The purpose of efnep is to provide nutrition education to low- income populations to reduce nutrition insecurity in low income families and youth

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Purdue University $1,319,103 under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514) on October 1, 2025. The recipient delivers community-based nutrition education to low-income families and youth through peer educators who provide evidence-based, interactive lessons focused on nutrition knowledge, diet quality, meal preparation and safety, resource management, and physical activity. Performance occurs at West Lafayette, Indiana through September 30, 2030.

Efnep objectives include providing assistance to low-income families and youth in acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes and changed behaviors necessary for nutritionally sound diets, and to contribute to the overall improvement of the total family diet and nutritional well-being. This is accomplished by providing informal and easily accessible nutrition education programs in the community. Peer educators, who typically live in the communities they work, deliver a series of interactive lessons to program participants in community settings. The lessons are evidence-based and are tailored to meet the needs of the audience. The program lessons focus on developing knowledge and skills related to nutrition, diet quality, meal preparation and safety, resource management and physical activity.