Feeding Kentucky, a non-profit organization out of Berea, released a study, called Map the Meal Gap, that indicated 22.5 percent of Magoffin County’s population experiences food insecurity – or not knowing where their next meal will come from at some point during the year – compared to the state’s average of 15 percent. Children are the most susceptible to food insecurity, the study found, affecting 31.5 percent of children in Magoffin, according to the study, compared to the state’s average of 18 percent.

In summer of 2019 the Supplement Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior partnered with the Agriculture and Natural Resource Educator to do a series of food demonstrations based on “Plate It UP” Kentucky Proud recipes.  “Plate it Up” Kentucky Proud encourages people to buy local and in season for best quality and price.  The sampling took place at the beginning of each education class offered as a part of the county’s Grow Appalachia Program. Recipes from the Plate it Up were chosen by what was in season at the time or available at the local farmers’ market. A total of twenty-five Kentucky Proud recipes were prepared and sampled over the growing season. Some of the recipes that were demonstrated, tasted and evaluated were: Tex-Mex Spaghetti Squash, Herbed Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Spring Harvest Salad, Kale and Potato Soup, Cabbage Noodle Casserole, Cucumber Corn and Bean Salsa, Very Berry Salsa, and Bacon and Tomato Dip.

As a result more than 200 recipe cards have been given out in the past year. With sixty-five percent of the Grow Appalachia participants indicating they would be more likely to grow or buy the produce to make the recipe. With these “Plate It Up” recipe taste tests 50% stated that their decision to buy that fruit or vegetable was influenced by the recipe card.  Plate It Up, demonstrations at the Grow Appalachia meetings as well as the guest speakers and educational materials taught during these meetings all have one goal in mind, and that is to get the residents of Magoffin County to eat more locally grown fruits and vegetables.