Success StoryCooking Matters



Cooking Matters

Author: Deborah Messenger

Planning Unit: Cumberland County CES

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

Plan of Work: Improving Health and Wellness in Cumberland County

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Lake Cumberland District Health Department to present Cooking Matters. The purpose of this program was to teach participants ways to choose and prepare healthy foods for their families within their food budget. Participants were taught skills to help them move closer to healthy eating, cooking and food budgeting goals. The program included six sessions. Topics included: MyPlate, food labels, kitchen tips and tricks, smart planning and shopping, recipe frameworks and grocery store tour. Each week, a new skill was taught and a recipe was prepared and sampled and individuals were encouraged to go home and practice new skills and prepare the recipe with their family. Thirteen individuals completed the program. Post evaluations showed that nine individuals had increased their weekly vegetable consumption. Ten participants shared that they felt more confident in buying and preparing healthy foods for their families on a budget. All thirteen stated that they felt very confident in using basic cooking skills in preparing meals for their families. Many that participated in the program discussed in sessions their experiences with their families preparing the meals and how the recipe prepared at home was received by family members. New skills learned by the participants included: "comparing unit prices", "making weekly menus", "keeping pantry stocked with sale items and preparing meals from those items on hand".  A young mother told the group that her children always looked forward to help prepare the recipe each week and that they were more willing to try the new foods that they had helped prepare.






Stories by Deborah Messenger


Money Habitudes

about 6 years ago by Deborah Messenger

Financial and health outcomes have often been used as indicators for child well-being and potential.... Read More


Plate It Up with Culinary Arts

about 6 years ago by Deborah Messenger

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Kentucky adult obesity ranks among the 1... Read More


Stories by Cumberland County CES


4-H Fit Club

about 6 years ago by Elijah Wilson

Draft 4-H Fit Club – Second year of program – 13 youth participated 6 hour or more as of 12/15/2017.... Read More


Local Middle and High School 4-H Members Attend Leadership Conference at the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

about 6 years ago by Elijah Wilson

4-H is the largest youth development organization in Cumberland County. Agriculture, Communication, ... Read More