Reda E. Fugate Perry County, KY SNAP-ED Assistant Senior 2017           

                               From Family Farm to Family Table

   The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Cooperative Extension service(SNAP-ED) Perry County office in conjunction with Perry County (SNAP) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program office did a series of 7 Nutrition Education classes with a group of under served families using the Nutrition Education Program curriculum Healthy Choices for Every Body focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables. Families were ask the question. Are you buying fresh fruits and vegetables? The class answer was NO, due to the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables in local grocery stores. Working with the local Farmers Market, participants were able to purchase  fresh fruits and vegetables at a significantly lower cost. Participants were taught new recipes and given fruit and vegetables recipes. After the class of Eating Better on a Budget one of the participants informed the class he had made some of the new recipes using vegetables and his children were now eating vegetables. After the series was completed the SNAP-ED assistant saw several of the class participants at the local Farmers Market buying fruits and vegetables, in conversation with them, they informed her their families were now eating fresh fruits and vegetables and they now understood they could afford to buy fresh, if bought in season and frozen or canned them using current USDA and Cooperative Extension Food preservation information.