UGA Extension Office

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed)

What is SNAP-Ed?

SNAP-Ed, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education, is federally funded and is conducted in every state and U.S. territory. In Georgia, SNAP-Ed is conducted through UGA Extension and is also affiliated with UGA's College of Family & Consumer Sciences.

For decades, SNAP-Ed has been helping families with children learn how to eat healthier meals and snacks, stretch their food dollars and reduces the risk of food-borne illness.

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. SNAP-Ed, through our Food Talk class, 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 Food Talk 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

SNAP-Ed also provides an on line nutrition education program, Food e-Talk, which is based on the Food Talk curriculum. In addition to regular Food Talk materials, participants have access to physical activity and meal trackers as well as video cooking demonstrations and alternative recipes. Food e-Talk enrollees learn how to:

Control sodium intake
Increase intake of healthy fruits and vegetables
Plan low-cost, nutritious meals for the family

Learn more or enroll at www.foodtalk.org

In addition to teaching families, SNAP-Ed helps early care and education (ECE) professionals to improve children's health and physical activity. ECE professionals learn to identify and make program changes that improve nutrition and activity and teach preschool-age children about nutrition and physical activity through age-appropriate hands-on activities. ECE professionals learn to:

Assess their program's current nutrition and physical activity practices
Choose and make changes that improve nutrition and physical activity practices in the ECE environment
Help children learn about healthy lifestyles in a fun and creative way
Set a positive example for children in nutrition and physical activity