Nutrition
AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health educators and volunteers conducted 14,663 educational events on nutrition topics resulting in 492,545 direct contacts. Promotional events and newsletters reached an additional 378,916 contacts for a combined 2024 total of 871,461 contacts. Nutrition programs equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to make healthy choices that lead to improved health outcomes for adults and youth. The following examples illustrate how AgriLife Extension’s programs impact lives in meaningful ways.
Better Living for Texans
AgriLife Extension’s Better Living for Texans Program, BLT, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education, SNAP-Ed, focuses on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, promoting healthier eating patterns, increasing physical activity, adopting food resource management skills, and improving food safety practices. In FY 2024, the program reached more than 1.8 million limited-resource individuals through direct and indirect education; policy, systems, and environmental change initiatives; and social marketing. BLT partnered with 314 community organizations across 183 counties and received more than $7.8 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
The program’s impact includes significant increases in fruit and vegetable consumption among participants, with 72% using MyPlate for food choices and 85% using nutrition labels. Additionally, 40% of participants met guidelines for moderate physical activity and 81% improved their knowledge of growing fruits and vegetables.
BLT reached 61,875 adults and youth through 16,883 sessions at 1,098 sites through direct in-person education and reached 1,759,995 contacts through newsletters, health fairs, social media and other channels.
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, EFNEP, aims to support young families and youth with limited resources by providing practical lessons in nutrition, food preparation, budget management and food safety. The program focuses on those most at risk of hunger and food insecurity, helping them improve their eating behaviors and healthy food habits. In FY 2024, EFNEP made significant strides, with 95% of participants making positive changes in their diet, 50,470 youth educational contacts and 6,444 families enrolled. The program also benefited from the contributions of 1,318 volunteers who completed 14,660 hours of service valued at $468,240.
EFNEP’s adult program emphasizes hands-on experiences to enhance food budgeting, eating habits and food safety, leading to increased meal preparation at home, better portion control and more physical activity. The youth program targets low-income school-age children, offering engaging lessons on nutrition and food safety through various educational activities.
92% of participants improved their food resource management, 81% enhanced their food safety practices and 54% increased their physical activity.
Dinner Tonight
AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight program aims to provide healthy recipes for Texans and increase self-efficacy in meal planning, healthy cooking techniques and food safety. The program offers dynamic recipe cards, high-resolution photos, videos and diverse, filterable recipe categories. It emphasizes food safety with tips for prepping, cooking and storing food, and provides evidence-based best practices. The program includes in-person and virtual cooking school demonstrations, enhanced by web-based continuing education resources. It targets mealtime decision-makers, aiming to increase their confidence in meal planning, healthy cooking techniques and food safety practices.
The program’s impact extends beyond participants to their families, co-workers and friends. In FY 2024, the Dinner Tonight program had 4,378 participants and reported significant improvements in a variety of behaviors. Approximately 59% of participants increased their confidence in meal planning and nearly 61% felt more confident in modifying recipes to reduce salt, sugar and fat content.
