Extension
It Starts With Us
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
Kelly Woods, Heather Toombs, Traci Johnson
Leadership
Food Preparation and Preservation
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Cook Together, Eat Together
There has been a substantial increase in non-farm residents wanting to learn how to grow, cook and preserve their own food over the last several years. There is also an increased desire for more community garden spaces.
Healthy Lifestyles programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; help communities to decrease hunger; and teach participants about healthy and safe food production and preparation and proper nutrition. More than 75% of those surveyed also believe there is a need for healthy food and snack options at restaurants and community events.
Moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, stress and high blood pressure. The assessment results show that there is a desire for community areas to provide more physical activity opportunities and safe places for walking and biking.
According to the Oldham County Community Assessment, the top concerns regarding health and wellness are the improved affordability of medical and dental insurance, fewer chronic diseases and more sources for buying safe, affordable, fresh local foods.
Oldham County population has increased slightly over the last few years and as of 2021 was at 68,685. Unemployment in Oldham County rose from 4.8% in 2007 to 7.5% in 2010 and was at 3.5% in 2017. The poverty rate fell from 6.2% in 2016 to 5% in 2021, according to the 2021 Census. The child poverty rate decreased from 8.5% to 6.0% from 2010 to 2016. (UK CEDIK data)
Participants will increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables and encourage family meal preparation.
Participants will practice food safety principles while preparing and handling food. Participants will use nutrition skills learned to make good buying and eating decisions. Youth will practice good mealtime manners and personal manners. Participants will use gardening skills to grow their own vegetables.
Participants will discover the MyPlate recommendations while learning to read recipes for meal preparation. Participants will also learn to measure recipe ingredients properly. Participants will understand the importance of fruits and vegetables in diets and nutrition needs for diabetics. Participants will indicate understanding of how to grow their own vegetables.
Long-term Outcome: Participants will increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables and encourage family meal preparation.
Indicator: Number of participants reporting.
Method: On site survey completed or survey sent to participants
Timeline: 2023-2024 program year.
Intermediate Outcome: Participants will practice food safety principles while preparing and handling food. Participants will use nutrition skills learned to make good buying and eating decisions. Youth will practice good mealtime manners and personal manners. Participants will use gardening skills to grow their own vegetables.
Indicator: Number of participants reporting the adoption of practices.
Method: Observations and survey
Timeline: 2023 - 2024 program year
Initial Outcome: Participants will discover the MyPlate recommendations while learning to read recipes for meal preparation. Participants will also learn to measure recipe ingredients properly. Participants will understand the importance of fruits and vegetables in diets and nutrition needs for diabetics. Participants will indicate understanding of how to grow their own vegetables.
Indicator: Participants reporting change
Method: Pre and Post test; observations; surveys
Timeline: 2023-2024 program year
Activity: Manners Matter
Audience: 5th Grade
Content or Curriculum: Manner Matter
Inputs: 4-H Staff
Date: October 2023 - April 2024
Activity: Kids Cooking Camp
Audience: Youth ages 9-13
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Foods Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Council, 4-H Staff and EFNEP Asst.
Date: July 2023
Activity: Tweens Cooking Clubs (Virtual or In Person)
Audience: Middle School students
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Food Curriculum and EFNEP Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Staff, EFNEP Asst.
Date: January, February 2024
Activity: Character Counts
Audience: 4th grade students
Content or Curriculum: Character Counts!
Inputs: Character Counts! Curriculum, 4-H Staff
Date: Monthly- School Year 2023-2024
Audience: Oldham County Limited Resource Families (Bread of Life Food Pantry)
Project or Activity: Gardening Activities, Recipes, Displays
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Publications and SNAP Resources
Inputs: Agriculture Agent
Dates: Spring - Summer 2024, minimum of 2 sessions
Audience: Oldham County Limited Resource Families
Project or Activity: Nutrition Classes/LEAP
Content or Curriculum: NEP Calendar Recipes, NEP approved materials
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant, 4-H Agent, FCS Agent
Date: October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024
Audience: Oldham County Drug Court, Halfway House, & Roederer Substance Abuse Participants
Project or Activity: Nutrition Classes
Content or Curriculum: NEP Calendar Recipes, NEP approved materials
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant
Date: Ongoing program 2023-2024 - multiple class offerings, if permitted by program partner
Audience: Oldham County School Nutrition School Programs
Project or Activity: Nutrition Classes, Gardening Classes
Content or Curriculum: NEP Youth Resources
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant, FCS Agent
Date: Ongoing program 2023-2024 - multiple class offerings, if permitted by schools
Audience: Elementary Age Children and Parents
Project or Activity: Story Walk
Content or Curriculum: UK approved materials, NEP, and LEAP curriculum
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant and FCS Agent
Date: July 2023, May-July 2024
Audience: Elementary Age Children and Parents
Project or Activity: Cook Together Eat Together
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials, NEP, Cook Together Eat Together Curriculum
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant and FCS Agent
Date: September 2023-June 2024
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Cultural Awareness (An Evening in Austria, Greece, Germany, and Ireland)
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent and CES Staff
Date: July 2023
Audience: Oldham County Residents
Project or Activity: Food Preservation Classes (Water bath, Pressure Canning, Drying courses)
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: July 2023, May-August 2024
Audience: Seniors
Project or Activity: Bingocize
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: August- November 2024
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Herbs with Heather and Hope
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Horticulture Tech
Date: August 2023
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Charcuterie Classes
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Horticulture Tech, Extension Staff
Date: May, June 2024
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Namaste Your Way through May
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: Homemaker President (Certified Instructor), FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: May 2024
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Walk Kentucky
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: July-August 2023
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Salsa, Salsa, Salsa
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: August 2023
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Meal Kits or Meal Prep?
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: September- November 2023
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Cook With Me
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: June 2024
Audience: Seniors, General Public
Project or Activity: Cooking through the Calendar
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Area FCS agents, EFNEP
Date: Jul 2023-Jun 2024
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Steptember
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: September 2023-2024
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Dance With Me-Salsa
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: September 2023
Author: Heather Toombs
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Regular physical activity and good mental health are essential for preventing chronic diseases. These are serious public health concerns that require effective interventions to encourage positive behavior change. Walking Kentucky is a community campaign designed to increase physical activity and promote health awareness in Kentucky. You don't need any special equipment or location to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. By joining Walking Kentucky, participants are given th
Author: Heather Toombs
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 Oldham and Trimble County Extension Office hosted the workshop Savor the Flavor: Using Kitchen Tools and Appliances. The Savor the Flavor program focused on how to use
Author: Heather Toombs
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Let’s Cook Through the Calendar! The new year began, and the Louisville Area FCS Agents were looking through the new Food and Nutrition calendars when discussing watching cooking shows and being more likely to try a recipe after watching someone prepare it. Also, one of the local news stations had reached out about a cooking segment; therefore, the Cooking Through the Calendar program was organized!The program consisted of each Louisville Area Extension Agent choosing a month to prepa
Author: Heather Toombs
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 cooking skills and knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare homecooked meals. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Oldham County Extension Office presented the Savor the Flavor series to Oldham County community members. The Savor the Flavor program focused on various cooking methods
