MSU Extension SNAP-Ed

SNAP-Ed programming throughout the State

Overall MSU Extension reached 240,136 unduplicated individuals through nutrition and physical activity promotion, education, and PSE (policy, system, and environmental changes) and worked collaboratively with 945 partners and 168 coalitions throughout the state. 

What We Do 

MSU Extension partners with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to provide SNAP-Ed, a nutrition education program designed to reduce hunger and food insecurity and promote healthy eating habits for SNAP-Ed eligible populations. MSU Extension SNAP-Ed community nutrition instructors teach youth, individuals, and families how to make healthy a priority. The goal of SNAP-Ed is to improve the likelihood that SNAP-Ed eligible persons will make healthy food choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA food guidance. 

PSE (Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change) 

PSE Impact Oct. 1, 2022 - Sept. 30, 2023

• 254 community sites reached
• 66,375 children & adults reached

PSE Site Changes

• 495 Nutrition
• 55 Physical Activity
• 5 both Nutrition and Physical Activity
• 44 Policy changes
• 216 Environmental changes
• 295 System changes

PSE Success Story

"We have increased the amount of fruits and vegetables the children are eating and decreased the amount of pre-fried foods served at snacks and meals. This Farm to Early Care program has taught me to shop for locally grown fruits and vegetables!" - Montomorency County

Direct Education

• 10,025 Direct Education Sessions Offered 
  
  • 9,700 Face to Face
  • 325 Hybrid

Adult Dietary Improvements

• 17% consumed less soda per day
• 39% ate more fruits per day
• 36% ate more vegetables per day 

Adult Physical Activity Improvements

• 39% increased moderate physical activity participation
• 32% increased strength training activities

Youth Health & Nutrition Impacts (3rd-12th grade)

• 33% increased vegetable consumption
• 33% decreased soda consumption 
• 31% increased physical activity
• 28% washed their hands more often
• 30% decreased screen time

Youth Health & Nutrition Impacts (K-2nd grade) 

• 89% washed their hands more before handling food
• 65% bring more fruits and veggies as snacks
• 97% can identify healthy food choices
• 81% increased physical activity
• 90% are now eating more fruits and vegetables

Indirect Education

Indirect education activities are complementary approaches to direct education and PSE coaching and include informative channels like: articles, fact sheets, radio podcasts, social media postings, web presence, and educational videos. 

372,083 adults and youth were reached. 

Social Media (total duplicative reach for social media posts) 

• 3,515 Instagram touches
• 288 video hours watched on YouTube
• 96,882 video thumbnails shown to YouTube viewers
• 172,300 MI Health Matters Facebook post entered users screen
• 174 MI Health Matters Educational videos now available

The MI Health Matters social media campaign has produced an additional 23 short-form educational videos that help give viewers the tools they need to increase their physical activity and intake of fruits and vegetables by providing interesting information, cooking tips, recipes, and tricks. The MSU Extension Facebook MI Health Matters video library consists of 174 videos. 

MSU Extension created infographics to provide audiences with quick bits of information that can be found in lengthier MSU Extension news articles. The infographics also include links that allow viewers access to the full article. These infographics are posted on Facebook and Instagram. 

PSE Success Story 

Alcona Elementary Lead Cook started incorporating more homecooked meals for lunch and wanted to do taste testing of new meals. After some discussion and brainstorming, she decided to implement Try-day Fridays, where each Friday she would make a new recipe. Students had the choice to try the new meal, with a prize incentive for trying. Recipes that received a majority vote of yes were added to the Lunch Menu. They also collaborated with the art teacher to get some healthy foods art work on the walls in the cafeteria. “Students, who normally choose peanut butter & jelly for lunch, are giving the new recipes a try, and trying more foods then they normally do. I also noticed that students requested and prefer more fresh fruits & vegetables.” - Alcona County

SNAP-Ed Success Stories

Marquette County

An Eat Smart, Live Strong series participant was asked how things were going and she shared that she’s eating more fruits and vegetables, is walking more, and has lost five pounds in the four weeks since the class started.

Menominee County

The Nah Tah Wahsh Community School implemented cafeteria environmental improvements and food tastings that honored their Native American culture and the students were able to experience foods like blackberries, raspberries, squash, wild rice, and bison; many for the first time.

Emmet County

After attending a series, participants from the Little Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa Indians shared they were washing their hands more before eating, trying new foods at home, reading food labels more often, and improved kitchen safety. They were also cleaning and sanitizing cutting boards in between produce and meat more often. One participant even said they bought color-coded cutting boards for this purpose.

Manistee County

After completing a 2022 needs assessment, a subcommittee of the LiveWell 4 Health Manistee coalition found that 99% of food pantry clients would take more fresh fruits and vegetables if provided. In response, the group created the Field to Pantry pilot program with three local farmers that agreed to sell produce at wholesale prices to eight local pantries.

Gratiot County

The Live Well Gratiot (multi-sector) Coalition worked collaboratively to fund and provide $100 in farmers market tokens for fresh produce to 58 individuals that completed a Cooking for One SNAP-Ed series.

St. Clair County

In collaboration with WIC, a comfort station for breastfeeding moms was set up at the 4-H Fair. The WIC Coordinator wrote, “I wanted to thank you for inviting WIC to participate in providing a comfort station for breastfeeding moms at this year’s 4-H Fair. The community response was overwhelmingly positive.”

Washtenaw County

With the assistance of MSU Extension, refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Colombia participated in an Eat Healthy, Be Active nutrition education series and ultimately cultivated a garden with vegetables; some traditional to their homeland. The surplus in vegetables were sold at the local farmers market.