If you've visited our blog recently, you may have found yourself reading stories about the way UC CalFresh works with children and families to help them eat healthy on a budget, plan meals, and read food labels.

For those who have not had the opportunity to attend a UC CalFresh Nutrition Education class, we've got you covered!

The choosemyplate.gov website has introduced the Healthy Eating on a Budget tool.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive! Below is an overview of the tools that are now available. Click here for more information.

UC CalFresh Nutrition Program is teaching quarterly Plan, Shop, Save & Cook classes to the women of the Rescue the Children program.

Rescue the Children is a protected, secure environment providing emergency and long-term services to at-risk, abused, homeless or previously incarcerated women or women with children. The community provides women and their children a place to get away from destructive lifestyles, offering a place to heal, learn, grow and ultimately becoming productive members of society. 

Some of those services include classes such as anger management, parenting classes, and nutrition education.

UC CalFresh Community Education Specialist Consuelo Cid discusses meal planning with participants.

When asked about her experience teaching this class, Consuelo said "It was a pleasure teaching these women! My hope as an educator is that I provided them the tools and knowledge necessary to empower them to make healthier food options and be more active for years to come."

Using the weekly sale ads helps us save money when buying healthy food.

The participants are really engaged and have many questions about healthy meals.

As part of our interactive lessons, participants must find healthy foods at a discount using store ads.

Educator Consuelo Cid enjoying the great ideas her class had in their meal planning lesson.

Healthy changes were already being made during the 5 part series! A graduate brought water flavored with fresh fruit as alternative to a beverage with added sugar.

Rescue the Children Summer Class Graduates! Congratulations ladies!

While students were on summer vacation, local seniors got an opportunity to go “back to school” with UC Calfresh.

UC CalFresh Nutrition Educators have been busy teaching senior nutrition classes in Fresno County this summer.  The curricula taught included: Eat Smart, Live Strong (ESLS) and Plan Shop Save and Cook (PSSC).

Nutrition Educator Kaili Acosta teaching the Plan Shop Save cook series at Pinedale Community Center.

Our signature senior curriculum, ESLS, focuses on teaching seniors to include a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, as well as the importance of getting 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

In each of our lessons, senior participants learned to make low-cost nutritious meals, save money while shopping, and easy ways to incorporate physical activity into their day.   

Nutrition Educators, Javier Miramontes and Tacu Vang reviewing Myplate with Participants at the Selma Senior Center.

Part of each lesson includes physical activities that seniors can do at home.

Tacu Vang, Nutrition Educator asks participants at Selma Senior Center how they can include more fruits and vegetables in their favorite meals.

Nutrition Education Specialist, Yolanda Lopez shows participants at Ted C. Wills Community Center how they can make a low-cost meal at home.

At the end of each series participants receive a certificate and tools to implement what they have learned. These tools include cook books, coupon holders, measuring spoons, shopping lists and MyPlate materials.

Special thanks to all of our partnering agencies for making these classes possible. Sites that offered our Senior Nutrition Education Series include: Senior Citizen's Village, Ted C. Wills Community Center, Sunnyside Glen Apartments, Mosqueda Community Center, Selma Senior Center and Pinedale Community Center. 

If you'd like to bring nutrition education to seniors in your community, please email lybrewer@ucanr.edu or comment below.

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!