According to the latest “State of Senior Hunger” data from Feeding America, Kentucky has one of the highest rates of food insecurity among older adults in the United States. 6.9% of Kentucky seniors lack regular access to enough food or have to trade off food for other basic needs. Carroll County has a rate of 14.3% of food insecurity according to Kentucky by the Numbers. Food insecurity can have negative health consequences for older adults, including lower overall diet quality, consuming fewer calories and nutrients, and being at nutritional risk. Seniors often have limited income, which can make it difficult to afford food and other expenses. 

Carroll County residents who took the Cooperative Extension Statewide Community Needs Assessment ranked 5^th Ensuring individuals and families have access to affordable nutritious food and ranked 9^th Food as health: addressing food insecurity and diet related chronic disease. To meet these needs the Carroll County Extension Service Family and Consumer Sciences Agent demonstrated a recipe each month from the 2024 Food and Nutrition Recipe Calendar. The recipes target limited resource families. Ingredients are very accessible, contain the nutritional facts per serving, and give tips to make the recipe into a low-cost meal.

An evaluation was conducted at the end of the year to participants who attended the monthly recipe demonstrations. One hundred percent of participants stated they shared the recipes with at least one person.  One participant stated what they liked most about the recipes where everything was available locally. Another participant stated they liked trying new recipes. 

Having programs like this hopefully will give participants easy, quick recipe options they can afford and like.