Research shows that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help protect against several chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.   According to the CDC just 12.2% of American adults meet the recommendations for fruits and 9.3% are meeting recommendations for vegetables.  The CDC also reports that Americans are eating fruit once per day and vegetables 1.7 times per day.  Kentucky falls even further below the national averages with only 8.0% of adults meeting daily recommendations for fruits and 6.3% meeting recommendations for vegetables. In response to these statistics, the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent in Letcher County has offered a recipe club for calendar year 2021 featuring Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipes and other Extension-supported recipes to encourage the consumption of locally produced fruits and vegetables. 

Over 60 individuals have joined the recipe club and are receiving eight to ten recipes monthly through the U.S. Postal Service.  In addition, individuals were encouraged to fill out the evaluation either by QR code or paper copy once they prepared at least one recipe. 

Participants were asked to complete a brief monthly survey to provide feedback. Of those participants who responded, 100% reported they have prepared at least one recipe that they received in the recipe club, 86% reported that they would try the recipe again, 77% reported that they are more likely to buy a fruit or vegetable as a result of receiving the recipe cards and 77% reported an increase in fruit and/or vegetable consumption as a result of participating in the recipe club. Other comments included

“I love getting the cards in the mail”

“I love getting to try new recipes”