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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

Providing Nutrition for Those in Need Goes Beyond Food

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014   

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - 'Tis the season for food drives, and while the public service is needed and appreciated, research from UNC Chapel Hill is asking whether North Carolinians have the skills or the time to prepare the food that is donated.

Many schools have phased out "Home Economics" classes, and many households have shifted to ready-to-eat foods, according to UNC's Lindsey Smith, who authored a 2013 study on the topic.

"We're encouraging people to cook because we think it's healthier, but then the question becomes, are they actually able to cook," says Smith. "For us, what we're really interested in knowing was do they make the time to cook?"

Smith says one way to overcome the challenge of food preparation, in addition to cooking instruction, could be to donate items that are easier to prepare such as pasta and canned beans.

Smith's study found that long hours or multiple jobs are a barrier to healthy eating, particularly for low-income households or people living alone with no one to share cooking responsibilities.

"They're often facing a higher burden or time scarcity, which means they just might not have the money, but they just don't have the time to invest in preparing a meal if they're juggling multiple responsibilities," she says.

Several food banks in North Carolina offer cooking classes and nutrition education to help families prepare healthy, affordable meals. The Share Our Strength Cooking Matters program is a volunteer-staffed cooking program available in parts of North Carolina. Program organizers say they see improved nutrition for the families involved, and some have even reported healthy weight loss.


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