The FCS and 4-H Advisory Councils both identified the need to teach youth basic cooking and practical living skills as a priority.  Making meal preparation a family affair not only teaches youth about cooking, it equips them with valuable skills, promoting lifelong health and self-sufficiency.

The Owsley County Extension Service Family & Consumer Sciences Agent, SNAP Assistant and EFNEP assistant presented an afterschool  Super Star Chef Camp. This was our 5th Annual Youth Cooking Camp.  Over the five year period, eight-nine youth and twenty-three adult volunteers participated in the healthy cooking camps.

Evaluation data collected from participants revealed the following results:

...100% of participants understand how germs get transferred to food.

...89% of participants knew the correct time frame for eating leftover foods stored in the refrigerator.

... 100% of participants can dice vegetables safely.

One month after the conclusion of the program, parents of youth participants were asked questions on behavior changes of their children since the Super Star Chef Cooking Camp.Survey results revealed the new behaviors of their youth:  88% percent of youth have assisted in the kitchen; have accurately measured liquid and dry ingredients; and have used a knife to cut food items as well as informing parents the correct way.  

Several parents mentioned how much confidence their children had gained in the kitchen since participating in the cooking camp.  One parent stated the following: "My son has made breakfast several times since participating in the cooking camp,”  “My daughter helped me chop all the vegetables for a meal I was preparing.”