According to the USDA, “A healthy eating routine is important at every stage of life and can have positive effects that add up over time. It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives.”  They say “The benefits of healthy eating add up over time, bite by bite. Small changes matter.”  Over the course of the summer, Campbell County 4-H has collaborated with Children’s Collaborative, a school-age afterschool and summer program here in the county. Forty-eight students in grades 2-6 are enrolled in the program for the summer of 2022, every Friday for seven weeks the students are introduced to new foods or new ways to eat healthy food options.

Using a combination of Professor Popcorn, Eat Smart, Play Hard, LEAP, and Kentucky Proud recipes, each week the students taste-test new fruits and vegetables. They also have the opportunity to learn and use basic kitchen skills to make healthier snacks and side dishes.  Students have made veggie pasta salad, apple berry salsa, strawberry-beet smoothies, and several other recipes. A mid-series program evaluation indicates that 96% of students have tried at least one new food that they enjoyed and 91% have said they will make one of the new recipes at their home.