A foundation of nutrition knowledge, skills and competencies in topics such as food safety, handling and preparation, cooking methods and techniques, feeding practices, food science, and food systems are essential to changing dietary behaviors. With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthful dietary decisions.

The Nelson County Cooperative Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences delivered a monthly Cooking through the Calendar lunch and learn session.  During these sessions, the agent utilized the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program Calendar recipes and resources to deliver an educational program that included a demonstration of the preparation and cooking of the recipe and nutrition and food safety tips. 

The program was open to the public.  Participants could participate in one or all of the sessions.

After participating in 1 or more Cooking Through the Calendar sessions, 80% of the participants indicated that they had prepared one or more of the recipes at home. 

Participants indicated making the following behavior changes as a result of the program:

• Participants changed how they utilizing cutting boards, now using separate boards for meats to prevent cross contamination between food types.  
• They indicated utilizing new knife skills including a safer grip on the knife and placing a wet paper towel under the cutting board to prevent slipping.   
• The participants also noted making changes to reduce sodium in their diet. 

 Participants indicated that the valued the program for the following reasons:

• They valued the recommendations for pairings listed in the calendar that helped them create a complete meal.
• The program helped them budget and plan for food costs.
• They noted that the program helped make recipes that look complicated much easier to prepare with step by step instructions, noting that the recipes were healthy, easy and tasty.
• A participant with a less adventurous pallet, noted that the program introduced different food that they had never tried or even thought to make. 
• One participant, who cooks for only one person, noted that the program helped her to create more balanced meals.