Lean meats make the grade--a collaborative nutrition intervention program.

Lean Meats Make the Grade is a collaborative nutrition intervention program involving the Minnesota Heart Health Program (MHHP), the Minnesota Beef Council, and the Pork Producers Council. The purposes of this program were to educate consumers about identification of leaner cuts of meat, low-fat preparation methods, and selection of appropriate meat portion size. Program components included training for meat managers, taste testing for consumers, recipes and customer information brochures, and labels on individual meat packages to assist in the identification of leaner cuts of meat. The program was implemented through grocery stores in two of the towns selected for MHHP intervention. Population-based telephone surveys indicated that respondents in the intervention towns were more aware of the lean meats program than those in the comparison communities. Knowledge of lean cuts of meat and low-fat preparation methods also increased as a result of the program. Independently collected sales data from five participating and two control stores provided some indications of a greater interest in lean cuts and 80% lean ground beef as a result of the intervention program. Programs such as this have potential for community-wide nutrition education.