Lead Agency: Upper Valley Trails Alliance

Cooking coaches, a youth garden and a community food storage facility— these were some of the tools this community partnership used to create a healthier environment at the Romano Circle public housing complex. Convenient access to healthy foods has been critical to helping residents change their eating habits, but they also struggle with other daily issues related to childcare, transportation and finances. Consequently, the Healthy Eating by Design partnership needed to find creative ways to bring healthy eating opportunities to children and families living at Romano Circle.

Serving healthy foods at community meals, in-home cooking coaches and "pick-your-own" farm trips provided opportunities for parents to learn and practice healthy eating behaviors. The Healthy Eating by Design partnership also offered input to the local school's wellness policy to reinforce healthy eating for the children at school. In addition, the project included a youth garden at the housing complex that provided hands-on opportunities for children to develop gardening skills and healthy eating habits. And finally, the Healthy Eating by Design partnership supported the construction of a new trail around the garden, which made it a neighborhood gathering place where children planned healthy eating skits and performed for their parents. After seeing the garden's positive impact, residents embraced the responsibility to maintain it. Some of the youth gardeners have even developed an entrepreneurial spirit—they plan to sell the produce they've grown at the local farmers' market.

The Healthy Eating by Design project also supported the creation of healthy eating treasure hunts at Romano Circle and the neighborhood farmers' market to engage the children. Families learned how to reduce food expenses by collaborative food buying, bulk food storage and preservation methods. Residents were given access to a community freezer and developed guidelines for its use. Romano Circle soon became a place that made healthy eating a priority. More families said they no longer found it difficult to prepare meals with fresh vegetables, and fewer had the perception that fresh vegetables are too expensive. Positive attitudes about healthy foods also touched the lives of Romano Circle children, as parents reported that their kids were eating more fruits and vegetables since the onset of the Healthy Eating by Design project.