The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is federally funded and is conducted through Cooperative Extension Service in every state and U.S. territory, and is also affiliated with UGA's College of Family and Consumer Sciences here in Georgia.
For over 30 years, EFNEP has been helping families with children learn how to eat healthier meals and snacks, stretch their food dollars and reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
Gwinnett County EFNEP offers a variety of nutrition education experiences for every family member!
Faced with the challenges of paying rent, utilities, day care, and other family expenses, families experience the stress of trying to provide a variety of nutritious foods and maintain healthy diets on limited budgets. EFNEP provides a variety of tools and ideas to help families cut food costs and provide healthy meals and snacks for family members. Adults enrolled in EFNEP learn how to:
- Plan low cost nutritious meals
- Prepare quick and healthy meals and snacks
- Shop for the best food buys
- Keep foods safe to eat
- Eat right and light to control sugar, salt, fat and calories
The average weight gain for pregnant women enrolled in EFNEP, specifically for pregnant teens, falls well within the recommended weight gain range for pregnancy. The average birth weight of babies born to EFNEP participants is 6.5 pounds, well above what is considered a low birth weight baby. Pregnant women enrolled in EFNEP learn how to:
- Eat healthy for moms-to-be
- Properly feed infants and preschool children
- Provide positive food experiences for children
Fun food experiences, that teach children healthy food choices, are conducted with preschool, Pre-K, and school age youth through:
- Preschool day care center programs
- School based classes
- After-school community classes
- Summer workshops and day camps
