Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Cindy Maggard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Nutrition Education Program Assistant in Knott County taught Summer School at Cordia. All students receive free lunch at school, so therefor are in poverty-stricken area that needs nutrition information.There was 17 students that attended summer school at Cordia. The NEP assistant taught 7 healthy nutrition lessons over a two week span. The lessons covered the different food groups taught with the Professor Popcorn curriculum. They made healthy recipes for a snack eac
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
A group of high school students attended a Workshop on Adulting 101 hosted by Clark County 4-H intern featuring knife safety, hand washing and reading a recipe. Teen Cuisine Curriculum was introduced to all student of the workshop. We split them into teams where they worked together to prepare several recipes that included. Team 1: Colorful Coleslaw, learning grating, chopping, and peeling. Team 2: Chicken Nuggets, learning food safety, knife safety, using a meat thermometer, and
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Homeless Coalition has provided services for many families in the community since the pandemic, but something was missing, Life Skills. Many knew how to microwave frozen meals, and open cans straight from the shelf. They did not have the skills to provide a meal for themselves or their family. Our Senior Assistant visited with the clients at the shelter and collected data on the missing pieces of the puzzle. With talking to each of them it was known that with health issues they had, it was e
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Senior Program Nutrition Assistant was contacted by the director of New Day Recovery Center interested in hosting a series of classes on healthier food and snacking choices for the clients housed at the center. We scheduled a four week Healthy Choices for Every Body Program that included curriculum on, Adding More Veggies, Fruits, Protein Rich foods, and Whole Grains along with the MyPlate, Budgeting, and Meal Planning. As they planned for the upcoming meals for the week, using the
Author: Marcia Moss
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the 2019-20 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) found obesity rates for youth ages 10 to 17 in Kentucky to be 23.8% which is the highest in the Country. To help address this issue, in February of 2022 the Bullitt County Extension Office once again partnered with Crossroads Elementary to offer the My Plate for Children. This consisted of seventy-five third graders. The classes included tips on food safety, physical activity and the five food groups.One of the students r
Author: Benita Wade
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Through the pandemic, the national obesity rate among children age 2 to 19 increased from 19.3% in 2019 to 22.4% in 2020.The Christian County SNAP-Ed assistant taught the LEAP for Health (Literacy, Eating and Activity for Preschool/Primary) curriculum at a local elementary school for their aftercare program. It
Author: Vanessa Harris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Menifee County Cooperative Extension office hosted a three day 4-H Day Camp for youth ages 9 to 14. The 4-H Day Camp offered multiple learning experiences each day for youth based on the 4-H/Youth Development core areas. The camp empowers youth with skills that will last for a lifetime. Youth gained knowledge and skills about nutrition, food preparation and cooking, sewing skills, STEM, and water quality activities. The Menifee County SNAP-ED assistant presented, MyPlate for Kids to a group
Author: Jennifer Bridge
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
To address the need for youth education related to fresh local produce, the extension fcs agent and NEP assistant partnered with a local farmers' market to offer POP. The six week Power of Produce program was as part of extension's Tuesday's at the Market and featured an activity related to fruits and or vegetables as well as recipe or fresh produce tasting. A POP activity and reflection booklet was given to each child participating. Participants could earn but to $
Author: Jessica Reed
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Kentucky Health News (https://ci.uky.edu/) in 2019-2020, Kentucky had the highest obesity rate in the nation or children between the ages of 10 and 17 years old. Kentucky’s rate is 23.8% while the national rate is at 16.2% according to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. According to a report from State of Childhood Obesity (https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/), Kentucky children ages 2-4 years old who participated in the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutrition
Author: Ruth Kirk
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The drug epidemic in Eastern Kentucky has been on the steady rise over the last 10 years and the number of Addiction Recovery Care centers (ARC) in Lawrence County alone have tripled. Lawrence County Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Senior Assistant has been working in the recovery centers for over 10 years. The EFNEP Senior assistant teaches residents lessons from the “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum, which focuses on how to make healthy food choice
Author: Karen Grant
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the 2019 data from the WWW.cdc.gov , only 6% of Kentuckians met their daily requirements for vegetable intake. And 8% met their daily requirements for fruit intake. Being that schools are opening back up to community partners, and afterschool clubs the Madison County Cooperative Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Assistant saw this as an opportunity to reach youth with nutrition education .Using the 4-H curriculum Teen Cuisine, lessons were taught about My plate
Author: Karen Grant
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the CDC Disability and Health Data System for Kentucky, 33% of adults ages 18-65+ have some form of disability. The Madison County Cooperative Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Assistant has been teaching lessons at ALM day center about My Plate, the different food groups and better food choices, food safety and sanitation, one of the lessons was whole grains. Clients made a loaf of whole wheat bread themselves to take home and bake. They we
Author: Mary Elaine Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Johnson County SNAP-Ed Senior was invited to attend the Grow Appalachia Programs, Heart Healthy Cooking information meeting. There were 40 participants in attendance for the meeting. Using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum and the lesson on cardiovascular disease, the SNAP-Ed Asst talked about the risk factors, and best ways to prevent CVD by maintaining a healthy weight, following the USDA dietary guidelines and regular checkups with their medical provider. During the meeti
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed) senior assistant partnered with the Family Resource Center at Blaine Elementary School to provide the Healthy Choices for Every Body (HCEB) nutrition program to 5 parents / guardians of the children in the 2021 Angel Tree program. Seven required lessons from HCEB were taught as part of the Angel Tree program. Recipe samples and reinforcements pertaining to the lessons taught were provided to participants during each cla
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Education Program (SNAP-Ed) Senior Assistant partnered with the Lawrence County High School Physical Education and Health teacher to address nutrition and health during March Nutrition Month. The teacher selected subject matter from the Teen Cuisine curriculum to be taught with 78 students in 9th – 12th grades. Selected topics included: Added Sugars, Find the Fats, Power up with Breakfast, and Snack attack. Proper hand washing and food
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Bay Pointe apartment complex provides housing for elderly adults. Rent cost is based on household income. With the increased rate of inflation and the high cost of food, elderly adults on fixed incomes look for ways to manage food costs. The Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed) Senior Assistant works with 10 residents by providing resources such as soil and vegetable plants for raised-bed gardens. The residents’ plant, fertilize, care for and harvest fr
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Kentucky ranks among the highest states for the prevalence of pediatric obesity in the nation. Approximately 38 % of Kentucky children ages 10-17 years are considered overweight or obese according to BMI-for-age standards. Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed) Senior Assistant participated in the first community health fair event at The Millard School. Area and local health agencies and vendors participated in the event which focused on promoting optimal
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The population of Northern Kentucky continues to increase and with that increase more individuals from diverse backgrounds are calling the region home. Learning about different cultures and customs is important for area residents as they learn to live with others from around the world.The Pendleton, Kenton and Boone County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agents offered a 3-part, cook-along-from-home series via Zoom focused on the countries and cultures of Germany, Ireland and Greece. Even
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Graduation Day was held for the residents at the Homeless Coalition Shelter, with lots of eagerness to be leaving with expectations of a home of their own.Certificates were given to each participant, with smiles of accomplishments from participating in the four-week series of Healthy Choices for Every Body series where they obtained, Meal Planning, Food, Kitchen and Knife Safety, Budgeting, proper storage in Freezing and packaging.A review of the curriculum gave them a moment of reflection on al
Author: Michele Moore
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
CDC’s 2018 State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, reports only 8.0% of adults meet the daily fruit intake recommendation and a mere 6.3% of adults meet the daily recommended vegetable intake. The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with Kentucky Christian Recovery to improve the overall outcome of their client’s dietary consumption of fruits and vegetables.31 individuals were taught a seven-week curriculum Healthy Choices for Every Body. Out of tho
Author: Michele Moore
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the state childhood obesity report, “In Kentucky, 23.8% of youth ages 10 to 17 have obesity, giving Kentucky a ranking of 1 among the 50 states and D.C.” There are many factors that contribute to this statistic including higher computer usage, being physically inactive, as well as 82.2% of Kentucky high school ninth graders having a low P.E participation and having a low fruit and vegetable consumption.The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant along with th
Author: Teresa King
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the State of Childhood Obesity website, during the pandemic the national rate of obesity among kids ages 2 to 19 increased to 22.4% in 2020, up from 19.3% in 2019. In Kentucky, 23.8% of youth ages 10 to 17 have obesity, giving Kentucky a ranking of 1 among the 50 states. To help educate youth the Meade County Cooperative Extension EFNEP (Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program) assistant partnered with Ekron Elementary and conducted a six-week Organ Wise Program. The curricul
Author: Anita Boyd
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Career awareness promotes self-awareness from an early age as children learn about their abilities, interests, and strengths. The EFNEP Assistant Senior partnered with Maysville Community and Technical College’s Career Craze youth workshops. School-aged children registered for careers that interest them and spend the entire day learning about that career. A total of 41 children signed up for the food and nutrition workshop. The EFNEP assistant set up visits to two l
Author: Amanda Howard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics among Americans aged 12 years and older, 31.9 million are current illegal drug users. If alcohol and tobacco are included, 165 million or 60.2% of Americans aged 12 years or older currently abuse drugs. The Magoffin County Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior works with the Kentucky Mountain Bible Mission Training Center; a local drug prevention center and faith-based organization that helps adult men and women fight their addict
Author: Benita Wade
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Kentucky has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation at 23.8%. Studies show that children who eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day are significantly less likely to be overweight and obese than children who eat less than three servings per day. An hour of physical activity a day is also important in com
Author: Benita Wade
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Christian County ranks high in food insecurity at 19% in comparison to 16% in Kentucky overall and 9% in top US performers. Limited access to healthy foods for Christian County is also high at 12% in comparison to 6% in Kentucky overall and only 2% in top US performers.The Christian County SNAP-Ed assistant taught the Healthy Choices for Every Body pro
Author: Benita Wade
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Fruit and vegetable consumption in Kentucky is too low with only 8% of adults meeting the daily fruit recommendations as compared to 12.2 % nationally and only 6.3% Kentuckians meeting the vegetable recommendations compared to 9.3% nationally.The Christian County SNAP-Ed assistant taught the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum to staff and community members at a charity organization that serves the homeless and other limited resource people. The group was served healthy snacks featuring fr
Author: Stacey Stephens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the CDC in the United States, the percentage of children and adolescents affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s.Two of biggest culprits are: increased screen time, leading to a sedentary lifestyle, and choosing unhealthy grab and go snacks.Southside Elementary School 21st Century program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Program, through the University of Kentucky Harrison County Extension Office, partnered to help youth ma
Author: Stacey Stephens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
As Covid-19 continued to prove difficult to reach clients in a class setting, the Harrison County Nutrition Education Program Assistant collaborated with the Cynthiana Harrison County Chamber of Commerce to education Harrison County residents on improving their diet, farmers markets, and food safety in the summer months. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant was invited to set up at the Summer Concert series and handouts were information on food safety, the local farmers market, and hea
Author: Kati Noble
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the State of Childhood Obesity, 16.2 percent of youth ages 10 to 17 are obese. It is important for youth to participate in physical activity and consume fruits and vegetables to stay healthy.The Breathitt County SNAP-Ed Assistant, in partnership with the Breathitt County Public School System, taught the LEAP (Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary) curriculum. During one visit with a 1st grade class, the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, was read to 28 students. As a part of th
Author: Viola Wood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Muhlenberg County Cooperative Extension Service hosted their inaugural Extension Extravaganza in May of 2022. The Muhlenberg County Extension Council planned, prepared, and hosted the Extension Extravaganza as a way of showcasing the variety of Extension opportunities community members can become involved in. The concept came about after office staff members discussed ways to involve the whole family and provide research-based materials that participants could not only learn abou
Author: Bobbie Hancock
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The SNAP-NEP Assistant in Mercer County partnered with the ANR agent, Southland Dairy, The Dairy Alliance, and Mercer County Elementary School to teach 586 students the MyPate Dairy Lesson. Student were taught to identify dairy foods, why they need dairy in their diet. serving sizes, and nutrition facts for various dairy products. In addition, agriculture information was shared so students could learn about where milk and other dairy products come from, how farmers take care of their cows
Author: Bobbie Hancock
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
To celebrate National Beef Month in May the NEP assistant teamed up with the ANR Agent to develop Get Cooking with Beef, a 4-week series focused on all aspects of cooking with beef. In this series youth learned on a range of topics from food safety, knife skills, beef cut selection, beef nutrition, recipe creation, MyPlate, food preparation and cooking methods. 10 students participated in this series. Several of the students indicated their favorite part was actually getting to cook their o
Author: Kacy Wiley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to new information from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kentucky's youth obesity rate is 19.3 percent. The information was collected from 2016 and 2017 by the National Survey of Children's Health, along with analysis conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau, a news release states. How can this be corrected? One way is by encouraging healthy life choices from an early age. In Bourbon County the Nut
Author: Kacy Wiley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Social Media is a very effective tool in reaching a diverse audience. Almost 2 billion people in the world use Facebook daily and YouTube has over 120 million daily active users. With that in mind, a partnership was formed between the Family and Consumer Science Agent and the Nutrition Education Program Assistant to reach a wide array of adult audiences. Each month, they would take turns leading Facebook Live demonstration of the Food and Nutrition Calendar Recipes. To reach even more individual
Author: Robin Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Grayson County, KY ranks high among adult diseases. It has been reported that there is a 35% prevalence of hypertension among the residents of our county, whereas, Kentucky as a whole is ranked at 39%. There is an 18% prevalence of diabetes in our county, while the entire state reports only a 13% ranking. Also, 34% of adults report they have less than good health (https://kentuckyhealthfacts.org/data/location/show.aspx?loc=43). All of these health issues can be related to poor nutrition.Re
