On Feb. 6th, the Cent$ible Nutrition Program (CNP) was invited by the Legislative Spouses of Wyoming to present a luncheon to honor Wyoming’s First Lady, Carol Mead, in Cheyenne, Wyo. The luncheon, called the Two-Buck Lunch, commemorated Mead’s efforts in improving children’s literacy and health throughout the state. CNP provided the meal and shared program successes.
As CNP director Mindy Meuli explained, the Two-Buck Lunch is so named because SNAP benefits equal approximately $2 per adult meal, based on the USDA thrifty plan for cooking at home. The luncheon gave attendees the opportunity to experience what $2 could buy and the decisions that SNAP participants are faced with when it comes to food and health.
The menu featured recipes from CNP’s newly updated cookbook and included chicken enchiladas, beans and rice, salads, breads and desserts. Each item was priced according to how much one serving of each item costs. While $2 was not enough to purchase a serving of everything, it was enough to ensure that attendees did not leave hungry.
In the future, CNP may be presenting additional Two-Buck lunches in several other counties around Wyoming. The materials for putting together a Two-Buck lunch are available. Please contact the CNP State Office if you are interested.
CNP provides educational opportunities for low-income individuals and families in 23 Wyoming counties. It aims to provide adults with the skills and knowledge to eat healthier while on a budget through menu planning, cooking and food safety. CNP also reaches out to youth and teaches them about eating healthy, food safety and physical activity.
For more information about CNP, please visit our website: http://www.uwyo.edu/centsible/