Muhlenberg County CES

Title:

Nutrition Education Program

MAP:

Accesing Nutritious Foods

Agents Involved:

Alex Kelly, Mackenzie Pogue, Darrell Simpson

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Nutrition and Food Systems General

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Horticulture, Consumer and Home

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Food Preparation and Preservation

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Health & Wellbeing

Situation:

County Extension offices can play a pivotal role in helping food producers, entrepreneurs, and consumers work toward more vibrant rural communities with strong local food systems. Stronger local food systems can help everyone eat a healthier diet while benefiting the local economy and communities.

ANR,and 4-H agents provide nutrition education programs to help families gain access to nutritious food decrease hunger; and utilize local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods. Programs and one to one contacts will help educate youth and adults about gardening.

Long-Term Outcomes:

1. Citizens improve food management skills, healthy eating habits, and improve food preservation skills.
2. Youth will be food secure when school is not in session during the school year.
3. Youth and Adults learn to garden or enhance their gardening skills

Intermediate Outcomes:

1. Plant, harvest and preserve produce.
2. Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits.
3. Youth who access other food sources when not in school during the school year.
4. Youth and adults learn traditional and nontraditional garden techniques

Initial Outcomes:

1. Youth and Adults enhance their knowledge on growing, preparing and preserving food.
2. Learn to incorporate unfamiliar foods or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet.
3. Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety and food resource management.
4. Learn about community support services to increase food security.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:learn to grow, prepare and preserve food

Indicator:number of families reached with information on accessing healthy foods

Method:gardening and food preservation survey, one to one visits

Timeline:spring and summer

Intermediate Outcome:Increased food access

Indicator:number of youth reached who have food on weekends, number of families planting, harvesting and preserving produce

Method:Plate it Up featured program questions; Food for Kids Backpack Program

Method: Youth gardening Program

Timeline: spring, summer, school year

Long-term Outcome: learn to grow, prepare and preserve food

Indicator: one to one visits, end of program surveys

Method: class attendance and youth garden participant numbers

Timeline: spring and summer

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Primary students

Project or Activity: LEAP

Content or Curriculum: LEAP

Inputs: 4-H Agent & SNAP-Ed Assistant

Date: School Year

Audience: Food Preservation Classes Participants

Project or Activity: Food Preservation Workshop

Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Traveling Workshop & CES Publication

Inputs: 4-H Agent & SNAP-Ed Assistant  

Date: Summer

Audience: Elementary School Students

Project or Activity: Food Explorers

Content or Curriculum: SNAP-Ed materials

Inputs: 4-H Agent, 4-H assistant, SNAP-Ed assistant, volunteers

Date: School year

Audience: Youth and Adults

Project or Activity: Youth and Adult Gardening

Content or Curriculum: ID 128 Gardening in Kentucky

Inputs: ANR agent, 4-H agent, 4-H staff assistant, SNAP-Ed assistant and Program Enhancement funds

Date: Spring and Summer

Success Stories

Holly Jolly Bash

Author: Alex Kelly

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Participating as a vendor at Longest Elementary School's Holly Jolly Bash was an incredibly rewarding experience. We had the opportunity to provide a fun, nutritious Christmas-themed snack that introduced the students to something new and exciting—hummus! The goal was simple: to offer a healthy, delicious, and enjoyable food option that would not only nourish the kids but also encourage them to try something they had never experienced before. Out of the 408 students who attended the ev

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