The expanded food and nutrition education program (EFNEP) provides direct nutrition education to eligible parents and caregivers of children, and eligible youth in 3RD-12TH grades

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota $1,079,822 on October 1, 2025, under the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (CFDA 10.514), a formula grant supporting direct nutrition education to low-income families and youth.

Minnesota Extension delivers nutrition education through paraprofessional educators who share sociocultural characteristics with participants, targeting low-wealth families and youth in the Twin Cities five-county metro region. The program emphasizes five core competencies: diet quality, food safety, food security, resource management, and physical activity. Classes run one to two hours weekly over six to eight weeks and focus on healthy food preparation skills, physical activity, and resource management. Evaluation uses paired pre-post diet recalls and food behavior questionnaires administered through an audio-visual app available in five languages. The program reaches approximately 500 unique adult participants and 1,200 youth participants annually, with eligible audiences including parents and caregivers of children and youth in grades 3–12.

Performance occurs in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The period of performance runs through September 30, 2030.

In minnesota, EFNEP is offered in a 5-county metro region. EFNEP's 5 core competencies of diet quality, food safety/security/resource management and physical activity are delivered using a paraprofessional model where educators share sociocultural characteristics of the populations with whom they work. Minnesota extension uses EFNEP funds solely for programming. In minnesota, EFNEP's robust evaluation measures of paired pre-post diet recalls and food behavior questionnaires are delivered using an audio/visual APP in 5 languages. Classes are 1 to 2 hours long, occur weekly over 6 to 8 weeks and emphasize skills related to healthy food preparation, physical activity, and resource management. As lifestyle-related chronic diseases are on the rise, minnesota EFNEP uses relevant education to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to make behavior changes leading to better health for themselves and their families. Each year, minnesota EFNEP reaches ~500 unique adult participants and ~1,200 youth participants. The intended audience is low-wealth, under-resourced youth and families in the twin cities metro.