Author: Amanda Dame
Planning Unit: Hopkins County CES
Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Plan of Work: Adapting Healthy Lifestyle Choices for Overall Wellbeing
Outcome: Initial Outcome
According to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults, and build self-confidence. The McLean County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent along with local Family Resource and Youth Service Center hosted the Super Star Chef Day Camp at the McLean County Extension Office. This 3-day camp was provided by the UK Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Program Summer Super Star Chef Team. Twenty One children between the ages 9 to 18 attended this 3-day camp during the summer. The 20 students enrolled in the program received lessons on the food groups, MyPlate, and daily cooking lessons in which students worked together in groups to prepare healthy foods. Youth were taught basic cooking skills such as food and equipment safety, knife safety, safe food handling, proper cutting techniques, reading a recipe, how to measure properly and basic nutrition. In the process they used basic learning skills such as math, science and reading. Students enrolled in the program completed a pre-test in at the beginning of the program, and completed a post-test at the end of the program. At the end of the program, participants improved their skills in handwashing, the correct way to handle a knife and how to read a nutrition label. Furthermore,100% of students enrolled in the program learned the amount of fruits and vegetables they should have on their plate, 80% of students reported asking their family to keep fruits and cut-up vegetables in a place where they can reach them, and 100% of students reported learning how to read a recipe the correct way. After the Super Star Chef program ended several parents reported their children has prepared the recipes at home for their families and showed an increase in helping prepare meals for their families.
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