Extension
It Starts With Us
Nutrition Education and Food Availability
Accessing Nutritious Foods
Rebecca Konopka, Rebecca Hayes, Whitney Morrow
Local Food Systems
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Super Star Chef
Nutrition Education Programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods. Agents, paraprofessionals and volunteers are pivotal in influencing policies, systems, and environments and in training consumers and producers to maximize local access to food products from farm to table. In Carter County 17.6% of seniors and 27.1% of families with children are below the poverty level. With limited grocery stores in Carter County, many families have little access to nutritious foods.
Carter County population will increase average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day
Carter Countians improve food management skills and healthy eating habits
People accessing emergency food sources will select from nutrient dense items
Participants will:
- Access more local foods
- Redeem Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program & WIC benefits.
- Plant, harvest and preserve produce
- Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits
Understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being
Understand the importance of consuming 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day
Learn to grow, prepare and preserve food
Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety and food resource management
Learn about community support services to increase food security
Initial Outcome: Understand the importance of consuming 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day
Indicator: Number of children who can identify fruits and vegetables
Method: pre and post test
Timeline: Monthly
Intermediate Outcome: Redeem WIC & Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program benefits.
Indicator: Number of Vouchers redeemed
Method: Report from KDA
Timeline: June-October
Long-term Outcome: Carter County population will increase average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day
Indicator: Number of individuals who reported eating more healthy foods
Method: Formal Evaluation
Timeline: 4 years
Audience: Limited resource individuals, families, and farmers markets, Super Star Chef
Project or Activity: Increase access to fruits and vegetables, Home Gardening Program, Berry Plant Orders, Rootstock Orders, Grafting Demos
Content or Curriculum: Farmers Market, NEP program, Plate It Up KY proud, FMNP certification, Food Preservation publications, WIC Farmer's Market FIs, Super Star Chef
Inputs: Agents, NEP Paraprofessional, volunteers, UK resources, KDA, USDA, NEP, local food banks
Date: Summer
Audience: Seniors and WIC recipients
Project or Activity: FMNP Vendor Training and Senior Voucher Distribution, Double Dollars Program
Content or Curriculum: State Health Department, KY Department of Agriculture, Community Farm Alliance
Inputs: Agents, State and Federal Partners, Health Department, Northeast Community Action Agency, Community Farm Alliance, KDMC Sponsorship
Date: Summer
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Playdate Program, School Programs
Content or Curriculum: LEAP, WIN, Professor Popcorn
Inputs: Staff, Volunteers NEP paraprofessional, Schools
Date: January - December
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Farmer' Market Kids Days
Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef
Inputs: Staff, Farmer's Market Vendors, Anthem Sponsorship
Date: July
Author: Rebecca Konopka
Major Program: Local Food Systems
The Carter County Extension Office receives over $20,000 each year through KDA’s Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program for distribution to low-income senior citizens. Previously vouchers were distributed as paper coupons that Farmer’s Market vendors cashed like checks at their local banks. However, in 2022 the state issued vouchers on debit-type cards that had to be processed by the market vendors with a cell phone app called SoliMarket systems. &nb
Author: Whitney Morrow
Major Program: Super Star Chef
Kentucky Youth rank among the highest in the US for obesity. In fact, in 2020 only 6% of Carter County youth consumed the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Involving children in food preparation has been proven to successfully increase the consumption of nutritious food in children. The Carter County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Agents partnered together to offer Super Star Chef.The three- day program was offered twice in the summer to forty-three youth a
