A Department of Education survey indicated that 87 percent of fourth to eighth graders said that they cook and make some of their meals or snacks. However, youth who lack healthy cooking knowledge may rely on packaged foods or prepared foods containing questionable nutrition value.  Teaching youth food preparation skills promote important life skills development. Research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics noted that children who engaged in handling foods, have less fear of food and greater acceptance of eating a variety of foods. Children ate more fruits and vegetables after participating in culinary classes according to some research studies.  Further, youth who cook at home have a greater sense of self-confidence, and feeling of contributing to their families. They spend time cooking instead of engaged in screen time.

Recent research indicates that nutrition knowledge may be incomplete without the experiential learning or hands-on activities associated with food preparation that involves handling food and cooking equipment. Children learn lifetime skills through practicing basic math skills such as counting, weighing, measuring, tracking time; they also gain social skills by working together and communicating in the kitchen. Teaching cooking to youth is an opportunity to teach nutrition education such as planning meals and make smarter food choices. Cooking can aid children in acceptance of responsibility.

The COVID 19 pandemic changed the whole school year and educational programming. As the community partner,  the 21^st Century Director  for Crossroads Elementary asked the Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences for a program that could be implemented with the current pandemic operating guidelines.  The Recipes for Life program uses an experiential learning model to teach food preparation, food safety, nutrition, and physical activity.  As the curriculum was implemented, the 30 students attend a daily of learning session where they worked in small teams to learn.  During the educational experience, they engaged in learning activities, preparing a healthy recipe, and recipe sampling with peers and adult volunteers.  

During the week long program, students who were recognized as struggling with school work astounded the program teaching assistants by their participation, teamwork, use of math, sequencing, and time management. One comment was made by an assistant that maybe teaching cooking should be a part of the school curriculum because the children were learning and using the concepts so much easier in this practical manner.

Upon completion of the Recipes for Life program, 71% of youth participants reported that they plan to eat more fruits, 62% plan to try new foods, and 98% plan to help prepare food at home. Moreover, several students reported that they did indeed prepare one or more of the featured recipes for their family.

In a conversation on the last day, a group of the 21^st Century teachers pointed out that one child who had been highly attentive in making each recipe asking for a copy of it was currently responsible for feeding himself and two siblings as well as his father.  He shared with the teacher he was going home each night and making the recipes so he and his siblings had something good to eat. For one young child who was shouldering an adult responsibility, the Recipes for Life lessons taught him how to choose and prepare nutritious food! Nutritious food that he fed his siblings!