Childhood and adult obesity rates are on the rise in Kentucky. A growing number of families eat “on the run” instead of cooking at home. As a result, many children don’t receive the needed basic cooking skills and do not consume the USDA recommended fruits and vegetables each day. To help aid in the prevention of childhood obesity, improved diets, and to encourage healthy cooking within the youth population, the Letcher County Family and Consumer Sciences agent partnered with the University of Kentucky Dietetics and Human Nutrition program and offered the Super Star Chef day camp. 

For three days, youth from the ages of 9 to 18 were taught basic cooking skills such as food and kitchen safety, safe food handling knife skills, basic nutrition, and how to prepare a healthy meal. In total, the 11 youth who participated were more willing to try new fruits and vegetables and couldn't wait to prepare meals at home. Students and their parents reported that the children demonstrated their skills at home that they learned in the class.

A pre-test and post-test was administered to the students during the program.  As a direct result of the program:

100% learned how to prevent cross contamination and food safety

91% demonstrated knife skills 

91% demonstrated how to read a recipe and measure ingredients

84% increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables

97% learned to make healthier food choices when eating out