Author: Sarah Spears
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Feeding America, hunger is an issue in every community across the Commonwealth. There are 700,000 Kentuckians who are food insecure — which means that 1 out of every 6 of our Kentucky neighbors do not always know if they will have enough food. This is where practicing food resource management skills is so important among our communities.This year the Floyd County Cooperative Extension Office Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program partnered with the Mountain Center for Recov
Author: Sarah Spears
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Diet quality is an important system of measurement in nutritional research. It is used to investigate links between an overall dietary pattern in a population and as well as predicting health outcomes in individuals. It’s no secret that a healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. According to the USDA, many households experience food insecurity at times during the year, meaning their access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources. The Suppleme
Author: Viola Wood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Breakfast Club When you take care of your body you take care of your soul. Coming out of the Covid-19 shutdowns and returning to our new normal, the Muhlenberg County Cooperative Extension Service staff discussed the need to reconnect to the teens in our county. The 4-H agent for youth development along with the Nutrition Education Program assistant identified a healthy way to reach out to our teens. The Breakfast Club come from this brainstorming session. The Br
Author: Viola Wood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
LEAPing back to school After almost a two year break of in person youth programs, the Muhlenberg County SNAP-Ed assistant was allowed to return to Muhlenberg South Elementary School to present the LEAP program to Kindergarten and First Grade students. University of Kentucky data shows that youth eat fewer fruits and vegetables than the daily recommended amounts. Poor nutrition and less physical activity have been linked to the rise in youth obestity. The prevalence of obes
Author: Christy Blevins
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to FeedingAmerica.org in 2020 the food insecure population in Bell County was 5,790 and the food insecurity rate was at 21.9%. The Bell County SNAP-Ed Assistant Senior partnered with Just Family Adult Daycare utilizing the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum. Sixteen adults participated in the program. Upon entry 12% of the adult participants were practicing food resource management. They checked the refrigerator and cupboards before shopping, wrote out a grocery list, compa
Author: Joel Worth
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics, “Consumption of sugar drinks in the United States has increased over the last 30 years among both children and adults (1–3). Sugar drinks have been linked to poor diet quality, weight gain, obesity, and, in adults, type 2 diabetes (4,5). “ A seven-week program, Healthy Choices for Everybody, was presented by a Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Services SN
Author: Joel Worth
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to, Current Opinion in Psychology, “Substance Use Disorders (SUD) continue to be a significant public health concern. Exercise has been examined as an adjunctive approach to addiction treatment in an effort to improve mental health, physical health, and substance use outcomes.”A seven-week pilot program, Healthy Choices for Your Recovery Body was presented by a Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Services SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Educa
Author: Omar Miralles
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
A group at a local Jefferson County, KY refugee church contacted the Nutrition Education Program Assistant about beginning a nutrition education program with the refugee community members. The group began meeting regularly and the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service noticed that the group was having problems with the way they spent their resources and that they were missing some important cooking practices. They were also in
Author: Omar Miralles
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
A group of newly arrived international refugees attending a local church group in Jefferson County, Kentucky were concerned about the risks associated with the amount of sugar consumed by their kids. The group of refugees sought help within the church network. They were advised to join the Healthy Choices for Every Body provided by the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program to find out how to improve their health condition. In the classes led by the Nutrition Education Program Assistant with the U
Author: Marcia Moss
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to kentuckyhealthfacts.org thirty-eight percent of the adults reported in Nelson County are considered in the obese category compared to the thirty-seven percent for the State of Kentucky. In August of 2021 the Bullitt County Extension Office partnered with Isaiah House to offer the Healthy Choices for Everybody series. Fifty-nine participants have attended and graduated the classes from August 2021 till September 2022. Classes included tips for physical activity, My Plate, Food Safety
Author: Cathy Fellows
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to The Northern Kentucky Health department, in 2018 there were 190 deaths due to overdose.(2) The Gateway Foundation states “It’s important for every person to develop healthy eating habits, but it’s crucial for people who are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. Even short-term addiction can take a huge toll on the body as it is forced to work overtime to eliminate toxic substances and defend itself against the damage they do. Achieving nutritional bala
Author: Lakesha Reams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the State of Childhood Obesity, during the pandemic, the national rate of obesity among kids ages 2 to 19 increased to 22.4% in 2020, up from 19.3% in 2019. Young children need help to develop lifelong healthy eating and physical activity habits. The USDA’s MyPlate curriculum shows what and how much children should eat to meet their physical activity needs. Children eat fewer fruits and vegetables than the daily recommended amounts. Poor nutrition and physical inactivity have
Author: Lakesha Reams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate.gov, eating healthy can be a challenge especially when you do not know what to eat or how much to eat. Every person needs nutrients from a variety of foods, no single food can provide all the nutrients needed, so it is best to eat a variety of foods every day. The Jefferson County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) assistant partnered with a nonprofit agency, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, for young adult individuals recei
Author: Tracey Turner
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Owsley County Extension Service partnered with Partnership Housing to provide nutrition lesson to commodity recipients. The senior citizens meet one Thursday of each month to receive food boxes and nutritional information. The Owsley County SNAP Assistants provide group lessons on subjects such as: planning meals, budgeting, food safety, portion sizes and sever other related topics. This is a time for senior people to come together for fellowship, sample new recipes, experience new methods o
Author: Tracey Turner
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Centers for disease control Kentucky ranks 48th out of 50 in fruit and vegetable consumption. During the school year children in grades 1st through 6th participated in the Nutrition Education Program "Professor Popcorn". Through the partnership between the Owsley County Board of Education and the Cooperative Extension Service.This program offers participant’s education about liMy Plate" as well as proper amounts of physical activity needed to be he
Author: Tracey Turner
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control, the state indicator report on fruit and vegetable consumption for the state of Kentucky reveals that 60% of adolescents only ate on average one fruit or vegetable per day. During the school year, a nutrition curriculum was taught through the Owsley County Extension Service, in conjunction with the Owsley County School System. Professor Popcorn was the curriculum taught to grades one through fifth. The course includes My
Author: Mary Elaine Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Johnson County Senior Citizen Center and the Johnson County Senior SNAP-Ed Assistant talked about the dangers of sodium, sugar and fats in their diets. The group of 14 seniors talked and learned about chronic disease from the foods they eat. They learned that all were having health issues that were the effects from one or more chronic health issues. All the members of this group are also on a regular prescribed medication for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin for controlling d
Author: Sherry Becknell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
After a historic flood in Owsley County, the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program assistant partnered with: Owsley County Food Bank, Neighbors in Need (community organization), Partnership Housing and United Methodist Life Center to inform citizens about food safety after a flood, food distribution places and shelters. Homes were destroyed, roads were washed out unpassable and families were living in their yards in whatever they could to provide shelter for their families. Over 500 me
Author: Sherry Becknell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
How often do you wash your hands with soap and running water before preparing food? After cutting meat or seafood, how often do you wash all items and surfaces that came in contact with these foods or how often do you thaw frozen food on the counter or in the sink at room temperature? When ask these questions most adults will answer with, “always”. But do we really? How many people reach for sanitizer when running water and soap is not available? After cutting meat or seafood d
Author: Sherry Becknell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Working families struggle with healthy lunch ideas and making time for a healthier eating for their families. Partnering with the Owsley County Court House the Owsley County Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program assistant provided lessons from the Healthy Choice Curriculum. Lessons taught were: My Plate, Meal Planning, Keeping Foods Safe, Grains, Fruits, Eating Better and Budget. In Owsley County money is an ongoing issue with each and every family. After the completion of each lesson,
Author: Sherry Becknell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Owsley County Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with the Owsley County Elementary School second grade class on encouraging new tasting. During this time children were encouraged to try a different food and report to the class on the taste and texture. The program lasted six weeks and the assistant had the children prepare a healthy recipe each week for tasting. During this exercise the children were taught food safety, measuring skills and how to follow a re
Author: Lisa Lamb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Mondays at the Market The local farmer’s market is a staple in many small towns across the country, and this holds true for Garrard County. Farmers and producers set up at the farmer’s market every Monday evening to sell their locally grown crops to families from all parts of the county. The Garrard County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed) Assistant saw the farmer’s market as an opportunity for her to have a booth to promote both Garrard County Coop
Author: Stacy Trent
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Youth sometimes lose knowledge over the course of summer vacation. To prevent youth from forgetting the nutrition information they gained during the school year the Senior Nutrition Education Program Assistant created a plan to have a hands-on cooking club for the youth of Wolfe County. Information from Leap, and Discover My Plate were delivered to youth ages 6-9 during a three-day cooking camp called “Sprouts Cooking Club.” Youth
Author: Stacy Trent
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The 2019 Kentucky Annual Economic Report by the University of Kentucky reveals Kentucky falls below the national U.S. average with only 40% of Kentucky youth getting sufficient physical activity. To address these issues, the Wolfe County Senior Nutrition Education Program Assistant provided nutrition education to twelve youth. The goal of the program was for youth to learn and implement healthy habits while also learning ways to make healthy food preparation pleasurable. &nbs
Author: Toina Williams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
July 15, 2022 Toni WilliamsSNAP-Ed AssistantHardin County MyPlate Working with a special needs group
Author: Toina Williams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Toni Williams Hardin County Success StoryImpact: Long TermMaking Healthy Food Choices Hardin County has several youth groups with in the County. P.U.R.E. (Perfect You Really Exist) Is a youth group designed for girls in grades 3rd to 12th. P.U.R.E. assist the young ladies, with homework, prep for standardize testing, college prep, life skills, and hygiene.Life skills (cooking classes) was on Saturday’s mornings. In the classes, they were taught about food safety,
Author: Bethony Morris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Hancock County Cooperative Extension Expanded Food Nutritional Assistant (EFNEP) partnered with Hope House. Hope House is a rehab, live in facility for women. The ladies took their entry survey and only 40% compared food prices.As the group went through the lessons and discussed all the ways to budget better, the ladies started to learn better ways of saving money. As a whole we discussed making a list, clipping coupons, checking all the cabinets before shopping. Ther
Author: Clarissa Cheatwood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This is about a group of women that reside in a facility for women with substance abuse problems. Some of the women that reside here, have little or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables or foods that they need for special diets due to some of their health issues. These women have to eat what is provided from donations. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Program Senior Assistant from Jefferson County Extension Services has been teaching ongoing nutrition classes at this facility, using the Healt
Author: Whitney Paige Alexander
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The poverty level for Kentucky is 16% according to the 2020 census data report with food insecurity coming in at 13.8 % both are over the national average. Goodwill Industries of Kentucky conducts a program called RISE (Reintegrating Individuals Successfully Every Day). The RISE program is offered in Louisville, Lexington, Pikeville and Bowling Green. The RISE program is virtual two-week program that help assist disadvantage job seekers tools to promote them back into the workforce and communiti
Author: Whitney Paige Alexander
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Logan County has an obesity rate of 37 %; as well as a 34 % of physical inactivity. Due to the obesity rate and physical inactivity, there are 14 % that struggle with food insecurity and 7 % limited access to food. The Logan County Public Library, Logan County School District and the Logan County Cooperative Extension Office partnered together for the library’s Summer Reading and Feeding Program. Paige Alexander, SNAP ED Assistant from the Logan County Cooperative Extension Services
Author: Toina Williams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
June 10, 2022Toni Williams SNAP-Ed Assistant Hardin County Healthy Minds and Healthy Bodies Summer Camp 2022 The Summer of Prevention Camp was host by three schools in Hardin County, Lakewood Elementary, Cecelia Valley Elementary, and Creekside Elementary. This camp was held this year during the first week of June for 7th through 10th days. This year’s location for the camp was at Lakewood Elementary School with 47 youth grades PreK-5. There were three other
Author: Toina Williams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) 25,428 individuals were admitted to Kentucky drug and alcohol programs in 2010. Those numbers has risen. About 66.9% were men and 33.1% were women.The drug use in Hardin County has risen 25% since last year. Hardin County has a total of 17 rehab facilities and homes for drug and alcohol abuse.When COVID 19 started and the state went into shut down. Kentucky had 2,704 confirmed cases of COVID 19 and 144 deaths. As of
Author: Melissa Pilcher
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Boone County Nutrition Education Program paraprofessional presented the Healthy Choices for Every Body series in cooperation with St. Elizabeth Hospital PrimeWise Program. PrimeWise is a free educational program for seniors and is designed to empower older adults to take charge of their own health.Seniors often lose sight of the reality that cooking is a vital element of healthy living. Many of them report that they choose to dine out or opt for quick solutions rather than focusing on nutrit
Author: Vickie Belt
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
It’s been 25 plus years since the new Livingston County SNAP-Ed paraprofessional has walked the halls of the Livingston County Middle School. With COVID-19 easing up schools started the year out with letting outside organizations come into the school. The new principal of LCMS had decided things needed to change this year. Middle schoolers needed more opportunities to prepare them for high school and beyond. He asked the SNAP-Ed paraprofessional to come in once a month during Club Days and
Author: Vickie Belt
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
It has been several years since there was an EFNEP paraprofessional in the Crittenden County Extension Office. During that time, she was conducting Community Christmas classes with Healthy Choices for Every Body where the current SNAP-Ed Assistant got her start with the program as a client of hers. A working wife and mother of three she needed help with Christmas. The EFNEP Assistant made arrangements to provide lessons after hours and on her lunch break so the client could complete the program.
