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Mustard Seed Café Promotes Amigos Healthy Eating and Healthy Living Program

October 23, 2022

Developing healthy eating habits can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation has partnered with a variety of organizations to promote healthy eating across the region.

The Mustard Seed Café and Amigos Garden recently received a grant through the Health Foundation’s Healthy Eating Initiative to provide healthier meals at the cafe with the hiring of a part-time nutrition educator and nutritional and gardening classes to their Vida Natural program participants.

Nutritional classes include emphasis on identifying healthy portion sizes and increasing fruits and vegetables in one’s diet, which can be accomplished by growing fruits and vegetables in the Café’s garden.

“We are teaching that eating the right portion, incorporating seasonals fruits and vegetables, and adding any kind of physical activity in our daily routine is essential to decreasing the risk of chronic and mental diseases,” said Ms. Carmen Estrada, Executive Director, The Mustard See Café. “One of our goals through the Amigo Healthy Eating and Healthy Living program is to help the community understand that, yes, it is possible to live a healthy life even with a tight budget.”

The Mustard Seed Café is a nonprofit, donation-based café that provides delicious and nutritious meals to a vulnerable population that includes children, teens, individuals with disabilities, veterans, seniors and the homeless. Currently, the Café is serving an average of 3,000 meals per month.

For more information, visit mustardseedcafe.org or call 915-440-7333.


PDNHF Priority Area: Healthy Living

To support efforts that promote positive behaviors to prevent disease including healthy eating, physical activity, smoking/vaping prevention, and positive opportunities for youth.

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Healthy Living

PDNHF Initiative: Healthy Eating

A high-quality diet with appropriate daily caloric intake provides essential nutrients, helps people maintain a healthy weight, and decreases their risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Evidence associates healthy eating with better health outcomes; however, many people do not consume the daily recommended levels of nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that make up a healthy diet. The Health Foundation’s focus in the Healthy Eating initiative is educational programs, such as nutrition and cooking classes, that influence behavior in selecting, preparing, cooking, and eating healthy foods and policy and promotion activities that encourage healthy eating.

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Foundation Staff: Jana Renner

Healthy Eating

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