Nutrition education in grocery stores
Every month for the past three years SDSU Extension educators and Family Nutrition Program assistants
in five communities have prepared a learning station in their local grocery store. The communities with
Native American populations include Sisseton, Lake Andes, Eagle Butte, Rapid City, and Pine Ridge.
Customers in the grocery store visit the display to sample a healthy recipe, participate in a nutrition
mini-lesson, and take handouts of recipes and nutrition information for adults and for children. Among
the topics that specifically address health issues with American Indians are decreasing sodium,
increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, consuming lowfat protein and dairy, and rethinking
beverages. The lesson for March, 2011 features “10 Reasons to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables” and
“Create a Rainbow on Your Plate” about the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables along with
providing low cost, simple recipes. Project coordinator Karlys Wells commented, “The shoppers are
usually eager to taste a sample of a healthy recipe and often agree to prepare the recipe and to improve
their diet in positive ways. Grocery managers are also supportive of this educational event for their
customers.”