Author: Amy Stooksbury
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors priority health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. 2019 YRBS results reported on CDC’s Healthy Schools “Making the Connection: Dietary Behaviors and Academic Grades” factsheet provide evidence of a significant association between academic grades and dietary behaviors.The Todd County Youth Services Ce
Author: Tasha Tucker
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2020, Kentucky has a higher rate of tobacco use, prescriptions drug misuse, and substance abuse disorder. Substance use disorder can have long term effects on the body such as; liver disease, cirrhosis, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and poor wound healing. Breckinridge County Nutrition Education Assistant partnered alongside Breckinridge County Substance Abuse Program to assist the Substance Abuse particip
Author: Tasha Tucker
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Feeding America, 14.7% of Breckinridge county children struggle with food insecurity. Food insecure children are likely to be sick more often, recover from illness more slowly, and hospitalized more often. Children who are food insecure also struggle to concentrate and focus and has been linked to higher levels of behavioral and emotional problems from preschool to adolescents, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. In order to combat this huge issue Breckinridge Cou
Author: Jessica Webb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In January 2022, the Estill County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program assistant received the 2022 Food and Nutrition Recipe Calendar from the University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program. The Assistant advertised to the community through the newspaper, flyers, and Facebook posting that recipe demonstrations would be featured on Facebook LIVE 2 times a month. The first LIVE was held on January 28th, 2022, with 20 participants watching, the assistant featured the January recipe, One P
Author: Jessica Webb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In July 2022, the Estill County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Assistant was given the opportunity to partner with Goodwill RISE A recovery program based in Louisville, KY but with expanded locations around the state. Due to Covid19 Goodwill RISE had taken their program online via Zoom which has allowed for Nutrition Education Assistants from all over Kentucky to partner with them. The Estill County Assistant was given the opportunity to work with them and started programming via zoom
Author: Jessica Webb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In August 2022, the Estill County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Assistant met with the Estill County High School Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher regarding a partnership with the FCS Classroom for a Teen Cuisine Youth Program, the Estill County High School was happy to have the program added to there schedule. The Estill County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Assistant started the 8-week program using the Teen Cuisine Youth Curriculum on September 22, 2022, with 14 yout
Author: Jessica Webb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Estill County 4-H Program Assistant approached the Estill County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Assistant about a partnership with the afterschool Junior 4-H cooking Club. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant will you using the MyPlate Yummy Curriculum with 4-H Youth grades 3rd-5th. The meeting will be held once a month with the first meeting being September 2022. There were 11 participants with the 1st meeting and the Nutrition Education Assistant will provide lessons on foo
Author: Cathy Fellows
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Eating a well-balanced diet is important for bodies to function well. Studies show including fruits and vegetables in your daily diet can help reduce the risk of many diet-related chronic diseases. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends minimum daily intake of 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables for females aged 14–18 years and 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables for males aged 14–18 years.” Most teens do not meet these USDA recommendatio
Author: Cathy Fellows
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
“According to 2019/2020 data from the State of Childhood Obesity website, the obesity rate among children ages 10-17 in Kentucky has increased from 19.3% to 23.8% in three years.” The newest data shows roughly one in six youth are obese.In conjunction with Hebron’s Summer Youth Program, Boone County’s Nutrition Education Program Assistant taught a weeklong nutrition program to 86 youth in Boone County. Each day the assistant read a story and provided hands on food demonst
Author: Dianne Hayward
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Our county extension office have just had their 2nd Farm to Fork event Community Dinner in the town center on the square. It is an amalgamation of different entities the County extension office, the Kentucky department of agriculture, the local food pantry. The organizer was the Agriculture and Natural resources agent supported by the other extension staff including myself the Nutrition Education Program Assistant. My role was to work with the benefactors of money raised by the event the Local f
Author: Velma Mullins
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In 2019, fruit and vegetable intake among United States adults remained low, with approximately one in ten adults meeting the recommendations. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Program Assistant and the Supplemental Nutrition Program Assistant partnered with the New Hope counseling center to provide nutrition classes to the drug recovery program participants. The assistants gave nutrition lessons to help empower the success of the clients to make lifelong decisions to help better their
Author: Velma Mullins
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Centers for Disease Control obesity and excess weight increase risk of severe illness. The Laurel County Expanded Food and Nutrition Assistant worked with nine kindergarten classes in Laurel County to promote health and wellness. The assistant conducted nutrition classes and used the Literacy, Eating And Activity for Preschool/Primary curriculum to teach healthy lifelong lifestyles. The assistant read books and did activities to promote good health and physical fitne
Author: Nancy Owens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
SNAP-Ed Success Story 2021-2022Nancy Owens-Sr. Nutrition Education Program/SNAP-Ed Assistant2021-2022 NEP/SNAP-Ed Programming The Allen County Senior NEP paraprofessional taught 59 limited resourcesfamilies how to serve more nutritious meals, to keep foods safe, and to utilize local food resources effectively. 44% of NEP families made an improvement in the nutritional quality of their diet. 39% of NEP graduate families consumed a diet of higher qual
Author: Nancy Owens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
SNAP-Ed Success Story 2021-2022Nancy Owens-Sr. Nutrition Education Program/SNAP-Ed Assistant Youth Positive Changes The Allen County Senior NEP paraprofessional partnered up with the Boys & Girls Club of Allen County and The Core of Scottsville taught 185 youth of limited resource how to serve more nutritious meals, to keep foods safe, and to utilize local food resources effectively. 95% of NEP graduated youth made an improvement in the nutritional quality of their diet.  
Author: Nancy Owens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
SNAP-Ed Success Story 2021-2022Nancy Owens-Sr. Nutrition Education Program/SNAP-Ed AssistantSeed to SellThe Allen County Senior Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant, Family Consumer Science Agent, Agricultural and Natural Resource Agent and the 4-H Youth Development Agent partnered up to develop a Seed to Sell program for the youth of Allen County. With the food prices at the grocery store on the rise. It is important to know how to grow your produce at home. The Seed to Sell program
Author: Jacqui Denegri
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In an effort to increase youth outreach for the Nutrition Education Program, the SNAP-Ed senior program assistant reached out to EJ Hayes Middle School to provide nutrition education classes to a group of 8th grade students. Over the course of 7 lessons based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) My Plate guidelines, students were instructed on food preparation, food safety, and other aspects illustrating the importance of selecting healthy foods and engaging in physical activity
Author: Jacqui Denegri
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In the spring of 2022 the Fayette County Nutrition Education Program assistant partnered with Beaumont Middle School to bring nutrition programming to 7th grade students. Over a series of 8 sessions spanning a two month period, the students were instructed on following My Plate guidelines, reading nutrition labels, how to plan and prepare healthy meals, and the importance that a healthy lifestyle plays in their overall wellbeing. During the first session the students filled out an evaluation to
Author: Jacqui Denegri
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In 2022 the SNAP-Ed senior program assistant partnered with Briarwood Apartments, a federally subsidized apartment community for people who are 62 years of age and older or disabled. Over the course of several weeks, courses were offered covering nutrition, food resource management and food safety. Participants were administered an evaluation on the first and last class to measure the programs impact. Upon completion of the program 83% of participants showed improvement in one of more of the foo
Author: Jacqui Denegri
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In 2022 the senior program assistant for the Nutrition Education Program for Fayette County reached out to the Hope Center, a comprehensive addiction treatment program that offers detox, shelter, and long-term rehabilitation to individuals facing addiction. Together they offered nutrition education programming for parents in recovery who had recently completed an in-patient rehabilitation program. Participants met weekly with the agent and completed the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum
Author: Nancy Owens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
SNAP-Ed Success Story 2021-2022Nancy Owens-Sr. Nutrition Education Program/SNAP-Ed AssistantFarmers Market Vouchers for Seniors The Allen County Senior NEP paraprofessional partnered up with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to keep the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program in Allen County. In Allen County 17% of the population is senior citizens. 9% are below income poverty level. It is important for the senior citizens to receive assistant when possible. The local food pantry
Author: Clarissa Cheatwood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This story is about a group of women that reside in a substance abuse facility. The Expanded Nutrition Education Program Assistant from Jefferson County Extension Services Office has been teaching an ongoing nutrition class, every Wednesday for one hour. Some of these women have been eating a lot of fried, fast food, salty snacks and sugary soft drinks. Some didn't have the knowledge of what and how much to eat daily. The nutrition assistant taught the Healthy Choices
Author: Cheryl Owens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In Whitley County, 28% of adults did not participate in any physically activity or exercised during the past month, between 2018 -2020. Based on the percentage of adults in Whitley County consuming five or more fruits & vegetables per day there was only 9%, and 36% of the adults in Whitley County are considered as having “less than good health.”(BRFSS (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DC) and Kentucky Department for Public Health, Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Syst
Author: Cheryl Owens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In Whitley County an estimated 25.7% of the residents live in poverty and an estimated 33.9% were children younger than 18 in 2018. According to the U.S. Census estimates for 2019, the median household income in Kentucky is 20% lower than the U.S. Median household income. (U.S. Census Bureau Small Area and Income Poverty Estimates), and with that being said, the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant is hoping that this year will help to get a gardening program o
Author: Amanda Howard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the 2020 Census Report for Magoffin County Kentucky 47% of the county’s youth live in poverty. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior works with the Magoffin County public school system to teach school age children about healthy eating habits. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior uses the Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary Youth Health (LEAP) to educate the elementary level Children on Health and Nutrition. With the LEAP curriculum the
Author: Amanda Howard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 46.2% of adults reported consuming fruit less than one time daily and 24.9% of adults reported consuming vegetables less than one time daily. The Magoffin County Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior partnered with the Family and Consumer Science Educator and Agriculture and Natural Resource Educator to provide a Food Preservation demonstration class through the Magoffin County Extension Office. During the class the Family
Author: Amanda Howard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics among Americans aged 12 years and older, 31.9 million are current illegal drug users. If alcohol and tobacco are included, 165 million or 60.2% or of Americans aged 12 years or older currently abuse drugs. The Magoffin County Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior works with the Kentucky Mountain Bible Mission Training Center; a local drug prevention center and faith-based organization that helps adult men and women fight their add
Author: Connie Downey
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In Kentucky, 23.8 percent of youth ages 10 to 17 are obese according to State of Childhood Obesity website (stateofchildhoodobesity.org). According to their article, Kentucky is ranked number one among the fifty states.To help address this, the Clay County Cooperative Extension Service SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) assistant for SNAP-Ed eligible individuals partnering with the Goose Rock Elementary After School Program.Using the Team Nutrition and Yummy curriculum
Author: Connie Downey
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the benefit of healthy eating includes live longer, boosts immunity, lowers the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers etc.The Clay County Cooperative Extension Service SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) assistant for SNAP eligible individuals using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum partnered with Freedom House to address these issues.There were thirty-three participants, ag
Author: Kacy Wiley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance system only 40% of Bourbon Countians eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables and 36% of the population is considered obese. The SNAP-Ed assistant in Bourbon County used the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum to help those that are struggling with these risk factors. The 7-week series had 9 participants that completed the program. The lessons focused on My Plate, Food Safety, Eating a Better Breakfast, Plannin
Author: Kacy Wiley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
During the summer of 2022 the Paris-Bourbon County YMCA found themselves with 27 middle school students. To teach them some life skills a partnership was form with the summer program and the Bourbon County Extension Office Nutrition Education Program Assistant. A 6-week series using the Teen Cuisine curriculum was used. Over the six weeks students learned knife skills and safety, how to measure, how to read a recipe, and food safety. They also learned about MyPlate and th
Author: Lisa Lamb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Grandparents as ParentsOn September the 29th of 2022 I presented to 14 grandparents that are serving in the roll of parents for their school age children. I presented the lesson on Healthy Snacks; we made the yogurt parfaits. The 14 participants were interested in forming a group to meet 1 time a month and get great healthy ideas to use with the children in their care.
