The Nutrition Education Program Senior Assistant partnered with Fallsburg Elementary School, Blaine Elementary School, Louisa East/West Elementary School, and Lawrence County Middle & High School Family Resource Youth Service Coordinators (FRYSC) to offer the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum to parents. The FRYSC coordinators were looking for a series that would address nutrition, health, food safety, the importance of family mealtimes and planning meals. We all have heard the phrase “lead by example.” The Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum provides parents with knowledge and skills for behavior changes which supports a healthy lifestyle. According to the handout Home Is Where the Health Is (FSC7-188) “You teach by your example. Your child adores you and wants to be like you. Children grow and thrive in a happy home.”

Seven (7) required curriculum lessons were taught at each school site.   The Healthy Choices for Everybody required lessons included: Healthy Cooking, Food Safety, Healthy Affordable Meals, Shifting to Healthier Choices, Fruit & Vegetables, Reading Food Labels and Better Beverage Choices for Everybody. As a result, 100% of participants showed improvement with at least two positive food changes and improved food safety methods, such as washing hands more often; cleaning items/surfaces more often after contact with raw meat or seafood; and using a meat thermometer more often.  Exit behavior checklist questionnaires also revealed that 100% of participants plan meals in advance, 75% eat fruit more often each day, 88% cook dinner at home more weekly and 100% follow the recommended practices of not thawing food at room temperature.  In addition, 94% reported they make small changes to be active more often and 88% drink regular soda less often.  The NEP Assistant enrolled and graduated sixteen (16) families with a total of (61) members in the families.