Kids in the Kitchen cooking class offered
Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Family and Consumer Sciences and will offer a four-day cooking and fitness program for Pulaski County youth, ages 7-13, to gain skills in the kitchen to lead healthier lives. The three day “nutrition, fitness and health” camp will be held July 10-12, 2018 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Pulaski.
Kids in the Kitchen is based on the program “Healthy Weights for Healthy Kids” and helps youth realize that an individual can be healthy at any size through maintaining positive attitudes and behaviors related to food, drink, physical activity, and body image. VCE health and nutrition programs use the USDA’s latest food guidance program m called MyPlate. MyPlate is designed to help youth and adults to make healthier food choices and focuses on fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups.
Eating balanced and healthy meals is encouraged throughout the program. The kids will use MyPlate as a reference during the planning and preparation of their snacks and lunch. The MyPlate message is: fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with protein. The kids will prepare a healthy morning snack and their own lunch each day. The kids will also prepare a fun and easy dessert with low-fat milk or water to drink.
Lessons will include direct instruction in the kitchen; hands-on activities; physical activities and games for participants to discover the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. Topics to be covered: eating according to MyPlate, selecting healthy snacks and drinks, using kitchen equipment and utensils, food safety, table setting and participating in physical activities and learning about lifestyle habits, which promote health. Cost is $20 per child to cover food expenses for these three days. Space is limited to 20 children, so pre-register by July 6, 2018 by contacting the Pulaski Extension Office at 540-980-7761 or Laura Reasor at lreasor@vt.edu.
By Sarah D. Burkett, Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) – Pulaski County