Author: Lisa Lamb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Rethink Your Drink I had the opportunity to work with 6 adults in 2022, and ½ of these adults drank “Energy Drinks” on a regular daily basis. As the NEP of my county I taught those drinks actually was causing more fatigue than energy.I did the lesson rethink your drink and explained to this group just what exactly was in this can. I worked with a local pharmacist and we figured out what the total milligram of each ingredient. In my lesson I use instant coffee to illustrat
Author: Lisa Lamb
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Rural Heritage Festival Every year for the last 7 years I have attended the Rural Festival in our town. This year was the largest turnout of patrons to our event, since I have been there. I was fortunate to meet and greet over 200 people over the course of the 2 day event. Since the event I have had over 20 people come to the office to receive recipes and inquire about our programs here at the Extension Office. If I am able to get even 3 people to come to a group I have been succ
Author: Margie Hernandez
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Poor nutrition and physical inactivity are tied to obesity. According to the 2020 data from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website, the adult physical inactivity rate in Pulaski County is 33%. Obesity has been shown to contribute to major health issues including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, elevated blood cholesterol levels, low self-esteem, and negative body image. To address these concerns, a seven-session program using the Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum was c
Author: Margie Hernandez
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the 2018-2019 Trust for America’s Healthy Survey, Kentucky’s obesity rate for children ages 10-17 is 23%. Instructing children with the aspects of healthy nutritional choices at a young age is critical to addressing issues of weight.To address this issue, the Pulaski County Nutrition Education Program Assistant collaborated with Sunrise Children’s Services to offer a six-session Teen Cuisine curriculum to high school students. The Nutrition Education Program assist
Author: Margie Hernandez
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the 2019 Kentucky Kids Count Data Profile, 19.9% of Pulaski County children live in households which are considered food insecure. Additionally, 30.8% are living in poverty. The statistics indicate individuals at or below poverty levels in America are not meeting their dietary recommended percentage of fruits and vegetables. To combat this crisis, the Pulaski County Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with the Pulaski County 4-H Agent and the Pulaski County Horticu
Author: Viola Wood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Muhlenberg By the NumbersThe Muhlenberg County Cooperative Extension Service provides practical education by helping individuals, families, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future. 20% of the total population of 30,800 Muhlenberg countians is below the poverty rate. The Muhlenberg County SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Education assistant serves the limited resource families in Muhlenberg County. In 2021-2022 eleven traditio
Author: Lora Pullin
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Greenup County Agriculture Day is an event about recognizing and celebrating the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. It is a great way to educate local youth about the importance of agriculture, even when they don’t realize it.This year’s annual Agriculture Day attracted twelve fourth grade classes from both Greenup County Schools and Raceland Independent Schools systems on September 23 at the Greenup County Extension Office. Local volunteers from the Green
Author: Bobbie Hancock
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Mercer County Senior Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with Mercer County Elementary Family Resource Center to conduct an afterschool program for K-2 students using the LEAP curriculum. Each month, the NEP would read a story to the children with each story containing information about healthy foods to assist the children in learning to identify different foods. MyPlate was also shown to the children each month so that they could learn what food group each food belonged to. Handwash
Author: Bobbie Hancock
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Mercer County NEP Assistant partnered with Adult Day Care, a program for adults with special needs. Monthly the NEP assistant utilized the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum to teach the participants about healthy eating. At each program the NEP assistant provided a recipe from the UK NEP Food & Nutrition calendar. Participants learned how to identify foods from each part of the meal and determine which food group they belonged to on MyPlate. They also learned about the importance
Author: Brittany Thomas
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Stress is something we have felt a lot of lately. Whether positive or negative, stress can take a toll on our eating habits. In fact, research shows the foods we eat and the emotions we feel areclosely linked. The urge to stress eat is normal, but over time the comfort of our favorite foods wanes. Fortunately, there are a variety of tips and tricks people can apply to manage stresseating while still savoring favorite comfort foods. To support people in creating their personalized approach for ma
Author: Traci Johnson
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Oldham County is one of the most affluent counties in Kentucky, but 5% of the population is in poverty. While Kentucky’s poverty rate fell 1.4% since 2019, Oldham County’s poverty rate increased by .1% since then. One of the ways identified to address food insecurity among those in poverty is to help them learn how to grow food. Oldham County Extension addressed this need by offering four programs to one of our local food banks, operated through Grace & Glory Lu
Author: Christy Stearns
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Clinton County Extension Office hosted the five-lesson program titled Sustainable Kentucky to educate consumers about what sustainable eating is and practical strategies that can be made when purchasing food that is beneficial for both environmental and human health. On average, approximately six people participated in each workshop with most attending four or more sessions in the program. Lesson one focused on basic understanding of sustainable eating and the benefits on the local
Author: Shonda Johnston
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Winchester/Clark County Farmer's Market operates from May through September. The farmers see a sharp decline in sales after children return to school in August. This affects the farmers profit as well is indicates a decline in access of local produce for the community. To address these concerns, the Clark County Extension Office helped sponsor the Kids Day event held on August 20, 2022 at the Winchester/Clark County Farmers Market. Ten dollar vouchers were given to the first 100 kids in
Author: Susanna Diller-Yoke
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to two studies published in the international journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, and Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, malnutrition is frequently reported among individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), which can promote drug-seeking habits, inhibit recovery processes, and impact physical and psychological well-being. Based on the findings of these studies, the authors conclude that effective treatment strategies for people in recovery should incorporate nutrit
Author: Caroline McMahan
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The CDC reported in 2019 that only 10% of Americans consume the recommended quantity of vegetables daily. Fayette County FCS talked with several community members about this concern and found that many people simply did not know how to cook vegetables in a way that they and their family would like. Thus, we determined that learning to cook vegetables in a healthy and tasty manner was an important educational component that the community was missing. The program "All About Veggies"
Author: Kelsee Dewees
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a person should consume fruits and vegetables daily as part of a healthy eating pattern to reduce their risk for chronic diseases such as, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and obesity. According to the CDC, children are eating more fruit, but their fruit and vegetable intake is still too low. Recommendations by the USDA, range from 1-2 cups for fruits and 1-3 cups for vegetables. In Knox County, Kentucky, the
Author: Deborah Messenger
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
There are several reasons why people choose to purchase and eat the food they do. Typically, taste, cost, and availability are at the top. But one factor gaining momentum is taking care of the place our food comes from – the Earth and our agricultural practices through sustainable eating. Evidence suggests that shifting food-related behaviors and purchasing patterns over time may protect the Earth and simultaneously result in overall improved human health outcomes. To address t
Author: Jane Proctor
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research is clear that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Nationwide, it is estimated that only 12.2% of adults meet the recommended amount of fruits each day and only 9.3% meet recommendations for vegetables (CDC, 2018). Kentucky falls even further below the national averages with only 8.0% of adults meeting daily recommendations for fruits and 6.3% meeting recommendations for
Author: Angela Freeman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Child food insecurity (under 1ge 18) in Taylor County, Kentucky was 18.5% in 2020, according to Feeding America. 20% were likely ineligible for federal nutrition programs. 80% were at incomes at or below 185% of the poverty level. According to EFNEP surveys, 76% of students in Taylor County High's culinary classes surveyed stated they helped their family with food resources. Due to Covid restrictions, in person classes were not possible until December, 2021. The Nutrition Assistant was
Author: Angela Freeman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Cooking with children in schools promotes the lifetime skill of healthy cooking starting at a young age. A California Department of Education survey indicated that 87 percent of fourth to eighth graders said that they cook and make some of their meals or snacks. However, youth who lack healthy cooking knowledge may rely on packaged foods or prepared foods containing questionable nutrition value. (Healthy Food Choices in Schools, Mary Ann McFarland, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State Univ
Author: Angela Freeman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Feeding America, 14.9% percent of families in Taylor County were food insecure in 2020. 69% of families were below SNAP and other nutrition programs of 200% of the poverty level. (Feeding America Food Insecurity Map). According to Campbellsville Housing Authority, 240 children live in a total of 4 housing communities where most families fall in these income requirements.The Nutrition Education Assistant discovered that the library's bookmobile would be making regular summer stop
Author: Angela Freeman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In April and May of 2020, food insecurity rates had risen to 25.8% from 15.3 in February. New real-time, state-specific U.S. Census data shows that at least one aspect of food insecurity, food scarcity – defined as sometime or often not having enough to eat – is currently impacting 1 in 7 adults in Kentucky. Household Pulse Survey state data (for the week ending July 7) indicates that among Kentucky households with children, 16.5% sometimes or often do not have enough to eat. Though
Author: Jill Harris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
There are several reasons why people choose to purchase and eat the food they do. Typically, taste, cost, and availability are at the top. But one factor gaining momentum is taking care of the place our food comes from – the Earth and our agricultural practices through sustainable eating. Evidence suggests that shifting food-related behaviors and purchasing patterns over time may protect the Earth and simultaneously result in overall improved human health outcomes. To address this educatio
Author: Lyndall Harned
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
I organized a trip to Jungle Jim's International Market in Cincinnati. The purpose was to expose local clientele to international foods that they were not familiar with, this would allow them to learn about and taste foods that they had never been exposed to before. I had arranged a guided tour of the facilities and the various sections of different foods. Included was the sampling. We learned about foods from many counties and learned some were not as different as what we are used to e
Author: Stephanie Caldwell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service joined Lone Oak Elementary School for a month-long summer camp introducing the Organ Wise Guys Gardening Program Forty-one youth ranging in age from 5- 9 years old were in attendance. Weekly sessions included with four stations that incorporated Horticulture, 4-H Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences and SNAP-Ed. The program focus was “Grow Your Own Lunch”. Each week the youth would rotate through the stations le
Author: Stephanie Caldwell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Healthy Living is the new lifestyle that individuals are seeking with the help of Lifeline Recovery Center. The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service was able to pilot a new program “Healthy Choices for Your Recovering Body” they are hoping will help residents in Kentucky. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics indicate there were an estimated 107,622 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2021, an inc
Author: Curtis Judy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Nutrition education is a program responsibility of all Kentucky Extension agents. For many ANR agents the bulk of their SNAP efforts are done through organized farmers’ markets. But since dozens of retail produce growers sell directly off the farm here, there is no farmers market to work with in Todd County. Therefore, I utilize other avenues to conduct nutrition education activities. I have container vegetable gardens set up a
Author: Susan Grimmett
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Changing More than Teen BehaviorAccording to the Annie E. Casey Foundation for Juvenile Justice and Detention, Kentucky spends an average of $87,000 annually per bed in a juvenile detention center. Most juveniles are sent to these facilities because of no parental supervision, or the juvenile is bored at home. The director of a juvenile detention center observed the students knew little about basic cooking skills or healthy eating habits. The director wanted the
Author: Susan Grimmett
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Goodbye to Fast FoodsAccording to the Kentucky State Government Center for Statistics, 20.4% of Kentucky adults are considered living at or below the poverty level. The Board of Directors for a low-income senior housing complex contacted the Boyd County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) assistant expressing concern regarding poor dietary habits of the residents. Of particular concern was that clients had found it easier to walk to the nearby fast-food restaurant
Author: Meagan Klee
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Casey County, though located in South Central Kentucky, is considered an Eastern Kentucky county due to its limited knowledge/access of healthy resources including fresh and/healthy food options. According to the Kentucky Kids Count, 64% of our children live in low-income households; ranking Casey County 100 out of 120 counties in the state. Out limited resources can create an obstacle for families to make smart and healthy decisions when feeding their family. As of 2018, 24% of children are liv
Author: Lorie Dunn
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Grant County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) Assistant along with the Family Resource Center Director at Sherman Elementary decided to offer a Virtual Adult Group via Zoom. The school was having difficulty getting limited resource families to participate in afterschool events due to limited or no transportation, so a virtual option was offered to serve these families. Since 21% of children in Grant County live in poverty and 100% of children at Sherm
Author: Lorie Dunn
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Students wanted to participate in the school’s cooking club, but some parents were low income and did not have transportation to pick their children up afterschool. The club was an attempt to address the 23.8% obesity rate of Kentucky children ages 10-17. As an alternative, the Super Star Chef curriculum was offered virtually to students with their parents present through Zoom. The SNAP Nutrition Education Senior Assistant from Grant County, along with the Family Resource Cente
Author: Krista Perry
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Henry County has a rich agriculture history; it is the largest single source of income and provides the greatest number of employees in the county. Currently our county receives over $30,607,000.00 a year in agriculture revenues. The average size of a Henry County farm is 170 acres. It has come to the attention of the Henry County Cooperative Extension Service that the elementary aged youth are not aware of the importance agriculture plays in the history or the economy of
Author: Jessica Hunley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This program came about as I was invited to speak and attend a monthly meeting for the Alpha Delta Kappa Organization. This group is specific to women educators in Kentucky, both past and present, who focus on leadership and altruism. They wanted to hone in on healthy eating skills as well as become more familiar with Extension and our education programs as well.I spent one evening with 30 of their members, where we engaged in conversation and a lesson about healthy eating. I u
Author: Teresa King
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Kentucky’s youth are fighting an uphill battle to lower their obesity rate. According to the 2019/2020 data from Stateofobesity.org, the obesity rate among youth ages 10 – 17 in Kentucky has increased from 19.6% to 23.8% in four years.To educate youth on nutrition and the importance of physical activity the Meade County Cooperative Extension EFNEP (Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program) assistant conducted a four-week Teen Cuisine Program. The EFNEP assistant partnered with Stuar
Author: Peggy Jones
