Evaluating food stamp nutrition education: issues and opportunities

Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE) is an optional component of the Food Stamp Program aimed at improving food choices of program participants. The last decade has seen a dramatic expansion in FSNE, accompanied by increased interest in FSNE evaluation. The Society for Nutrition Education, as a leader in nutrition education research, has worked collaboratively with federal partners to improve FSNE evaluation. This is the first in a 3-part series of papers presented in this issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. The series reviews the issues, priority needs, and opportunities identified through this process; explains our current focus on the development of a brief measure assessing FSNE-relevant dietary behaviors; and describes plans for measurement development.