The Virginia Family Nutrition Program works with many audiences and partners to best meet the needs of each unique community. From the rural areas of Appalachia to populated cities like Richmond, Arlington and Virginia Beach, we bring nutrition education and healthy living strategies to Virginians who want to make healthy shifts in their lives.
Adult Programs
Eating Smart, Being Active
Eating Smart, Being Active (ESBA) is the primary curriculum for adult programs that we use throughout the state. ESBA lessons encourage adults to make healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices. The program is discussion-based, includes hands-on activities like cooking and meal planning, and offers practical advice for making healthy behavior changes. Created by Colorado State University’s Cooperative Extension, adults in Virginia can learn how to make healthy changes for themselves and their families thanks to this curriculum.
Healthy Eating, Staying Active (Individuals Ages 45 Years +)
Healthy Eating, Staying Active is a nutrition education program developed by the Virginia Family Nutrition Program to address nutrition and physical activity concerns associated with aging. Lessons include nutrition education, food tasting experiences, physical activity engagement, and hands-on learning activities.
Youth Programs
Growing Healthy Habits
Growing Healthy Habits is a curriculum developed by the University of Maryland’s Cooperative Extension. This curriculum teaches 3rd through 5th graders the concepts of nutrition through gardening and science. If you would also like to know how to care for your garden, check out this link.
Pick a Better Snack (Grades K-2)
Adapted from the Iowa Department of Public Health, Pick a Better Snack is a hands-on curriculum designed to encourage children to try new fruits and vegetables and eat more of them too.
Literacy, Eating, Activity for Preschoolers (LEAP)
Literacy, Eating, Activity for Preschoolers (LEAP) is a curriculum for preschoolers developed by the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension. LEAP offers 10 lessons on food and nutrition using a storybook-style approach.
Learn, Grow, Eat, Go! (Grades 3-5)
Learn, Grow, Eat, and Go is a research-based youth gardening and nutrition education program developed by Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Service. The program covers gardening and “nutrient-dense food experiences,” as well as physical activity. The program complements school and community gardening activities.
Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness
Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness is a curriculum for 3rd through 6th graders designed to encourage students to replace sweetened drinks with low-fat milk and water, eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, eat fewer high-fat and high-sugar foods, and be more active.
Summer Food, Summer Moves (Grades K-6)
Summer Food, Summer Moves is a fun summer program on healthy eating and physical activity during the summer months. The curriculum was developed by USDA and “focuses on using music, games, art, and movement to motivate kids and families to choose more fruits and vegetables, choose water instead of sugary drinks, get enough physical activity every day, and to limit screen time.”
Teen Cuisine
Teen Cuisine is a hands-on cooking program created by the Virginia Family Nutrition Program that teaches students in grades 8-12 important life skills that will stay with them as they grow into adults. Lessons cover how to choose healthy foods and prevent foodborne illness. With a cooking demonstration in each lesson, students learn by doing. Students learn the basics of MyPlate, importance of handwashing, basic knife safety, how to read food labels and choose healthy foods, how to make smart food choices when eating out, the health effects of different fats, how to plan meals and how to practice food safety.
Community Programs
Shop Smart, Eat Smart – Healthy Retail Initiative
Retailers may not always supply enough healthy foods for their shoppers. Be empowered to ask for healthier items at your local store. The Family Nutrition Program works with local stores to help them stock more healthy items and ensure that they comply with the requirements to remain SNAP-eligible.
Virginia Farmers Market Cooking Demonstrations
Our SNAP-Ed Agents, Program Assistants, volunteers and interns visit local farmers markets to educate market-goers about the importance of making a shopping list, looking for produce that is in-season to save money, and how to prepare farmers market produce. They use cooking demonstrations to show how foods can be prepared and offer samples to visitors. You can also take the recipe home with you! They can also give you information about using SNAP/EBT at the farmers market.
Community Volunteer Projects
The Virginia Family Nutrition Program relies on the partnership of many community organizations to meet the needs of all Virginians. Through our partnerships with teachers, school nurses, librarians, parents, chefs, after-school program staff, and school nutrition staff, state agencies and community organizations, we are able to help more Virginians.