Friends guess amounts of liquid in different glasses at a nutrition workshop held at an area library.

Friends guess amounts of liquid in different glasses at a nutrition workshop

EFNEP Puts an Affordable Spin on Home Parties

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (February 12, 2019) – Selling products at home parties dates back to the 1940’s. It’s a genius plan: giving friends an excuse to get together, while they learn and potentially gain useful products for daily living. The caveat often is the price of the items for sale, which may be more expensive than comparable items found at big-box retail stores.

In this digital age, it’s possible the need to justify gathering friends might be greater than ever before. When caring for our children occupies so much time and energy, it’s easy to lose time for adult interaction that most parents (and sometimes grandparents!) crave. Heather Gregory, Nutrition Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County, offers a slight twist on an old theme: educational parties… but with nothing to buy.

“While it’s great to stay connected through social media, texts and e-mail, it’s important we gather as friends and enjoy the spontaneity being present in the same room provides,” Heather shares. “It’s great to be able to gain information when we are together, but if you are living paycheck-to-paycheck or relying on assistance programs to make ends meet, feeling like you have to make a purchase to justify your presence at a party might make you skip that party.”

As a nutrition educator, Heather offers free eight-week series of one-hour workshops that help participants eat more healthfully while saving money ¬– a slightly different take on that old selling model.

“If we can spend an hour each week learning together, maybe cooking together if the space and time permit, we’ve leveled the playing field for all of our friends to feel comfortable joining the group,” Heather explains. “If we aren’t cooking, then I bring a recipe or food for tasting. Teaming up to find ways to live more healthfully and gain a little more control over that food budget means we might continue on as a support group that encourages each other to continue on this path to better living, even after the workshop series ends. It’s really what friendship is meant to be, in every sense.”

Participants can choose from several different series. Topics include making smarter food choices while increasing fitness, eating more healthfully while saving money at the grocery store, nutrition and breastfeeding. For groups wishing to include their children, there is a six-week series geared towards the elementary school set.

“Even when you feel like you have a good grip on nutrition, there are things in these workshops that will surprise you,” Heather shares. “Our recipes are delicious and simple to make. It really is a fun way to get excited about healthy eating!”

The EFNEP Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a subordinate governmental agency with an educational mission that operates under a form of organization and administration approved by Cornell University as agent for the State of New York. It is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The association is part of the national cooperative extension system, an educational partnership between County, State, and Federal governments. As New York’s land grant university Cornell administers the system in this state. Each Cornell Cooperative Extension association is an independent employer that is governed by an elected Board of Directors with general oversight from Cornell. All associations work to meet the needs of the counties in which they are located as well as state and national goals. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated February 12, 2019