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults, and build self-confidence. (Cooking With Your Children; Web MD; May 30, 2008.) Rowan County Food Service students are learning new techniques and foods by Cooking in the Calendar, so far dishes such as Sweet Potato Nachos and rice dishes have been introduce to 15 youth, for a new way of cooking wit
Author: Kayla Watts
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Census Bureau Quick Facts for Breathitt County, 30% of the population live in poverty; often struggling to provide food/nutrition to their families.Breathitt County FCS Agent, Kayla Watts, in partnership with the Robinson Center for Appalachia Resource Sustainability (RCARS), and God’s Pantry, came together to set up a monthly food distribution for the county.Food is delivered monthly via God’s Pantry’s system. The food is then boxed and distributed by Extension st
Author: Jacob Ison
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture's Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program provides eligible low- income seniors with redeemable vouchers for fresh, unprocessed local fruits, vegetables, and herbs at approved Farmer's Markets, The program helps improve nutrition for low-income families, by providing access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The program also increases local farm sales and encourages individuals to shop at the local Farmers Market. The Elliott County Farmers M
Author: Nanette Banks
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
There are several reasons why people choose to purchase and eat the food they do. Typically, taste, cost, and availability are at the top. But one factor gaining momentum is taking care of the place our food comes from – the Earth and our agricultural practices through sustainable eating. Evidence suggests that shifting food-related behaviors and purchasing patterns over time may protect the Earth and simultaneously result in overall improved human health outcomes. To address this ed
Author: Vanessa Harris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the American Heart Association, our country is becoming more and more sedentary. Only 26 percent of men, 19 percent of women and 20 percent of adolescents report the recommended amount of physical activity. For children, only 3.8 percent of elementary, 7.9 percent of middle and 2.1 percent of high schools provide daily physical education for the entire year – and 22 percent of schools do not require physical education at all. The Menifee County SNAP-Ed assistant partnered
Author: Jocelyn Kemp
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 426 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information about the country, and a worksheet to help them explo
Author: Michele Moore
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Feeding America.org, 82% of Butler County residents fall at or below the 200% poverty threshold. Interventions such as participation in food assistance programs can help reduce food insecurity and improve overall health. The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with a local food assistance program, The Morgantown Mission, to provide education to this clientele.Twelve individuals completed the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum. In each class a b
Author: Kelsee Dewees
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the American Heart Association, the average American eats a large amount of excess sodium. On average, Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day. This is much more than the recommended amount of 2,300 milligrams each day. In an effort to educate participants, the Wilderness Trail Area FCS agents centered this year’s 25th Area Holiday Cooking School around using spices and herbs to create flavorful meals. The use of spices and herbs allows for reduc
Author: Robert Kirby
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the American Heart Association, the average American eats a large amount of excess sodium. On average, Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day. This is much more than the recommended amount of 2,300 milligrams each day. In an effort to educate participants, the Wilderness Trail Area FCS agents centered this year’s 25th Area Holiday Cooking School around using spices and herbs to create flavorful meals. The use of spices and herbs allows for reduced sod
Author: Lora Davidson
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Kentucky has one of the highest rates in the nation of food insecurity among older adults at a 17.3%, with the national rate of 10.6%. Over 6.9% of seniors who are 60 years and older are food insecure. This means that 196,000 seniors are eligible for the SNAP program, but only about 32% of these seniors benefit from the program. Studies conducted by Feed America indicates that 16.4% of Laurel County residents are food insecure. To address the needs of older citizens in ou
Author: Shonda Johnston
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Clark County Extension Agents worked with Clark County Farm Bureau and participated in an event call Agventures on Depot. This event brought together farmers, growers, producers, bankers, and more to help introduce and educate youth about agriculture. All program areas of Clark Extension worked together while participating in this event to offer the youth several activities along with educational information. Kentucky Department of Agriculture's "Kentucky Kate" was loaned
Author: Carla Carter
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
WJRF & KRUSH Thanksgiving MealKentucky has the 11th highest rate of children who have had a parent incarcerated. Breaking down the statistic, one in ten Kentucky kids have dealt with a parent behind bars. The Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office partnered with the Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation (WJRF), and Franklin County Schools High School K.R.U.S.H. (Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing) Group to host a thanksgiving meal on the day before Thanksgiving.High Schoolers from We
Author: Christy Eastwood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Everyone sees prices continue to go up around us. One area hit the hardest is prices at the grocery store. The US Census Bureau ranks Kentucky as the 7th poorest state in the United States with a poverty rate of 14.6%. Carroll County, Kentucky has a poverty rate of 18%. The national poverty rate is 11.4% for 2022. In addition, Carroll County has 16% of its population over 65 years of age. Due to these statistics the Carroll County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Carroll C
Author: Emily Boggs
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes more sodium than is recommended. On average, Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day, while the recommended amount is 2,300 milligrams each day. In an effort to educate participants, the Wilderness Trail Area FCS agents centered this year’s 25th Area Holiday Cooking School around using spices and herbs to create flavorful meals. The use of spices and herbs allows for reduced sodium in meals.To ai
Author: MacKenzie Preece
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Kentucky has the 11th highest rate of children who have had a parent incarcerated. Breaking down the statistic, one in ten Kentucky kids have dealt with a parent behind bars. The Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office partnered with the Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation (WJRF), and Franklin County Schools High School K.R.U.S.H. (Kids Rising Up through Support and Healing) Group to host a thanksgiving meal on the day before Thanksgiving.High Schoolers from Western Hills, Franklin County, and
Author: Leah VanMeter
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control, 19.7% of children (2-19) in the United States from 2017-2020 are classified as obese. In the 2020-2021 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH 2020 21: Weight status of the child based on Body Mass Index for age, Kentucky (childhealthdata.org)), 25.5% of children (10-17) in Kentucky are obese (>95th percentile for weight). Obesity is considered a risk factor for health conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diab
Author: Leah VanMeter
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Charcuterie boards became popular in 2020 with popularity increasing in 2021 and continuing into 2022. The popular charcuterie board commonly contains an appealing spread of cheeses, meats, fruits, vegetables, and dips. The word “charcuterie” is derived from a French word referring to a delicatessen specializing in dressed meats and meat dishes or the products sold in such a shop. The charcuterie boards that are currently popular have deviated from both the historical meaning of this
Author: Kati Noble
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Feeding America, 25% of Breathitt Countians are faced with food insecurities. One way to address this issue is by providing participants with information and hands on activities on shopping on a budget, menu planning, and meal prepping.Breathitt County SNAP-Ed Assistant, in partnership with Breathitt County Senior Citizens, taught adults the Healthy Choices for Everybody Curriculum. As a part of these classes, participants were taught various lessons including food safety, how to re
Author: Bethony Morris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Being ActiveHancock County Cooperative Extension Expanded Food Nutrition Assistant (EFNEP) partnered with North Hancock Elementary schools PE teacher. Not only would this be a class to teach about eating healthy snacks and meals, but what better class to discuss being physically active in. The class began with taking the entry survey and only 68% of the class answered well on the question, circle the kids being physically active. Once that was done, we jumped right in and worke
Author: Judy Stephens
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/nutrition/state-and-local-strategies/priority-nutrition-strategy.html), healthy eating emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy, and lean protein and limits added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. However, in 2019, only about 1 in 10 US adults met recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake. Among adolescents, 7% met the recommendation for fruits, while only 2% met the recomm
Author: Cindy Maggard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Food Safety is always a concern in the kitchen. We want to make sure we do things correctly to avoid getting sick. A group of 25 men from a local rehabilitation center was the focus of this class. A survey was given out at the beginning of the 7 series classes. Approximately 75% of the men washed their hands before handling any food. The “Keeping Food safe for Everybody” lesson was taught. Subject matter included how bacteria can effect out health,
Author: Karli Giles
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The study of nutrition is just like any other type of science. We are constantly learning more as nutrition and health are researched. But over the decades, a nutrition truth that has held true is foods from plants, like fruits and vegetables, are connected to better human health. Choosing foods that come from the Earth is an important piece of a sustainable diet. A diet consisting of more plant-centered foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, delivers both heal
Author: Valerie Robinette
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
For the tenth year The Pike County Cooperative Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program partnered with the West Care Rehabilitation to provide nutritional classes to their clients. The Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum was taught as residents learned how to prepare fresh healthy foods by using the five food groups. This is a hands-on class where participants take turns in helping in preparation of the food demonstration. they also gain skills in reading recipes
Author: Laura Milburn
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the National Library of Medicine, eating a varied diet of fruit and vegetables can help protect against several serious and costly chronic diseases. Despite the health benefits, the youth of Washington County are not getting sufficient fruit and vegetables in their daily diet. The Washington County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Assistant, in partnership with Washington County Elementary School, conducted a 6-class series from the Healthy Choices for Every Body
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Director of the Aftercare Program at Justice Elementary contacted the Extension Office about programing from the LEAP program to introduce a variety of fruits and vegetables to the students. As we discussed the dates and times, it was set in stone that we would provide educational materials to teach not just the students but the parents and caregivers also. The LEAP program and the MYPLATE was introduced to the group beginning with the fruit group. As the students were asked about their
Author: Britney Poe
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Consuming the recommended number of vegetables each day is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. This equals 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day, depending on age and gender. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 6.3 percent of adults in Kentucky meet the daily vegetable intake recommendations. To increase vegetable consumption in local adults, the Robertson County Extension office presented the Sensational Salad works
Author: Valerie Robinette
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Pike County Cooperative Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program(EFNEP) partnered with Healthy Families Rehabilitation to provide nutritional education classes to female clients. Seven core lessons from the Healthy Choices For Every Body curriculum were taught. Participates learned how to prepare fresh, healthy foods by using each of the five food groups based on MyPlate meal plan. Participants gained skills involving hand-on demonstrations, meal planning, food bu
Author: Sonya Carter
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the State of Childhood Obesity, Kentucky’s children between the ages of 10-17 have the highest obesity rate in nation with the obesity rate of 23.8%. According to www.countyhealthrankings.org, Hart County adults have an obesity rate of 40%. The Hart County Extension Family Consumer Science Agent partnered with Hart County School’s Family Resource Youth Service Center Coordinators and school counselors to provide nutrition education in the schools. Teaching our chi
Author: Diane Mason
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Sustainable living means understanding how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us and finding ways for everyone to live better and lighter. (United Nations Environment Program) More and more individuals are becoming more aware of how their choices affect their own health and well-being as well as the earth.“Sustainable Kentucky,” a pilot curriculum developed by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, was presented to 18 adults from the general public. Lessons with
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) Senior Assistant along with the 4-H Youth Development agent and Family and Consumer Science agent partnered to teach Teen Cuisine with the Lawrence County High School Family and Consumer Sciences culinary class. Teen Cuisine is designed to teach youth from grades 6 to 12 important life skills to promote optimal health – both in the present and in the future. The curriculum addresses key concepts about nutriti
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Each year, the Lawrence County Cooperative Extension Service plans and organizes a county-wide educational event, known as “Farm and Home Field Day.” This annual event has been a tradition in Lawrence County for over 40 plus years. A host of community partners and leaders are involved in the planning process. Farm and Home Field Day serves as a public relations event for the Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) Senior Assistant as
Author: Susan Grimmett
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Children Learn the Importance of Being Physically Active According to the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of obesity in Kentucky youth is 20.3% among 6 to 11-year-olds. Many students did not realize the term “physically active” or understood how they could be active to help decrease the chances of becoming obese or developing chronic diseases prevalent in this region of KY. Many of these same students felt that playing games on their computers
Author: Martika McCoy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Martin County, Kentucky, experiences persistent food insecurity and limited access to healthy foods. In response to this, the Martin County Cooperative Extension Service (CES) partnered with the Martin County Schools’ 21st Century Learning Program to engage families across the community. Through this partnership, each afterschool program received one hydroponic farming unit to provide experiential learning opportunities and increase access to fresh produce for students and families. Eighty
Author: Elizabeth Maxedon
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Building skills and cooking knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home-cooked meals. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Spencer County Extension Agent taught the Louisville Area Homemaker’s the workshop Savor the Flavor: Cooking with Oils and Vinegars as the Homemaker leader lesson
Author: Lyndall Harned
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
I have worked with the county SNAP-ED assistant several times doing a program on how to cut up a whole chicken. The purpose of this program is to demonstrate how easy it is and explain how it can save money as opposed to purchasing already cut up pieces at the grocery.Among the several places and groups I have done this lesson, was a local abuse shelter. For lack of a better classroom, we did it in the art studio. We had several attend, some who had children and some who did not.For me, these ar
Author: Vickie Belt
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Everyone always dread that horrible question “what is your New Years resolution?” Well, this year I started a new Healthy Choices for Every Body class focusing on those New Year resolutions called Happy Healthy New Year. I had eight ladies sign up for this class where we focused on addressing those very resolutions. How can I get healthier, eat better, be more physically active, and learn how to budget not just for ourselves but for everyone in our household
Author: Mary Elaine Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Johnson County SNAP-Ed Senior started a group with the Johnson County Health Department, Diabetes Prevention Program. The group consists of 5 pre-diabetics individuals with A1C levels ranging from 5.7 to 6.4. Their goals are to lose 5 to 10 pounds with dietary changes and adding exercise to their daily routine. Over the last 3 months and using the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum, we have gone over lessons including Reading Lables, Knowing Your limits, and Meal Planning. They p
