Looking to learn more about food trends, cooking heart-healthy meals for families or exploring strategies for teaching nutrition education through school gardening? Then come to the 2010 Choices Conference Mar. 10-11 at the Michigan State University (MSU) Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
Choices 2010: Collaboration: There’s Room at the Table is expected to draw more than 200 attendees, including school educators, MSU Extension educators, community and nonprofit organization members, healthcare workers, nutritionists and dietitians. Participants will come to the table on MSU’s campus from across the state to network, learn and collaborate.
“The Michigan Nutrition Network and MSU Extension health and nutrition programs serve limited income families and children with nutrition education programs promoting healthy eating and physical activity,” said conference coordinator Melissa Lonsberry. “The Choices Conference continues to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and professions to discuss and collaborate on emerging and ongoing issues around food, nutrition and health, especially as they relate to disease prevention and the promotion of being physically active. There is room at the table for all at Choices.”
Wednesday’s program will be devoted to professional development through in-depth training sessions. Sessions include food preservation, preparing healthy foods kids will eat, how to use school gardens to teach nutrition lessons, and a poverty simulation and cultural competency session. There will also be a half-day session on coaching strategies for managers.
Thursday’s sessions feature nationally known speakers such as Gerri French, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator; Dr. Robert Murray, Nationwide Children’s Hospital; award-winning Chef Jamie Minton, Morrison Healthcare Food Services; Dru Montri, association manager for Michigan Farmers’ Market Association, and Mary Jo Asmus, president of Aspire Collaborative Services.
“Participants can learn about improving access and acceptance of local foods—and how chocolate can be a health food!” said Lonsberry. “They can also learn from two executive chefs how to prepare tasty, healthy food for the family. Zumba Dancing and Boot Camp activity breaks will allow participants to stay active, too.”
Meals will be prepared by the award-winning Kellogg Center staff and will feature a variety of Michigan food products, such as dried cherries, apples, maple syrup and ice cream from the MSU Dairy Store. Michigan-produced beers and wines will be available for purchase during the Wednesday night dinner.
Full-conference registration is $175, single-day registration is $100 and registration for the Wednesday dinner only is $50. Early-bird registration ends Feb. 24, and all full-conference registration fees will increase by $25 after that date. Interested participants may register now online at http://web7.anr.msu.edu/choices/Registration.aspx.
Lodging is available at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. To reserve a room, contact the Kellogg Center at 517-432-4000 and indicate you are with the “ANR Week: Choices Conference.”
For more information on the 2010 Choices Conference, visit http://web7.anr.msu.edu/choices/ or contact Melissa Lonsberry at lonsberr@anr.msu.edu or 517-432-5250.

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