September 6, 2023

Reda E. fugate Perry County Nutrition Education Program Assistance Senior

 Planting as a family and growing vegetables

The Nutrition Education Program Assistance Senior (NEP) partnered with community partner From Cradle to Career. Where a series of Nutrition Education program Classes and container gardening was taught focusing on improving daily intake of vegetables. Each week Nutrition Education Classes/container gardening classes were held at the Perry County Extension office. Parents/grandparents/guardians along with youth ranging in age from 1year to 3 years old.

Each week the class would prepare a dish focusing on vegetables. At the first class each family was given a container and several vegetables plants. One being tomato plants. Each week after the family would prepare the dish, have the nutrition education class, and check on and care for the container garden. One of the recipes prepared was Garden Sloppy Joe’s. During the preparation phase of the recipe the youth would wash the vegetables and put the sandwiches together. After helping with the preparation of the receipt the youth would serve the parents, guardians, grandparents and would also eat a smaller sandwich themselves.

At the beginning of the class each participant was given a pre-survey and at the end of the series each participant was given a post-survey. The post-survey showed 80% of participants meet recommendation of vegetable intake each day. On several occasions the participant would state they had tried one or more of the recipes at home where the youth would help wash and serve the food. The youth would now eat a variety of vegetables.