Success StoryImani Family Cooking Series
Imani Family Cooking Series
Author: Leslie Hildesheim
Planning Unit: Fayette County CES
Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
Leslie Hildesheim worked with Mattie Morton, social worker in Fayette County to facilitate a cooking series offered to low income mothers and fathers as to better learn skills to improve food budgeting, nutrition quality and meal planning. The cooking series participation included: 11 mothers and fathers with 6 children, totaling to 20 participants. These participants engaged in hands on cooking techniques, a variety of budgeting activities and utilizing the tools given to them after each lesson to recreate recipes at home for the family. The cooking series established: personal growth in the form of self-confidence, positive impact on family food choices and improved overall health. 10 out of 11 adults demonstrated improvements in food budgeting and food safety; likewise the 6 participating children increased food knowledge by 58% and willingness to try new foods provided by parents by 89% due to hands on involvement in the cooking practices. Since the ending of the cooking series in May; parents are attending additional cooking classes offered at the community centers, and continually attendance at the local farmers markets to utilize double dollar program to assist their monthly food budget.
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