Kansas SNAP-Ed produced short, colorful recipe videos showing dishes being prepared in a compressed time frame based largely on recipes adapted from the USDA Mixing Bowl website. These recipes are budget friendly and healthful, often requiring only basic cooking skills. We had several objectives in mind when producing these recipe videos:
1) To inspire people to cook by showing how quick and easy cooking with real ingredients can be, giving them an alternative to eating fast food or eating processed foods.
2) To get people to try more healthful dishes. They will be exposed to many recipes on social media that aren’t healthful, we can show them alternatives.
3) To show people that cooking at home is more budget friendly than fast food or processed foods.
4) To give people ideas for using some of the more common commodities foods.
5) To increase our presence and reach on social media.
The numbers are encouraging. A typical post on our Kansas SNAP-Ed Facebook page will reach 15-25 people according to data provided by Facebook. A very popular post might reach 120-180 people. Very rarely will a post reach 200+ people. The first recipe video we posted has reached 1760 people at last count. The second video, released about two weeks later, has reached 1275 people. The third video reached over 500 people in the first six hours, 945 in the first 24 hours and eventually reached 1444 people. The fourth, and latest, video has reached 1464 people.
From the Developer: "Videos are available for download at no cost from our Vimeo album at https://vimeo.com/album/4192370 No ID or password is required. Complete recipes to accompany the videos are available at: https://www.he.k-state.edu/fnp/ez-does-it/ezdoesit.html This is an ongoing project, new videos and recipes are added regularly."