University of Missouri Extensions

Educating students on the importance of healthy eating

I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Kenlyn Shettlesworth, a Nutrition Program Associate. She works for the Family Nutrition Education Program teaching the value of nutrition and developing healthy eating habits to low-income families. Shettlesworth also helps people with their SNAP application to receive government benefits for access to better, healthier foods.  

The application is based on household size and income. For students who live with roommates, you are your own household and to qualify for benefits, they would need to make under $18,960 a year. It takes about a week after the application is turned in before students receive a phone call for some more information regarding their application. Students must provide documentation, an address, and their social security number.  

Whether out of college or a domestic or international student, you have the chance to receive benefits for groceries if you fall under these requirements. The Food Nutrition Education Program offers direct and indirect teaching opportunities for all students too.  

In a direct teaching setting, you can sit with the nutritionist in a room and learn about making different and easy recipes using an actual mobile kitchen. There are even options for students who live in the dorm and do not have access to appliances like a stove, oven, blender, etc. For the indirect teaching opportunity, the nutritionist will give students recipes to try at home or pamphlets about healthy eating.  

The goal of the program is to promote and educate the importance of eating well and know how easy and convenient it can be for students to make themselves meals and buy fresh and healthy food at the store.  

For students who feel like making meals is too much of a hassle during the stressful seasons of the semester, this program teaches how to quickly make food on-the-go by how to successfully prep meals for the week.  

If you wish to know more about this program, click the link here: University of Missouri Extensions