Carter County is a rural community with a population of 27,000 people.  Twenty-two percent of the county lives in poverty.  The Carter County Nutrition Program (NEP) Assistant conducted a series of 7 classes at Pathways for the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Group, using the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum that promotes nutrition, food resource management and food safety.  

The group consisted of 12 adults, male and female, ranging in age from 28-67, who live with a family member, and this is part of their goals, is to learn to cook, chop fruits & vegetables, basic life skills. Lessons included was My Plate, Planning Meals, Know the Limit, Cooking is Healthy, and Keeping Food Safe to name a few.   

Another female participant had never cooked anything, yesterday when the NEP taught Planning Meals lesson, the recipe we were making was Garden Sloppy Joes, and she asked if she could help- she fried the beef, ground turkey was not an option, and when the veggies and mushrooms were chopped, she added everything together, and finished the recipe.  She read it, and followed it, and really done a great job.  

One female participant had never used a knife, and since beginning the program, she can now peel and chop fruits & vegetables.One male participant is also learning to chop and peel vegetables for the first time- he diced the onion.  This group also has many first with sampling, many of them do not eat meat, for various reasons.  One female participant said, “My mom said, I can only cook in the microwave I’m not allowed to cook on the stove or the oven.” She is loving the classes and getting to learn to cook for herself.