Childhood and adult obesity rates are on the rise in Kentucky. In 2010, the early childhood obesity rate was 12.6% in Trimble County. In addition, 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 Trimble County Family and Consumer Sciences program 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 20 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

92% demonstrated knife skills

90% 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

One child’s father reported that his daughter helped prepare dinner one night. She showed her dad how to properly dice an onion and showed him how to use a “bear claw” to keep her fingers safe while using a knife. Both of the skills that she showed her dad were taught in the Super Star Chef program.