The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year one in six Americans (or 48 million people) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

The Bell County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-ED) Assistant implemented a grab and go program using the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum. Included in each bag was one of the 7 required lessons from the curriculum (MyPlate, Know the Limits, Planning Meals, Reading Labels, Eating Better on a Budget, Keeping Food Safe and Breakfast) a recipe, matched for each lesson and a snap-ed reinforcement item for each participant to use in the kitchen. Twenty-eight families participated in the program. The families came to the Bell County Extension Office to pick up their bags. The Snap-Ed assistant completed a quick overview of the lesson each week as the families came in to pick up their bags, reviewed the previous weeks lesson and answered any questions they had. Showing visuals for food safety and how fast bacteria grows on foods being left out at room temperature for long periods of time helped some participants change the way they handle, store, thaw, and prepare foods. Upon exit of the program 100% of the participants show improvement in one or more food safety practices (i.e., washing hands before preparing food, washing all items and surfaces after cutting meats and seafood, not thawing frozen foods at room temperature, or using a meat thermometer). 

One participant state” after seeing the visuals of how rapid bacteria grows at room temperature, I have started thawing my food in the refrigerator instead of on my countertop. I also use a meat thermometer now to make sure my meats are cooked to the correct temperature, and I use my cuttings boards so I don’t cross contaminate”.