EFNEP Empowering Families to Reduce Sodium Intake
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Collapse ▲In alignment with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day for individuals aged 14 and older, the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) promotes a simple, flavorful solution: homemade taco seasoning! This initiative helps families reduce their sodium consumption and lower their risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
The Sodium Challenge
Most of the sodium in the American diet comes from processed foods, restaurant meals, and pre-packaged condiments and seasonings. Reducing sodium intake can significantly improve heart health. Homemade seasonings—like the one featured on FoodHero.org—are a simple way to cut back on sodium while still enjoying great flavor.
EFNEP’s Educational Approach
EFNEP offers evidence-based, hands-on nutrition education to limited-resource families and youth across North Carolina. Through a series of practical lessons, participants learn to reduce the three S’s: Saturated fat, added Sugar, and Sodium—key contributors to chronic disease.
Youth and adult participants gain real-world skills such as meal planning, cooking, grocery budgeting, and reading food labels. Research from the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior shows that EFNEP graduates make measurable improvements in diet quality and reduce their intake of sodium.
For middle and high school students, EFNEP provides the Fuel for Life curriculum—an interactive, age-appropriate program that teaches teens about balanced nutrition, physical activity, goal-setting, and informed decision-making.
Youth in Action: Learn by Doing
EFNEP emphasizes the 4-H “learn by doing” philosophy. Recently in April, Brunswick County’s 4-H Youth in Action club participated in a hands-on lesson from NC EFNEP’s Fuel for Life curriculum. Youth learned to make the EFNEP recipe Homemade Taco Seasoning and used it to prepare the NC EFNEP Fuel for Life – Southwest Bowl recipe.
They enjoyed measuring ingredients, mixing spices, cooking the dish, and sharing their healthy creation. This interactive activity not only introduced nutrition education concepts but also strengthened life skills like teamwork, kitchen safety, and healthy decision-making.
Get Involved: Eat Smart, Move More
EFNEP’s Families Eating Smart and Moving More is a five-week course that empowers families with the tools to eat better, move more, and improve overall wellness. Classes are fun, interactive, and led by Angie Lawrence, EFNEP Nutrition Educator for Brunswick County.
Participants receive access to resources like low-cost recipes, meal planning strategies, and practical tips to support a healthy lifestyle for the whole family; including recipes to make condiments and seasonings that help reduce the three S’s:
- Saturated fat
- Sugar
- Sodium
For more information, please contact Angie Lawrence – EFNEP Nutrition Educator, N.C. Cooperative Extension – Brunswick County (p) 910-253-2610 (e) angie_lawrence@ncsu.edu