Accessing Nutritious FoodsPlan of Work

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Trimble County CES

Title:
Accessing Nutritious Foods
MAP:
Improve Physical and Mental Heath
Agents Involved:
Proctor, Hance, Utz
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Nutrition and Food Systems General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Recipes for Life
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Cook Together, Eat Together
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Situation:

A foundation of nutrition knowledge, skills and competencies in topics such as food safety, handling and preparation, cooking methods and techniques, feeding practices, food science, and food systems are essential to changing dietary behaviors. With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthful dietary decisions. CES agents are encouraged to reach diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities.

Trimble County has an obesity rate of 33.9%, 11.8% with diabetes and 34.8% of the population are inactive. Local schools are delivering free or reduced lunches at a high rate. Elementary schools assist 63% of the students and there is a 55% rate countywide. This is an economic issue, but shows the importance of children getting healthy meals. On any given day, less than 15 percent of school children eat the recommended servings of fruit; less than 20 percent eat the recommended servings of vegetables. Kentucky adults rank among the 10 highest for poor consumption of fruits and vegetables. The dietary guidelines provide advice for making food choices that promote good health, a healthy weight, and ways to reduce risk of disease. Nutritional programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods.

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:


Initial Outcomes:


Evaluation:

Outcome:  Nutrition knowledge, skills, and competencies

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: use knowledge and skills to improve food-shopping management; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions; increased food preservation knowledge; demonstrated recommended food preservation practices

Method: Self-report surveys; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


OutcomePreparing and preserving food 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: preparing more home-cooked meals; modifying ingredients and/or preparation techniques to improve nutrition

Method: Self-report survey; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome:  Dietary intake 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily

Method: Self-report surveys about fruit and vegetable intake or other dietary improvements; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome:  Availability and access to healthy food 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: utilizing delivery systems/access points (e.g., farmers’ markets, CSAs, WIC, food pantries) that offer healthy foods; supplementing diets with healthy foods grown or preserved (e.g., community or backyard gardens, fishing, hunting, farmers markets); dollar value of vendor-reported sales or EBT, WIC, or Senior benefits redeemed at farmers’ markets; number of pints of foods preserved through water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, or drying. 

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program



Learning Opportunities:


Audience: Communities – Limited resource individuals

Project or Activity:  Commodity Day, DARE to Care food distribution

Content or Curriculum: Nutrition information distribution, Cooking programs, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud resources

Inputs: ProctorNutrition Education Program (NEP), facilities, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Tri-County Community Action Agency

Date: Monthly 2022-23


Audience: Families and Individuals

Project or Activity:  Health Rocks

Content or Curriculum: Health Rocks

Inputs: Hance, Agents, Volunteers and State Specialist 

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year


Project or Activity:  Food Preparation for Better Health

Content or Curriculum: School Health Fairs, Recipe for Life, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, resources for early care and education settings (LEAP), USDA MyPlate guidelines

Inputs: Proctor, Programmatic materials, community partners and volunteers, CES publications. Family Resource and Youth Services center, health coalitions, Trimble County School System, Trimble County Headstart, USDA materials

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year 2022-2023


Project or Activity:  Cook Together, Eat Together

Content or Curriculum: Cook Together, Eat Together curriculum, Nutrition Education resources, trainings

Inputs: Proctor, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP resources

Date: Fall 2022


Project or Activity:  Basic Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: UK food preservation resources, Ball Blue Book, University of Georgia So Easy to Preserve

Inputs: Proctor, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP resources, FCS resources

Date: May - June 2023


Project or Activity:  Gardening and Home Horticulture

Content or Curriculum: UK publications and resources

Inputs: Utz, UK publications, NEP resources

Date: March - June 2023


Project or Activity:  Cultural Cook Along

Content or Curriculum:  International Cuisine publications

Inputs:  Proctor, Partnership with Northern KY agents, UK resources

Date: September, October, November 2022


Audience: Trimble County Residents

Project or Activity: Trimble County Farmers and Artisans Market

Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Proud Farmers Market rules and regulations

Inputs: Hance, USDA Guidelines, Trimble County Farmers' & Artisans Market Board Members, Local vendors

Date: May 18 - First Saturday in November each year.



Success Stories

Food and Recipe Club

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

Full Story

Families in the Kitchen - Cook Together Eat Together

Author: Jane Proctor

Major Program: Cook Together, Eat Together

It has been reported that cooking more meals at home is related to increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Eating more fruits and vegetables is vital for health promotion and disease prevention.   However, it can be one of the most difficult eating behaviors to change.Cook Together, Eat Together is a program targeted at bringing the family together in the kitchen by cooking.  Seven families (total of 24) met for six weeks at the Trimble County Cooperative Extension Service. Topics c

Full Story

Raising the Steaks and Chops

Author: Regina Utz

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Raising the Steaks and ChopsEducating local livestock producers is a high priority in Trimble, Shelby, Henry, and Oldham Counties. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, total beef, swine, sheep and goat animal sales yearly in the combined counties totals more than $32 million, emphasizing the need for livestock producers to take herd management and marketing decisions seriously.  Increasing consumer demand for locally sourced protein and the participating counties’ proximi

Full Story

Start of Trimble County Farmers’ Market

Author: Regina Utz

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Start of Trimble County Farmers’ MarketIn January, County Judge Executive John Ogburn contacted Regina Utz, Trimble County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent about starting a farmers’ market. Regina had already been in the works of planning a farmers' market after talking with the Agriculture Advisory council about some needs in the county. Trimble County has had two other farmers’ market attempts in the past. From the beginning she knew that there needed to be a

Full Story
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