Success StoryWhen the Pressure is on, New Quick Cooking Appliances Come to the Rescue



When the Pressure is on, New Quick Cooking Appliances Come to the Rescue

Author: Angie York

Planning Unit: Lyon County CES

Major Program: Food Preparation

Plan of Work: Manage Healthy Weight Throughout the Lifecycle Through Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

When working with clientele who have busy schedules, an often heard cry is that of too little time to cook for their families. According to Consumer Reports in 2016 more than $720 billion were spent at restaurants across the United States. A recent Forbes poll shows that millennials spend more than 44% of their food budget eating outside of the home. With obesity rates for adults at 39.7%, we can easily confer the direct correlation between fast food/eating out and being overweight. In order to promote a healthier lifestyle and encourage clientele to consider eating at home, a lesson was taught on the ease of using Air Fryers and Electric Pressure Cookers. The lesson was taught ten times throughout the Pennyrile region of Western Kentucky with close to 200 people attending the sessions.  Participants were able to watch a demonstration of how each small appliance works as well as taste test healthy recipes that reduced fat and calories. The participants were surveyed after the program and 90% of participants said they were more likely to purchase one of the small appliances after the lesson. Additionally, 100% of surveyed participants said they would be more likely to cook at home if they had one of these appliances, stating that using an Air Fryer or Electric Pressure Cooker helped them cook “fast, easy, and healthy,” and the lesson “helped [them] to be less afraid of using pressure cookers.” In addition to the health benefits of this lesson, an economic impact was anticipated from the number of clientele who indicated they would be purchasing one or more of these appliances from both local and national retailers.