Author: Kati Noble
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 14% of children aged 2 to 5 are obese. “ Obesity during childhood can put children at risk for physical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and liver disease.” It is important that youth know the importance of eating healthy foods and exercise.Breathitt County SNAP-Ed Assistant Senior, in partnership with the Breathitt County School System, taught the LEAP (Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Prima
Author: Kelsey Sebastian
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Holidays are often an exciting time of the year. However, the holidays can come with lots of stress, so the Family and Consumer Sciences agents in the Quicksand Area decided to focus on Savvy Online Shopping and What to do With Your Holiday Leftovers. According to https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/ average holiday spending varies significantly based on household income, however, Americans planned to spend an average of $832.84 (2021). Our overall goal has been to help participants c
Author: Vanessa Harris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of obesity in Kentucky youth is 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds, which could lead to obesity-related conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea and joint problems. The Menifee County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Assistant was asked to present nutrition programs to first graders at a local school. When asking the students to identify
Author: Emily Boggs
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Over the past year, Cooking Through the Calendar has proven to be an important and effective program in Clay County, Kentucky. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 35% of Clay County KY persons live in poverty. With Nutrition Education Program’s recipe calendar financial breakdown of each recipe, participants have been able to see how cost-effective well-balanced meals can be. Participants are given an opportunity to help prepare the recipe or watch a demonstration done by the FCS Age
Author: Teresa King
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the State of Childhood Obesity website, Kentucky is ranked #1 in obesity of youth, ages 10 to 17, with a rate of 23.8%. One of the issues with obesity within our youth is, their daily intake of fruits and vegetables is far below what is recommended. The lack of physical activity also contributes to this problem. To improve the frequency of physical activity within this age group the Meade County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with Ekron
Author: Nancy Doyle
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Simpson County Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Science Agent set up at the Franklin Simpson Chamber of Commerce Health Fair to promote Health and Wellness. A total of 150 people were present at the Fair where they answered questions on the prize wheel and sampled chocolate pumpkin snack cakes, showing nutritious alternatives for snacks. 100 percent of those who sampled the chocolate pumpkin snack cakes liked the snack muffin. One participant reported makin
Author: Mary Elaine Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Johnson County Senior SNAP-Ed Assistant has worked with the Johnson County Middle Schools 7th and 8th grade Life Skills class for the semester. There are 67 students divided into 4 classes, where we use the Teen Cuisine Curriculum. When asked, 52 of the students said they did not like trying new foods and were not comfortable working in a kitchen or using knives to prepare foods for recipes. We started our lessons on Reading Recipes, Measuring, Food Safety, Cleaning Up in The Kitchen an
Author: Sarah Drysdale
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Ballard County FCS agent partnered with the Truth and Grace Homeschool Coop to teach youth ages 7 to 15 about the basics of food preparation. This was a ten week series starting with basic hand washing, proper produce cleaning, storing of leftovers, and kitchen etiquette. During the first week there was a general knife skills lesson to properly demonstrate how our chef's knives would be used throughout the series. Each week students prepared a dish from the Eat. Plan. Move. website. Student
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Clark County Extension ServiceSuccess Story # 2 March 30, 2023The Perfect Protein featuring “Egg -cellent Basics.At Baker Intermediate the LEAP and Teen Cuisine programs were introduce d t o 18 eagerstudents wanting to learn more about cooking . T his was a great opportunity to teach themthe basics of using a portable burner and skillet. T he director revealed t hat they reviewedthe lesson plans and decided to do the "Scrambled Eggs ””.While preparing, it was discussed tha
Author: Kristi Shive
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated many children aged 1 – 5 years who live in Kentucky do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. In fact, only about 1 out of every 2 children eats a daily vegetable and 2 out of 3 children eat a daily fruit. Kristi participated in a multi-county National Nutrition Month collaboration during the month of March to educate families on the importance of good nutrition and adding more physical activity into their daily routi
Author: Christy Eastwood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
If you’re like many people you may think that eating a healthy diet means higher food costs, whether you eat out or cook. But a recent study finds that people who cook more dinners save $2 a day on food – and they have significantly healthier diets than those who cook less often. In the Seattle Obesity Study, researchers surveyed over 400 Seattle residents and gathered data on how often they cooked dinner and ate out, how much they spent on food and beverages
Author: Angie York
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Many types of fermented foods contain probiotics or good bacteria. Choosing to eat fermented foods which contain probiotics and high fiber foods that contain prebiotics support gastrointestinal tract health. Research shows these foods are an important part of the diet because good nutrition is one of the body’s best defenses for staying healthy, even in the presence of environmental pollutants.To encourage more consumption of prebiotics and probiotics, Homemakers in the Pennyrile Area of W
Author: Lorie Adams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Holidays are often an exciting time of the year. However, the holidays can come with lots of stress, so the Family and Consumer Sciences agents in the Quicksand Area decided to focus on Savvy Online Shopping and What to do With Your Holiday Leftovers. According to https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/ average holiday spending varies significantly based on household income, however, Americans planned to spend an average of $832.84 (2021). Our overall goal has been to help participants c
Author: Ruth Kirk
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Lawrence County Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Senior Assistant partnered with Lawrence County Family Resource Youth Service Coordinators (FRYSC) to help families with nutrition education. A total of fourteen (14) parents participated in Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum. Seven lessons included but not limited to: MyPlate, Breakfast, Know the Limits, Meal Planning, Reading Labels and Food Safety. As a result, 100% of participants showed improvement
Author: Ruth Chowning
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Smoking meat is a popular topic among chefs, TV cooking shows, and social media. To help Bullitt County residents incorporate new flavors and a new cooking technique into their repertoires, the Family and Consumer Sciences and Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agents from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in Bullitt County teamed up to provide educational information to some new and some seasoned pitmasters. Outside of the usual cooking classes provided by t
Author: Sarah Spears
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Hunger in America is a concerning issue that requires a serious response. According to the USDA, more than thirty four million people, including nine million children, in the United States are food insecure. While every community in the country is home to families who face hunger, rural communities are especially affected by this. In these rural areas, many people lack enough resources to obtain the food they need due to factors including financial insecurity, transportation barriers, and
Author: Sarah Spears
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This year, the Floyd County Cooperative Extension Office Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program partnered with women clientele at The Mountain Center for Recovery and Hope. The Nutrition Education Program’s “Healthy Choices for Every Body” curriculum was utilized. This curriculum serves to teach limited resource adults the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. Another accompanying tool to further aid in healthier eating habits is NEP’s food and nutrition
Author: Viola Wood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
“There aren’t many things in modern life that are passed down through generations that remain both beautiful and useful.” -Ronni Lundy, an Appalachian Food Historian.Extension's mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of Kentucky citizens through non-formal education for the entire family. Through the Cooking with Cast Iron Series, UK Extension Employees conducted 20 hours of research, shared 16 hours of educational materials, and reached 56 families thro
Author: Viola Wood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
LEAPing in First Grade After an extended break of in person youth programs, the Muhlenberg County SNAP-Ed assistant was allowed to return to Muhlenberg County Elementary Schools to present the LEAP program to all First Grade students. What is LEAP? LEAP for Health is a series of lessons that use storybooks and activities to teach children about nutritious foods, healthy eating habits, hand washing, food safety, and being physically active. University of Kentucky data shows
Author: Marsha Hagler
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Nelson County Cooperative Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in collaboration with the Nelson County Cooperative Extension Nutrition education assistant and the Bardstown Farmers Market Board identified a need to increase vendors knowledge of how to increase the consumption of fresh produce by low income and youth audiences. The group worked closely to create connections with the farmer's market vendors to provide education about how to accept senior and WIC vouchers for th
Author: Megan Gullett
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Charcuterie boards became popular in 2020 with popularity increasing in 2021 and continuing into 2022 and 2023. The popular charcuterie board commonly contains an appealing spread of cheeses, meats, fruits, vegetables, and dips. The word “charcuterie” is derived from a French word referring to a delicatessen specializing in dressed meats and meat dishes or the products sold in such a shop. The charcuterie boards that are currently popular have deviated from both the historical meanin
Author: Michele Moore
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Childtrends.org explains in a 2016 article,”… watching parents eat healthily, day in and day out, can positively influence children’s own behavior and nutritional choices as they grow.” It goes on to state, “The benefits go beyond nutrition, too. Eating together can improve parent-child relationships and give kids a sense of stability and connectedness.” The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, The Butler County Family Resource Center, al
Author: Nan Montgomery
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Thirty-one percent of individuals within Ohio County are considered obese. Obesity is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers. The Ohio County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences taught a series of charcuterie board classes at the Extension Office and Ohio County Senior Center to make healthy eating exciting. The classes centered around MyPlate. MyPlate is the current nutrition guide published by the United
Author: Clarissa Cheatwood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This story is about a group in a substance live in facility. These individual live in a fooddessert area, with little or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The clients have been eating a lot of salty snacks and fast foods. They have not been doing a lot of cooking at home, or no access to healthy recipes. The Nutrition Education Program Assistant, from Jefferson County Extension Services has been teaching these clients cooking and eating healthy over seven or more years.
Author: Susan Grimmett
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Nutrition is Puzzling According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings, 23% of Boyd County senior citizens are in poor health while the state average is 22%.The director of a senior apartment complex asked the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-Ed) Assistant to conduct a series of classes using the Healthy Choices for Everybody curriculum to assist residents improve their overall health. The participants were given a sample of a re
Author: Lakesha Reams
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Jefferson County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) assistant partnered with Jefferson County Public School for pregnant teens. The pregnant teens completed a 7 Lesson in person nutrition class using the Healthy Choices for Everybody Curriculum.The program aims to provide nutrition education as well as diet quality which focuses on whole fruits, vary the veggies, making half your grains whole grains, vary your protein routine, moving to low fat or fat free, including oils as part of your heal
Author: Jennifer Bridge
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
With the focus of STEM and STEAM education in youth, adults are falling behind in skill and work force development. FCS programs provide numerous opportunities to gain practical application in each of these areas. One of most common areas of interest relates to food preparation and food science. In response, a series titled Edible Education: Food Science for Everyday Living is undergoing development by extension food specialist and the FCS agent. The series has received s
Author: Valerie Robinette
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Shopping on a Budget The Pike County Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant has been partnering with West Care Rehabilitation Center for women four (4) years. West Care Healthy Families is a tax-exempt nonpro
Author: Valerie Robinette
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
3rd Grade Students Change Health BehaviorsThe Pike County Cooperative Extension Service Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) continues to be partnered with Pike County Schools to provide nutrition and food safety education plus physical activity. The objectives are for studen
Author: Bethony Morris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Hancock County Cooperative Extension Expanded Food Nutritional Program Assistant (EFNEP) joined the rehab program at True North to teach the Healthy Choices program. At the time of the entry paperwork, most of the ladies openly said they didn’t know good skills for food management at home. Through each lesson the EFNEP discussed how to be better prepared for the upcoming week for meals, and snacks at home. During the Healthy Affordable Meals for Every Body lesson it
Author: Cindy Maggard
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In April 2023 the Nutrition Education Program Assistant in Knott County collaborated with the Carr Creek Elementary Family Resource Coordinator to form a Community Baby Shower. Vendors were invited to set up to promote healthy pregnancies.There were 12 vendors from around the area that came and sat up to hand out information to expectant moms and moms with children under 2. The NEP Assistant had the opportunity to teach lessons they had not been able to teach in the past. Feeding you
Author: Jonathan Oakes
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Charcuterie boards became popular in 2020 with popularity increasing in 2021 and continuing into 2022 and 2023. The popular charcuterie board commonly contains an appealing spread of cheeses, meats, fruits, vegetables, and dips. The word “charcuterie” is derived from a French word referring to a delicatessen specializing in dressed meats and meat dishes or the products sold in such a shop. The charcuterie boards that are currently popular have deviated from both the historical meanin
Author: Ruth Kirk
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Principals and Family Resource Youth Service Coordinators (FRYSC) at Louisa East and West Elementary contacted the Lawrence County Extension Office wanting the Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistants to implement Literacy, Eating and Activity with Primary (LEAP) with the students in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades. The Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant Senior enrolled 188 students.The LEAP program consisted of a pre-assessment to learn of existing knowledge t
Author: Michele Moore
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The 2023 Dietary guidelines recommend that children ages 9-13 consume 2-3 cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit per day. Dietaryguidelines.gov reports that children in the 9–13-year-old age group only scored fifty-two out of one hundred on the Healthy Eating Index from the National Institute of Health. The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant and the Butler County Family Resource and Youth Service Center partnered for a Jr Chef’s club to teach fifteen fifth gr
Author: Carolina Robles
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The problem: Senior Citizens have a difficult time budgeting for food at the grocery store, specifically healthier food options compared to items who have lower nutrition value.The educational program response: The educational program focused on providing information on how to make a budget for meals, how to save money at the grocery store, and overall financial knowledge on healthier food options. The participants/target audience; target audience were senior citizens at an assisted living
Author: Robin Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
It has become more evident over the years that some chronic diseases can be and is related to a poor diet. Sometimes people suffer from food insecurity and cannot afford the healthier foods needed to provide all the nutrients and vitamins a human body needs. At other times people may be lacking access to healthy food; maybe they don’t have a car to drive, or there isn’t any public transportation that’s available to them. Whatever the reasoning, it is more important
