save money and live a healthy lifestyle on a tight budget, educators with the “Eat Smart New York” program say.

Started in January, “Eat Smart New York” is meant to show low-income families how to prepare nutritious, low-cost meals. Shopping smarter and making better food budgets are also key focuses of the program, organized through Chenango County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

“We’re helping people to stretch their food dollars,” said program director Betty Clark.

At an open house Friday, Clark and educators Carol Loefstedt and Nicole Althaus gave demonstrations on how to prepare simple, healthy and inexpensive meals and snacks, like carrot and zucchini muffins, maple-flavored granola, harvest pudding and low-fat yogurt with fruit.

“This is all really good,” said Kathy Krucher, a representative of the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, who was at the open house to learn more about Eat Smart for her own programs. “It’s seems quicker to pick-up easy, ready-made products. What’s great about this is its simplicity. I think we’ll put some of these recipes in our newsletter.”

Eat Smart organizers are currently working with WIC, Head Start, domestic violence centers, day care providers, senior citizen centers and other community-based organizations to gather participants and set up class schedules, tentatively set to begin in the next few weeks.