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: 2022-2023 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: 2022 - 2023 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: 2022-2023 program year
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 2022
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 2022
Activity: Character Counts
Audience: 4th grade students
Content or Curriculum: Character Counts!
Inputs: Character Counts! Curriculum, 4-H Staff
Date: Monthly- School Year 2022-2023
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 2023, 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, 2022 - September 30, 2023
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 2022-2023 - 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 2022-2023 - 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 2022, May-July 2023
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 2022-June 2023
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Cultural Awareness (An Evening in Austria, Greece, Germany, and Ireland)
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: EFNEP Assistant and FCS Agent CES Staff
Date: July 2022
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 2022, May-August 2023
Audience: Seniors
Project or Activity: Bingocize
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: September- November 2023
Author: Traci Johnson
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Oldham County is one of the most affluent counties in Kentucky, but 5% of the population is in poverty. While Kentucky’s poverty rate fell 1.4% since 2019, Oldham County’s poverty rate increased by .1% since then. One of the ways identified to address food insecurity among those in poverty is to help them learn how to grow food. Oldham County Extension addressed this need by offering four programs to one of our local food banks, operated through Grace & Glory Lu
Author: Heather Toombs
Major Program: Family Development General
Kentucky obesity in Adults as of 2020 is 36.6%. 23.3% of Oldham County Adults are considered obese.Family meals have been shown to have a positive correlational effect on childhood obesity. Cook with Me was a three-day curriculum where 14 individuals making up 4 families, would discuss and demonstrate meal planning, setting the table, cooking, eating, having dinner discussions, and cleaning up together to encourage family meal time. The Oldham County Family Consumer Science Agent demonstrated sh
Author: Heather Toombs
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
36.6% of KY adults have a Body Mass Index of 30 or higher compared to the national average of 31.9%. Kentucky is the least healthy state in the U.S additionally, the prevalence of inactivity is higher in females 65 and older.Move Your Way was selected by the Kentucky Homemakers as a Leadership lesson that a Family Consumer Science Agent would teach to Club leaders, who would, in turn, bring information and teach to their clubs. Concepts taught were the benefits of physical activity.
