Do some foods seem to taste different than you remember from years past? Some chang-

es in smell and taste naturally occur as part of the aging process; others are related to medication side effects or illnesses. While this may seem like an inconvenience it can negatively impact nutrition and the health in the long term.

A common response to these changes is adding a little extra salt at the dinner table, indulging in more sweets, or just eating less because food taste bland. These changes can unfortunately impact blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, and lead to deficiencies in critical nutrients needed for maintaining health.

Thanks to a grant from Maui County’s Department of Agriculture, county residents now have a new resource to combat these age-related changes–a program called Sage Heart! This 4-hour interactive workshop focuses on growing and using herbs and spices to lower sodium intake while enhancing the flavor. It is currently held as either a series of two 2-hour workshops or four 1-hour workshops. Twelve Sage Heart series will be held across the county by the end of the year with at least one in each of the nine county council residency areas. All series this year will be in-person but virtual options will begin in 2025.

In June, Hale Mahaolu Ewalu in Pukalani hosted the first Sage Heart series. Participants learned about basil, lemon balm, rosemary, and sage, planted seeds, transplanted seedlings, and taste-tested 12 different recipes using the herbs. Most had just a small space for gardening–a sunny area near their front door or on a windowsill–so the small containers were a great way to start out. They also provided great feedback to the project team on ways to improve the program for the remaining eleven series, including adding lemongrass and ginger to the curriculum.

The following are scheduled with registration information available through Daniella Vingelen at drving@hawaii.edu:

¯ Central Maui: Thurs Sept. 5-26 from 10-11 a.m. in the Community Services Building (UH Maui College Campus)

¯ Central Maui: Fri. Sept. 20 and 27 from 10 a.m.-12 noon, HMSA Center office in the Pu’unene shopping center

Kaunoa Leisure and Wellness Programs will be hosting two series with registration coordinated through their registration line at (808) 270-7308 option 3:

¯ West Maui: Thurs. Oct. 3 and 10 from 10 a.m.-12 noon, West Maui Kaunoa Leisure and Wellness Program, open to residents ages 55 and better

¯ Sprecklesville: November (date and time currently being determined with registration opening in late September)

The project team is currently finalizing dates and times for the following locations:

¯ South Maui: Tentatively planned for October

¯ Lanai: Tentatively planned for November

¯ Molokai: Tentatively planned for late October

¯ Hana: Tentatively planned for early December

Community groups interested in learning more about the program or hosting a workshop series can contact Heather Greenwood at heather8@hawaii.edu for additional information.

Many thanks to the Maui County Department of Agriculture for making this program a reality!