Basic Information

About EFNEP

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) has a history since 1969 of helping low-income families with children.  The goal is to empower individuals and families with the skills to be health-conscious in their food planning, selection, and budgeting.  Also, EFNEP fosters basic decision-making capabilites that enhance the participants' self-sufficiency skills.

Adult Program

Through an experiential learning process, adult program participants learn how to make good choices to improve the nutritional quality of the meals they serve their families. They participate in a series of 6-12 lessons based on the Food Guide Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The hands-on, learn-by-doing approach allows the participants to gain the practical skills necessary to make positive behavior changes. They increase their ability to select and buy food that meets the nutritional needs of their families and gain new skills in food preparation, storage, safety, and sanitation. They also learn to better manage their food budgets, including the use of Food Stamps and WIC coupons.

Youth Program

The youth EFNEP program provides nutrition education to help children develop healthy eating patterns and skills in preparing nutritious meals and snacks. The youth EFNEP program emphasizes a variety of delivery modes for reaching youth, from traditional classroom settings and after-school programs during the school year to day camps and youth group activities during the summer. The youth curriculum emphasizes learning by experience and reflection, and is adaptable to a wide variety of educational settings.