Food and Nutrition

Flourish

Santa Fe Family and Consumer Science

Learning how to prepare healthy foods, meal plan, and cook a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or other health problems. We provide opportunities for the community to learn about growing their own food or purchasing fresh food from the Farmers Market helps develop long-term healthy eating habits and healthier lifestyle choices.

Join Us For a Series of Classes on Food and Nutrition

Farmers Market/Kitchen Garden

These programs provide an opportunity to showcase how vegetables can be grown in a home garden, harvested, made into healthy meals, and preserved.

  • Nutrition Education
  • Healthy Growing, Eating, and Cooking
  • Food Preservation

Santa Fe Farmers Market

Kitchen Garden

We are busy planning the 2026 Kitchen Garden. 

Small Space Gardening/Preservation

Container/ Small Space Herb Gardens provide people an opportunity to learn tools to grow their own herbs, learn ways to preserve the herbs, and extend the harvest to enjoy nutritious dishes without adding sodium or sugar, and flavorful food throughout the year.

  • How to use soil and composting methods
  • Planting techniques for soil and climate conditions
  • Nutrition, cooking and preservation methods of herbs

In Partnership with Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), the following classes will be offered:

Seed to Supper

A FREE Beginner Gardening series. Everything you need to know about getting started with your own vegetable garden taught by Santa Fe Master Gardeners and ICAN (Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition).

Next Classes Begin: February 2026

Santa Fe County Extension Office

Thursdays, February 19th-March 26th 10:00 am-11:30 am 

  • Planning Your Garden
  • Soil Preparation-for a healthy start to your garden
  • Planting Seeds and Plants-when and what to plant
  • Caring for Your Garden-weeds and common pests
  • Harvesting and Storage of your crops

 Sign up here:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944ADAC23A3FBC16-61547224-seed

Santa Fe Community College Innovation Center

In Partnership with Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), the following Seed to Supper Container and Raised Bed Gardening Series will be offered at the Santa Fe Community College Innovation Center

Saturdays, February 19th-March 26th 10:00 am-11:30 am 

Registration coming soon!

Kitchen Creations-A Diabetes Cooking School

Kitchen Creations empowers people to manage diabetes effectively through presentations and hands on cooking classes.

  • Reading food labels to monitor carbohydrate intake.
  • Measuring food portions.
  • Planning balanced meals using the 50/50 or Diabetes Plate method.

Next Classes Begin: May 2026

May 12, 14, 19, 21 2026 6:00-8:00 pm (ONLINE)

Registration coming soon!

Med Instead of Meds and Heart Healthy Eating and Cooking Classes

Interested in eating the Mediterranean way and in Heart Healthy eating, but not sure where to start?

The Med Instead of Meds class series will help you explore the Mediterranean Diet by discussing seven simple steps:

  • Change Your Protein
  • Swap Your Fats
  • East More Vegetables
  • Eat More Fruit
  • Snack on Nuts and Seeds
  • Make Your Grains Whole
  • Rethink Your Sweets

Great tasting and good for you!

To view all the sessions and access the handouts, please refer to the Med Instead of Meds webpage.

Heart Healthy Eating and Cooking Classes

  • Sodium and salt
  • Meal Planning
  • Healthy Eating

Want to learn more about growing chile?

Chile Chats

The Chile Chats will be held the first Wednesday of the month, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Fabian García Research Center Classroom, 113 West University Avenue. Las Cruces Or online via Zoom - Meeting ID: 847 2251 5474.

Participation is free and open to anyone interested in learning about and discussing chile pepper production. Visit the Chile Pepper Institute website.

Food Preservation

National Green Chile Preservation and Food Safety Webinar presented by New Mexico Master Food Preservers

A 4-part webinar series on Freezing, Drying, Freeze Drying and Pressure Canning Green Chile Preservation

To view all the sessions and access the handouts, All Things Chile

How To Guides

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Stizza at (505) 471-4711 or email at mstizza@nmsu.edu.