Cost: $25 | Limited to 25 people

Join colleagues from across the nation to hone your communication skills, and support key policy issues that impact our profession. The first twenty SNEB members to sign up for this pre-conference will participate in a pre-conference advocacy training and issues orientation webinar to learn about the difference between advocacy and education, the Society’s top policy efforts, and what you can do to support these efforts. After that training, the SNEB members will meet on Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 9 am and walk to Capitol Hill to meet with the staff members of committees that are key to health and nutrition issues. The training session will address how nutrition educators who cannot lobby are still able to educate their elected officials on the expertise of nutrition educators on health and nutrition security issues.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn about the importance of advocacy and policy involvement as nutrition educators, and what role we can play in policy discussions.
• Participants will gain an understanding of current federal policy issues related to nutrition education, including the Farm Bill.
• Participants will learn about and practice advocacy skills, includ­ing conducting a visit with the office of a Member of Congress.

Pre-conference activity organized by the SNEB Advisory Committee on Public Policy. $25 cost to participate.

Organizers:

• Tom Joseph, Paragon Government Relations
• Sara Elnakib, PhD, MPH, RDN, Advisory Committee on Public Policy

Story sharing is an effective empowerment strategy in promoting health behavior change. As readers become engaged and identify with the characters, they become more receptive to the story�s message and more open to adopting behavior modeled by the story characters. This learning lab will start with an overview of story-making and the principles of creating success stories. Next, facilitators will provide clear steps to create stories with community co-designers and an example of a story seeking to increase food literacy in breast cancer survivors. Attendee groups will then choose a topic, identify three big ideas, and draft a script following a 3-step story arc. Groups will read their story out loud as its characters and complete a story impact survey. A Comic Life demo will be shared. It will end with a Q&A and sharing of resources including �Power of Stories How-To Guide�

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has identified four Pillars of Food Security: Availability, Accessibility, Utilization, and Stability. Food citizens require empowerment of these four pillars to achieve and sustain food security and nutrition through local food networks with food, nutrition education and policy, system, and environmental changes. In this deep-dive workshop, attendees will first tour and learn about DC Central Kitchen, a nationally recognized community organization in Washington D.C. doing innovative food security and nutrition work. Then, Food and Nutrition Extension Education practitioners and session attendees will participate in moderated table discussions to formulate takeaways ideas and action steps to improve food security and nutrition education by applying the four pillars of food security for their underserved and diverse target audience communities (e.g., underserved rural/urban areas, Native Nations, immigrants, and refugees)

Qualitative research is one way that nutrition educators and practitioners can
connect with community members, honor their voices, and develop evidence-based
solutions to these critical issues. In this deep-dive workshop, participants will receive
introductory training in conducting qualitative analysis through a series of interactive
lessons and practice sessions. Participants will learn how to develop codes and
codebooks and explain the development of themes and theoretical models from
qualitative data. A special emphasis will be placed on ensuring rigor throughout the
qualitative analysis process, including concepts like coder training, bracketing, memoing, inter-rater reliability, and consensus building.

The workshop will begin with an overview of the contemporary use of the term food literacy with a focus on aspects definitions have in common presented by their authors. Attendants will collaboratively identify key aspects of presented definitions which they would seek to retain in an international definitions. Groups will apply these aspects to varying contexts and discuss their suitability. Finally using deidentifiable collaborative technology, participants will individually vote to arrive at a final definition. The workshop will end with a pathway forward regarding international endorsement. Speakers for this session are being finalised with international representation sought.

This interactive session provides nutrition educators with techniques for refining their counseling skills�a critical component in promoting positive client behavior change. Client-directed counseling training offers specific techniques that can be practiced and utilized immediately. This session is intended to be an introduction that encourages nutrition educators to further explore ways to enhance their counseling skills. Ultimately, with longer term education and practice, practitioners will be more effective and confident, their ability to serve their clients will be much improved, and their clients will leave the sessions feeling more empowered and committed to making healthy changes.

Participants will tour recent nationwide changes in SNAP-Ed partnerships and practices that offer fresh opportunities to capture the collective power of nutrition assistance and other federal programs, state and local projects, and private sector commitments generated by the 2022 White House Conference. After being introduced to new, inclusive tools � such as asset-based needs assessments, multi-sector collaboration, equity mapping, timely dashboards, and electronic reporting � participants will leave with new tools to develop strategies that empower food citizens and community partners to help end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, and reduce disease risk in underserved communities.

Health Equity is when everyone has access to the opportunities necessary to satisfy their essential needs, advance their health and well-being, and achieve their full potential regardless of their background. This session will explore strategies to reconnect with communities to advance health equity in nutrition education. Findings from the comprehensive Southeast Multi-State Racial and Health Equity SNAP-Ed Needs Assessment will be shared, the Georgia SNAP-Ed program will highlight their community engagement model to advance equity, and the panel will discuss next steps nutrition leaders can take to ensure health equity is considered in nutrition education and food system transformation plans.

