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 through cooking. In order to address the growing concern about children not knowing how to prepare food safely led to the Henderson County 4-H program offering a two-day cooking camp involving UK Snap-Education resources, 4-H Curriculum, and a UK Poultry Specialist. This program taught students how to make healthy recipes that they can take home and share with their families safely.  During the camp youth learned how to handle, debone, and cute chicken thighs; make ground turkey burger; individual yogurt popsicles; individual fruit crisps; salsa; and chicken quesadillas. 

Fourteen youth aged 9-14 participated in the day camp. No previous cooking experience was required for the program. Participants learned to master a variety of cooking technique; how to use a knife correctly; and the importance of washing your food and hands before starting any recipe. With each of the recipes used in the class children practiced hand washing and how to hold a knife correctly. They also practiced proper cutting procedures by holding the knife firmly and always cutting away from the body. Youth also discovered foods that are good fuel for their bodies and learned to read food labels and identify if foods were safe to eat. Youth also learned the different parts of a chicken and how to debone a chicken thigh. They also learned the definition of lean protein. They learned from the 4-H Manners curriculum and an emphasis on physical activity was also taught. At the end of the day camp, participants played a nutrition jeopardy where they learned more about nutrients, physical activity, and how nutrients impact the body. As a result of the cooking camp youth were more confident in cooking at home with or for their families; ate more fruits and vegetables while at the day camp; learned how to safely handle raw chicken; learned the safe temperature to cook poultry and turkey; learned how to safely use a knife and cutting board (many youth had never chopped an onion before the day camp); learned more about safe hand washing and the handling of food; and learned how to follow a recipe. 

All youth took home a recipe book and couldn’t wait to share their salsa with their families and make yogurt fruit popsicles with them!