According to the CDC limited resource families are more vulnerable to obesity and related health diseases because of poor nutrition and limited access to nutrition education. In Kentucky, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), estimate 66.2% of adults are overweight or obese in Kentucky. In Fayette County, through the federally funded Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), the EFNEP program has been a factor in helping families to learn about nutrition education, meal planning, and food safety techniques to educate and change food pattern behaviors to low-income families. Booker T Washington Elementary school is a predominantly minority and free and reduced lunch school. Promoting better eating habits is important for kids and adults. 

Involving the whole family, both kids and adults, is one way they can work together as a team to achieve great health. Being that parents can be great leaders to their children, encouraging them to eat healthy and exercise is a great way for families to bond and teach each other how to cook and prepare foods properly. Kentucky State University EFNEP program has helped encourage families to cook and eat together through a healthy cooking series at the Booker T Washington Elementary family night. The family night program is a 6 month series that meets once a month. Each month the families cook healthy meals and are involved in teams.  Using the approved EFNEP curriculum, we showcased healthy recipes that involved the parents preparing the meals and the children assisting in the preparation. The ultimate goal is to bring awareness to health and well-being. 

The series will continue throughout the entire school year from 2018- March 2019 and the goal is to promote and achieve better eating habits and ways to introduce healthy meals to children and their families. Having parental involvement, children will be encouraged to eat and engage in healthy eating habits and improve overall nutrition. Through the 24-hour pre and post food recall, the EFNEP assistant will measure the results of the participants. The adults in the program were able to use whole grains and lean proteins, dairy, as well as, learning how to shop on a budget. The children were able to assist with measuring ingredients, utilizing kitchen utensils, and learning table etiquette.