Research indicates that individuals who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to consume the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains essential for a balanced diet. However, many home cooks often find themselves stuck in a routine, feeling overwhelmed by the daily decisions involved in planning meals and snacks for themselves and their families.

By building cooking skills, expanding food knowledge, and introducing variety and creativity into meal preparation, individuals are more likely to choose homecooked meals. To support this, the Trimble County FCS Agent delivered the lesson How to Get Out of a Mealtime Rut during the Louisville Area Homemaker Leader Lesson Day. The program was also offered in Trimble and Oldham Counties.

The program aimed to increase participants’ knowledge and awareness of strategies to overcome mealtime monotony and encourage more frequent home meal preparation. Topics included the benefits of cooking at home, creative solutions for overcoming cooking ruts, and strategies to address common barriers to home cooking. The lesson emphasized making meals enjoyable and flavorful.

A total of 62 individuals attended the lessons across the three locations. Among those surveyed, 97% reported a better understanding of the importance of home meal preparation. Additionally, 98% said they could describe creative strategies to boost the number of meals they prepare at home, and 92% indicated they could identify ways to overcome barriers to home cooking. Furthermore, 93% planned to try at least one creative strategy from the class to break out of a cooking rut, and 98% intended to increase the variety of foods used in their homecooked meals.