- Eating healthy requires an intentional effort, and without much effort, it’s easy to find resources and initiatives around the state to help consumers make informed choices about their food and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Some might say that “Mississippi” and “eating healthy” don’t belong in the same sentence. After all, Mississippi has the fourth-highest obesity rate in the nation after West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. We are third in the number of people with type 2 diabetes. And sadly, heart disease deaths in Mississippi are among the highest in the United States.
But times are changing. People are becoming more educated about their health, and there are more resources and initiatives to promote healthy eating in our state.
Healthy eating starts at home, and the Mississippi State Extension Service provides a large number of recipes that are both healthy and budget-friendly. The Happy Healthy initiative has recipes that can be found online, from Mississippi farm-raised catfish to fresh local produce. The MSU Extension Service also offers science-based information and tools to help people on their health and wellness journeys.
Schools statewide are getting on the nutrition bandwagon with gardens that supply produce to school cafeterias as well as to the families of students. Not only do students learn where their food comes from, but they also get a biology lesson in the process.
The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has partnered with K-12 schools across the state to provide school gardens for healthy hands-on learning experiences. The Foundation’s school garden program uses the schoolyard as a classroom fully integrated into the fabric of participating schools and the academic experience of every student. In a school garden, students become farmers, scientists, mathematicians, historians, poets, chefs, and horticulturists, making the full learning experience more relevant and engaging.
At DeLisle Elementary School in Harrison County, there is a greenhouse, raised garden beds, fruit trees, hydroponic and aquaponics gardens. The school presents farm-to-table cooking demonstrations to community members, including tasting opportunities with produce to take home, all at no cost.
Other school programs include the American Heart Association’s Teaching Gardens and the Mississippi Farm-To-School Network.
The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s Make Mississippi Healthy Again initiative works to strengthen Mississippi’s food systems by increasing access to healthy, fresh, locally grown produce.
And now there is a growing number of restaurants statewide that offer healthy menu options, including heart-healthy and plant-based meals. Living Foods and Juicery in Oxford offers vegan selections and fresh-squeezed juices. Other healthy spots include Birdhouse Cafe in Hattiesburg and Salute in Gulfport, where menu items are developed in coordination with Gulfport’s Memorial Hospital.
Eating healthy requires an intentional effort, and without much effort, it’s easy to find resources and initiatives around the state to help consumers make informed choices about their food and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
As we enter a new year, perhaps as a state, we can have a collective focus on healthy eating and reduce the rate of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in Mississippi. Use the resources listed here to get started, then do your own research. Here’s to your health, and a healthy, happy 2026.