Food & Nutrition
Nutrition is key for good health and preventing disease. The Extension Food and Nutrition Program provides practical education and information for families, youth and consumers. Our programs deliver hands-on education focusing on food selection, food preparation, meal planning, food safety, shopping skills and the latest research-based nutrition information. Martha Archuleta, Ph.D, R.D. |
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Programs
- ICAN (Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition)
- kIdsCAN
- Fit Families
- CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health)
ICAN (Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition)
ICAN is a statewide program funded through USDA and NMSU. ICAN targets limited resource adults with practical hands-on education designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, increase physical activity and improve meal management skills.
kIdsCAN
kIdsCAN is the youth component of the ICAN program and targets youth primarily in schools, after school programs and Head Start.
Fit Families
Fit Families is a pediatric referral program for overweight children and their parents. The goal of Fit Families is to teach overweight children and their parents healthy eating habits, the importance of increased physical activity, promote a healthy self-esteem and goal setting. Approximately 180 families have completed the Fit Families program in Dona Ana County over the last four years. Program evaluation assessment of the program demonstrates generally favorable reviews by both the children and their parents with many participants requesting additional classes. We hope to continue to expand the Fit Families program and possibly reassess and revise the curriculum to better meet the needs of the community based on information from class evaluations and in-depth interviewing process of past class participant. This project is funded by the by the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service and a Grant from General Mills. We recently received a grant from NM Department of Health to support two classes in Southern Dona Ana County.
Current Location:Dona Ana County
Contact for the Fit Families Program:
K'Dawn Jackson
Program Coordinator
New Mexico State University
Cooperative Extension Service, MSC 3AE
Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8003
Phone: 505-646-5087
Fax: 505-646-1889
Email: kjackson@nmsu.edu
CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health)
CATCH is an evidence-based coordinated school health program that teaches children to identify, practice and adopt healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. It results from the largest school-based health promotion study ever funded in the United States and included more than 5,100 students with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Three of the four states involved in the study have demographics similar to those of New Mexico. Continued research shows that CATCH produces lasting changes in dietary and physical activity behaviors. External funding for New Mexico CATCH is provided by the NM Department of Health and NM Public Education Department. For more information on New Mexico CATCH or to view the CATCH application go to:
Current Locations: Bernalillo, Chavez, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, Dona Ana, Eddy, Guadalupe, Harding, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Union, Sandoval, San Miguel, Taos, Torrance
Contact for the CATCH Program:
K'Dawn Jackson
Program Coordinator
New Mexico State University
Cooperative Extension Service, MSC 3AE
Box 30003
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8003
Phone: 505-646-5087
Fax: 505-646-1889
Email: kjackson@nmsu.edu
County Programs
County home economists conduct a variety of foods and nutrition programs designed to fit local needs.