Designed for easy learning, this program is designed to introduced young children and adults alike to the five food groups that are the key building blocks to a healthy diet. Utilizing memorable illustrations, MyPlate offers ideas and tips to help you create a healthier eating style that meets  individual needs and improves health. Contact one of the FCS agents today to see about bringing a Choose My Plate lesson to your program. 

Laugh and Learn is an agent led program designed for young learners to be introduced to new concepts with playful activities designed to prepare them for kindergarten. Each session a children's book is read with an accompanying lesson plan which includes singing songs, making crafts, playing games, and enjoying a healthy snack. Visit our calendar of events for more details on our next Laugh and Learn.

Financial Resource Management Means:

• Managing Money effectively to meet present and future needs is a skill needed by most families.
• The Extension Service seeks to reinforce the capacity of families to create and sustain economic security

Why are financial management skills important?

• So families can utilize money according to their most important needs.

Financial skills enable families:

• To manage everyday expenditures and have more money available

• To avoid stress for the family.

• Answer with a smile when someone asks: “Are you happy with where your money went?”

• To help take charge of money management skills, develop first-rate spending and saving habits, and limit credit card debt contact the Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service for more money management tips.

Helpful Financial Resources: 

MoneyWise

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment recognizes the need for Kentuckians to be able to access up-to-date information regarding financial decisions. Our MoneyWise website will provide information, decision aids, and financial calculators directed at all aspects of everyday living. 

MyMoney.gov

The five principles of MyMoney.gov will help you make day-to-day decisions and plan your financial goals. To learn more about making the most of your earnings, saving and investing, protecting, spending and borrowing money, visit MyMoney.gov.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling

NFCC - national non-profit network of 1,450 member agencies designed to provide assistance to people dealing with stressful financial situations. This is not a service or website associated with University of Kentucky.

Today's families are busier than ever. With all the activites adults and children are involved, our family mealtime often suffers. Below are many sources of information for your family to make mealtime easier, more enjoyable, and an experience everyone will look forward to attending.

Meal Planning Tips

Weekly and Monthly Menu Planners - Creating menus make mealtime preparation a breeze!

My Plate - Use MyPlate to help plan your family's meals

Serving Sizes - What counts as one serving for your family members?

How Long Does it Last? - Guide Sheet for keeping foods in the refrigerator, freezer and on the shelf

Freezing Home-Prepared Foods - Tips on make safe and tastey ways to prepare homemade dishes and freeze for later

Microwave Cooking - Need a quick meal? Most kitchens have a microwave oven, but often the microwave is not used to its potential. In this lesson you will explore how to use your microwave oven to prepare quick, easy, and safe meals.

Flavorful Nuts - Nuts are crunchy, versatile, flavorful and loaded with nutrition. Learn more about their benefits here!

The Gluten Free Choice - Is it for me?

Ground Beef - Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Ideas

Meals in a Minute - Ideas and information for quick family meals

Soup and Salad - Terms and Recipes for a variety of salads and soups

Make Ahead Meals - Make your recipes when you have time, freeze and serve later!

Stir Fry Cooking - Tips and Recipes for family meals

Speedy Suppers - Recipes with five ingredients or less!

Master Mix #1 - Cooking with dry milk

Master Mix #2 - This baking mix publication is provided by our friends at Washington State Cooperative Extension

Master Mix #3 - Make a ground beef master mix and use it for a variety of recipes included 

Putting your Crock Pot to Work! - Information on safe cooking with this economical appliance 

Kentucky Favorites - Try new ways to reduce fat, sodium and calories in these favorites

Seasonal Guide to Produce

January                            February 

March                                April 

May                                   June 

July                                    August

September                         October 

November                          December 

Food Safety

Concerned about the safety of your family's food? So are we. The Kenton County FCS program is here to assist you maintain a safe food supply. Your Cooperative Extension Service provides research based, unbiased information.

Turn to us when you need help with determining the storage time of your perishable foods, information on preserving your foods in the healthiest and safest ways, and determining the safety of your food after a power outage.

How long can you keep your food for optimum nutritional value and safety? Look at our list: Food Storage Times

Interested in food safety tips to help insure you are preparing food safely? Look at our list: Food Safety Tips

Food Safety During an Emergency, visit USDA - Food Safety During an Emergency

Food Preservation

Food preservation time is an especially important time to be safe in the kitchen. Review our list of UK Food Preservation Publications for information on home canning, freezing and drying

For even more food preservation information, visit the National Food Preservation Center

Recommended Food Storage: Cold and Dry

Judging Preserved Foods

Home Freezing Basics

Freezing Fruits

Freezing Vegetables

Drying Foods at Home

Jerky Safety

Making Cottage Cheese at Home 

Home Canning Basics

Safety Home Canning: Altitude Adjustments

Home Canning Fruit

Home Canning Jams, Jellies and other Soft Spreads

Home Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products 

Home Canning Salsa

Home Canning Pickled and Fermented Foods

Home Canning Vegetables 

Home Canning Fruit

Home Canning Meat, Poultry, Wild Game and Fish

Home Canning Soups, Stocks and Stews

Clothing

The Home is the base of all our activities. Family and Consumer Sciences provides information on making your home a safe, comfortable place for all families. We can teach you to sew, repair your clothes and take care of your home.

The Kenton County Extension Office offers a beginning sewing for adults series each spring and summer.  Check out our upcoming events for details on the next series.

Emergency Preparedness

Disaster can occur suddenly and without warning, preparing emergency supplies and developing a family plan is important. Most disasters are natural disasters, they are typically the result of some force of nature, such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Regardless of the type of disaster, we recommend the following websites and resources to help you and your family prepare. 

Home Pest Control

For more information, please contact Joan Bowling.

**Our website has gotten a facelift! Please check back in the coming weeks for more resources**