According to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults, and build self-confidence. (Cooking With Your Children; Web MD; May 30, 2008.)

Mercer County 4-H expanded the 4-H Foods/Nutrition club by adding additional educational opportunities due to the club filling up each month. First step was to recruit leaders for the new clubs. After a brief search, we were able to secure four new leaders.  We then expanded by having additional clubs formed: 4-H Cloverbud Club, Beginning Foods, Advanced Foods, Breads Club and Homeschool 4-H Foods Club. The current club became the Inter-mediate 4-H Foods Club. Clubs met monthly and meetings focused on cooking skills such as measuring, knife safety, and reading a recipe, table manners and table setting, and cooking healthier options of regularly unhealthy foods. Youth practiced reading recipes, modifying recipes, tool uses, cooking styles, and presentation.