A significant amount of research has been conducted about the eating competence approach to food and eating behavior. Findings have concurred with the initial findings that eating competence is a proxy for health, well-being, and reduced risk for chronic diseases. To date, nearly 200 researchers and practitioners) are using an eating competence approach. They are from 29 US states and 19 countries, representing six continents. Eating competence is measured in ten languages. This session updates this global research and details findings from locations in Finland, Brazil and Washington State to enhance integration of eating competence into research and practice venues.

Participants will tour recent nationwide changes in SNAP-Ed partnerships and practices that offer fresh opportunities to capture the collective power of nutrition assistance and other federal programs, state and local projects, and private sector commitments generated by the 2022 White House Conference. After being introduced to new, inclusive tools � such as asset-based needs assessments, multi-sector collaboration, equity mapping, timely dashboards, and electronic reporting � participants will leave with new tools to develop strategies that empower food citizens and community partners to help end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, and reduce disease risk in underserved communities.

Empowering food citizens to promote healthy diets and sustainable food systems can be achieved through multiple ways based on needs and available resources in different countries. Nutrition programs targeting early ages are particularly critical because they can help children reach their optimal growth and development with life-long impacts. This session will start with a brief overview of policy, systems, and environmental changes to promote food and nutrition security. Speakers will present success stories and challenges in their food and nutrition programs offered in schools and daycare centers to promote healthy, sustainable eating, targeting children and adolescents in Ghana, Pacific Islands region, and South Korea. The programs include school-feeding program, menu planning program with management support and nutrition education, and food procurement programs. Education for future nutrition professionals via international collaboration will also be shared. It will end with a panel discussion and Q&A.

This interactive session will allow you to practice new hands-on approaches for introducing, implementing, or improving family style dining and responsive feeding practices with young children in child care settings and beyond. Attendees will learn about new audience-informed training resources from the US Department of Agriculture�s Team Nutrition initiative and research findings and key takeaways from the University of Nebraska�s EAT-Family Style Dining Program. Discover evidence-based strategies and resources that can foster positive mealtime environments and build the foundation for healthy eating that can last a lifetime.

Theater games, based in “improv” or improvisation, have been used in the classroom for years as an education strategy. Not only can improv help people learn to communicate better, but it provides a novel and effective education strategy that can help the audience access new nutrition information and explore their attitudes and beliefs. In this session, participants will engage in hands on improv “theater games” that will help participant’s increase their comfort presenting in front of crowds but also provide examples of activities practitioners can use later in their own nutrition education efforts.

To grow equitable centering of community voice that integrates needs-based policy, systems, and environmental change (PSE) into transformational community-based work, Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF) staff instituted organizational change through adopting equitable evaluation principles, guided by the Equitable Evaluation Initiative. In response, MFF shifted reading about community needs in written proposals to welcoming community teams to use storytelling and testimony to identify their own nutrition-related needs. These changes have made it possible for nutrition educators to share power with community members and program participants. Changing the power dynamic and disrupting anchored structures make pathways to nutrition-related behavior change more equitable.

How can the concept of food citizenship promote a more sustainable food system? Participants will explore this question via a hands-on learning format. An expanded food consumption model combines dietary choices with the practices of eating – food access, preparation, consumption, and disposal. Principles of sustainability-related food literacy and agency will be introduced. Attendees will then form small groups to brainstorm strategies for promoting civic action at the individual, household, and community levels. Attendees will reconvene as a single group to report back on their discussions. The resulting ideas, constituting progressive food system intervention strategies, will be compiled and shared.

Americans do not eat recommended amounts of seafood as a lean protein alternative to other meats. To teach people to eat more seafood a program was developed in NJ to encourage greater consumption while also supporting the local economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Creators of this program realized that more knowledge from consumers on barriers to seafood consumption could better shape programming and potentially contribute to policy changes in this space. This session will focus on data collected from this seafood consumption study and discuss how using consumer data can support change in food systems through increased knowledge and access.

In this session, investigators will share nutrition and health promotion research that incorporates various digital technology strategies that allow community members to meaningfully engage in the research process. The goal of these strategies is to create interventions and research methods that are rooted in community insight and priorities, thus empowering individuals through more relevant and effective nutrition-related programs, policies, and environments. Attendees will come away with practical research strategies that empower citizens and that can be applied to a wide array of nutrition education and behavior research projects and programs.

