Wayne County Cooperative Extension was contacted by a local residential facility for juvenile females.  The facility requested help with nutrition for females aged 14-18 who would be aging out of the facility.  The females were to be prepared to go home, or to a half-way house.  All would be faced with more individualized choices as to their own health and nutrition.

The extension agent for 4-H Youth Development Education and EFNEP Assistant partnered together and chose the curriculum “Teen Cuisine.”   Teen Cuisine consists of six lessons to be used with middle and high-school aged youth to teach and encourage healthy eating behaviors and food preferences.  Each lesson has a cooking component.Two classes totaling 14 soon-to-be-graduates were held during 2018.

 Post surveys show:
78% of the youth improved in their ability to choose foods according to Federal Dietary Recommendations or gained knowledge.
71% of the youth improved their physical activity practices or gained knowledge.
87% of the youth showed improvement in safe food handling practices more often or gained knowledge.