ANTHC Wellness and Prevention programs partner for nutrition education
February 3, 2017
ANTHC’s Health Promotion program was awarded a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Food Distribution Program Nutrition Education (FDPNE) in 2016. This funding allows grantees to provide nutrition education services to Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation (FDPIR) participants. ANTHC’s FDPIR provides a monthly supply of nutritional food to more than 700 people in 18 rural Alaska communities. In an effort to promote healthy eating habits, encourage the use of more fruits and vegetables and share new recipes, the Wellness and Prevention department is hosting rural nutrition education events that include recipe contests in nine FDPIR communities.
At each event, community members of all ages can participate in games highlighting the health benefits of hunting, fishing, gathering, growing and eating Traditional Foods, as well as feature healthy food options that are available at the grocery store or in an FDPIR package. FDPIR participants can also enter a cooking contest with dishes that combine at least one traditional Alaska Native food and one FDPIR package fruit or vegetable. Recipes are judged based on taste, appearance and number of fruits and vegetables used. A community potluck follows each recipe contest and includes a food demonstration and games, along with local dance group entertainment.
The Wellness and Prevention department recently held two of these events in Kwethluk and Kalskag. Both events had great attendance; the Kwethluk event had 48 attendees and Kalskag had 43. Between the two events, eight recipes were entered into the contest and both communities enjoyed performances from their own Alaska Native youth dance groups. Both communities thoroughly enjoyed coming together to share nutritional food and recipes and seeing their youth perform. Kwethluk expressed plans to continue a similar monthly community gathering with games, dancing and a potluck.
The Wellness and Prevention department will travel to Buckland, Kiana, Haines, Hydaburg, Craig, Klawock and Metlakatla between February and April to host seven additional nutrition education events and recipe contests. Recipes from all of the contests will be published in a cookbook that will be distributed to all FDPIR participants ANTHC serves.
For more information about the Health Promotion program, visit https://www.anthc.org/what-we-do/wellness/health-promotion-disease-prevention/. More information about ANTHC’s Food Distribution Program can be found at https://www.anthc.org/what-we-do/traditional-foods-and-nutrition/food-distribution-program-on-indian-reservations/.