Author: Robin Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
“Childhood obesity presents a serious health problem, one that can potentially plague children for the rest of their lives. Some of the negative health outcomes associated with childhood obesity include diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, joint pain, asthma and sleep apnea, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease https://www.google.com/search?q=child+obesity+rates+in+grayson+county+kentucky&oq=child+obesity+rates+in+grayson+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33i160l2j33i299l2.7436j0j
Author: Ruth Kirk
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Lawrence County Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Assistant Senior was selected to participate in the curriculum “Families in the Kitchen - Cook Together Eat Together”. This curriculum was written for limited resource families or caregivers who have youth ages 5-18. The study focused on families (parents and children) learning to cook healthier recipes while spending quality time together. The seven classes consisted of topics including MyPlate, Breakfast, Know the Li
Author: Danielle Fairchild
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Lawrence County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) Senior Assistant taught the LEAP program with Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students at Louisa East and Louisa West Elementary Schools. LEAP program is designed to help children learn healthy behaviors at a young age. The SNAP-Ed assistant was able to read a story and provide a healthy snack related to the storybook to each child. All the students enjoyed the story books and were able to test on the books for ac
Author: Robin Burton
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Childhood obesity rates are on the rise, and in Kentucky alone it has been reported that “approximately 38% of children ages 10-17 years are considered overweight or obese (www.chfs.ky.gov).” Studies show that “Kentucky children are more likely to spend 2 or more hours of screen time each day (kentucky.gov),” which contributes to their inactivity and their overweight issues. “Compared to children with healthy weight, children with overweight or obesity issues
Author: Katherine Alexander
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Daviess County Extension Service and Nutrition Education Program has an ongoing partnership with a local radio station, WBKR, 92.5, to have a monthly segment on the morning show. During the segment, the monthly SNAP calendar recipe is highlighted, discussed and taste tested by the radio Disc Jockey’s. The Daviess County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent filled in for the monthly segment from July to February, in the absence of an NEP assistant. Our new NEP assistan
Author: Reda Fugate
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Reda Fugate SNAP-Ed Assistant Senior Perry CountyMarch 17-2023 Cheese Please The University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program calibrated with Perry County School System for a series of 7 after-school nutrition education classes with parents and youth. Where families would learn to cook together and have family meals together. The curriculum Healthy Choices for Every Body was taught. Where families were taught my plate, food safety, budgeting, meal planning, label reading,
Author: Reda Fugate
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Reda E. FugatePerry County SNAP-ED Assistant SeniorNovember 16,2022Let me tell you what is on my plate The Perry County Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Senior was invited to do a series of Classes for (LEAP) Literacy, Eating, and Activity for preschool/primary with one of the local elementary schools first grade class. The University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program curriculum LEAP helps students understand the importan
Author: Jacob Ison
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
After Covid, in late 2021 and early 2022 our county seen a large influx of people who chose to sale their urban homes and purchase a small farm in a more rural area. Elliott County was a prime location for, work from home employees, because of the low cost of land and the fiber optic, high speed internet available here. The gardening club program started as a way to help folks that had recently moved to the area learn basic gardening and preservation skills, so they could take what they lea
Author: Deborah Messenger
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Food insecurity is the consistent lack of enough food for everyone in a household to live an active, healthy life. According to 2018 data from Feeding America website (https://feedingamerica.org), the percentage of food insecurity in Kentucky is 14.8%. In Cumberland County, 83% of the population is below the the SNAP and other nutrition program threshold of 200% (https://feedingamerica.org). Rural communities are often faced with higher rates of food insecurity. In order to address this pro
Author: Sandra Kennedy
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Building relationships and trust while in recovery can be difficult for those living with addiction. The lack of proper nutrition was evident upon first visit to the New Day Recovery Center. Available to the clients were unhealthy snacks such as chips, sugary drinks, high fat and high cholesterol foods with no fruits or veggies readily available.The Senior Nutrition Education Program Assistant introduced The Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum to a group of 43 men who also received a
Author: LaToya Drake
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The SNAC Commodities Fact Sheets and Videos have been a valuable resource in addressing food insecurity and promoting nutrition education in Kentucky. With the rising cost of living and the impact of natural disasters, more households are relying on food bank commodities to supplement their grocery budgets. However, many recipients struggle to make nutritious and delicious meals with these resources. That's where the SNAC Commodities Fact Sheets and Videos come in.Developed in partnership wi
Author: Ola Donahue
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research shows that daily living skills are extremely important for helping teens with autism become more independent adults. Indeed, adaptive skills may be more important than intelligence when it comes to predicting which teens will get a job or live on their own.Teens with Autism struggle with (ADLs) the more basic skills like personal hygiene, brushing teeth etc... They also struggle with (IADLs) which refers to more complex living task such as meal preparation and Laundry among other tasks
Author: LaToya Drake
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Kentucky Nutrition Education Program (KYNEP) Agent Updates newsletter has played a crucial role in addressing food and nutrition insecurity in Kentucky communities. Launched in 2022, the newsletter serves as a comprehensive source of information for County Extension Agents and Staff, keeping them informed about KYNEP initiatives and encouraging them to expand their reach to individuals with limited resources.The newsletter, a collaborative effort led by the State NEP team, has been distribut
Author: LaToya Drake
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The impact of the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program Food and Nutrition Calendar has been remarkable in addressing the low fruit and vegetable consumption among Kentuckians. With only 9% of the population meeting the recommended daily intake, the KYNEP has taken significant strides to encourage healthier eating habits across the commonwealth. By providing nutrition and cooking classes as well as the informative calendar, individuals have gained valuable knowledge and resources to make informed
Author: Paula Plonski
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to 2021 CDC data, Kentucky has the fourth-highest drug overdose death rate in the United States at a rate of 56 per 100,000 people. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, 2021) estimates an average of 22.2% of Kentuckians aged 18 to 25 have used illicit drugs over the past month. The number of substance use treatment facilities in Kentucky has increased steadily over time to serve this need. Healthy Choices for Your Recovering Body (HCYRB) is a nutr
Author: Paula Plonski
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Hunger in Kentucky Summit took place at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension Office on May 4, 2023. The Summit was convened by partners of the State Nutrition Action Council (SNAC). In attendance were over 85 participants representing more than 20 organizations directly or indirectly involved with food security work. Summit participants spent the day responding to prompts developed using an Appreciative Inquiry framework, an approach that focuses on current strengths and values to d
Author: Lorie Dunn
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Currently 75% of Grant Countians are below 200% poverty and 2770 are food insecure. To provide nutrition and physical activity information to the children of these families, the Grant County Supplemental Nutrition Senior Assistant offered classes to both school districts in the county. The Grant County Supplemental Nutrition Education program senior assistant, in conjunction with Williamstown Independent Schools and Grant County Schools, conducted Literacy, Eating, and Activity for P
Author: Marla Stillwell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In partnership with the LaRue County Family Resource Service Centers at both Hodgenville Elementary School and Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, Cool School is a week long summer school program involving 102 total youth in grades K-5. LaRue County Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences collaborated with the Family Resource Youth Service Centers to conduct a series of classes with 90 LaRue County Elementary School Students in grades 1 through 5. The goal was to introduce new fo
Author: Lora Pullin
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Greenup County Farmers Market was established in 2005 with farmer/producer vendors only. As the market grew and became more established in the community, some local artisans became interested in participating as vendors. At first, there was some hesitation on the part of farmers about expanding the focus of agricultural economy into the creative economy. Because of the leadership, encouragement, and modeling of team work from the Ag Agent, FCS Agent, and the Community Arts Agent, the first H
Author: Angela Baldauff
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
For several years the Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service’s Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Senior Assistant has partnered with St. Elizabeth’s Primewise Group to offer programming for senior adults. PrimeWise is a free program to adults 55 and over offered by St. Elizabeth Healthcare Systems. PrimeWise offers free educational events and opportunities for their clients in the northern Kentucky service area. In the fall of 2021, St. Elizabeth was continuing to p
Author: Angela Baldauff
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to America’s Health Rankings, only 9.4 percent of adults aged 18-44 in Kentucky report eating two or more fruits and three or more vegetables daily. Since adults (parents and caregivers) are those who are most likely selecting their family’s diets, we can assume the children in these families are also not eating the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.To try to improve knowledge and consumption of fruits and vegetables in children, the Nutrition Educatio
Author: Angela Baldauff
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Obesity is a growing problem in America, and Kentucky ranks second highest in the nation with an adult obesity rate of 40.3, and Kentucky’s children have the highest rate of obesity in the nation at 23.8%. In the summer of 2020, students in Dietetics and Human Nutrition (DHN 597) Obesity and the Food Insecurity Paradigm: From Cell to Society discovered there were many factors other than a person’s individual choices and behaviors which affect people’s health. These factor
Author: Karen Denniston
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
“Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries; and farming is one of the few industries in which family members who often share the work and live on the premises, are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. According to CDC statistics, over 100 children are killed on farms each year in the United States. The Bourbon County Extension Office including the Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Ho
Author: Christy Blevins
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to FeedingAmerica.org in 2020 the overall food insecure population in Bell County was 5,790 putting the food insecurity rate at 21.9%. The Bell County SNAP-Ed Assistant partnered with County Extension Agents to introduce the Cook Wild Kentucky Program in Bell County. Cook Wild Kentucky is a partnership between the Nutrition Education Program, Feeding Kentucky, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry. This program is designed to educate
Author: Christy Blevins
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to DataUSA in 2021 14% of the population in Knox County was dealing with severe housing problems.With economic woes and increasing homelessness, individuals are struggling with food insecurity and insufficiency. KCEOC (Kentucky Communities Economic Opportunity Council) Emergency Support Center partnered with the Bell County SNAP-Ed Assistant to implement the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum bi-weekly to a group of 15 families at the center. Upon entry less than 20% of particip
Author: Deborah Messenger
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 36 million falls are recorded among older adults each year-resulting in more than 32,000 injuries. Furthermore, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one out of every five falls causes an injury, such as broken bones or a head injury. The fear of falling is a common and rational fear for older adults. Often, falls cause injuries that take away independence for the short term during the healing process and othe
Author: Angela Freeman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
There is growing evidence that interactions with nature result in physiological, psychological, and social benefits. The physical act of gardening has been shown to improve mental health by reducing depression and anxiety in adults with clinical depression and increasing emotional well-being in the general population. (NIH National Library of Medicine, published online April 22, 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9100102/ The Nutrition Education Program at the University of
Author: Kati Noble
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Many families in Breathitt County are struggling to provide food for their households. According to Feeding America, 92% of people are below SNAP threshold of 200% poverty. To help address this issue the Breathitt County Cooperative Extension, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Senior Assistant partnered with God’s Food Pantry and Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability (RACRS) to provide 144 families with a food box each month with items from each food gro
Author: Whitney Paige Alexander
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the national average 41 percent of adolescents between the ages of 10-17 years old are obese. Between the grade levels 9th-12th grade 17 percent of children do not get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day of the week. Playing video games in this age group has also doubled since 2003 resulting in a national average of 54 percent of children and teenagers who do not get regular exercise. Logan County is a rural, agricultural county made up of six small communities. Accord
Author: Whitney Paige Alexander
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In the state of Kentucky there are 104,293 individuals with diabetes between the ages of 3-21 years old. On top of this static there is a rise in childhood obesity; between the ages of 10-17 years old the obesity rate is 41 percent. With childhood obesity still rising and teens spending less time being physically active it creates issues for the future leading to adulthood obesity, health concerns and diseases. Paige Alexander with the University of Kentucky contacted the Logan County
Author: Vanessa Harris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the CDC, in the United States the number of children with obesity has continued to rise over the past two decades. Obesity in childhood poses immediate and future health risks. Parents, guardians, and teachers can help children maintain a healthy weight by helping them develop healthy eating habits and limiting calorie-rich temptations. Additionally, helping children be physically active, reducing screen time, and getting adequate sleep can all have a positive impact towards a healt
Author: Sherry Ragsdale
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Families in the Kitchen… Cook Together, Eat Together Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables is an essential behavior for health and disease prevention. It is also one of the more difficult eating behaviors to change. Studies show that eating and preparing more meals at home and eating together as a family helps to encourage healthier habits. Attempting to increase healthier eating habits in Trimble County Kentucky, the Oldham County Senior Nutrition Education Prog
Author: Melissa Pilcher
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Brighton Recovery Center is a residential recovery program for women. According to Brighton Recovery Center for Women Outcome Study 2019 Fact Sheet, 43% of BRC residents came into the program experiencing homelessness and 33% were having trouble meeting basic living needs. It stands to reason that under those circumstances, nutrition is not a top priority in the residents’ lives. After months of detoxification and what the program refers to as “creating a safe, respectful, predictabl
Author: Melissa Pilcher
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Empty calories from added sugars and solid fats contribute to 40% of daily calories for children and adolescents age 2–18 years—affecting the overall quality of their diets.” But most people who work with middle-school-aged children know that this group is not easy to influence when it comes to healthy behavior change.Despite the odds, the youth services coordinator at Conner Middle School and the nutrition education as
Author: Sherry Becknell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Owsley County Extension office partnered with the Owsley County Parks Recreation to provide nutrition information on healthy eating and being physically active. The program covered ages from eighteen an older. Enrollment started off with only three participants and quickly grew to fourteen. Most participants reported not being active and having multiple health issues. A sign in sheet was provided and participants could use the facility anytime during business hours to walk or use the exercis
