According to the 5-A-Day program developed and promoted by the USDA, citizens are encouraged to increase fruit and vegetable consumption to 5-9 servings daily. Although community members may understand the importance of consuming more fruits and vegetables, access to recipes using these foods, as well as, access to these food products can be difficult. Breathitt County residents have minimal access to healthy foods, thus making it even harder to combat health epidemics such as diabetes and heart disease using a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables approach. Providing access to recipes using nutritious foods, as well as, helping local growers of fruits and vegetables is important for overall community, physical, and economic health. 

     Breathitt County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Kayla Watts, hosted Plate it up!  Kentucky Proud programs during peak growing/harvesting months; August and September. The program focused on information related to the Plate it up!  Kentucky Proud program, as well, as highlighted local, fresh produce (where and how to buy) that could be used in the Plate it up! recipes.  Participants registered for and completed curbside classes that had all of the Plate it up! Kentucky Proud nutrition materials, including recipe cards, Plate it up! recipe calendars, and information about the local farmer's market.  Also, participants viewed weekly webinar recipe demonstrations on social media.  The program highlighted specific produce each month and lasted for 8 full weeks.

     The Plate it up!  Kentucky Proud programs were highly successful!  20 Breathitt County residents completed all requirements of the program, while several more took part in the various online demonstrations.  Post-survey results indicated that 100% of surveyed participants learned the importance of including more fruits and vegetables in their diets.  Also, 59% of those surveyed indicated that prior to the program they had never prepared a Plate it up!  Kentucky Proud recipe, nor did they regularly purchase food commodities that were locally grown.  Participants indicated an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption after the program, as well as, wrote that they plan to do the following: “Eat more fruits and vegetables, and buy more that is locally grown," and "Have more fresh foods with my meals and visit the farmer's market."

     Having accessible fruits and vegetables for consumption, and knowing how to properly prepare them, is key to overall health. Programs such as Plate it up!  Kentucky Proud allow Extension Agents an opportunity to educate the community about fruit and vegetable consumption, and educate the community on the accessibility of foods within the local community.  The Plate it up!  Kentucky Proud programs were/are successful and long-reaching. Community members expect Plate it up! Kentucky Proud recipe cards in all FCS Extension outreach efforts, and continue to increase fruits and vegetables in meals because of this program.