Nutrition & Health

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: Several months ago, I bought a home with a pomegranate tree, and I can see fruit growing on the tree now. How can I tell when they are ripe?   A: Pomegranates are ripe in early autumn: October and November. The timing of ripe…

By Gay Wilhelm and Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyQ: In 2009, I vowed to eat better and save money by growing my own fruit and nut trees. When is the best time to buy these trees? Any helpful hints to pass along? A: Bare root fruit and nut trees should be appearing in local…

By Sharon Ross, UC Master Gardeners of Placer County From The Curious Gardener, Spring 2008Blueberries, native to the US, are not only an excellent food source but also the clusters of white flowers in the spring make them a pleasing ornamental as well.Before considering blueberries for the garden, check the…

The California Nutrition Incentive Program, or CNIP, matches Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—or SNAP and also known as CalFresh in California—dollars spent on fruits and vegetables at certified farmers’ markets and other retail locations. This program is known in many places as Market Match…

Winter is peak citrus season, and a time when many people gift their home-grown fruit to friends and loved ones. This holiday season, we would like to remind everyone that harmful invasive pests can move to new areas on citrus fruit. There are several active quarantines in California aimed at slowing the…

The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program provide essential nutritional and academic benefits to millions of children. High participation in these programs will help universal free school meals in several states to be successful. A recent study published in the Journal of the…

Preserve It! A Jam for the Ages Cozy up with what might be considered classic, comforting, winter flavors of onion, maple syrup, and apple juice. This jam sets up more like a spread and is quite delicious on a hamburger or as a glaze over a chicken or a pork roast. Try pouring it over cream cheese as a…

Report • December 2025 • Download PDF (1.2 MB)Background During a U.S. government shutdown in October-November of 2025, the federal government failed to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on time for the first time in the program’s history. As a result, more than 40 million…

A new policy brief highlighting a recent study shows how federal safety net programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and especially the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC, play a critical role in improving diet…