Food stamp recipients typically purchase food items based on family preferences, cultural food practices and other socioeconomic factors despite public health recommendations or USDA Dietary Guidelines. Consequently, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebral vascular disease and specific forms of cancer (breast and colon), ranks high among leading causes of death for all racial groups in the United States.

However, statistics indicate that rates are two to four times higher in ethnic minority groups (African-American, Native-American, and Latino/Hispanic) than in other population groups. There also exist high mortality rates not only for these chronic diseases, but high incidences of children and elderly malnutrition within limited-resource families. Limited- resource pregnant women and infants also have higher incidences of lower weight gain during pregnancy and higher percentages of low-birth weight.

A comprehensive culturally sensitive nutrition education program, entitled FF-NEWS, was developed by the 1890 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the Southwest Region, South Carolina University (Southeast Region), and Lincoln University (Mountain- Plain Region), to help ensure preventative nutrition can be given to help lower health disparities through nutrition education. FF-NEWS enables food stamp recipients to make food selection and preparation choices that are consistent with their lifestyle/cultural practices, thus enhancing the health status of family members by effectively using all food resources for the purpose of holistic health for the family .

• Fall Into Healthy Eating : September 2003
  
  
• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans “Your Guide to Nutritional Excellence” : October 2003
  
  
• PROTEIN - The Building Blocks of the Body : November 2003
  
  
• Carbohydrates, Fuel for the Body : December 2003
  
  
• The ABC’s of Grocery Shopping : January 2004
  
  
• “EAT HEALTHY – STAY HEALTHY” : February 2004
  
  
• Cooking Tips 101 : March 2004
  
  
• To Bean or Not to Bean : April 2004
  
  
• Don’t Get Burned - Fire Up With Food Safety : May 2004
  
  
• Cool Cooking Solutions : June 2004
  
  
• Snacking the Healthy Way!!!! : July 2004
  
  
• How to Store Leftovers : August 2004
  
  
• Fall Into Healthy Eating : September 2004