In Jefferson County, there are limited occasions for inner-city youth to participate in hands-on cooking programs.  Improving cooking skills and knowledge of foods helps to promote healthy eating habits.According to Thomas & Irwin, food and cooking skills/food preparation are important for several reasons related to health, knowledge, empowerment, engagement, culture, food security, and fun.  An engaging cooking skills program targeting youth builds self-efficacy, food knowledge and literacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem, while potentially improving the social determinants of health. 

Partnering with Sowing Seeds of Faith and Jefferson County Horticulture Agent Bethany Pritt, and 2017 summer intern Ayanna Wright, Jefferson County 4-H developed an eight (8) week cooking education program "Fun with Foods."  The eight-week one-hour healthy eating and cooking program was taught by extension staff.  120 youth from the ages of 6 years old to 15 years old, was educated on kitchen safety, food handling practices, healthy foods choices, and experience tasting new foods they have never tried. 

We started the program discussing where your food comes from with county Horticulture Agent Bethany Pritt.Participants dissected a seedling and built their own greenhouse housing bean sprouts.  Other weekly lessons focused on determining what is a fruit or vegetable, following by making homemade salsa, understanding baking basics followed by making fresh pumpkin muffins.  For each nutritional education lesson, participants prepared foods centered on the topic for the day.  Youth practiced using their life skills through utilizing basic math skill such as measuring, counting, tracking time, and reading comprehension.  Participants gained social skills by working together in groups and communicating steps and procedures. 

Not only did participants learn about healthy food and cooking habits, but they also gained a sense of accomplishment and an increase of self-confidence.  By completing an oral survey 96% of the participants tried foods they were once scared to try (example: mango, cilantro, and sprouts).65% of the kids fixed the recipe at home (example: mango salsa, veggie wrap, and Hawaiian mini pizza).  75% of the participants felt they learned some basics of nutrition such as portion size and healthy options.  Many participants increased their kitchen vocabulary and reading skills.  

Jefferson County 4-H is planning another program with Sowing Seeds of Faith for the summer of 2018 focusing on the science that happens in the kitchen. 

Thomas, H. M., & Irwin, J. D. (2011). Cook It Up! A community-based cooking program for at-risk youth: overview of a food literacy intervention. BMC Research Notes, 4(1), 495. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-495