Research shows that preparing and eating meals at home can have positive impact on families by strengthening family ties and leading to better physical and mental health. In an effort to encourage more families to make family mealtime a priority, Family & Consumer Science Agents in the Wilderness Trail Area organized and conducted a Wilderness Trail Area Holiday Cooking School focused on family meal preparation. 250 participants from the eight counties from the Wilderness Trail Area attended the cooking school.  Each participant had the opportunity to sample recipes enabling participants to try new ways to prepare food. Participants also observed a presentation on favorite kitchen gadgets to help make cooking easier as well as modifying recipes to make them healthier.  Agents also promoted the new FitBlu App and had an 8 week walking challenge.  As a direct result of the program in a written evaluation: 

92% learned new cooking techniques at the Holiday Cooking School

97% learned new recipes that they will use at home

98% learned ways to make traditional family recipes healthier

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74% plan to make some of their traditional family recipes healthier

74% plan to incorporate more healthy options at their holiday meals

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74% of the attendees had attended last year’s event

Of those …

73% of their families have created a new tradition since last year

74% of them have encouraged their family to participate in family traditions since last year.