Shopping on a Budget

The Pike County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant has been partnering with West Care Rehabilitation Center for women four (4) years.  West Care Healthy Families is a tax-exempt nonpro?t organization which provides a wide range of health and human services. These services include the following:  substance-use abuse and addiction treatment; homeless and runaway; shelter for domestic violence treatment and prevention; and mental health programs.

Seven (7) core lessons from The Healthy Choices for Everybody Curriculum was taught to eleven (11) women.  Topics included the following:  how to eat using MyPlate’s ?ve food group plan; how to read food labels and recipes; how to serve portion sizes; how to make a menu and shop on a budget; how to lower fats, sugar and salt in the diet; and how to keep food safe and practice food safety techniques.

Eleven (11) women entered the program with a 100 % graduation rate. Ninety-two (92%) percent showed improvement in diet quality; ninety-six (96%) percent improved on food resource management; and eighty-two (82%) percent improved on food safety practices.

One client stated, “I know I will never thaw food on the counter anymore. I am con?dent that I will be able to keep my foods safe by using a thermometer.”  Another client stated, “I know now how to budget and shop for healthy foods that will last my family for the month, and now I know that I need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day to help me feel better.”