What is Better Living for Texans?
Better Living for Texans, Wise County – Brochure
The Better Living for Texans program (BLT) is a nutrition education program available for adults and children who are SNAP recipients and SNAP eligible in 208 of the 254 Texas Counties. Since 1994, BLT has provided research-based nutrition education programs that help people make healthy meals, improve their physical fitness, grow their own foods, save money at the Grocery store, and adopt better food safety habits.
Better Living for Texans is an educational program that works with a variety of limited source audiences: The primary BLT audience is comprised of SNAP recipients and SNAP program eligible. In addition, families participating in the Head Start program, Women Infants and Children (WIC), Individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SSI recipients, Individuals receiving food from food pantries or soup kitchens, and others qualify.
Vision: Help Texans Better their lives
Mission: Through the application of science-based knowledge, we create high quality, relevant continuing education that encourages lasting and effective change.
Capabilities: We provide programs, tools and resources, local and statewide-that teach people how to improve agriculture and food production, advance health
practice, protect the environment, strengthen our communities and enrich youth.
BLT classes and materials are offered at NO cost to participants and BLT will come to you or assist you with finding a location.
BLT Program Series for Adults
- A Fresh Start to a Healthier You!
Increase fruit and vegetable intake; food safety; food resource management.
- Get the Facts – cover portion sizes; sodium; fat; sugar.
- Be Well, Live Well – Nutrition education and physical activity. For older adults 50+ years of age.
- Growing and Nourishing Healthy Communities Garden Course–Teach how to build gardens and grow fresh vegetables. Requirements of the county: find a location for a community garden that is easily accessible to BLT audiences (i.e., Housing Authority, low-income neighborhoods, etc.); incorporate existing BLT programs that teach the participants how to use the vegetables they grow in healthy meals and snacks.
- Walk Across Texas – Increase physical activity; track miles walked.
- Walk n Talk – Increase physical activity – WAT with added nutrition messages in a discussion format. Educators walk with their BLT participants once a week and discuss Nutrition topics. Two discussion topics for educators to focus on for the series:
- Fruits and Vegetables (accessibility, gardening, nutrients, recipes, etc.)
- Healthy drinks (hydration, flavored waters, sugary drinks, etc.)
How is BLT delivered?
Better Living for Texans utilizes a variety of teaching methods based on the audience needs.
Teaching methods include:
- Lesson Series
- Single Education Events
- Recipe Demonstrations
- One-to-One Consultations.
- Newsletters
- Fact Sheets
BLT Program Series for Youth
- Color Me Healthy for SNAP-Ed – Fun, Innovative, interactive learning opportunities on physical activity and healthy eating. (available for Preschoolers
and Kindergartners)
- Balancing Food & Play – Increase physical activity; reduce screen time; increase fruit and vegetable intake; decrease sweetened beverages. Four-weeks series
(developed for 3rd. graders)
- Learn, Grow, Eat & Go – Enhance gardening skills; increase fruit and vegetable intake. Provides 10 teaching concepts that are: aligned to the Texas Essential
Knowledge and skills (TEKS) standards– Science, Math, Language Arts/Reading, Social Studies, Physical Education and Health. Ten-session series. (developed for 3rd. Graders)
- Walk Across Texas (WAT) & Walk n Talk – Increase physical activity – WAT with Walk N Talk includes added nutrition messages in a discussion format at weekly sessions.
Nutrition topics. Two discussion topics for educators to focus on for the series:
- Fruits and Vegetables (accessibility, gardening, nutrients, recipes, etc.);
- Healthy drinks (hydration, flavored waters, sugary drinks, etc.)
Who provides BLT?
Better Living for Texans is administered by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. It is a component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which
was formal known as the Food Stamp Program.
BLT is a collaborative effort among:
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service,
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Food and Nutrition Services of USDA
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Wise County
206 S. State Street, Suite A
Decatur, Texas 76234
Phone: 940-627-3341
Jacqueline Gonzalez
Extension Agent
Better Living for Texans
Email: Jacqueline.gonzalez@ag.tamu.edu.
Better Living for Texans-Wise County
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — SNAP. To learn more about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or to apply for benefits, visit www.yourtexasbenefits.com.
The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife.
The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.