Metcalfe County CES

Title:

Nutrition and Food Systems

MAP:

Improve Physical and Mental Health

Agents Involved:

Blankenship, Bell, Branstetter

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Horticulture, Consumer and Home

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Food Preparation and Preservation

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Family and Consumer Science

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
• Reach a 90 - 100 % redemption rate for WIC and Senior Farmer Market Nutrition Program Vouchers distributed to eligible Metcalfe Co. residents
• Increased expenditure of resident food budget, in the local food system.

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Generate positive attitudes toward changing dietary decisions to be more healthful.
• Increase intake of water, 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, NEP annual data, CDC community health data

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 and/or post and 4 week follow – up survey, after 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, 4 – week follow – up survey, NEP graduation data

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, Farmers Market customer data collection

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, NEP curriculum

Inputs: ANR, FCS, 4 – HYD Extension Agents, Nutrition Education Program (NEP), paid staff, Extension office resources, grant funds, facilities, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Farmers Market volunteers

Date: April – December/Growing seasons

Project or Activity:  Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Farmers Market Tool Kit, Kentucky Farm to School Task Force Resources, Health Coalitions, resources for early care and education settings, Senior and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Voucher program resources, CFA double dollars resources, farmers Market community partner resources

Inputs: FCS, 4 – H YD and ANR Agents, NEP program assistant, Extension Dist Board resources: market space, wifi service, electric and water services, Volunteers, community partners, key stakeholders, SNAP-Ed Toolkit

Date: Annually in spring: Farmers Market producer organizational meeting, SRFMNP and WICFMNP trainings, CFA annual trainings, SNAP/EBT trainings, Ongoing projects throughout the year

Audience: Families and Individuals

Project or Activity:  Nutrition Education and Food Preparation for Better Health

Content or Curriculum: Cook Together Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Super Star Chef, Champion Food Volunteer,  Body Balance, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, LEAPS, prenatal- and infant/toddler-nutrition curriculum, resources for early care and education settings

Inputs: 4 – H YD Agent, FCS Agent, ANR Agent, NEP program assistant, Extension office resources, programmatic materials, community partners, public and private schools

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year for adults and youth

Project or Activity:  Food Preservation

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

Inputs: FCS Extension Agent, NEP program assistant, volunteers, facilities, programmatic materials, NEP, public and private schools

Date: Annually spring - summer,  for adults and youth

Audience: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association/Volunteers

Project or Activity:  Tips to Manage Stress Eating

Content or Curriculum: Agent developed Monthly Leader Lessons for February '25.

Inputs: Warren Co FCS Agent will create training materials and a facilitation video for Managing Stress Eating in February, and MCA FCS Agents will then offer HLT in their own counties.  

Date: February 2025.

Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: Metcalfe County Youth

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum

Inputs: Agent, Extension Office, Community Partners

Date: August-May