Iowa State University Extension

Problem:
Young people today lack cooking skills. In Linn County , many food items that are listed on EFNEP 24 hour food recalls are convenience and fast food items. Youth that participate in EFNEP youth programs lack basic cooking skills but are often responsible for some of their meals.

Response:
In EFNEP afterschool programs we have added a cooking component. In the Taylor Elementary afterschool program, the EFNEP assistant is using the vegetables that the Taylor students grew in their garden in her class. Two recipes that she made with the children were special favorites. They are Cowboy Caviar and Fresh Salsa. Both are quick, easy, nutritious and inexpensive snacks that the children can now make at home. Another afterschool site i s Foundation 2. Two young men in the group are getting ready to go into Independent Living. They told the EFNEP youth assistant that they were going to use her EFNEP recipes. They asked if they had a cooking problem could they call her. The Foundation 2 staff said that they had tried to get the participants to eat summer squash but the participants wouldn't eat it until it was used in the EFNEP recipes that they prepared themselves. In the Linn County EFNEP school enrichment program, the assistant makes Orange Smoothies and Muffins in a Pan with the students.

Students in 4th grade at Wilson Elementary looked forward to make Muffins in a Pan. They didn't want to miss school that day. The cooks were very supportive of the program and baked the Muffins in a Pan for the students. By the time the muffins were finished the secretaries had copied the recipe and had it in all the teachers' mailboxes. It was a hit with the whole school. At Heart of Iowa, the group and I were preparing a recipe that called for a chopped onion and a chopped green pepper. One participant volunteered to cut up the green pepper. After washing her hands, she looked at the pepper. I heard her ask her neighbor, how to do it. She had never cut up a green pepper before. I reviewed with the group how to cup up a pepper and onion.

Impact:
The youth that are participating in EFNEP afterschool and school enrichment programs are learning basic food safety skills and simple food preparation techniques. Rarely is there any food left after a food preparation exercise. Young adults participating in other extension programs are learning similar skills. There was a young mother who attended a Nutrition/Cooking class at the Wayhome Apartments, who helped make the Taco Rise Casserole. When it came time to taste it, she was proudly eating some of the recipe and sharing it with her toddler. All of a sudden, she stopped, with the spoon in mid-air and said, “What am I doing? I don't like rice.” But, she continued to eat. I asked her if she would make the recipe in her home and she said yes.

Contact:
Susan Uthoff
Linn County Extension
3279 7th Ave, Ste 140
Marion, IA 52302
319-377-9839
x1uthoff@iastate.edu