According to Kentucky Health Facts: Only 19 - 23 % of residents in Metcalfe County consume the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables daily.  Metcalfe County Nutrition Education Program Assistant and Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, partnered with the Metcalfe County Library Summer Reading Program, to offer a hands on cooking series for families. Six sessions, with two different groups of participants with children ranging in age from 2 to 10 years, are offered July and August 2018. Three different recipes containing fruits and vegetables, from the “Chop Chop” Spring 2018 Magazine are featured. Vegetable and fruits for the recipes are purchased from the local Farmer’s Market if available, to provide the highest quality, most flavorful fresh ingredients. Each session is paired with a basic nutrition education lesson with related information from a featured FCS Extension food publication. Nutrition Education basic lessons provided include: “Vegetables”, “Grains” and “Dairy”. FCS Publication lesson enhancements include: “Cooking with Herbs”, “Spice Up Your Meals with Mexican Flavors” and “Many Milks”. Food safety concepts including safe storage and handling of cold and hot ingredients, hand washing and clean – up are demonstrated, discussed and practiced with each session.

39 individuals representing 16 different families have participated. Youth learners assisted by their accompanying adult, prepare recipe ingredients hands – on, using safe cutter and nylon chef’s knives, cutting boards, hot plates, electric fry pans, blenders and other related food preparation tools. Essential food preparation skills such as hand washing/food safety, wet and dry ingredient measuring, chopping raw vegetables of all kinds, cooking on heated surfaces safely and cleaning up are taught, demonstrated and then practiced. 

Youth participants are encouraged to try the fresh fruit and vegetable ingredients and then to eat the recipes they have made. Four parent participants with young children who they consider “picky eaters” have reported that through participating in this program they have found that their children are more open minded about trying new foods, in particular fruits and veggies when they prepare them on their own. In general, parent participants have reported being happily surprised at how much their children are able to do unassisted and how much the youth have liked these healthy, fruit and vegetable based, kid friendly recipes.