Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Often, cooks find themselves in a mealtime rut and feel overwhelmed with making decisions around meals and snacks for themselves and their family. Building skills and cooking knowledge as well as adding variety and creativity into meal preparation increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare homecooked meals. 

To encourage more nutritious and balanced home-prepared meals, the Washington County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent taught the workshop How to Get Out of a Mealtime Rut to Extension Homemakers in Lincoln Trail Area counties. The goal of this program is to increase knowledge and awareness of strategies that can be used to overcome mealtime ruts and prepare meals at home. This program focused on the benefits of home prepared meals, creative strategies for overcoming cooking ruts, and overcoming barriers to preparing meals at home. Emphasis was placed on making homecooked meals fun and flavorful. Thirty-five total people participated in the in-person workshops, with additional Homemakers receiving materials through club meetings. Of those surveyed, 100% said they could describe creative strategies to increase meals prepared at home, and 100% expressed they could name ways to overcome barriers related to preparing homecooked meals. Further, 100% expressed the intention to try a creative strategy shown in class to overcome a cooking rut at home, while 91% expressed the intention to increase the variety of foods that are used and prepared in homecooked meals. When asked about the most significant thing from this program that the participants will apply to their lives, 8 participants stated the PlanEatMove website with healthy recipes, 13 said the creative strategies in their meal planning, and 4 participants expressed they will add more variety and try different foods.

The Lincoln Trail Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agents will continue to support the growth and learning of the Extension Homemakers through monthly lessons.