Author: Kelly Burgess
Planning Unit: Allen County CES
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Plan of Work: Building Strong Families through Life Skill Development
Outcome: Initial Outcome
With over 100 companies in the United States providing meal kit delivery services and 39% of adults in the United States having at least tried a meal kit, learning to discern if meal kits are the right fit for you and your family is an essential skill. Online advertisements and marketing for meal kits may make them seem very appealing, especially to people who do not usually cook at home. Many meal kit delivery services boast meals designed for weight loss, which may appeal to Allen County families who are concerned about the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the community and reducing the prevalence of chronic disease, according to the 2019 Community Assessment. Financial considerations are also noteworthy, as Allen County poverty rates exceed the state averages (21.8% and 17.1% respectively) and present a concern for people overspending on meal kits while thinking they are getting a fair price. The Allen County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) presented the “Meal Kits: Are they Worth It?” lesson to Kentucky Extension Homemaker members as the monthly lesson for July 2021. The FCS Agent traveled to five (5) “hub” counties in the 10-county Mammoth Cave Area and delivered training to club leaders, who then presented the lesson to their club members. At the trainings, in additional to the lesson, the agent also provided samples of a prepared meal from a popular meal kit company so that participants could see the type of food that meal kits offer without having to purchase one first. The agent also created an “unboxing” video of the meal kit which showed how items came packaged, giving participants a clear idea of what to expect if ordering a meal kit for the first time. This video is housed on the Allen County Extension Office YouTube page and remains available for viewing. To conclude the lesson, the agent provided copies of the “Plate it Up Kentucky Proud” summer meal plan and explained that making your own meal kit is possible with this resource and fresh produce purchased locally. The agent also published a related article in the Citizen Times (Scottsville’s local newspaper) and delivered elements of the lesson on two WBKO Farm and Home Show segments to increase awareness of Extension resources. In the retrospective pre/post assessment, only 17% of participants rated themselves highly on their knowledge of the pros and cons of using meal kits before the lesson compared with 87% of survey respondents feeling confident identifying pros and cons after the lesson. Additionally, 75% of survey respondents indicated that because of the program, they planned to examine their current food spending habits. Participants were actively involved throughout the lesson and many mentioned the intent to share this information with other younger family members.
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