KA 703. Nutrition Education and Behavior

PROGRAM PROMOTION

The Sandoval County Cooperative Extension Service is committed to providing educational curriculum and related learning experiences for youth and adults. The 4-H Home Economist worked diligently to promote wellness and other services through participation in a number of community venues.
*Cuba Farmer’s Market
*Rio Rancho Wellness Fair
*Bernalillo High School Wellness Fair
*Independence High School Wellness Fair

HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW

Handmade gifts and baked goods are a tradition of the holiday season that sometimes are left behind in the busy modern world. Finding time to make the gifts and bake the goodies is difficult.
Home Economists in Sandoval, Torrance, Bernalillo, Valencia and McKinley Counties organized 2 craft shows designed to give people an opportunity to create three holiday craft items and recipes. 20 participants attended the 2 events.

HEALTHY NEW MEXICAN CUISINE

In partnership with the Urban Native American Resource Center the Home Economist taught two “hands-on” cooking classes to 25 Native Americans. Participants learned how to make their favorite New Mexican dishes healthier by using less salt and more spices, choosing heart healthy oils to cook with, substituting whole wheat flour for white flour and using less sugar than most recipes call for. 96% of participants said they loved the recipes and would continue to make healthier choices in their household.

FOOD PRESERVATION

Many Sandoval County residents are going back to the basics and starting their own gardens or buying locally grown products at Farmers Markets. Now they have an excess harvest and want to preserve it to last them all winter.
Home Economist taught 63 participants about freezing, drying, canning and food safety. Three classes were “hands-on” canning classes. Participants walked away with an 83% confidence level that they could go home and preserve their harvest.

LIFEWORK LEARNING

The Home Economist teaches monthly classes coinciding with the Lifework Learning curriculum. In the 2011 program year 6 classes pertaining to parenting, nutrition and food safety were taught. The parenting classes were carried out using the Strengthening Families Initiative curriculum. Through these classes 82 parents learned to communicate feelings and how to praise children and their behavior. They also gained basic food safety knowledge, healthy snack ideas, serving sizes, and MyPyramid basics. Seventy-eight percent of the participants said they would be taking the information and skills learned and applying it within their family’s household.