Consuming the recommended amount of vegetables each day is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity. This equals 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day, depending on age and gender. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 6.3 percent of adults in Kentucky meet the daily vegetable intake recommendations. 

In order to increase vegetable consumption in Kentucky adults, the Fayette County Extension office hosted the workshop Sensational Salads for the Fayette County community. Emphasis was placed on learning different types of salad greens and how to add other nutritious foods to turn a salad into a complete meal. 66 percent of participants were Black and 33 percent were white.

Of those surveyed, 66 percent indicated they better understood the nutritional value of salad greens, and 100 percent stated they better understood how to select, prepare, and/or store salad greens. 66 percent indicated they could identify ways to add color, texture, crunch, and/or more nutrition to a salad. Further, 66 percent expressed the intention to try a new type of salad green or salad component to add more nutrition to the diet, and 100 percent plan to incorporate more salads into meal planning and food preparation as a way to increase vegetables in the diet.  

One participant stated that she was excited to incorporate more vegetables in her diet with the addition of salad. Another stated that she was going to make the salad dressing recipe at home soon.