Strafford County

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Nutrition Connections

Cooking Classes The Nutrition Connections program in Strafford County targets limited-income adults, families, and youth. We provide no-fee, life-skills education in:

Nutrition
Meal planning, food shopping & food budgeting, cooking
Food safety
Becoming more physically active

Nutrition Connections motivates & empowers program participants to:

Eat healthier & exercise regularly to:

Improve weight control, mood, energy, school & job performance;
Reduce risk & improve management of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis which drive our spiraling healthcare costs and reduce quality of life.

Read & understand food labels to select nutritious foods
Save $$$ at the supermarket & still make healthier choices
Plan & prepare quick, low-cost meals that are tasty & nutritious
Prevent foodborne illness which affects 1 in 4 Americans annually

Adult programs: We provide education to groups at agency locations and other venues but also work one-on-one with individuals & families in their homes. Learning activities are tailored to the needs of the participant(s). A typical program consists of 4-6 sessions of 1½ to 2 hours over 4 to 8 weeks. If cooking is requested, the agency or participant is responsible for providing equipment and food. We also offer a no-fee nutrition correspondence course.

Youth programs: We provide nutrition education to preschoolers at Head Start centers & income-qualifying daycare centers, and to schools with at least 40% of students receiving free or reduced-fee lunch.

We also offer the HEALthy Schools program to help schools improve their nutrition & physical fitness environment. Features include an online fitness/wellness course (worth 45 CEU’s), a nutrition-theme bookbag program that helps meet reading requirements, and $100 worth of nutrition education supplies for each 40 hour devoted to the program.

Eligibility for Nutrition Connections Programs

Adults: Families & individuals with incomes up to 185% of Federal Poverty Guidelines ($40,793 for a family of 4) or most people receiving some form of public assistance such as WIC, TANF, Food Stamps, APTD, Medicaid, SSI, fuel assistance. Healthy Kids
Youth: Head Start centers & elementary or middle schools with at least 40% of students receiving free or reduced-fee lunch.