Snap-Ed in Hill County

Published: 2022
By Kati Purkett

The Supplemental Nutrition Education program (SNAP-Ed) in Hill County helps participants find measurable improvements. A total of 186 classes were taught, 476 children and adults were reached, and 30 class series were taught. Snap-Ed also helped the local Salvation Army set up and grow container gardens, and use the produce to make a healthy meal. Reported behavior change in adult participants includes: - 100% diet quality improvements in one or more aspects of their diet. Indicators (i.e., eating fruits, vegetables, red, orange, and dark green vegetables, drinking less regular soda (not diet), drinking less fruit punch, fruit drinks, sweet tea, or sports drinks, and cooking dinner at home. - 64% food safety practice improvements, in one or more practices. (i.e., washing hands before preparing food, washing all items and surfaces after cutting raw meat or seafood, not thawing frozen food at room temperature, or using a meat thermometer. - 68% physical activity improvements, in one or more behaviors (i.e., exercising for at least 30 minutes, doing workouts to build and strengthen muscles, or making small changes to be more active). - 32% food security improvements, in one or more indicators. (i.e., not eating less than you wanted so there was more food for your family or having enough money to get food for your family). Youth participants saw behavior change improvements: - Physical activity by 30%, in their physical activity practices or gained knowledge. - Diet quality by 77%, in their abilities to choose foods according to Federal Dietary Recommendations or gained knowledge. - Safe food handling by 55%, in using safe food handling practices more often or gaining knowledge