Superstar Chef is a three-day hands-on cooking and nutrition Cooperative Extension program. The program was designed to empower limited-resource youths with basic cooking skills so they can make the healthy choice the easy choice. Program content primarily focuses on hands-on food preparation skills, kitchen safety and appliance use, food safety procedures, nutrition education, and physical activity. The camp even included a family visit to the farmers market where youth learned about local foods by interviewing farmers, doing a what’s in season scavenger hunt and earned money to spend with the vendors.

Nelson County Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-HYD Extension Agents collaborated with the Nelson County Nutrition Education Assistant, 4-H program assistant and 4-H Summer intern to offer the Superstar Chef Camp program to 16 students. Two volunteers worked with students in a hands-on educational setting to teach important life skills. A pre-test/ post test evaluation was conducted to determine learning outcomes.

Following the program, students also gained confidence in their food preparation skills:

•             94% students agreed that they could make a meal with fruit.

•             94% students agreed that they could make a meal with vegetables.

•             100% students agreed that they could help make a family meal.

•             100% students agreed that they could cut up food using a knife.

•             94%   students agreed that they could measure ingredients correctly.

•             100% students agreed that they could follow recipe directions.

•             100% students agreed that they could use a recipe with help.

•             88% more students agreed that they could use a handheld can opener.

•             94% students agreed that they could cook eggs on a stove.

In addition, as a result of attending the Superstar Chef Camp program, students plan to make the following behavior changes:

•             100% can identify healthy foods.

•             100% plan to drink more water.

•             94% plan to drink less soda.

•             100% plan to be more physically active.

•             94% plan to eat more fruits.

•             88% plan to eat more vegetables.

•             94% plan to try new foods.

Through a separate Nutrition Education Program Evaluation showed that after completing the program:

1.  40 % washed their hands more frequently before making or eating food.
2. 40% read nutrition labels more frequently
3. 40% made choices to include physical activity in their day more frequently.
4. 40% drank soda or pop less frequently
5. 40% ate vegetables more frequently.
6. 55% improved their duration of physical exercise.
7. 45% improved their frequency in tasting new foods.
8. 55% indicated a decrease in drinking fruit flavored beverages and sports drinks.
9. 36% increased their frequency of eating vegetables as a snack.
10. 36% increased their frequency of eating vegetables at lunch.

Parents whose children participated in the program attended a program graduation that recognized their youth’s completion of the program.  Parents noted that after taking part in the program, their children offered to cook meals for the family, successfully cooked eggs at home and tried new foods that they did not normally eat at home.  One mom shared, “Leah had so much fun at chef camp this week.  They cooked their own lunch everyday, learned about reading labels to make healthier choices, and visited the farmers market.   She even used her new skills to make me breakfast.”