How do we cultivate healthy habits?

The UC CalFresh Adult Nutrition Education Program provides its program participants with no-cost, research-based information on food and nutrition, physical activity, food safety, and resource management. We strive to empower our participants with practical skills and knowledge that enables them to engage in physical activity and make informed food choices.  

Knowledge

Participants at Rescue the Children completed a Plan, Shop, Save & Cook 5-week nutrition education series. They learned about the importance and value of planning for family meals, shopping for nutrient dense foods, how to safely prepare family meals, and how to stretch food dollars when money is tight. 

Empowerment

Our participants left excited and empowered to make healthy changes for themselves, and their families! Goal setting is an important component and emphasis in our classes. Goal setting makes healthier behavior changes possible and attainable for our participants. Below are some goals you may wish to tackle and/or incorporate into your everyday routine:

• Use a grocery list when grocery shopping.
• Involve your children when planning and preparing meals. 
• Read the nutrition facts label on snacks and cereals and choose foods with the least amount of sugar.
• Buy items in bulk to save money.

Social Support

Our Rescue the Children participants were an enthusiastic group of women who were willing to learn from their peers by sharing successes and/or barriers they have experienced when feeding their children. 

Practical Application

We injected hands-on learning into our physical activity breaks. We encouraged participants to be the educator and teach their peers a physical activity that they can employ at home. We recommend that adults get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week. To meet this recommendation, our participants used the Champions for Change, "Playing for Healthy Choices" cards to inspire their peers to move more. They carefully read through their physical activity cards and demoed their specific physical activity. They also offered modifications to the exercise cards to encourage everyone to participate at a level that best suited them. What a fun way to incorporate physical activity!

Cooking Demonstration

We concluded our last nutrition lesson with our graduation ceremony and a cooking demonstration. The Spaghetti with Turkey Meat Sauce was a hit amongst our participants. They were surprised with how simple swaps, like choosing whole grain pasta and leaner meats, could make for a tasty and nutritious meal. Our recipe and how to prepare it, in 4 simple steps, is found below. Let us know if you try it out with your families. Tweet us a picture, post it on Facebook, or tag us on Instagram.

Spaghetti with Turkey Meat Sauce

Ingredients

Non stick cooking spray

¾ pound of lean ground turkey

2 (14 1/2 –ounce) can of diced tomatoes, juice reserved

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup of onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon of crushed, dried oregano

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 pound of spaghetti noodles