In 2013, Lee County had 2,042 residents who were considered obese, representing one-third of the population. Approximately, 20% of Kentucky youth from ages 10-17 are obese. New research indicates that when kids are involved in prepping and cooking their own meals, they are more likely to choose better foods. 

In January 2019, Laken Campbell, Agent for Family and Consumer Science Education and Jennifer Burgess, SNAP Assistant started “Cooking through the Calendar” in Lee County. A variety of advertising methods were used, such as; newspapers before and after the event, Facebook, Newsletters, flyers throughout the community, and was announced at other programs. Each month in the calendar has a different recipe and that would be the recipe that they would use for the month. 

To reach the youth and working adults, the decision was made to have the program on the 3^rd Tuesday of each month at 5 PM. Due to the large number of people attending, a second Cooking through the Calendar class was conducted on the same day, at 11, for adults. 

Participants read and interpreted the recipes, used a variety of measuring tools, and matched the correct measuring tools with the various ingredients.  Each person demonstrated food safety and proper knife skills as they prepared recipes.  Each session included a nutrition lesson related to the recipe and discussed ways to be physically active. 

Lee County is a very rural area, with limited produce at the local grocery stores. Since some of the ingredients were not available in the county, the class grew vegetables in raised bed gardens at the Extension office in order to have access to the ingredients.   

In December 2020 at the end of our yearlong class, we found that fifty Lee County residents participated in one or more of the classes. All of the respondents reported preparing healthier home-cooked meals with 82% preparing the recipes from class at home. This includes increased fruit consumption (86%), increased vegetable consumption (86%), and 71% increasing dark green vegetable consumption.  71% use a meat thermometer more often to ensure food safety.  

-86% of participants make small changes to be active more.

-71% of participants strengthen muscles more days of the week.

A great time was had by all, and we are continuing the program throughout the 2020 Calendar Year!