UCCE provides nutrition education called for after food stamp cuts

After the Fresno Bee ran a story about local families' struggle to cope with cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, Sanger resident Nina Balbach responded with a letter to the editor suggesting SNAP recipients could still buy enough food with the reduced benefits.

"I went to our local Winco grocery story (without coupons) on Saturday and priced a week's worth of groceries," Balbach wrote. "I was over budget by 6 cents."

She said the government "is not teaching our disadvantaged how to cook, shop or budget."

In today's letters to the Fresno Bee, Kristen Stenger, UC Cooperative Extension advisor in Fresno County, pointed out that UCCE nutrition educators teach low-income families how to eat, budget, shop and cook via the UC CalFresh Program and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. The classes are supported by the USDA.

"The Plan, Shop, Save and Cook curriculum teaches budgeting, shopping, and cooking to help grow healthy families. Eating Smart, Being Active curriculum is also used. It pairs nutrition education, meal planning, and money management with physical activity. Over the last year these programs taught over 40,000 adults and youth about nutrition and healthy living in Fresno County," Stenger wrote.