4-H Cooking Project
4-H THRIVE Help youth: Light Their Spark
A spark is something youth are passionate about; it really fires them up and gives them joy and energy. Help youth find how this project excites them. Flex Their Brain
In this project, youth learn about foods by partnering with adults in the kitchen to The brain grows stronger plan and cook food. Explore the science, nutrition and history of cooking while when we try new things and promoting healthy eating and resource management. master new skills. Encourage • Learn how to select, prepare and store cooked food items. youth effort and persistence to • Explore the many methods of cooking, which include roasting, stir frying, grilling, barbecuing, smoking, boiling, steaming, braising and microwaving. Reach Their Goals • Use USDA’s MyPlate to plan meals and make balanced food choices. Help youth use the GPS system to achieve their goals. Starting Out Learning More Exploring Depth Beginner Intermediate Advanced Goal Selection: Choose one meaningful, realistic and • Identify tools • Research how to cook • Create a personal file of demanding goal. commonly used in the and make recipes at least 25 cooked Pursue Strategies: Create a kitchen. vegetarian. recipes. step-by-step plan to make • Learn to read a recipe. • Use MyPlate to plan • Learn how to daily choices that support • Review basic kitchen and prepare a meal. determine the caloric your goal. hygiene including • Alter a recipe to make value of meals. Shift Gears: Change strategies washing hands and it more healthy. • Explore careers in the if you’re having difficulties tying up hair. • Identify cuts of meat cooking industry (e.g., reaching your goal. Seek • Measure ingredients and how to prepare visit a butcher or chef). using a variety of them. • Identify key nutrients Reflect methods.. • Conduct a food sensory and their health Ask project members how they • Learn how to be safe in experiment, such as benefits. can use their passion for this the kitchen, including tasting and comparing • Know different project to be more confident, using heat and olive oil. methods of cooking competent and caring. Discuss handling sharp objects. • Demonstrate how to (listed above) and when ways they can use their skills
The activities above are ideas to inspire further project development. This is not a complete list. to make a contribution in the community, improve their Expand Your Experiences! Healthy Living
• Learn how to read nutrition labels. Use this information to select the most healthy options. Resources • Visit several grocery stores and compare the cost of similar foods. • Book: Kids Cook! Fabulous Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Food for the Whole Family by Sarah and Zackary Wil- • Research differences between proteins in plant and animal-based foods. Plan a liamson vegetarian diet that includes all the essential amino acids. • Kids . . . Get Cooking • Develop a snack product as if you were a food scientist developing a new food. www.obesityparentalpower.c om/ Citizenship KidsGetCookinPowerPlayRec- ipes.pdf • Develop an understanding and appreciation for a variety of cultures by learning to • Kids A Cookin’ cook traditional foods from different countries. www.kidsacookin.org • Volunteer to cook a meal at a community food kitchen or low income housing • MyPlate www.myplate.gov Leadership • Eating Well www.eatingwell.com • Plan and cater a countywide 4-H event or fundraiser. • Rachael Ray Yum-O Founda- • Organize an “Iron Chef” competition featuring activities, cooking lessons and ex- tion hibits. www.yum-o.org • Movie: Food, Inc. Magnolia Pictures Connections & Events Curriculum 4-H Record Book • Movie: Ratatouille Disney Presentation Days – Share • Healthalicious Cooking 4-H Record Books give • Multicultural Cooking Net- what you’ve learned with anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/ members an opportunity to work others through a presenta- Items/8450.aspx record events and reflect on multiculturalcookingnet- tion. • Fantastic Foods their experiences. For each work.com www.4-hmall.org/ project, members document • CHEFS Catalog Field Days – At these Category/4-hcurriculum- their experiences, learning events, 4-H members may foods.aspx and development. participate in a variety of • Fast Foods contests related to their 4hcurriculum.unl.edu/ 4-H Record Books also project area. catalog/healthy/ teach members record man- fastfoods.html agement skills and encour- Contact your county 4-H • Cooking Matters age them to set goals and office to determine addi- ccetompkins.org/ develop a plan to meet tional opportunities availa- nutrition/cooking- those goals. ble, such as a field day.
UC ANR 4-H Youth Development Program (2016) • http://4h.ucanr.edu Author: S. Dennis