Success StoryHealthy Cooking and Eating



Healthy Cooking and Eating

Author: Juanita Herron

Planning Unit: Marion County CES

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

Marion County Cooperative Extension Office Expanded Food and Nutrition Program recently partnered with the local detention center to offer a Healthy eating class to the inmates. The detention center was trying to give the inmates that were on their way to be released, education on healthy cooking for themselves and their families. Each class was a 7 week session that consisted of 10 men.  Everyone was eager to listen to the healthy cooking lesson and ended each session with a food demonstration and tasting. Each food demonstration was a simple, healthy choice recipe. The detention center was very limited on the amount fresh fruits and vegetables and dairy, but the inmates were allowed to cook for themselves using a microwave. During the lesson, they voiced how they could make changes to diets and also prepare simple meals with healthier choices. They also had questions each class about how they could apply this to their daily lives once they were reintroduced back into society and reunited with their families. At the end of the seven weeks, the final food recall was about a 55% change in their diets. On the evaluation, all were very complementary on my performance and had enquired about the class lasting longer than 7 weeks. After the first session and new group was introduced for another round of 7 weeks.






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