Food preservation, healthy living classes offered in Anchorage

Julie Stricker
907-474-5406
Oct. 9, 2025

Jars of preserved meat, fish and vegetables on a kitchen shelf with pressure-canning tools — Photo by Stephen Nowers
Preserving foods, like these jars of fish, meat and vegetables at the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center in Palmer, helps create easy, affordable and shelf-stable meals.

The University of �Ӱ�ԭ�� Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and the Anchorage Museum’s Seed Lab are offering five in-person food preservation and healthy living classes in Anchorage this month.

Sarah Lewis, an Extension health, home and family development agent, will teach the classes at the Seed Lab, 111 W 6th Ave., Anchorage. Space is limited and registration is required.

On Sunday, Oct. 19, Lewis will lead two workshops on using a pressure canner to preserve foods that can be stored on pantry shelves.

From 9 a.m.-noon, Lewis will focus on �Ӱ�ԭ��-grown vegetables. The cost is $50, with a $10 cancellation fee. Register using the or visit .

From 1-6 p.m., Lewis will teach people of all experience levels how to create healthy, home-canned meat, fish and soups using ingredients from the wild or stores. The cost is $90 with a $30 cancellation fee. Register using the or by visiting .

On Monday, Oct. 20, from noon-1 p.m., the topic is cooking to improve bone health. In this hands-on class, participants will learn how to easily include nondairy foods with bone-strengthening nutrients in their weekly meals. The cost is $5. Register using the or visit .

On Oct. 20 from 5-8 p.m., participants will learn the basics of lacto-fermentation and vinegar pickling for tasty homemade snacks that can improve digestive health, such as pickled vegetables, sauerkraut and kimchi. The cost is $30 with a $10 cancellation fee. Register using the or visit .

On Tuesday, Oct. 21, Lewis will discuss how diet can affect brain health. She will show participants how to include foods with brain-helpful nutrients in their daily diet. The cost is $15. Register using the or visit .

No refunds will be given for cancellations requested within two business days of these workshops. Classes will be canceled in case of heavy snowfall, and in that case the full registration fee will be returned.

For more information, contact Molly Johansson at 907-786-6313 or mjohansson@alaska.edu.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Alda Norris at amnorris2@alaska.edu or 907-474-7120. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to amnorris2@alaska.edu.

This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

082-26