To give you a better idea of the many ways that FNP helps people Eat Smart and Move More, I wanted to talk about one of our newer projects, the Food Security Program. Meredith has been working very hard over the last year and a half to increase SNAP recipients’ access to local foods. Partnering with the VA Department of Social Services, she has helped more farmers markets get EBT machines in order to accept SNAP benefits.

Using SNAP at the Farmers Market

Some markets she has worked with match SNAP benefits with extra money, letting families to buy even more local food. For instance, at the Blacksburg Farmers Market, SNAP benefits are matched dollar for dollar, so if you take $5 from your EBT card, they will give you $10 to spend! Each market that has these SNAP matching programs works very hard to fund them through grants and fundraising. We applaud their dedication to ensuring everyone can eat the delicious bounty that is harvested in Virginia!

This program fits very nicely with another Virginia group’s project. The Virginia Food System Council is asking all Virginians to take the $10 a Week Pledge. If everyone in Virginia spent just $10 per week on local food, it would boost our economy by an estimated $1.65 BILLION a year. You can help your local community thrive, while eating fresh and tasty fruits, veggies, meat and eggs produced by your neighbors. What’s not to love? With the matching programs, the benefits of local, seasonal foods and the huge economic impact, the $10 a Week project is a WIN-WIN-WIN for all Virginians, even those who use SNAP.

That’s not all that Meredith does for FNP at Farmers Markets. She is also our head Cooking Coach, giving cooking demos at Farmers Markets. She has plenty of tasty recipes to share that use old favorites in new ways (Green Beans with Toasted Garlic) or simple ways to prepare new fruits or veggies found at the market (Delicata Squash with Walnuts). She and her helpers have been all across Virginia this summer, handing out samples of these recipes for people to try. So far, FNP’s Cooking Coaches have showed over 600 people shopping at their local farmers markets how to prepare low-cost produce in simple, tasty ways their families will love.

Since the harvest season is in full swing, make a plan to visit your local Farmers Market this week. You can find the market closest to you, as well as find out who accepts SNAP, using USDA’s Farmers Market Directory. If you are in Roanoke, stop by these upcoming FNP cooking demos

• August 1- Downtown Roanoke Farmers Market 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• August 13- West End Farmers Market 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• August 17- Vinton Farmers Market 10:30 am – 2:00 pm

Let us know if you run into one of our Cooking Coaches or what delicious local foods you buy at the market.