Cooking programs have been used to promote healthful eating among people of all ages. Children in Bullitt County are taking part in more after-school activities and many parents go straight from work to sports practice, music practice and more. Consequences of this change in family behavior are believed to contribute to increased rates of obesity in children, teen and adults due to unhealthy snacking and lack to family meals prepared at home.
 The Bullitt County Family and Consumer Science program partnered with 4H and Family Resource Centers of two SNAP eligible “food dessert” communities to provide a 2 day course entitled, Baking 101.  The Family Resource Centers and the Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Science concluded that families need to be encouraged to share more evening meals together and children need to be taught simple cooking skills.

The program utilized the University of Kentucky curriculum, Super Star Chef Needs a Little Dough. The objectives of this course was to learn cost effectiveness, correct measuring techniques, nutrition and safety in baking plus increase time youth spent learning to cook with adult supervision. Twenty-six youth participated in the hands on program where they learned about quick breads, yeast breads, and pizza dough. The children participating indicated they applied their new skills and knowledge to use recipes gained from this class. The youth participants indicated how much they enjoyed the ability to learn, bake and taste the food.  In surveys returned 3 months later, the children reported:

100% gained complete confidence to measure recipe ingredients

 73% reported using the measuring skills they were taught since the lesson

36% reported making either bread or pizza crust since the program.

99% of the children stated they liked gaining the skill to make bread and pizza to eat