Extension
It Starts With Us
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
Kelly Woods, Heather Toombs, Agriculture/ Natural Resource Agent
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: 2024-2025 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: 2024 - 2025 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: 2024-2025 program year
Activity: Manners Matter
Audience: 5th Grade
Content or Curriculum: Manner Matter
Inputs: 4-H Staff
Date: October 2024 - April 2025
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 2024
Activity: Tweens Cooking Clubs
Audience: Middle School students
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Food Curriculum and EFNEP Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Staff, EFNEP Asst.
Date: January, February 2025
Activity: Character Counts
Audience: 4th grade students
Content or Curriculum: Character Counts!
Inputs: Character Counts! Curriculum, 4-H Staff
Date: Monthly- School Year 2023-2024
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 -Summer 2024-2025, 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, 2024 - September 30, 2025
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 2024-2025 - multiple class offerings
Audience: Oldham County Drug Court
Project or Activity: Financial Classes
Content or Curriculum: Recovering Your Finances
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: 2025
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 2024-2025 - multiple class offerings
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 2024-2025 - 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: May-July 2024-2025
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 2024-June 2025
Audience: General Public/ Homemakers
Project or Activity: Healthy Eating Around the World
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent and CES Staff
Date: 2024-2025
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: May-August 2024-2025
Audience: General Public/ Homemakers
Project or Activity: Wit Training
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Several different offerings 2024-2025
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Maple Syrup
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Horticulture Tech
Date: February 2025
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Food Preparation bread, pie, pretzels
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: July 2024-June 2025
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Yoga
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: Homemaker President (Certified Instructor), FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: July-June 2024-2025
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Walk Kentucky
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: May-July 2024-2025
Audience: Homemakers, General Public
Project or Activity: Meal Kits or Meal Prep?
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: September- June 2024-2025
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Cook With Me
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Extension Staff
Date: June 2025
Audience: Seniors, General Public
Project or Activity: Cooking through the Calendar
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials
Inputs: FCS Agent, Area FCS agents, EFNEP
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: "Step"tember
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: September 2024-2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Handy to have Emergency Health Information Cards
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Scam Red Flags & Avoiding Fraud
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: How to Get Out of the Meal Time Rut
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Savvy Online Grocery Shopping
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Strong Bones for Life: Preventing Osteoporosis
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
Audience: General Audience, Homemakers
Project or Activity: Using your Air Fryer
Content or Curriculum: UK-approved materials,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Jul 2024-Jun 2025
