Lessons learned from the "Spend Less. Eat Well. Feel Better." program efficacy trial

"Spend Less. Eat Well. Feel Better." (SLEWFB) is a 3-hour intervention designed to improve food resource management ability, health, and food security status. This program efficacy trial targeted clients seeking financial aid to prevent homelessness. A randomized controlled design using a 1-hour food safety intervention as a control group was used. Four variables were targeted over a 30-day time period: (1) food security status, (2) basic financial management, (3) average fruit and vegetable intake, and (4) goal accomplishment. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and chi-square analysis were used. Compared with control group participants (n = 47), SLEWFB graduates (n = 48) were less likely to have to choose between food and rent expenses (chi2 = 16.5, P =.00005) and improved their fruit and vegetable intake (F of time = 8.03, P <.006) regardless of financial assistance received. The findings imply that further investigation of coupling financial aid with effective life skills education is warranted.