Description: Food insecurity, or a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life, affects 1 in 8 Americans, and nearly 1 in 3 University of Michigan students. Food insecurity is caused by the intersection of a wide range of factors, from personal cooking skills to neighborhood food access to federal food policies. For this reason, fighting food insecurity in the US requires advocates with diverse skills, knowledge, and perspectives working together. This course seeks to provide students at the University of Michigan with these skills, knowledge, and perspectives, allowing them to become leaders to improve their own health and wellbeing and that of their communities and nationwide. To accomplish this, the course will integrate community visits; in-classroom, hands-on activities; and instructor-guided seminars to help students understand the experience and impacts of food insecurity across critical life stages of development (children, young adults, seniors).
Learning Objectives: Identify the relationships between social, economic, community, and personal circumstances that contribute to food insecurity. (Competency 1)
Describe how food insecurity impacts social, physical, mental, and intellectual wellbeing. (Competency 1)
Understand the role of community-based resources in combating food insecurity. (Competency 1)
Understand the role that state and federal nutrition assistance programs have in addressing food insecurity and mitigating impacts of food insecurity. (Competency 1)
Design nutritionally-adequate and financially-feasible menus for vulnerable individuals and families. (Competency 2)
Demonstrate ability to access and purchase low-cost, nutritionally adequate food that aligns with federal food assistance requirements. (Competency 2)
Demonstrate ability to prepare basic, affordable, socially-acceptable and nutritionally-balanced meals. (Competency 2)
