Butler County CES

Title:

Nutrition and Food Systems

MAP:

Improve Physical and Mental Health

Agents Involved:

FCS Program

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Active Living and Health Promotions General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Substance Use Recovery - FCS

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

LEAP

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Substance Use Recovery - FCS

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Date:   July through October growing season   March 2024 thru growing season 

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, 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, FCS Agent, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions

Date: Programs conducted July 2024 thru June 2025

Project or Activity:  Food Preservation

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Training, Home-Based Micro-Processing Training, Champion Food Volunteers

Inputs: FCS Agent, volunteers, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP

Date: July 2024 – September 2025 for adults and youth  March 2025

Audience: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association/Volunteers

Project or Activity:  Promoting Nutrition with Volunteers

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

Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners

Date: Monthly July 2024 thru June 2025