Some people do not have the information they need to choose healthy foods. Other people do not have access to healthy foods or cannot afford to buy enough food. Public health interventions that focus on helping everyone get healthy foods are key to reducing food insecurity and hunger and improving health. https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/nutrition-and-healthy-eating

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Nutrition Education Program developed the Healthy Choices for Everybody (HCEB) curriculum. Seven lessons teaching participants ways to eat healthy on a budget using the Dietary Guideline Recommendations.   The Todd County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) assistant taught HCEB to Genesis East Men’s Recovery Groups and Genesis West Women’s Recovery Groups.  Participants sampled a healthy recipe that accompanied each lesson.

One hundred program graduates during 2023 learned skills to prepare healthy meals, tips for grocery shopping on a budget, food safety and ways to increase daily physical activity.

Using a Web-based Nutrition Education Evaluation Reporting System (WebNEERS).  Participants completed a pre and post survey. Results from surveys showed:

Diet Quality: participants gained knowledge about eating fruits and vegetables and drinking less sugar sweetened beverages:

• 99% of participants gained in 1+ areas.
• 94% of participants gained in 2+ areas.
• 62% of participants gained in 5+ areas.

Food Resource Management: participants gained knowledge about cooking dinner at home, comparing food prices, planning meals, and making a shopping list before shopping.

• 94% of participants gained in 1+ areas.
• 79% of participants gained in 2+ areas.
• 58% of participants gained in 4+ areas.

Physical Activity:

• 65% of participants showed improvement in one or more physical activity behaviors, for example exercising for at least 30 minutes or doing workouts to build and strengthen              muscles
• 58% of participants showed they would make improvements to be active more often.

Graduates received a copy of each lesson, recipes, and kitchen items, including a meat thermometer to use at home.  One client left a note for the NEP assistant “Will start eating healthier and I have learned beneficial tips.”