According to Kentucky County Health Rankings from 2022, several counties in Eastern Kentucky have high food-insecurity rates; meaning that over 20% of residents in those counties lack adequate access to food.  Health care rankings also state that Eastern Kentucky adult citizens have some of the highest diabetic rates in Kentucky.  It is imperative that this population have access to foods and optimally, nutritious foods, that will benefit their overall health. 

Breathitt County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Kayla Watts, hosted four Food Preservation Basics workshops in the Breathitt, Wolfe, and Lee counties in Eastern Kentucky.  Participants were instructed about selecting and preserving nutritious foods.  The idea of the program was to one, educate the audience on how to select healthy foods, and two, educate the audience about securing a food supply. 

78 adults attended the Food Preservation Basics workshops hosted in Breathitt, Lee, and Wolfe counties where they practiced selecting and preserving various fruits and vegetables. Each participant increased their knowledge of food selection and preservation; indicated using a pre/post evaluation.

Behavior change was also indicated with the workshop participants. Using a 3-month follow up survey participants were able to indicate the skills used and the food they had preserved after attending the workshop.

The Food Preservation Basics workshops were a great tool to help teach and encourage adults to make healthy food selections and to help adults have access to nutritious foods; thus, impacting food insecurity in Eastern Kentucky.