By Mandy Vocke

Farmers' Market Coupons

Healthy options available for lower income families

May 9, 2019 | 3:00 PM

PRINCE GEORGE— The provincial Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program is expanding to reach 250 more households in B.C.

The new Canada Food Guide may be hard for people to follow, with the continuous rise in food prices.

“Household food insecurity is the lack of adequate income or the worry about adequate income to access healthy or nutritious food.” Population Health Dietician Laurel Burton says. “Food security is not a result of poor budgeting or a lack of skills.”

Community partner organizations provide coupons to lower-income families. Each household enrolled in the program is eligible to receive a minimum of $21 per week in coupons.

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The Elizabeth Fry Society’s Baby’s New Beginnings program offers Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupons for anyone part of the program. It says it has been a very popular program, and it has continuously grown in the past four years, with 50 families partaking in it. Participants say it doesn’t just help them with healthy eating- it also helps them meet local people in the community.

Although the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program is a short-term solution, there are ways people can afford healthy foods in the long-term. Burton says frozen foods and canned foods can be just as healthy as fresh food, but a lot more affordable.

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program will run this year from June 11 to November 3.