Author: Tracey Turner
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to data from the CDC, childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States, putting children and adolescents at risk for poor health. Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents is still too high. Obesity prevalence was 12.7% among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 22.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds. Obesity-related conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and joint probl
Author: Tracey Turner
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
About half of all Americans have at least 1 of the 3 predominant risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or current smoking. In addition, multiple other increasingly common factors increase heart disease risk. These include having diabetes, overweight or obesity, eating an unhealthy diet, being less physically active. https://health.gov/news/202302/heart-health.Through a collaboration between the Owsley County Extension office and the
Author: Sherry Becknell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Owsley County Extension Service partnered with the Owsley County Parks and REC Center to help increase the knowledge of healthier eating habits and exercising. The group met three times a week for a total of eight weeks. Each session started with a healthy recipe and nutrition lesson from the Healthy Choice curriculum. The group participants ranged from ages twenty to eighty-two. Participants reported zero exercise before the program. At the end of the eight weeks, fourteen participants rep
Author: Tasha Tucker
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to CDC’s 2018 state indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, only 8% of adults meet the daily fruit intake and only 6.3% meet the daily vegetable intake. Eating a diet that consists of fruit and vegetables can decrease the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. In order to help address this, 7 session program called Families in the Kitchen…. Cook Together, Eat Together was conducted. The Breckinridge County Cooperative Extension EFNEP Ass
Author: Angela Baldauff
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality of life outcomes and risks.” (Healthy People 2030). Examples of social determinants of health include things such as access to quality education, safe affordable housing, access to nutritious foods at affordable prices, racial discrimination and violence, poverty, quality of clean air and wa
Author: Daniel Carpenter
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
LaRue County Kentucky has an adult food insecurity rate of 13.2 percent with 17 percent being SNAP eligible according to Kentuckyhealthfacts.org.LaRue County Farmers Market operates weekly for 9 weeks during the summer.LaRue County Extension Service Family and Consumer Science and Agriculture and Agriculture Agent distributed Senior Farmers Market Vouchers from Kentucky Department of Agriculture worth $50 each to 80 senior adults along with recipes to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables.&n
Author: Tasha Tucker
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 40% of Kentuckians are obese. Obesity can lead to High blood pressure (hypertension), High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (dyslipidemia),Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, Stroke, Gallbladder disease, Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint), Sleep apnea and breathing problems, Many types of cancer, Low quality of life, Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxie
Author: Clarissa Cheatwood
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This story is about husbands and wives in recovery at a live in facility. These individuals live in a food desert area, with very little or no access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Some have been eating a lot of salty, fatty snacks, fast foods and sugary drinks.The coordinator of this facility, the assistant from the Expanded Nutrition Education Program, from the Jefferson County Extension Services collaborated on meeting every Wednesday for one (1 ) hour at this facility to teach a class
Author: Von Barnes
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The fourth grade students at Greenwood Elementary did a discovery walk through the Parklands of Floyds Fork this year. During that walk, they learned about nature and identified plants in the Kentucky ecosystem. One of the plants that was brought to their focus for this classroom program was the pawpaw tree. For this program, 84 students were able to taste pawpaw ice cream for the first time. The students were very excited about the opportunity to try a fruit that they had not be able
Author: Teresa King
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Diet-related chronic diseases are prevalent in Kentucky. According to countyhealthranking.org, the obesity rate of Meade County residents is 34%. Unhealthy food choices and lack of physical activity are contributors to this problem.As part of a solution, the Meade County EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program) Assistant partnered with Ekron Elementary and conducted a six-week Healthy Choices for Every Body Program which seven adults attended. By participating in the program they le
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The problemSince the onset of COVID-19, increased cost of food and access to a consistent supply of nutritious foods has become a challenge across the U.S and Kentucky. The educational program response The garden kits contained enough seed for a family of four, to grow green beans, zucchini squash, summer squash, cucumbers, beets, and herbs. The kits also contained general gardening publications from U.K. & KSU, publications specific for the vegetables & herbs seeds provided, S
Author: Gregory Comer
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The problem:According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60% of children do not consume enough fruit in their diet, and 93% do not eat enough vegetables. To address this issue, the Ohio County Extension Service collaborated with the Beaver Dam Community Famers Market and Ohio County Health Care to host “Kids Day at the Farmers Market”.The educational program response:The “Kids Farmer’s Market Day” is designed to: 1) Emphasize the relationship the far
Author: Shannon Smith
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Over the program year 2022-2023, the Bracken FCS Agent and Mason FCS Program Assistant partnered up to offer a program to both Bracken and Mason on Meals Made Easy. This is a popular topic and usually well attended. By partnering it help to provide programs in Mason County in the absence of an agent. The 6 part series was offered from the Fall of 2022 to Spring of 2023. The average class attendance was 15. Sessions varied from Casseroles, Salads, Slow Cooker, Elect
Author: Dianne Hayward
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Cooking thru the Calendar started in the beginning at the United Methodist store which is a secondhand clothing and home wares place for families who can't always buy things brand new.
Author: Heather Norman-Burgdolf
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Cooperative Extension Service is looked to nationwide as a leader in nutrition education. Reaching 3,000+ counties across the United States and local educators with social and cultural context, Extension is well-positioned to deliver tailored nutrition education to audiences across the country. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Extension, skilled in delivering in-person programming, was forced to adopt novel approaches for dissemination of evidence-based information at the local
Author: Bethony Morris
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Hancock County Cooperative Extension Expanded Food Nutrition Education Assistant (EFNEP) partnered with a lady’s rehab facility, Amethyst. Once we got to the lesson, healthy affordable meals for every body, the ladies discussed how not many of them cook meals at home. Only 13% of them cooked meals at home at least 5 days a week. When asked why the ladies weren’t cooking more meals at home there were several different responses. Not having the time, not being p
Author: Amanda Dame
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
There are several reasons why people choose to purchase and eat the food they do. Typically, taste, cost, and availability are at the top. But one factor gaining momentum is taking care of the place our food comes from – the Earth and our agricultural practices through sustainable eating. Evidence suggests that shifting food-related behaviors and purchasing patterns over time may protect the Earth and simultaneously result in overall improved human health outcomes. To
Author: Kelsey Sebastian
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Perry County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Kelsey Sebastian, in partnership with the University of Kentucky SNAP Education program, conducted the 3-day Super Star Chef program for 16 youth in the Perry County community. Youth attended the 3 day Super Star Chef Camp for kids ages 9 to 12 years old. The camp was developed by the University of Kentucky and the Nutrition Education Program to teach students how to make healthy recipes that they can take home and share wi
Author: Katelyn Squires
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the Green County (United States) Census from 2017-2021, 23.5% of Green County residents under the age of 65 years have a disability. This percentage is significantly higher than in Kentucky which stands at 13.2%. Just Family Adult Day Health is an organization that provides services for elders and other adults with medical and rehabilitative needs to make friends, increase independence, and receive daily living support. The Green County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered w
Author: Kayla Lunsford
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the CDC and data collected from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, only 9% of adults consumed the recommended amount of vegetables, and only 12% consumed the recommended amount of fruit. Because of barriers such as high cost, lack of availability and access, and perceived lack of ability to prepare and cook, many are going without the essential nutrients they need. In order to promote healthy habits and increase knowledge of affordable, nutritious recipes, Lun
Author: Rachel Hance
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
For the past few years, our extension staff has partnered to provide a community event to educate and invite our clients to the farmers’ market. This year’s event was Sweet Summertime at the Farmer’s Market drive-through event. The goal of the event is to provide family friendly incentives to youth that encourages families to get active together as well as introduce the youth to the farmer's market and what they can find and how they can benefit from the farmer's
Author: Dylan Gentry
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to the National Survey of Drug Use and Health in 2021, 23.05% of people in Kentucky report a mental illness of any kind in the past year (defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, other than a developmental or substance use disorder). 4 in 10 adults in the US have at least one chronic disease, and 6 in 10 have two or more chronic diseases according to the CDC. Some of the key lifestyle risks for chronic disease are lack of physical activity and poor nut
Author: Tara Duty
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In January of 2023 I implemented Lunch N Learn, a food and nutrition program that demonstrates how to cook healthy recipes from a specially curated calendar. When I first started this program I would have the recipe prepared when participants arrived, we would try it together, talk about it and then have a nutrition lesson. Over time I took feedback from my participants and now we do a hybrid of cooking together and me preparing prior to them arriving. The majority of my participants
Author: Caroline Durr
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
As of May 2023, the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services reported that 256,060 Kentucky households were utilizing SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, with those households including a total of 555,959 individuals. In addition to the financial assistance provided through SNAP, there is a need for education related to food resource management and nutrition/dietary quality. The Nutrition Education Program (NEP) at the University of Kentucky is comprised of two fed
Author: Nathan Rider
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Smoking meat is a popular topic among chefs, TV cooking shows, and social media. To help Bullitt County residents incorporate new flavors and a new cooking technique into their repertoires, the Family and Consumer Sciences and Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agents from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in Bullitt County teamed up to provide educational information to some new and some seasoned pitmasters.Outside of the usual cooking classes provided by the Coo
Author: Courtney Luecking
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
During the 2022 – 2023 program year, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service hired 40 Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) agents. Agents brought a diverse background of training and previous experience, with approximately half possessing a nutrition or dietetics background. FCS agents spend a significant amount of time on food and nutrition programming and responding to related cl
Author: Courtney Luecking
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Mobile Food Market was a year-long collaboration among the Campus Kitchen at the University of Kentucky, Extension Cooperative Service, and community partners to support low-income families with children under age 6 in central Kentucky who experienced food insecurity. During that time, the Market had profound impact on food waste and food access by redirecting approximately 23,000 pounds&
Author: Karli Giles
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
We commonly throw away things like food scraps from fruits, vegetables, and leftovers. We have to remember, when any piece of our food goes into the trash, it is also a waste of all the resources, such as land, water, and energy, that went into producing, transporting, distributing, and storing that food item. Food waste can negatively impact the environment by polluting the land, water, and air which also effects human health. Making small changes to our shopping and meal prepara
Author: Mackenzie Pogue
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In a rural community where cooking skills can often be overlooked by youth, the extension staff in Muhlenberg County set out to change that narrative. Their mission was to empower young boys with the knowledge and skills needed to become proficient grillers and comfortable using kitchen tools. Guys Guide to Grilling focused on increasing young men’s confidence, independence, and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits. Twelve young men learned how to make healthy food choi
Author: Cathy Fellows
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
According to Kentucky Health News, “Kentucky ranks 3rd in child obesity, a disease tied to a long list of other health issues; treatments require changes in family lifestyle”. (Kentucky Health news 2019).During the 2022-2023 school year, The University of Kentucky’s Boone County’s Cooperative Extension 4-H Agent collaborated with Ryle High School’s Spanish department. Both agencies co-instructed an in-person, six-part nutrition series with twenty-nine high school st
Author: Mackenzie Pogue
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The 4-H Baking Day camp was carefully crafted to nurture the participants’ creativity and enhance their baking skills. Extension staff served as mentors, guiding the girls through various recipes and techniques. Beyond baking skills, the camp focused on building confidence and fostering teamwork among the girls. Through collaborative baking projects and challenges, the participants leaned to communicate effectively, support one another, and appreciate the value of teamwo
Author: Melinda McCulley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
The Cooperative Extension Service (Extension) is looked to nationwide as a leader in nutrition education. Reaching 3,000+ counties across the United States (U.S.) and local educators with social and cultural contexts, Extension is well-positioned to deliver tailored nutrition education to audiences across the country. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Extension, skilled in delivering in-person programming, was forced to adopt novel approaches for the dissemination of evidence-based i
Author: Caroline Durr
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Recent research has studied the correlation between early life stress (such as adverse childhood experiences, poverty, food insecurity, and caregiver relationships) and obesity/overweight in adults.* It is important to acknowledge the impact these factors can have on an individual’s health status when designing and delivering nutrition education interventions. In order for these interventions to best meet the needs of participants, a trauma informed approach recommends that they be designe
Author: Kaitlyn Fryman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Building skills and cooking knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home-cooked meals.To encourage more home-prepped meals, the Fleming County Extension Office hosted the workshop Savor the Flavor: Cooking with Oils and Vinegars at the local Senior Center in the county. The Savor the Flavorprogram
Author: Kaitlyn Fryman
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Fleming County Extension has been fulfilling a need of the county for quick, easy, and cost effective cooking classes. As an added bonus, the recipes used in Cooking Through the Calendar are nutritious as well. Fleming County FCS uses the recipes in the calendar released yearly by the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program in this program. This program has been offered at the Fleming County Extension Office and at the Hillsboro Christian Church Fellowship Hall to accommodate people all over the co
Author: Dayna Fentress
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In Hardin County, what started as a conversation between the Family and Consumer Sciences agent and the Farmers’ Market board president became a population kids activity that saw over 600 children over the course of the first summer. The "Power of Produce (POP) Club" was an interactive taste kitchen and activity center aimed to bring more youth and their parents to the market. With help from the UK School of Human Environmental sciences FCS mini-grant, POP Club was born. POP
