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Nutrition program provides education to Oklahoma county families and youthOklahoma Probably one of the most important steps a person can take towards good health is learning how to eat right. That's one of the reasons Oklahoma County's Community Nutrition Education Program is busy every day of the work week. "Our job is to help the residents of Oklahoma County learn more about what makes up a healthy diet and how nutrition knowledge can help improve overall health," commented Christi Evans, Area Coordinator for CNEP. The Oklahoma County CNEP organization is administered through the OSU Cooperative Extension Service and provides education to limited income families, youth and senior citizens to help them understand what good nutrition is and what steps they can take to eat healthier. "With the link between good nutrition and good health growing stronger every day," Evans explained, "teaching residents how to plan and prepare healthier meals is a solid investment in keeping health care costs down." CNEP helps individuals in both one-on-one and classroom settings to understand more about how to shop for and prepare healthier foods, as well as methods for stretching the food dollar and making certain food is stored and prepared safely. "We're always pleased when someone tells us that because of what they've learned through CNEP, they now make better decisions when it comes to food choices," Evans responded. The majority of individuals who complete a CNEP class report that they have made a number of significant, positive changes in their nutrition habits. "Reports indicate that in the next few decades, we may see negative health effects from poor nutrition that far exceed what we've experienced from smoking if Americans don't change the way they eat," said Evans. "We believe that CNEP helps people get the nutritional education they need to achieve a healthy diet." CNEP markets its programs under the title of "Fresh Start--Nutrition and You." Families and individuals are enrolled in the programs by the Nutrition Education Assistants working with the program. Nutrition Education Assistants work closely with families to teach them to plan a healthy menu, shop with a grocery list, and to handle and store food safely to avoid waste and spoilage. "Many participants enjoy learning basic food preparation skills that allow them to prepare meals from scratch and reduce their dependence on expensive convenience foods," Evans added. "By the time a participant graduates from the program, he or she has a collection of inexpensive recipes that allow him or her to continue preparing healthy meals in their own homes." For more information about the CNEP program, contact Christi Evans at 405-713-1125.
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