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Nutrition Program in Greene County and FNEP

Sort fact from fiction with reliable information from University of Missouri Extension on food, vitamins, exercise and preventive health care.

Local Resources

FNEP - Family Nutrition Education Program

Greene County Annex
305 E. Walnut, Suite 111, Box 31
Springfield, MO  65806
Phone:  417-866-3039;  Fax:  417-866-0849

Click here for a list of nutrition staff working in Greene County

FNEP is nutrition education for you and your family. Nutrition educators meet you in homes, schools, and at agencies. Greene County is the regional headquarters for the FNEP program in southwest Missouri and the nutrition specialist maintain a separate location on Walnut Street.

Assisting Missourians with limited resources in achieving lifelong health and fitness is the goal of the Family Nutrition Education Program. In southwest Missouri, programs for youth and adults provide nutrition, food safety and tasting opportunities that allow participants to learn about healthy food choices and regular physical activity. Food Power, an interactive traveling nutrition program, is also presented in the region. Partnering with other agencies is critical to the program’s success. Partners include schools, after-school programs, summer youth programs, WIC, Head Start, Health Departments, Food Stamp offices and a variety of social service agencies providing services to limited –income families. During this past year, 784 families participated in adult series lessons in the southwest region.

Impact in southwest Missouri

During the past year, 784 families in southwest Missouri have participated in adult lessons provided by University of Missouri Extension's Family Nutrition Education Program.

When the 784 families in southwest Missouri that were reached during 2003 were surveyed, Terry Egan, nutrition specialist and coordinator of FNEP in southwest Missouri, found the program has a tremendous impact. As a result of the FNEP lessons:

  • 37 percent of participants more often followed the practice of not thawing foods at room temperature;

  • 46 percent more often planned meals in advance;

  • 36 percent more often used a grocery list;

  • 34 percent less often ran out of food before the end of the month;

  • 41 percent more often used the “Nutrition Facts” on food labels to make food choices; and

  • 33 percent more often thought about healthy food choices when deciding what to feed their family.

Impact in the Public Schools

The work done in public schools by nutrition educators had equally impressive impacts according to Egan, including these student changes reported by teachers:

  • 62 percent of students are more aware of nutrition because of lessons;
  • 53 percent of students make healthier nutrition choices because of lessons;
  • 62 percent of students are more willing to try new foods because of lessons; and
  • 71 percent of students improved hands washing because of programs like Body Walk.

"The variety of people our nutrition educators get to work with makes every day fun. I just wish more people knew that reliable nutrition information is available through our FNEP programs," said Egan.

The Family Nutrition Education Program, an important part of University 'Extension, works to bring the latest nutrition information to Missourians.  For more information on the program, contact FNEP coordinator Terry Egan at (417) 866-3039.  

Click here for a list of nutrition staff working in Greene County

To find out more about FNEP, contact Terry Egan, Nutrition Specialist

Health and Nutrition Resources for Southwest Missouri

Missouri-wide Nutrition and Health Resources

Note: Links to commercial websites do not imply endorsement.

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Updated 12/06/06		 Find a University of Missouri Extension office