Menifee County CES

Title:

Nutrition and Food Systems

MAP:

Improve Physical and Mental Health

Agents Involved:

Ailee Lawson, Mary McCarty

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Nutrition and Food Systems General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Food Preparation and Preservation

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

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. According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data Menifee County has a 53% obesity rate, which is 18 % higher than the state rate. Menifee County also has higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes (21%) and hypertension (49%). Due to higher rates of nutrition and behavior related illnesses, 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. The Menifee County Community Assessment showed that issues such as “Fewer chronic diseases”, “Fewer overweight or obese youth and adults”, and “More sources for buying safe, affordable, fresh local foods” were all rated important/ very important by community members and listed amongst the top issues in the county.  

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Routinely employ healthy dietary practices that promote health and wellness (e.g. consume recommended daily fruits and vegetables and improve food management skills).
• Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity.
• Reduce the rate of food insecurity.

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Generate positive attitudes toward changing dietary decisions to be more healthful.
• Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods.
• Decrease intake of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium.
• Employ healthful cooking methods, feeding practices, and food preservation techniques
• Increased access to healthy food via local farmer’s markets, food retailers, and/or home or community based gardens.
• Improve redemption rate of WIC Farmer’s Market Double Dollars.
• Increase number of meals that are eaten and/or prepared with family members.

Initial Outcomes:

• Increase awareness about relationships between food and nutrition practices and chronic disease.
• Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. gardening, preparation and preservation techniques, safe food handling, food resource management).
• Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy eating practices. 
• Increase motivation to access and prepare healthier foods.
• Increase knowledge of appropriate and reliable sources of information for nutrition, food safety and health.

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 preparation knowledge; demonstrated recommended food preparation practices

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

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program

Outcome: Preparing 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, decreasing consumption of solid fats, sodium, added sugars and processed foods.

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, WIC, food pantries) that offer healthy foods; supplementing diets with healthy foods grown or preserved (e.g., community or home 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

Project or Activity:  Farmers Market Outreach

Content or Curriculum: Cooking programs, marketing, increased access (e.g. location, hours, EBT), Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud resources, Farmers Market Toolkit, Super Star Chef, Farmer’s Market incentives and special events

Inputs: Nutrition Education Program (NEP), paid staff, grant funds, facilities, Kentucky Department of Agriculture

Date: April – October/Growing seasons

Project or Activity:  Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches

Content or Curriculum: Faithful Families, Health Coalitions, resources for early care and education settings

Inputs: Volunteers, grant funds, faith-based organizations, community partners, key stakeholders, SNAP-Ed Toolkit 

Date: Academic school year, summer programs, ongoing annual programs

Audience: Families and Individuals

Project or Activity:  Food Preparation for Better Health

Content or Curriculum: Cook Together Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Super Star Chef, Champion Food Volunteer, Faithful Families, Body Balance, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, plans for prenatal- and infant/toddler-specific curriculum, resources for early care and education settings

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year

Project or Activity:  Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Trainings, Home-Based Micro-Processing Training, Champion Food Volunteers, Put It Up (GA Extension)

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP

Date: July – September for adults and youth

Audience: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association/Volunteers

Project or Activity:  Promoting Nutrition with Volunteers

Content or Curriculum: Champion Food Volunteers, Mastering Food Choices, International Cuisine publications, Food preservation workshops, Monthly Leader Lessons

Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners

Date: Monthly

Success Stories