Success StoryYouth try fruit & vegetables



Youth try fruit & vegetables

Author: Renata Farmer

Planning Unit: Knox County CES

Major Program: Super Star Chef

Plan of Work: Healthy in the Home

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome


With the growing number of families eating on the run instead of cooking at home, many young adults don’t receive needed basic cooking skills. In addition, approximately 4 out of 5 children do not consume the recommended fruits and vegetables each day. In an effort to encourage more youth to get into the kitchen and to improve their diets Knox County 4-H Agent and FCS Agent teamed up to offer a three-day cooking camp. Twelve youth participated in this 3-day camp. Youth were taught basic cooking skills such as food and equipment safety, knife safety, safe food handling, proper cutting techniques, reading a recipe, how to measure properly and basic nutrition. In the process, they used basic learning skills such as math, science, and reading. This was a hands-on program that taught youth life-long skills. Participants learned to make a variety of recipes using fruits and vegetables.  As a direct result of the program, several parents and participants have reported an increased interest in eating healthy and helping prepare meals at home. 100% of youth participants used their new learned cooking skills in meal preparation at home and prepared one of the recipes for their family. 90% of participates willingly tried new foods and 100% of participates said they were open to eating more fruits and vegetables. One parent stated that "I am enjoying having her help in the kitchen at home. If she helps make it, I found she will be more likely to eat it. And, it gives us time together to talk".