Operation Frontline’s courses are designed to run for six weekly, two-hour lessons:
1. EATING RIGHT, offered in English and Spanish, teaches low-income adults how to prepare and shop for healthy meals on a limited budget. This program is often paired with Start By Eating Right, an addendum for adults with children under 5. A second addendum for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their caretakers will be available in 2010. More than 70 percent of Eating Right participants said they eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains after the course than before.
2. THE POWER OF EATING RIGHT teaches teens how to make healthy food choices, and prepare healthy meals and snacks. Nearly 75 percent of graduates said they eat more fruit and 54 percent said they eat more vegetables after taking the course.
3. KIDS UP FRONT teaches kids aged 8 to 12 the basics of healthy eating and how it affects their performance, and how to make easy, nutritious foods at home. Nearly 90 percent of participants learned at least one new thing about cooking.
4. SIDE BY SIDE teaches school-age children and their parents about healthy eating and the importance of eating together as a family. 93 percent of children said they were excited to cook with their parents and 99 percent of adults would recommend the class to other families.
5. STEP UP TO EATING RIGHT teaches teen parents how to make healthy food choices and prepare nutritious foods for themselves and their babies. Graduates increased their use of Nutrition Facts labels when they shop and chose healthier foods like low-fat milk and whole grains.
6. EATING SMART FROM THE START teaches Family Childcare Providers how to create healthy meals with limited resources, and how to positively influence the food habits of the children in their care.
7. SAVING SMART, SPENDING SMART teaches low-income families about basic household budgeting, banking, credit, and wise food-shopping practices. 67 percent started a savings plan and nearly 40 percent started planning a family budget. This curriculum will be offered in 2011.
