Breckinridge County has a 24% obesity rate and 69% report being overweight. Only 15% report eating fruits and vegetables on a regular bases.  

 To combat this problem the Breckinridge County Cooperative Extension Staff partnered together Nutrition Education Assistant and the Family Consumer Science Agent in hopes to make positive behavior changes within families.  

 The Family Consumer Science Agent educated the Head Start children on healthy eating through Three (3) LEAP lessons and encouraged sampling of new fruits and vegetables.  The Head Start Parents were also offered “Cooking for Beginners”. Five (5) hands on classes, were given in which parents would practice cooking and basic food preparation. Implemented from Healthy Choices for Every Body curriculum. This curriculum included My Plate and Feeding Every Little Body. My Plate explains the importance of eating from all 5 food groups, and focuses on the increased consumption on fruits and vegetables.  Feeding Every Little Body reinforces the importance of making half your child’s plate fruit and vegetables. And teaching children healthy eating habits through grocery shopping and cooking with each other.

One family did just that! The Head Start student came home and explained about the amazing mango that she had tasted for the first time during a LEAP lesson. Mom decided to apply what she had learned through Healthy Choices class and went grocery shopping with her child and picked out a ripe mango for the family of 6 to try a hello bite! Mom also reported cooking more at home, “we eat out less now”, “and didn’t run out of assistance this month”! Also buying more fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks. Healthy snacks included apples, baby carrots, and making the Fruit Treat (recipe from Food and Nutrition Calendar) instead of premade foods like Lunchables and Hungry Kids. By sharing nutrition education with all ages of local families are making and adopting healthier eating habits!