Lt. Gov. Prettner Solon promotes SNAP, nutritious eating

Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon spoke about the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in helping seniors eat more nutritiously at a University of Minnesota Extension Simply Good Eating class April 17 in Stillwater. The University of Minnesota Extension partners with DHS’ Office of Economic Opportunity to deliver Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) in Minnesota. SNAP-Ed is free nutrition education for SNAP-eligible Minnesotans throughout the state.
 
“SNAP benefits can help ensure that families and seniors have access to more healthy and nutritious food, particularly in the tough economic times we’ve been going through these last few years,” Prettner Solon said.
 
The lieutenant governor also spoke about the economic benefits of SNAP.

“Minnesota businesses, particularly grocery stores and farmers markets, and the overall state economy will improve when SNAP benefits are redeemed,” she said.
 
The University of Minnesota Extension community nutrition educators teach the classes as part of the Simply Good Eating Program. During the class, which Prettner Solon participated in, Jen Ogren Dehn, a community nutrition educator in Washington County, talked about the health benefits of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and showed participants how to make two simple, healthy recipes. Seniors and Prettner Solon enjoyed tasting a two-bean salad with garbanzo and black beans and a Greek salad sandwich with tomatoes, spinach, cucumber and feta cheese.
 
More than 500,000 Minnesotans access SNAP each month.
 
More information about Simply Good Eating is available on the University of Minnesota Extension’s website. More information about SNAP is on the DHS public website.

Pictured above, Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon, left, who spoke about the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in helping seniors eat more nutritiously, and Simply Good Eating instructor Jen Ogren Dehn pause during the nutrition education class for seniors.