Bourbon County FCS and Middle School Partner for Smarter Lunchrooms

According to the 2018 Annual SNAP-Ed Report for Kentucky, at least one out of 3 Kentucky children are overweight or obese. Nearly half of Kentucky children consume fruits less than once daily, well below the 1½ to 2 cups daily recommended by USDA MyPlate. Children who consume low amounts of fruits and vegetables are at greater risk for many nutrition related health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control, ”eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables daily can help reduce the risk of many leading causes of illness and death, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity.”

Bourbon County extension began a collaboration with the Bourbon County Middle School nutrition program and cafeteria during the spring of 2019. At Bourbon Middle School, 52% of students qualify for free or reduced school meals. Working with the school cafeteria offers an opportunity for Policy, Systems and Environment changes that directly impact students. While the National School Lunch program already has regulations in place to ensure that schools are serving nutritious foods, getting students to select and consume the healthy foods is another matter. The County Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences provided the school cafeteria with marketing items designed to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables by middle school students. The banners, aprons, and other signage were used in the cafeteria for a 6 week period.

Although the quantitative analysis was inconclusive in determining if students consumed more fruits and vegetables as a result of the marketing intervention, there have been positive qualitative changes in collaboration of Bourbon County Extension and the school nutrition program.  Bourbon school lunchroom administration and FCS continue to partner and brainstorm of various ways that the two can work together for the betterment of the school lunch program.  The school as well as the county administration are very supportive in further partnerships for future programming.  The Extension will continue to work with the county school system as an advisor as well as partner in such programs at the Summer Munch Mobile and after school snack programs and meals.