Author: Valerie Holland
Planning Unit: Jefferson County CES
Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Plan of Work: Accessing healthy foods & improving local food systems
Outcome: Initial Outcome
West Louisville continues to lose grocery stores classifying it as a “food desert” — an area where there is limited access to healthy and affordable food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that food deserts are not just a problem of convenience but the decreased access contributes to a poor diet and higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases. The Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with a Fresh Stop affiliated organization. A Fresh Stop is a Community Supported Agriculture market where local farmers provide produce at affordable prices in lower-income food deserts. The 110 Fresh Stop participants pool their money and SNAP benefits to buy shares for deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables every two weeks from May to October. The FCS Agent offers a mini-nutrition lesson and provides a food sample made from the produce of that week. Recipes are handed out as well as cooking tips for preparation of the food. Initially the children flocked to the “nutrition” station for taste testing, then brought their parents to taste and get the recipe. Over 80% of the participants have taken the recipes and food preparations hints with them. By the end of the season, the parents would approach the station to see and take the recipe that was being shared. Many stated to the agent, “I am going to fix this when I get home. One child reported back at the next delivery, “Momma made it, almost like you did.” And we ate it. By the end of the Fresh Stop program, the Jefferson County Extension Service became the “go to” resource for all 110 families on how to fix tasty and nutritious food they were unfamiliar with. As in any dietary changes, exposure and tasting is the first step to trying new foods.
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