Tag: holiday

Adults Playing Board Game with Christmas Tree in Background

Intentional hosting: The key to a good, stress-free gathering


December 18, 2025

Gatherings don’t have to feel overwhelming or revolve entirely around food. The key to a meaningful celebration is intentional hosting, a practice that Jessica Alfonso-Rodriguez experienced and developed while growing up in South Florida. ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Board Games, Celebration, Connect, Family An D Consumer Sciences, Gatherings, Healthy Appetizers, Holiday, Holiday Gatherings, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Intentional Hosting, Jessica Alfonso- Rodriguez, Menu, Mindful Moment, Mindfullness, Mocktails, News, Planning Activities, South Florida, Stress-free, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, University Of Florida, Yearlong
food on dining room table

Rudolph’s Guide to Holiday Grocery Savings


December 1, 2025

  If you find yourself saying, “Oh deer!” (pun intended) while trying to plan a holiday meal that’s crowd-pleasing, delicious, healthy, and budget-friendly, you’re not alone. At UF/IFAS Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, ... READ MORE

Category: Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Anikolai, Healthy Meals, Holiday, Holiday Meal, Holidays, Meal, Polk County, Polk County FL, Saving_money, UF/IFAS Polk County
White garlic pile texture. Fresh garlic on market table closeup photo. Vitamin healthy food spice image. Spicy cooking ingredient picture. Pile of white garlic heads.

Garlic and Vampires: The Science Behind the Myth [Part 2]


October 30, 2025

In part one, we explored garlic’s history and its remarkable ability to help protect against germs, health problems, insects, and even unwanted company. Now, in this post, we’ll take a deeper look into vampire lore, the creatures and conditions ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Work & Life
Tags: Bats, Folklore, Garlic, Halloween, Health, Holiday, Leech, Leeches, Mosquitoes, Sanguivore, Spooky Season, Supernatural, Vampires
White garlic pile texture. Fresh garlic on market table closeup photo. Vitamin healthy food spice image. Spicy cooking ingredient picture. Pile of white garlic heads.

Garlic and Vampires: The Science Behind the Myth [Part 1]


October 23, 2025

You’ve probably heard the old myth that garlic repels vampires, but is there any truth behind this? There’s no scientific evidence to support the existence of vampires or their aversion to garlic. However, the myth likely has roots in garlic’s ... READ MORE

Category: Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Work & Life
Tags: Allicin, Garlic, Halloween, Health, Holiday, Insect Repellent, Lentil Soup, Recipe, Repellent, Soup, Spooky Season, Vampire, Vampires, Wellness

Holiday Decor from the Garden: Ideas and Inspiration


December 9, 2024

It is the time of year when you pull out the holiday decorations, untangle twinkle lights, and decide if you want to purchase that giant Santa you saw at the store. But wait! Before you make that purchase, consider using natural items and plants ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping,
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Christmas, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Flowers, Gardening, Holiday, Jschelb, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Natural, Plants, Polkgardening, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

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