Local nutrition program helps spice up diet
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Should I serve salad? What about high carb - low carb diets - ones that boast all meat or no meat?

With nutrition billboards, commercials, and advertisements everywhere touting the importance of daily diet, sometimes it becomes confusing about just what to purchase and what to serve your family.

That's where the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) can help. FNP Assistant Kim Turner works to help people use their food dollars wisely to purchase the best nutritional meals for their families.

Live cooking demonstrations are given by Turner where those in attendance can participate in hands-on activities. The low cost recipes are free to take home, with the best part being you get to sample the prepared food!

Lessons are available where Turner teaches people why it's important to eat breakfast, eating on the run, low fat shopping and cooking, healthy snacks, avoiding food poisoning, money management & budgeting, making something grand from what's on hand and more.

"I've seen marked improvement in families who have participated in the program," Turner noted, saying the program works for a family of four or an elderly person living alone.

We're just trying to help people enhance their nutrition habits, manage food money in a better way, and help with shopping skills," she noted.

Turner went on to say that many times elderly people who live alone will find it too much of a hassle to prepare the needed vegetables, etc. for their meals and will grab a quick sandwich. "We can help show them how they can achieve great nutritious meals even for one," she said.

This program serves everyone who has limited resources including families, single adults, seniors and special audiences. Turner can help with nutritional meal planning, food purchasing, preparation and safety, and resource management.

Turner's job is to help people make healthy changes in their nutrition habits - changes that will last a lifetime. The services are provided for free and are informal programs that are easily accessible. The purpose is to help people develop knowledge and skills related to nutrition and meal planning, which includes buying the groceries and then preparing them.

Those participating in the program will learn how to stretch their food dollar, eat less fat and sugar, prepare healthy snacks, avoid food borne illness, all while consuming the appropriate fruits and vegetables needed. Since everyone is different, every session is geared toward the individual.

In a brochure provided by The Family Nutrition Program (FNP) it reads..."Helping Hoosiers Eat Better for Less, One Person at a Time." This nutrition education program is funded by Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service in partnership with Indiana Family & Social Services and the United States Department of Agriculture.

This little known program in Ripley County is located in the Ripley County Extension Office at 525 W. Beech Street, Osgood. Turner can be reached by calling 812-689-6511, where she will be glad to provide more information and set up times to meet with those interested.