One-size-fits-all nutrition advice doesn’t always capture the rich cultural traditions and meaningful role food plays in people’s lives. Extension professionals across Kentucky saw an opportunity to make nutrition education even more relevant and accessible for diverse communities. Food is more than fuel—it is culture, memory, family, and tradition. To truly support healthy eating, educators wanted strategies that honor these traditions while also promoting food safety and nutrition.

In response, The Food Connection at the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Nutrition Education Program (KYNEP) partnered to create Celebrating Cultural Connections—a series of cooking classes and in-service opportunities designed to strengthen cultural competence through food. The series invited Extension professionals and community members to explore cultural heritage recipes, cooking methods, and nutrition strategies while learning how to make healthy, safe adaptations of beloved traditional dishes. Sessions featured KYNEP educators, local chefs, farmers, and cultural food leaders sharing personal stories, practical tips, and authentic recipes. Topics ranged from Soul Food traditions to Ramadan meals, Hispanic Heritage Month recipes, Holidays Around the World, and Kentucky Heritage Foods for Juneteenth. USDA MyPlate guidelines and University of Kentucky research ensured a strong foundation of nutrition and food safety education. Key partners included The Food Connection, KYNEP educators, local farmers and chefs, and community food leaders—demonstrating the power of collaboration in building more accessible Extension programming.

Over the 2024–2025 series, more than 150 Extension professionals and community members across Kentucky participated via online and during in-person sessions. Attendees included interested community members, Family and Consumer Sciences agents, SNAP-Ed and EFNEP educators, program assistants, and other Cooperative Extension staff committed to reaching diverse audiences with culturally respectful, relevant nutrition education.

These professionals serve communities statewide, including limited-resource and traditionally underrepresented audiences—where understanding and honoring food traditions is key to building trust, engagement, and healthier outcomes.

Celebrating Cultural Connections has made a measurable difference in Extension education in Kentucky. Post-session surveys revealed:

• 85% of participants reported an increased understanding of cultural competence in nutrition education.
• 70% planned to integrate healthy adaptations of heritage recipes into their classes and outreach.
• Many described feeling more confident and equipped to engage diverse audiences with respect for their food cultures.

Beyond individual learning, the series built connections among Extension professionals, who shared recipes, resources, and strategies for inclusive teaching. By celebrating the flavors, traditions, and stories that make up Kentucky’s food heritage, Celebrating Cultural Connections is helping ensure nutrition education is not just evidence-based, but truly community-centered, respectful, and welcoming to all.

See some of the learning opportunities here: 

• Hispanic Heritage Month - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA1B1pKS8po&t=2617s 
• Ramadan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDOOAQzeFwE