The “Recipes for Life” program is an educational experience, which provides a hands-on learning experience for175 fifth grade youth in Owen County annually, where they learn food preparation skills, kitchen and food safety, mealtime etiquette, and nutritional knowledge/healthy eating. The program goes along with the Kentucky Core Curriculum Math and Science skills which are innately a part of cooking as well as reading. Students are encouraged to share their student booklet, recipe booklet and reinforcement items with family members and prepare recipes at home. 

An informal verbal pre-evaluation was given to students the day of “Recipes for Life”. Students, divided into groups, prepared a recipe integrating math, reading and practical skills gained from activity stations. A formal post-evaluation was given to students and teachers at the end of the day. Over 175 students increased knowledge in food preparation, nutrition, food safety, kitchen safety, and mealtime etiquette. 

Several weeks later, students shared what they took away from the day, noting the following:

• 90% were more conscious about washing hands correctly
• 56% taught knife skills to others
• 75% helped set table, clean up or do dishes after family meal
• 76% practiced good table manners when eating with family, 50% shared manners information learned with someone else
• 71% helped prepare recipe for family from program cookbook
• 81% strongly agreed they plan to eat more fruits/vegetables.

Results of paired sample t-test show statistically significant pre-post improvement in scores. On average, total scores improved from 12.51 in pretest to 15.76 in posttest, out of a maximum score of 23.00. The results of the McNemar tests of pre-post differences in the proportion of students providing correct response to each question: 

• How many seconds should you wash your hands? (36%)
• Circle picture of best way to open a pot of boiling food. (53%)
• Using cutting board for raw meat (24%)
• Circle picture of how to position pan handle on stove. (29%)
• Best way to test if meat is fully cooked (76%)
• Storing food to prevent food poisoning (32%)
• Circle picture of the right way to hold a knife. (100%)

“Recipes for Life” uses a practical hands-on approach to teach skills which can be applied at home as youth cook with their family, in other situations, and later, to live as independent adults. Evaluative data collection evidences that the Kentucky Academic Standards introduced during the program are en-route to becoming regular family food preparation habits, also making family mealtime a priority. 

This project was entered in the NEAFCS Communications Award for Photography and won National in 2017.  It was also entered in the JCEP Award of Excellence for NEAFCS and won National in 2018.