About

Jenna Anding, PhD, RDN, LD, is a Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Nutrition at Texas A&M University. She has over 25 years of experience in developing and evaluating Extension education programs focused on food preservation, food safety, and nutrition. Her professional work includes securing more than $50 million in contracts, grants, and gifts to support AgriLife Extension programming efforts, many targeting limited resource individuals and families. She serves as the Principal Investigator for the Better Living for Texans SNAP-Ed program and has collaborated with faculty members to secure funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand her work into community development, addressing healthy food access and opportunities for increasing physical activity.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Medical education
• Psychology
• Political Science
• Business
• Public relations
• Advertising
• Gerontology
• Knowledge management
• Environmental health
• Nursing
• Biology
• Public administration
• Pedagogy
• Process management
• Endocrinology

Selected publications

• Evaluation of a nutrition education program focused on reducing food waste in the home among SNAP-Ed program participants

  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics · 2025-09-23

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Impact of a Food Handler’s Course on Targeted Behaviors among Foodservice Employees in Texas

  Food Protection Trends · 2025-01-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Assessing Master Gardener Practices and Confidence in Responding to Clientele Questions about Home Food Preservation in Texas

  HortTechnology · 2024

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Business
  • Advertising

  Interest in home food preservation has grown, especially among those who grow their own produce. Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) are trained to teach consumers how to produce fruits, vegetables, and herbs, but little is known about how often they are asked questions about how to preserve them or their ability to answer such questions. This study used an online survey to ask EMGs across Texas about their food preservation practices and the extent to which they are asked questions about home food preservation. We also assessed their perceived confidence in answering those questions using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not confident at all; 5 = very confident). Most (91%) of the 1875 EMGs who responded reported preserving food using one or more methods. More than half (n = 1034; 55%) had been asked questions about home food preservation, but their level of confidence in answering those questions ranged from a high of 3.1 ± 1.3 (mean ± SD ) for freezing fruits and vegetables to a low of 1.6 ± 1.1 for pressure canning low-acid foods. Interest in learning more about home food preservation was high, especially regarding safe practices and recipes, drying herbs, freezing fruits and vegetables, and canning salsa and tomato products. The results suggest that EMG training programs could benefit from including basic information about home food preservation, especially sources of reliable information and recipes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Quick Update and a Thank You to our Reviewers

  Journal of Extension · 2024-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Evaluation of Carbohydrate Focused Nutrition Education Curriculum on Healthy Weight and Diabetes Prevention Behaviors Among SNAP-Ed Program Participants

  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics · 2023

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Gerontology
  • Medicine
  PublisherDOI

• Evaluation of a Nutrition Education Program on Targeted Label Reading Skills Among SNAP-Ed Program Participants

  Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics · 2023-08-17

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• From Evidence-Based Implementation Guides to Meaningful Action: Public Health Practitioners Use Readiness Assessments to Build Bridges to Successful Community Prevention Implementation

  Health Promotion Practice · 2022 · 4 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Political Science
  • Public relations

  framework so we could assess the readiness (motivation [M]; general organizational capacity [C]; and innovation-specific capacities [C]) of the participant groups and based on that assessment, we provided appropriate, tailored technical assistance. Public health practitioners and local supporters can use readiness tools and technical assistance to build a bridge from implementation guide(s) to effective community program implementation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• An Assessment of Canning Practices among Food Preservation Workshop Participants during COVID-19 in Texas

  Journal of Human Sciences and Extension · 2022 · 1 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Medical education
  • Medicine
  • Psychology

  Interest in home food preservation has continued through the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed home food preservation practices among individuals attending workshops delivered primarily through distance technology. Two hundred eighty (280) participants completed a survey that assessed methods of food preservation and sources of information and recipes that had been utilized within the previous 12 months. Of those participating, 148 had recently canned food, and 90 of those individuals reported using one or more unsafe methods of food preservation, such as processing vegetables with a boiling water bath canner, open kettle, or oven canning. The internet was the most popular source for food preservation information and recipes, followed by family and friends. One out of four participants who had canned within the previous year reported adapting the recipes. Results suggest a continued and strong need for promoting research-based information and recipes to help those interested in home food preservation gain the skills and knowledge necessary to do it safely.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Stress, Sleep, and Exercise Habits Among Extension Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Journal of Extension · 2022-12-19

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We compared perceived stress among 804 Extension employees during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic and again six months later. Work expectations, sleep and exercise habits were assessed. More than 46% of those responding believe work expectations are “much” or “moderately more” since the pandemic began. Nearly 60% report moderate levels of stress and 54% were sleeping less. Of those who were physically active (n=677) before the pandemic, 39% were exercising less. Because stress, sleep, and physical activity affect health, supervisors should recognize the impact the pandemic has on employees, and encourage the use of available resources to promote wellness and work/life balance.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sanitary Carcass Dressing and Food Safety Practices in South Central U.S. Small and Very Small Establishments Manufacturing Fresh and Not-Ready-to-Eat Pork Product

  Food Protection Trends · 2018-01-01

  article
  Publisher

Frequent coauthors

• Karen S. Kubena

  19 shared

• William Alex McIntosh

  10 shared

• Alex McIntosh

  MIT Lincoln Laboratory

  7 shared

• Wesley R. Dean

  University of Copenhagen

  7 shared

• Glen C. Tolle

  Texas A&M University

  6 shared

• Joseph R. Sharkey

  Meyer (China)

  5 shared

• R. R. Suminski

  McKinsey & Company (United States)

  5 shared

• Jie-Sheng Jan

  4 shared