Healthy Foods and Healthy Meals
Accessing Nutritious Foods
FCS, Meagan Klee, Kelsey Woodrum
Local Food Systems
Health
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Cook Wild Kentucky
Casey County is set in south central rural Kentucky. Limited resources and education and lower social economic status contribute to 30.5% of families that fall below the poverty line. A total of 3,392 individuals receive SNAP (food stamps) and 2,400 identify themselves as food insecure. With over 80% of Casey County youth qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the entire school system implemented the Free School Lunch program for all students.
Casey County adults report having/suffering from poor or fair health (25.7%), hypertension (50.6%), obesity (39%), and/or diabetes (16.5%). Health resources are limited in the small rural community and not all community members are awareness of those available. Some are not obtainable due to lack of knowledge or lack of resources (i.e. funds, etc.).
- Participants lower their risk for nutrition-related health problems.
- Participants maintain health weight or reduce to a healthier weight.
- Participants will be less food insecure.
- Youth will maintain healthier weights.
- Youth will maintain healthier lifestyle.
- Youth and adults practice safe kitchen and cooking skills.
- Youth and adults practice healthy eating.
- Youth and adults make healthy at-home meals.
- Adults purchase fresh produce at Casey County Farmers Market.
- Participants will practice at-home food preservation.
- Youth and adults understand safe kitchen and cooking skills.
- Youth and adults understand MyPlate and the 5 food groups
- Adults understand where fresh and local produce can be purchased.
- Participants will understand how to preserve fruits and vegetables.
- Long-Term
- Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as are result of what they learned through 4-H programming.
- Number of youth who indicated they increased their daily number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten as a result of 4-H programs.
- Number of youth who indicated they made healthy lifestyle choices as are result of what they learned through 4-H programming.
- Number of youth who indicated they increased their daily number of servings of fruits and vegetables eaten as a result of 4-H programs.
Intermediate
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?”
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?”
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?”
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?”
Initial
- Number of youth who indicated they learned about healthy food choices through 4-H Method of Evaluation
- Number of youth who were educated on health and well-being through 4-H programs.
Audience: 3rd Grade
Project/Activity: In-School 4-H Clubs/Enrichment
Content/Curriculum: Building a Healthy Wealthy Future
Input: Extension Staff, Casey County Teachers and School System
Date: September - April
Audience: Casey County Youth and Adults
Project/Activity: Plan. Eat. Move. - Cooking Together
Content/Curriculum: Cooking 101-401 Curriculum, Plan. Eat. Move. Curriculum
Input: Extension Staff and Local Volunteers
Date: September – December
Audience: Producers/Clientele of the Casey County Farmers Market
Project/Activity: Promotion of nutritious food sources and healthy recipes
Content/Curriculum: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipes, SNAP-Ed resources
Input: Extension Staff and Extension Specialists
Date: April - October
Audience: Casey County Youth
Project/Activity: Super Star Chef
Content/Curriculum: Super Star Chef Curriculum
Input: Extension Staff and Extension Specialists
Date: Summer
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