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Pottawatomie County

Health and Nutrition

Good nutrition and physical activity are important habits for you, your family and your friends to practice for life-long health.

Eating healthful foods and exercising at every stage of life will help you:

  • enjoy great tasting foods
  • build physical strength and endurance 
  • feel your best and work productively
  • reduce your risk of health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer

Healthy habits should be:

REALISTIC - Small changes work best.

FLEXIBLE - Don't worry about one meal or one day. Balance your physical activity and what you eat over several days.

SENSIBLE - Enjoy food, just don't overdo it.

For more information visit the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Choose My Plate.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education (SNAP-Ed)

SNAP-Ed (k-state.edu/ks-snaped//) offers nutrition education for Kansans of all ages who receive or are eligible to receive food assistance. SNAP-Ed is implemented by Kansas State Research and Extension in partnership with the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The strength and reach of SNAP-Ed is due, in large part, to the collaborative efforts of Extension and local community agencies and organizations that share a common concern for the welfare of limited resource Kansans.

Partnering agencies include:

  • Schools
  • WIC and Local Health Departments
  • Senior Centers and Congregate Meal Sites
  • Department for Children and Families
  • Head Start and Childcare Centers
  • Churches
  • Hospitals and Clinics
  • Food Banks and Pantries
  • Commodity Food Distribution Centers

In Pottawatomie County, Nutrition Educator, Julene DeRouchey, provides nutrition education in classrooms at qualifying schools, Senior Centers, and Food Pantries.  Nutrition education classes are also available online.  All classes are free to attend.  A cooking camp for school-aged children is held during the summer in St. Marys. If you have any questions about this program please call Julene DeRouchey or Erin Tynon at 785-457-3319.

For more information visit the Kansas SNAP-Ed                                           (k-state.edu/ks-snaped//) page.