Systems change is rarely the result of a single person or organization�s efforts; rather, it requires collective effort to empower community members, including neighbors and organizations, to work with shared purpose. This session shares a �whole community� approach to supporting community systems via SNAP-Ed nutrition education and PSE strategies tailored to local needs, partner priorities, and community context. Deciphering how one program complements another is difficult, even more challenging is determining program impact on real people�s lives. This session features a panel highlighting transformative nutrition education program design, evaluation methods, and community collaboration approaches that yield health behavior impact.

Professional and consumer resources for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 are now available in Spanish! Access Recursos en Espa�ol on DietaryGuidelines.gov and learn about the process undertaken, from needs assessment through implementation, to translate Dietary Guidelines supporting resources and MyPlate materials into Spanish. Presenters will discuss the challenges faced and lessons learned while working to ensure equity through language access. Attendees will learn about applicable strategies including selecting translation partners, navigating the nuances of dialects, and developing adaptable and culturally relevant resources.

Millets have untapped potential to address food security and climate change due to their nutrition value, resistance to drought and pests, the ability to grow in poor soils, and value to farmers. Millets are considered �nutri-cereals� due to their high nutritional content. This session will discuss ways Nutrition Educators around the world can collaborate with other stakeholders to promote millets in their roles as part of the #InternationalYearOfMillets2023. At the heart of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are those that address Zero Hunger (SDG#2), Good Health and Well-being (SDG#3) and Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG#12).

To grow equitable centering of community voice that integrates needs-based policy, systems, and environmental change (PSE) into transformational community-based work, Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF) staff instituted organizational change through adopting equitable evaluation principles, guided by the Equitable Evaluation Initiative. In response, MFF shifted reading about community needs in written proposals to welcoming community teams to use storytelling and testimony to identify their own nutrition-related needs. These changes have made it possible for nutrition educators to share power with community members and program participants. Changing the power dynamic and disrupting anchored structures make pathways to nutrition-related behavior change more equitable.

The charitable food system provides direct food assistance to people experiencing food insecurity or instability. This session aims to describe novel findings on using nutritious no prep ready-to-eat meals to improve healthy eating opportunities for individuals and families that utilize charitable feeding programs and innovations in the charitable feeding program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will be provided for how nutrition educators working in the charitable food space can form cross-sector collaborations with food retailers and community partners to support a futuristic model of healthy, delicious food that maximizes consumer choice and nutrition security.

Universal school meals, where all students can eat for free, offer an opportunity to dramatically improve food insecurity and diet quality and strengthen regional food systems. Researchers and practitioners working on universal school meals programs in California and Maine will describe their work evaluating and supporting the implementation of free school meals for all and will share research findings. The session will present findings from surveys and interviews with food service directors and parents/guardians in both states, and will highlight ways in which nutrition professionals have successfully supported implementation of universal meals policies.

This session is a deep dive into the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Community Foods Projects Competitive Grant Program (NIFA CFPCGP), authorized by Public Law 104-127 (Title IV, section 401(h), April 4, 1996) to support local food systems in the national effort to reduce food insecurity. Panelists will explore: How CFPCGP has transformed local food systems and food related behaviors? Role of nutrition educators in CFPCGP? How has the International Rescue Committee centered equity in their work serving historically underserved populations? How do these efforts lead to long-term change? What are the current challenges and future opportunities?

A purely didactic approach to nutrition education for dietary change is not sufficient nor does it result in any sustained changes. This webinar will review the DEISGN procedure for behavior change through nutrition education – but specifically as they apply to Teaching Kitchen programming. The session will illuminate what we know about Behavior Change theories and science that relate to diet, with special focus on the Psychosocial Determinants as well as ’10 experiential Drivers of Behavior Change.” Both tools will be discussed within the lens of education delivered hands-on in a teaching kitchen setting.

Community gardens directly impact a community�s health. Community gardens increase food security by providing safe, affordable, healthy food options for their local community. This presentation will discuss 1) how to recruit and retain community partners; 2) how to actively engage community partners in decision making processes surrounding the garden and produce; and 3) how to incorporate nutrition and physical activity education into a community garden setting. University of Missouri Extension partners with hundreds of community agencies throughout the state to provide educational programs as well as locally produced foods that is incorporated into community meals.

This session will employ a panel of experts to address and promote applied research related to identifying, engaging and empowering the 20 million American citizens in recovery for substance use. Healing the whole person (social, mental, spiritual, physical, etc.) requires nutrition educators to effectively partner with clinical professionals in the recovery setting. Recovery is characterized by malnutrition, low energy, fatigue, impaired metabolism and satiety cues, weight concerns and sleep disorders. Meaningful participation with this population will not only improve treatment outcomes but also maximize food security, nutrition and physical activity to help ensure no citizen is left behind.

