Whether an expectant mother, preschooler, school-age child, young adult or senior citizen, creating healthier lifestyles begins with making healthy food choices. The University of Illinois Extension Family Nutrition Program teaches how to make these choices based on nutrition, food safety, and food budgeting for food stamp eligible citizens in Champaign County. Staff members teach classes, distribute newsletters, and make public displays at over 100 sites including community housing centers, child care facilities, youth clubs, social service agencies, and senior citizen centers. Handouts include many healthy, easy-to-make recipes for families and individuals using simple ingredients

Food Experiences for Little Fingers

An important tradition began in 1965 in Yvette Brown’s family. That was the year her grandmother opened Peter Pan Day Care Center in the basement of her Champaign home. Thirty-six years later, Yvette carries on the tradition of caring for children as director of two Peter Pan Day Care Centers, one in Champaign and one in Urbana. Finding and keeping qualified teachers for the 60 children enrolled in the centers is challenging. Yvette relies heavily on outside resources for educational opportunities for her clients. One of her favorite resources is University of Illinois Extension.

Extension paraprofessionals regularly teach her children and teachers about good nutrition and health using the Food Guide Pyramid. “The kids really like it when they get to cook something and then eat it,” says Yvette. The staff also teach basic cooking, food safety, and the importance of handwashing.

“I always thought Extension was for farmers until I got an invitation to attend a child care workshop one day. I soon learned about all the resources available to me through Extension. I gain a great deal from monthly newsletter that Extension mails to me. They give me a monthly handout for the children’s parents focusing on a child development issue. All of the Extension materials help me and my staff to be good child care providers.”

Teens Explore Food Choices

“Thank you for sharing Family Nutrition Program educational materials with students at University High School. The recipes, food pyramid handouts, and label explanation materials were very helpful. More importantly, the test tubes showing the sugar, fat and salt levels in popular foods were very persuasive. The students were motivated to try healthful recipes after viewing the fat content in fast foods.”

—Laurie Goldwasser

Seniors Share Together

Residents at a senior citizen high rise, Steer Place, are excited to learn new ideas. The University of Illinois Extension Family Nutrition Program staff teach residents nutrition information, ideas for food\ substitutions and frequently demonstrate short cuts to food preparation. The classes are fun and promote sharing of ideas among the residents.

“It’s a great class. This is the only class I go to because I enjoy learning new ideas,” says Wilma. Another resident, Faye, explains many of the residents have serious health issues and the class provides ideas to prepare food for special dietary needs.