The Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant partnered with Fallsburg Elementary School Family Resource Youth Service Coordinator (FRYSC) to offer the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum to parents. The FRYSC coordinator was 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 weekly meetings. The Healthy Choices for Everybody required lessons included as follows:  MyPlate, Know the Limits, Planning Meals, Reading Labels, Eating Better on a Budget, Keep Foods Safe, and Breakfast Made Easy. As a result, 100% of participants showed improvement with at least two positive food changes and also 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 83% of participants plan meals in advance, eat fruit more often each day, and follow the recommended practices of not thawing food at room temperature.  In addition, 92% reported they make small changes to be active more often and 75% drink regular soda less often. The EFNEP Assistant enrolled and graduated twelve (12) families with a total of (55) members in the families.