Money Down the Drain 

According to FeedingAmerica.org website, 17% of adults in Boyd County, KY are considered food insecure. The director of an abuse shelter for women contacted the Boyd County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) assistant expressing concern regarding residents not having enough money toward the end of the month to purchase food. Of particular concern was that residents were not using a gallon of milk before the expiration date and pouring milk down the drain. 

The SNAP-Ed assistant partnered with the abuse shelter and taught weekly classes using the Healthy Choices for Your Every Body curriculum.  During one lesson the participants were asked  

how many use dry milk in recipes or to drink.  Only three participants 

had used dry milk in the past.  Each class attendee was given 15 recipes with dry milk as a primary ingredient and a box of dry milk powder.    The participants were taught the benefits of using dry milk and making snack recipes using this ingredient.  Also discussed was the fact that dry milk contains none of the fat that whole milk contains, making the dry milk healthier to consume.  At the end of the lesson, the participants were challenged to prepare one of the recipes and share with others.  During the next lesson, the participants shared their prepared recipes using dry milk.  Of the 11 participants, the results were as follows:  

64% reported purchasing dry milk on their next visit to the grocery store 

82% reported the convenience of transporting a box of dry milk versus a gallon of milk on public transportation 

100% favored the shelf-life of dry milk versus a gallon of milk 

64% reported the convenience of making recipes that they were given