School is out but new classes are still forming.

Participants in the Fresno Jobs and Beyond program are enrolled in a four week series called Plan, Shop, Save and Cook. Individuals attending this series, delivered by UC CalFresh, learn how to read nutrition labels and the importance of a healthy breakfast.

Watch our video clips below to see Nancy Zumkeller deliver lesson 2 of Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook!

Thursday Night's at Plaza Terrace Emergency Housing are Family Nights and the families who reside there love it!

Patricia Williams of Fresno County Dept. of Social Services and volunteers: Michelle Eskew, Fresno County Chief Deputy District Attorney- Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Unit, Sergeant Nina Jacobs of the Fresno Police Department Family Justice Bureau-Sex Crimes Unit, and Pam LeSage of the City of Fresno have committed their time to provide the families with an opportunity to have fun, get active, and eat a healthy meal together.

Working together, we're building healthier families

A tether ball in the courtyard provides a glimpse of the vision that Patricia Williams has for the complex. Bicycles, balls, and board games for the children and a weight room for the adults are just some examples of what the staff and volunteers at Plaza Terrace are providing for the families to use.

“We want to give these families a different view of the police department and D.A's office. Some crimes go unreported because of people's mistrust of these departments. We are here to help them. We want them to trust us and not be afraid to ask for help, if they ever need it.” – Nina Jacobs

On Thursday nights these volunteers purchase and cook healthy meals, while volunteer Pam LeSage makes desserts with help from the children.

Patricia Williams says, “One thing that I've noticed is that our tenants need help with managing their resources and choosing healthier meal options for their children. It's also important for them to be physically active to help prevent any illnesses that can be caused by obesity.”

Building on the culture of wellness, UC CalFresh educators Evelyn Morales and Sandra Ortega joined in the family nights to teach residents the Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook nutrition education series.

The participants in the class really enjoyed learning how to plan meals, read nutrition food labels, and compare unit prices. They especially enjoyed learning to make and taste testing healthy recipes. They even had Zumba lessons as part of their classes courtesy of Evelyn Morales!

Nutrition Program Coordinator, Sandra Ortega, prepares a food demonstration for participants to try

The last day of class was a time for celebration. What better way to end this series than by cooking some of the healthy recipes the participants tasted and enjoyed during UC CalFresh nutrition education classes? The menu on that night was: spinach salad with yogurt dressing, spinach lasagna with meat sauce and corn muffins (made by the children). The meal was a big hit! The Plaza Terrace volunteers did a fantastic job putting it all together.

Spinach Lasagna

“I never knew that cooked Spinach tastes so good!” “Can we have more?” were just a few comments made that evening.

This was a great collaboration and a perfect example of the ways partnership in the community can create lifelong change for the residents of Fresno County!                               

Columbia Elementary friends and family Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook Nutrition Education series graduates

At Columbia Elementary School in Fresno County, nutrition education is a family affair! Over 15 adults participated in the UC CalFresh nutrition education series Plan, Shop, Save, and Cook. In addition to great attendance and enthusiasm, this audience was special in that many participants were related to each other and wanted to share the word on how to create a healthy lifestyle for their families. 

Mother and daughter Ana and Alma, enjoyed learning how to read a nutrition label. Ana stated, "I will now look at the nutrition facts before I choose my food." Alma will be adding more fruits and vegetables to her family's meals.

Husband and wife Arthur and Crystal enjoyed attending the series together. The couple agreed that after learning how much sugar soda contains, they will be reducing the amount of soda the family drinks.

Yolanda invited her 3 adult daughters Dolores, Yolanda, and Miriam to attend the classes with her and all stated how they learned such valuable information. By attending the classes together, they all encourage each other to stay focused on choosing healthy food options and to keep physically active.

Miriam shared, "I learned a lot in this nutrition class and I plan to put them into practice to be healthy for a better life." Her mother enjoyed learning alongside her daughters on how to plan healthy meals while saving money.

This exceptional group is a wonderful example of the pledge Columbia Elementary families are making to lead a healthy and active life!                                     

Yolanda and her daughters celebrate completion of the Plan, Shop, Save and Cook series

Parlier Plan, Shop, Save and Cook series graduates

Over the course of 5 weeks, Ben Benavidez Elementary School parents committed to learning about healthy habits for themselves and their families. The graduates of the Plan, Shop, Save and Cook nutrition education series practiced reading and understanding food labels, shopping for sale items while using a written grocery list, and planning healthy meals for the family.

"Now...my kids [know] how to read nutrition facts, they are checking every label in our kitchen!" -Maria Hernandez.

Planning meals ahead of time has been a real time saver for participant Rosa Hernandez, "It really helps my day when I don't have to go to the store all the time to get what I need."

The recipes prepared at each lesson demonstrated how healthy meals do not have to be expensive or time consuming. Participants are now very familiar with the MyPlate model and plan to utilize it when thinking about their next food choice.

Ben Benavidez Elementary School parents practice making a written grocery list while planning meals ahead of time

Principal Alan Macedo joined the class weekly to encourage parents to continue on this journey of health and well-being.

These parents are definitely role models for the school and community as they put into practice what they have learned from the UC CalFresh nutrition education program.

UC CalFresh also works with teachers to provide nutrition education to students. This comprehensive approach to nutrition helps ensure that families in the Central Valley are healthy and thriving!