The Healthy Diabetes Plate, a free program for diabetics and their families will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at the Itawamba County Extension Office. The four-week program provides useful nutrition information along with a visual guide for healthy eating.

The Healthy Diabetes Plate method takes MyPyramid and puts it on a plate. It encourages diabetics to eat a variety of different foods and includes servings from all food groups in each meal. The diabetic, along with family members, friends and caregivers, will learn how to make beneficial changes in eating habits simply by assigning healthy foods to a portion of their plate.

Participants will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of diabetes, plan meals using the Healthy Diabetes Plate method, select foods in the supermarket, prepare meals and recipes, and maintain healthy eating habits when dining outside the home.

The Healthy Diabetes Plate was developed and piloted by nutrition specialists, certified diabetic educators, and home economists in Idaho, Oregon and Colorado. They have had great success with the program in those states and Mississippi State University Extension Service received permission to use the program to assist the thousands of diabetics in Mississippi.

To register for the Healthy Diabetes Plate, call the extension office at 862-3201.