Half a cup of raisins. One large orange. One cup of broccoli. Five whole-wheat crackers.
These arenโt ingredients for a recipe, but some of the call-outs seniors heard atย Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Serviceย programs featuring a โnutrition bingoโ educational activity. ย
AgriLife Extension recently presented two of its Educational Nutrition Bingo programs โ one at St. Timothyโs Senior Center and another at the Edgewood Independent School Districtโs Emma Frey Service Center โ to more than 70 San Antonio seniors. Along with playing a nutrition-related version of bingo, seniors received nutrition instruction and tips for healthier eating.
The programs were presented by AgriLife Extension staff, nutrition educators and members of the agencyโsย Better Living for Texansย program. Partnering organizations included Superior HealthPlan, Wellcare and the Alamo Area Council of Governments. Among the program attendees was Precinct 2 County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez. ย ย ย
What is nutrition bingo?
โPlaying bingo is a favorite activity among seniors, and we use bingo cards with illustrations of various foods from the essential food groups,โ said Angie Gutierrez, AgriLife Extension family and community health agent, for Bexar County. โWe call out the food items and players cover the illustrations with different colored translucent plastic discs, then yell โbingoโ when they have filled their cards.โ ย ย ย
Gutierrez said the nutrition bingo game used by AgriLife Extension usesย U.S. Department of Agricultureย MyPlate food categories and serving recommendations. The categories are fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy.ย
โThese programs provide older adults with a fun, interactive experience while getting nutrition and health tips that promote healthy lifestyle choices,โ Gutierrez said. โParticipants who win receive nutrition-related prizes.โ ย
Olga Herrera, an attendee at the St. Timothy senior nutrition program, said her experience was both fun and educational.
โI liked that the nutrition bingo cards had all the recommended food groups and showed the proper serving size for each item,โ she said. โAnd making a game out of it made it more interesting and really got my attention.โ
Herrera also said the information on the bingo card would be useful when she returned home from the program. ย
โIโll know to look for more whole-grain foods and to eat more fruits and vegetables,โ she said. โMy friend and I both took pictures of the bingo cards on our phones so we can refer to the information on them once we get home.โย ย ย ย ย ย
Gutierrez said nutrition bingo is just one of the interactive ways AgriLife Extension involves Texans in nutrition education.
โWe also have hands-on programs like the Dinner Tonight! program that shows people how to cook healthful meals as well as many other health and wellness programs that involve individuals, groups and the community.โย ย ย ย ย ย ย
She said nutrition and making healthy food choices are important, no matter what age.
โAnd having special events like these Educational Nutrition Bingo programs gives seniors the opportunity to learn more about nutrition while doing something fun and enjoying camaraderie with other seniors.โ
Why senior nutrition education is important
Nelda Leyba Speller, AgriLife Extension director, Bexar County, said community nutrition programs are very important, especially for seniors.
โAs people age, they become more susceptible to illness and may develop chronic health problems,โ she explained. โAnd good nutrition is one way to help prevent those things from happening.โ
She also noted food security and nutrition among older adults is just as important as for the young.
โThe importance of eating nutrient-dense foods, maintaining a healthy weight, and remaining as physically active as possible as we age can strengthen our immune system, regulate blood sugar, regulate blood pressure, and keep our brains functioning at an optimal level,โ she said.ย
Speller said AgriLife Extension provides nutrition education to people of all ages and strives to implement nutrition and wellness programming in underserved communities. ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
โWe often hold free or low-cost nutrition programming in low-income or limited-resource areas of the county,โ she said. โOften there is little in the way of nutritional education outreach in such areas, so we offer the program as part of our agencyโs mission to improve the lives of all Texans.โ
Speller said the agency will offer more Educational Nutrition Bingo programs in Bexar County throughout the year. For more information on these and other AgriLife Extension programs in Bexar County, go toย https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/.
