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Durham's Innovative Nutrition Education (DINE)

| North Carolina

In schools, DINE is a curriculum series that includes lessons, activities, healthy food tastings, and cooking demonstrations/classes. Nutritionists encourage Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE)s and collaborate with school gardens. DINE in the Community includes workshops, cooking demonstrations, and grocery store tours for adults and annual media campaigns. Technical assistance is provided to food vendors to increase inventory, affordability, and sales of nutritious food. A quarterly newsletter is sent to all SNAP households, and DINE in Childcare offers technical assistance to improve the nutrition and physical activity environments in targeted childcare facilities. Direct education is also provided. Visit www.dineforlife.org for more information.

DINE Nutrition Education for Life

Type of Program

Nutrition education and PSE change

Years of Implementation

1999-present

Number of Participants

5705 unduplicated workshop participants; 103,384 duplicated contacts through media and events

Target Audience

Durham County SNAP participants

Program Evaluation

  • Workshops/classes are evaluated with surveys of participants, parents and/or staff.
  • Newsletters are evaluated with survey cards and telephone follow-up.
  • Store components are evaluated through shopper feedback and/or sales data.

Statistics and Program Impact

Student pre/post-screens showed knowledge increases in every area screened. Students were screened on topics such as milk consumption (type of milk consumed), healthy breakfasts, identifying a healthy rainbow of fruits and veggies, healthy snacks, whole grains (grades 2 and above), food safety, food groups and MyPlate, and food labels (grades 4 & 5).

Parents reported multiple improvements; example: 75% of parents noticed children more willing to eat nutritious foods after DINE

Over 300 customers began shopping with SNAP at Durham Farmers’ Market.

"The cooking skills my kids have learned are obvious. The math skills are, to me, more impressive. My kids know measurement and conversions because they have done it, rather than just rote learning it." - Parent of a DINE cooking class student

"It is hands on so [it] reinforces the information being given. For many children, this would be their only instruction on healthy eating. Providing this consistently through schooling will hopefully have an impact later in their lives." - parent of a DINE traditional class student


This article was submitted by the Durham County Department of Public Health. For further information please contact Barbara Rumer or phone: 919-560-7789. All logos are used with permission.

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