Extension
It Starts With Us
Nutrition and Food Systems
Accessing Nutritious Foods
Hazel Jackson, Garrard Coffey, Alyssa Cox
Food Preparation and Preservation
Cook Together, Eat Together
Health & Wellbeing
Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
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. According to the American Community Survey (2019), 37% of Rockcastle Countians are obese in comparison to 35% of Kentuckians and 17% of residents of the US. . CES agents will reach diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities.
? 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
? 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 farmers markets, food retailers, and/or home gardens
? 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
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
Date: June, July & August 2024 Food Preservation workshops: Hands-on workshops at Extension Office; demos at Farmer's Market
July and August 2024 Food Preparation: Bread-making Series 6 hands-on workshops: 1 Quick Breads; 2 Basic Yeast Breads; 3 Sourdough starters; 4 Baking Sourdough; 5 Focaccia (Italian) bread
September and October 2024 Food Preparation: Making Fruity Desserts: 3 hands-on sessions 1 pies and pastries; 2 Crumbles and Cobblers; 3 Cakes and Cookies
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
Audience: Families and Individuals
Project or Activity: Farmers Market Outreach and senior nutrition
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
Inputs: Nutrition Education Program (NEP), paid staff, grant funds, facilities, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Date: July and August 2023 Food Preservation demonstrations at Farmers Market
Audience: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association/Volunteers
Project or Activity: Promoting Nutrition with Volunteers
Content or Curriculum: Champion Food Volunteers, Food Stamp program, Mastering Food Choices, International Cuisine publications, Food preservation workshops, Monthly Leader Lessons
Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners
Date: Fall 2024 International foods workshop: Flavors from Belize for Rockcastle County Extension Homemakers
Spring 2025 International foods workshop Flavors from Belize for Wilderness Trail Extension Homemakers
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: Afterschool Cooking Clubs; Smoothie Bike for youth at Health Fairs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H cooking 101-401, Super Star Chef, Super Star Baking Chef
Inputs: Agent training on curriculum, NEP resources, Plate it Up KY Proud recipes
Date: Fall 2024 and Spring 2025
