Many children in America are tasked with making their own meals and snacks in today’s busy society, therefore most likely consuming foods and that are easy to grab and go or to microwave. Additionally, American as a whole battle’s childhood obesity; 38% of Kentucky children are overweight or obese according to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. 

To help with this epidemic locally, the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program offered a two-day cooking camp called Super Star Chef to help educate children ages 8-14 learn how to cook or enhance their cooking skills. This program offered education regarding knife skills, measuring skills, kitchen safety, food safety, cooking/baking terminology, and teamwork. This program is also designed to include vegetables and fruits into their diet by adding them to recipes or incorporating different cooking methods.

Overall, there were 40 youth participants (24 f, 16m) complete the Super Star Chef Cooking Program. To encourage the participants to continue cooking at home, they were provided with bags containing a cook book, apron, vegetable scrub brush and peeler, colander, and can opener. 

A class survey concluded that 95% of participants tried a food that they wouldn’t typically try at home. 80% of those participants said they cook that food at home for themselves and their family. 

Testimonies:

“I wish this camp was every day. I love cooking!”

“I had so much fun. I loved the egg scramble!”

“I’m coming back next year!”