Accessing Nutritious Foods
Accessing Nutritious Foods
Cathy Toole, Krista Perry, Megan McCoun
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Food Preparation and Preservation
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Nutrition Education Programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities assist to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs help 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.
Kentucky population will increase average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day
Kentuckians improve food management skills and healthy eating habits
People accessing emergency food sources will select from nutrient dense items
Number who:
Access more local foods
Redeem Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program benefit.
Plant, harvest and preserve produce
Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits
Number of:
Households accessing emergency food sources
Understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being
Learn to grow, prepare and preserve food
Learn to incorporate unfamiliar foods or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet
Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety and food resource management
Learn about community support services to increase food security
Initial Outcome: Participants at Extension Programming
Indicator: Attendees of complete class or training
Method: Classroom, field days, cooking club
Timeline: Fall to Spring
Intermediate Outcome: Low-income residents improving diet
Indicator: % of WIC/SR funding Used
Method: KDA/WIC reports
Timeline: Summer 2023
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator:
Method:
Timeline:
Audience: Low Income Families and Individuals
Project or Activity: Conduct classes and workshops, distribute incentives and information through media and social marketing, provide exhibits, displays
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up; Snap-ed
Inputs: Agent time; incentives
Date: monthly
Audience: Food Stamp Recipients
Project or Activity: SNAP-ed
Content or Curriculum: Handouts/calendars/incentives
Inputs: Agent time/incentives
Date: Monthly
Audience: Rural and Urban Consumers
Project or Activity: Harvest Showcase
Content or Curriculum: KDA/Farm to Table
Inputs: Agent/Volunteer time and effort
Date: July 2023
Audience: Extension Homemakers/General Public
Project or Activity: Leader Training/Cooking Under Pressure
Content or Curriculum: UK
Inputs: Promotion/planning
Date: Jan/Feb 2024
Audience: Extension Homemakers/General Public
Project or Activity: Leader Training/Baking for 1 or 2
Content or Curriculum: UK
Inputs: Promotion/planning
Date: Mr/Ap 2024
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Hook and Cook
Content or Curriculum: UK and KY Fish and Wildlife
Inputs: Promotion/planning/teaching
Date: Aug 2023
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Wildgame Cooking Demostration
Content or Curriculum: UK and KY Fish and Wildlife
Inputs: Promotion/planning/teaching
Date: Sept 2023
Audience: 4th and 5th graders
Project or Activity: 22 classes taught the importance of healthy eating and physical activity
Content or Curriculum: UK Approved
Inputs: Planning, teaching, distributing information
Date: March 2024
Audience: Youth ages 4th-5th Graders
Project or Activity: Beginning Cooking Club
Content or Curriculum: UK Approved
Inputs: Leader led, ingredients, how to read a recipe, cooking terms, how to handle knife safely, nutrition value of food, and knowing what food groups make up a healthy meal.
Date: October - May 2024
Audience: Youth ages 6th - 12th Grades
Project or Activity: Advanced Cooking Club
Content or Curriculum: UK Approved
Inputs: Leader led, advanced cooking techniques, more challenging recipes, how to create different dishes using spices and herbs.
Date: October - May 2024
Audience: Youth ages 9-19
Project or Activity: Get Fit 4-H Club
Content or Curriculum: Youth prepare healthy snacks and participate in physical activity.
Inputs: ingredients, facilities, leader led
Date: February-March 2024 weekly
Audience: Youth ages 9-19
Project or Activity: Cooking Day Camp
Content or Curriculum: Day camp teaching healthy cooking
Inputs: facilities, marketing, assistance
Date: July 2023
Author: Krista Perry
Major Program: Cook Wild Kentucky
According to the Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry, “an estimated 684,000 people live in poverty in the Commonwealth; One in every four Kentucky children is living in poverty; In some counties as many as 55% of children are living in poverty, and Kentucky ranks fifth in the nation for percentage of residents living in poverty at 17%.” With these statistics and as an avid outdoorswoman, the Henry County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences saw a problem and chose to ho