Author: Asa Conkwright
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
With the pandemic in force, supply chain issues, and inflation, buying food has become a financial burden. Americans were falling short of nutrient recommendation pre-pandemic and escalation food prices and scarcity only contribute to the issues at hand. With that in mind it is important to try to assist program participants in achieving those recommendations. This program was created to express the nutritional benefits of seafood and offer some cost-effective ways to increase consumption and ta
Author: Brittany Thomas
Home canning can be a cost-saving way to preserve good tasting food. If individuals have the time, canning homegrown food may save in half the cost of retail canned goods. Due to the increased grocery prices and a concern with decreasing food waste, the community members of Marion County have expressed great interest in participating and learning more about food preservation, specifically canning. As a new Family and Consumer Science (FCS) Agent in Marion County, the University of Kentucky
Author: Deborah Shepherd
Fifty-three adults participated in Food Preservation Workshops. Pressure Canning, Water Bath Canning, and jerky making utilizing dehydration were the main focus. Kitchen safety, food safety, food storage, knife safety, budgeting, food and nutrition were also topics covered. Participants engaged in a hands-on learning environment. Three participants had never pressure canned before, fourteen had never water bath canned before and twenty four had never made jerky utilizing dehydr
Author: Jane Proctor
More individuals from diverse backgrounds are calling Kentucky home. Learning about different cultures and customs is important for area residents as they learn to live with others from around the world.The Trimble County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent partnered with the Northern KY agents (Pendleton, Kenton and Boone County) to offer a 3-part, hybrid cook-along-from-home series (via Zoom and in-person) focused on the countries and cultures of Germany, Ireland, and Greece. On-
Author: Lynnette Allen
Eating more fruits and vegetables is important for health promotion and disease prevention. Despite the importance of eating more produce, it is also one of the most difficult eating behaviors to change. It has been reported that cooking more meals at home is related to increased fruit and vegetable consumption.To promote healthier, home-cooked family meals, Cook Together, Eat Together, was offered at the Breckinridge County Cooperative Extension Office with families enrolled with the Early Head
Author: Nellie Buchanan
Social media has many strong points, however on occasion it may create dangerous practices in the field of food preservation. As many people are "newer" to food preservation, they often seek information from on-line sources, blogs, recipes handed down for generations. By popular request 18 - 20 food preservers, at all stages: beginner, intermediate to experienced participated in hands on workshops. The series included freezing (carrots), water bath canning (applesauce
Author: Angie York
According to the CDC, 66% of Kentucky adults are overweight and just over 31% are obese. Being overweight and obese puts Kentuckians at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Additionally, only 24.4% of adults reported having consumed fruits at the recommended level of 2 or more times per day and 29.4% of adults reported having consumed vegetables at the recommended level of 3 or more times per day. In order to reduce obesity numbers and raise the number of fruit
In a worsening economy, clientele are looking to make better decisions about the purchases they make. To guide consumers as they think about purchasing new cookware, the Lyon County and Trigg County Family and Consumer Sciences agents collaborated on a lesson called "Skillet Cooking" which was offered to Homemakers across the nine Pennyrile area counties. The class taught participants best practices for seasoning cast iron skillets they may already have on hand as well as h
Home food preservation is a great way to preserve your garden produce. People are returning to home canning after years away or even starting to preserve food for the first time. However, it can be risky or even deadly if not done safely and correctly. Safe food handling and storage is essential to food safety and quality.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five households preserve their own food and 65% of those households can vegetables. With an increased intere
Author: Tracy Cowles
Making healthy choices for snacks was taught to 128 sixth graders during the 2022 school year. During this time, the students were taught the importance of fruits in their diet and introduced to foods that would make nutritious snacks. Fruits were used for the most part since several of the students mentioned the “lack of” them in their diets. Fruits presented were, mangos, apricots, grapes, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, cranberries, raisins, mandarin oranges
Author: Clinton Hardy
Food nutrition and education is a responsibility of all agents and opportunities to connect food production and preparation with youth are always rewarding. Outdoor cooking is an art few youth routinely experience and why the West Kentucky 4H Camp provides an campers with the choice to participate in outdoor cooking activities. Youth gain appreciation for food prepared with fire, an increased awareness of agricultural productivity related to the menu ingredients and improved health through
Author: Cecelia Hostilo
Americans are used to a world of plenty with overwhelming options available. However in the past few months and years we have found that is not necessarily the case. Financial instability and supply chain issues may limit choices. Our county and Pennyrile Area Homemakers are also feeling this pinch. Many have cookware at home that they have bought or been handed down that they would like to learn more about its use and care. Others need to replace old, damaged cookw
Author: Leslie Workman
In 2019 the Pike County Family & Consumer Sciences Extension program realized the need to reach clientele with educational materials using creative methods. Because face-to-face programs were prohibited due to Covid-19 infections, a new strategy was born from brainstorming with FCS and CEC leadership teams. Kentucky’s rate of chronic disease and overweight are above the national average. One important way to help people improve their health is through education about nutritious meals a
Author: Hazel Jackson
During the 21-22 school year, the FCS Extension Agent and the FCS teacher at the Rockcastle County Middle cooperated to teach food preparation to 123 students in fall and 102 students in the spring. Each class had 3 days of food prep and made snack mix, ice cream and corn bread. Students learned to measure properly, read a recipe, use the oven and cooperate in groups. Following the classes, the students filled out evaluations. The evaluations showed that 74% felt mo
Author: Natalie Taul
Many individuals and families have had a renewed interest in food preservation. Coming out of the unstable environment that COVID caused, people are seeking to be more self-sufficient. Some are turning to the internet for instruction, but much of what is on the internet is misleading or just wrong. Safety when preserving food should be priority and research-based methods should always be used. With this in mind the Grayson County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, implemented seve
Author: Nola Janeen Tramble
Who doesn’t love homemade bread, fresh out of the oven? In an effort to jump start extension programs after a Covid slump, the Crittenden County FCS agent and 2 extension homemakers decided to teach a breads series. There are many health benefits to baking your own bread. It is guaranteed fresh, it has no harmful preservatives, you have control over making the bread as nutritious as possible, kneading can be relaxing, it is less expensive and many more reasons. We decided to a
Author: Sandra Bastin
According to the 2020 census, the population of the United States is diverse, and this racial and ethnic diversity is growing rapidly. Most of us can passionately describe a delicious recipe or meal that someone in our family has passed down for generations and the ensuing joy of sharing the dish around the table. Exploring, learning, and embracing cultural food traditions, both our own and others’, can broaden our perspectives about history and cultures from around the world. Whether we e
Author: Leah VanMeter
Family mealtimes can be a great opportunity for families to connect with each other and have meaningful conversations. Research has shown that children who have regular family meals have better diets as well as better emotional, academic, and social behavior. Preparing meals at home can also positively impact a family’s finances. McCreary County Cooperative Extension sought to convey these messages through the program “A Lesson to Chew On”. The program was provided at the Exten