This session will address the rewards and challenges of promoting nutrition equity to mitigate health disparities in the Black community. The feasibility evaluation of the Black Wellness Matters-Nutrition Series, a curriculum aimed at increasing plant-based food intake to mitigate chronic disease risk, will be highlighted. Qualitative findings on the cultural relevance of traditional and alternative tools for dietary guidelines will be reviewed. At an organizational level, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) initiative to recruit minorities into the nutrition and dietetics profession through �Bridges to Dietetics through Narrative Heritage Models of the Chesapeake� in Maryland will be explored.

USDA NIFA�s AFRI Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases and USDA FNS�s Team Nutrition grantees will showcase their role preventing and controlling chronic diseases across the lifecycle. Speakers will share successes and new opportunities at the intersections of research, education, extension, and practice. Approaches include training of School Nutrition Professionals; menu and recipe development to highlight local agricultural products; identifying innovative methods for elevating school food quality; and facilitating nutrition education opportunities for all. Integrated activities advance our understanding of the most effective strategies that support lasting behavior change, which can result in improved diet and health.

In the last 40 years, the U.S. has admitted anywhere from 22K � 230K refugees annually. While refugees and immigrants may arrive with health-promoting eating patterns and behaviors, they can erode over time and develop chronic diseases at rates similar to U.S.-born populations. The process of acculturation combined with structural inequality negatively contributes to New American population�s food access and dietary intake as they learn to adapt to navigate the U.S. food system. This session will examine the role of cultural responsiveness in measuring, designing, and implementing interventions that can equitably address food and nutrition insecurity in the U.S.

Latinx and Asian American communities in the U.S. face unique yet similar structural barriers to maintaining adequate diet quality, contributing to an increased burden of diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. These inequities have been exacerbated in recent years due to overt anti-immigrant and anti-Asian sentiment during COVID-19 pandemic that amplify challenges towards accessing food and economic stability. In this session, participants will learn about how organizations from multiple sectors came together to develop the Building Access to Food through Systems and Solidarity (BASIS) program to improve diet in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and other work done to improve socioeconomic outcomes.

Globally, school meals have an essential role in children’s dietary behaviors and the food security of children who belong to food-insecure households. This session highlights the similarities and differences in school meal programs in the USA, Japan, and the Pacific Islands regarding research practices, policy implications, community-related challenges, and best practices. Participants of this session will gain valuable insights in terms of global aspects of the school meal environment from four SNEB student members. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions to student presenters about the topic.

Nutrition incentive (NI) and produce prescription (PPR) projects have been effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and improving food security in a variety of retail settings, including farm direct (e.g., farmers markets) and local grocers. This session will feature exemplary USDA GusNIP grantees who have successfully implemented NI/PPR projects and engaged with their communities to strengthen their community-based food system. Presentations will highlight project implementation and evaluation, key considerations for NI/PPR interventions, integration of nutrition education, and partnerships with local farmers and grocers.

An alarming rate of food insecurity exists in our educational systems. This includes K-12 schools as well as college and university campuses. Food insecurity leads to underdevelopment and underperformance, and impacts students� ability to study and graduate. This issue is particularly true amongst Muslim students who observe halal dietary guidelines. Student food access champions and leaders from academia, foodservice, and beyond, will share personal stories that empower the next generation of hunger, nutrition, and health stakeholders?to advocate for equitable and authentic access to a variety of certified halal foods in K-12 schools and on college and university campuses.

Study abroad education is a transformative experience for students and linked to positive outcomes ranging from intercultural understanding to better employment outcomes for new graduates. This session explores how three university-based programs leverage the study abroad opportunity to engage and educate students in the diversity of food systems in Greece and Italy. Participants will explore the advantages of incorporating study abroad education into program curriculum, as well as appreciate the advantages of studying sustainable food systems in empowering the next generation of nutrition professionals. Session outline: 1) introduction, 2) three program profiles, 3) student perspective, 4) moderated questions from audience.

Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and Extended Reality (XR) are interconnecting food citizen to nutrition and food systems through digital simulations. When designed mindfully and ethically, VR/AR/XR help learners better comprehend complex systems at micro and macro levels that a normal classroom does not provide. This session offers mini workshops (10-15 minutes each) at the Tech Playground. They include lectures, demonstrations and interactive group learning activities about the basics of VR, AR and XR. Examples of topics include the essential vocabulary and knowledge of VR/AR/XR to communicate meaningfully, design principles, and immersive learning evaluation.

Rural communities face significant health disparities relative to their urban-dwelling counterparts. Efforts to enhance health equity and transform the food system converge in our rural communities, where health disparities exist in tandem with rich agricultural histories and traditions of communal self-reliance. It’s imperative that researchers and practitioners become well-versed in best practices for not only engaging, but empowering, this subset of the population for the sake of both nutrition and food system equity. This session will include brief presentations from each speaker on lessons learned from research studies employing community engagement best practices, followed by panel Q&A and group discussion.