfoods and Chronic Disease Prevention: Identify evidence-based superfoods and their mechanisms for addressing inflammation, oxidative stress, and chronic health conditions.
3. Integrate Dietary Guidelines and Nutrient Principles: Review the latest Dietary Guidelines, emphasizing the 7 core nutrients for health, nutrient density, and strategies to meet caloric needs while managing chronic disease.
4. Develop Practical Meal Planning Skills: Learn to plan balanced meals using pantry staples, seasonal produce, and nutrient-dense ingredients to enhance health and food security.
5. Address Food Safety and Insecurity: Examine strategies for maintaining food safety, reducing waste, and supporting populations experiencing limited access to nutritious foods.

Join the University of Maryland Extension Family and Consumer Science Educator for an online webinar to learn more about the MIND Diet. The MIND Diet is a hybrid of the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet that can make a difference in the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, as you age.

Join us to learn about the foods that help improve brain activity, focus, mental alertness and mental wellness.

Bring a little more green into your life with this fun and beginner-friendly introduction to houseplant care! Learn the basics of watering, lighting, fertilizing, soil mixes, and pest prevention while discovering how to help your plants truly thrive. Whether you’re brand new to houseplants or looking to grow your confidence as a plant parent, this class will give you practical tips for creating a happy indoor jungle.

Learn the best time to prune deciduous trees and shrubs. We will study their branching patterns and learn where and how to prune. We will also discuss the proper time to prune flowering shrubs that will encourage greater flowering!

To help native bees and other pollinators, your garden must meet their basic needs for food, water, shelter and a healthy place to raise their young. The Master Gardeners’ Pollen-Aiders Program recognizes homeowners whose pollinator gardens meet these needs by giving them a free sign and including them in the Pollen-Aiders Alumni. Learn about the Pollen-Aiders program, how to qualify for a free sign and become a Pollen-Aiders alumni member.

Learn to harvest, clean, and store seeds from your best-performing plants to build a self-sustaining garden. You’ll leave with the skills to preserve various varieties and stop depending solely on commercial suppliers!

Do you have vegetables, flowers, or herbs that you want to grow again next year? Don't waste the money on more seeds, learn how to save what you have for next year! Join us for this Seed Saving Workshop. Bring your (heirloom) vegetables, flowers, and herbs and our experienced Master Gardeners will help you harvest and store seeds for the future! We will provide materials needed for harvesting and storage, but feel free to bring your own (jars, envelopes, pruning shears, mesh strainer, etc.)!

Join us for a fun and informative online event where we'll explore the world of healthy cooking with herbs and spices! Learn how to enhance the flavor of your dishes while keeping them safe to eat. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, there's something for everyone in this session. Healthy Cooking using culinary herbs and spices!

Join the Master Gardeners of Harford County and discover the best practices for successful container gardening. Learn the best plants for attracting pollinators and identify the challenges you might encounter.

This session will cover the 8 keystone habits of the Bay-Wise Living Landscape Metric, and tell you more about steps involved in getting your landscape certified as Bay-Wise.