According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 1 in 10 adults reported consuming the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Specifically in Kentucky, There are 8.8% of Kentuckians meeting their recommended daily amount of fruits and only 5.6% meeting their daily requirement for vegetables (CDC). Grant County specifically faces significant health and financial challenges. With 37.5% of adults classified as obese, 10.4% diagnosed with diabetes, and nearly one in five reporting poor physical or mental health, diet-related issues are clearly impacting the community’s well-being (Kentucky by the numbers). At the same time, 11.1% of residents experience food insecurity, over 2,700 individuals receive SNAP benefits, and many families live on limited incomes, making affordable nutrition a pressing concern.

To address these issues, the Grant County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent offered a monthly cooking program utilizing the Nutrition Education Program recipe calendar. The recipes from the calendar offer a budget-friendly and nutritious recipe. The recipes are also low sodium recipes making them heart healthy. Participants make and sample the recipe at each session to sample and learn new kitchen skills, nutrition information, and food safety tips related to the specific recipe. This program is offered to the public every third Wednesday each month during lunchtime. The program was marketed to the community and was also a field trip for the local senior center. 

Overall, there are 15 participants who attend on average with some classes reach as high as 20 participants. There were 13 participants in attendance at the time the evaluation was given.

From these 13 participants:

• 100% reported they learned the difference between "healthy" and "un-healthy" fats. 
• 92% indicated that they had learned new kitchen skills, new information about vitamins and minerals, how to cook lower sodium recipes and how to cook healthy affordable meals, and new information about food safety.
• 84% reported they cook more healthy meals at home as a result of the program.

When asked if participants intended to cook some of the recipes featured in the calendar 92% responded yes. The recipes mentioned the most was the banana pancakes, lemon broccoli pasta, and air fryer fish. Among the participants that stated they were going to cook the recipes at home, 7 of them reported they have already prepared the recipes at home with the most noted recipes being lemon broccoli pasta, air fryer fish, and quick cous cous salad. 

Other remarks collected in by the evaluation included enjoying trying new health recipes and participants enjoyed the recipes.  

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