The 4-H Cooking project goes beyond just navigating a kitchen, teaching youth about nutrition, food science, food safety, and STEM skills. It encourages creativity and problem solving while also teaching youth to make a nutritious, delicious meal!
Objectives
Youth will:
- Learn the basics of cooking, including learning how to use basic kitchen tools and knife safety
- Understand how to assemble a meal
- Discover the STEM skills applicable to cooking
- Make a meal on their own or with an adult helper
4-H Cooking Curriculum
Available from the Extension office or online.
Among other topics, youth learn how to use MyPlate, avoid spreading germs while cooking, measure and mix ingredients, test baked goods for doneness, brown meat, and set the table for a family meal.
The curriculum comes as loose-leaf paper to make it easier for youth to pull out recipes. Purchase a binder to store the manual!
Make sure your cooking area is ready with this checklist (PDF)of recommended items.
Topics include understanding and preventing foodborne illnesses, thawing frozen foods, proper knife techniques, how to read Nutrition Facts labels, and how to make soups, rice, pasta, and other foods.
The curriculum comes as loose-leaf paper to make it easier for youth to pull out recipes. Purchase a binder to store the manual!
See Cooking 101 for a checklist of recommended items needed for the Cooking series. The list contains the basics that will be used for Cooking 101, and it’s a great starting point for the items needed in the other levels. Start with this list and then add the specialty items you need depending on the topic, such as cake pans, candy thermometers, electric grills, etc.
Youth practice making bread, grilling meats, vegetables, and fruit, and making butter. Youth learn about yeast, gluten, and different types of fats.
The curriculum comes as loose-leaf paper to make it easier for youth to pull out recipes. Purchase a binder to store the manual!
Youth learn about herbs and spices and how to make ethnic foods. Youth also practice making cakes, candy, pastries, and pies.
The curriculum comes as loose-leaf paper to make it easier for youth to pull out recipes. Purchase a binder to store the manual!
The Helper’s Guide provides best practices for a 4-H cooking club, learning objectives for cooking projects, and additional activities.
iCook: Cooking, Eating, & Playing Together Digital Download
iCook 4-H is a program about cooking, eating and playing together for 9-10 year old youth and the adult who prepares their meals. It is designed for out-of-school settings with the goal of promoting healthful lifestyles.
Are you ready to do fun experiments, prepare flavor-filled recipes, and go on fact-finding missions? That’s what “Fantastic Foods” is all about. You’ll have fun learning about different food ingredients, food characteristics, and food safety issues.
Your project manual is divided into six “bites”: Once You Swallow, Money Talks, Play It Safe, Kitchen Magic, Eat It Later, and Imagine That. In addition to the activities in the manual, there are exciting recipes and interesting food facts on the website. Check out www.youthlearningnet.org and click on the computer that has the word “Fantastic Foods” on its screen. There is also a list of ideas that you can use as an exhibit at your county or state fair.
Washington 4-H Records, Forms, and Guides
For youth members
A publication with illustrations all about the etiquette for informal and formal dinners.
Publication on: preparing dishes to wash, how to wash, rinse, and finish plus cleanup jobs after washing the dishes.
PNW250 – You Can Prevent Foodborne Illness
For adult helpers and club leaders
- C1098E – 4-H Food Activity Scoresheet
- C1097E – 4-H Food Activity Scoresheet Evaluation Criteria
- State Foods & Nutrition Project Resources
Helpful Resources
Activity Ideas
Coming soon!
Washington Specific Reference Material
EM4939E – Cooking Fresh Vegetables
We have all heard that we should eat more vegetables. This publication provides simple, yet tasty recipes that will help us do exactly that.
Rice is an inexpensive kitchen staple that can be dressed up in a variety of ways and be the basis for a simple, well-rounded meal.
MISC0513 – Now You’re Cooking – Using a Food Thermometer
Using a food thermometer can improve the quality and safety of meat. This brochure describes the why and how of using a food thermometer when cooking small cuts of meat.
PNW735 – Slow Cooking from Start to Finish
A slow cooker produces a variety of delicious and healthy dishes that saves time, energy, and money. Learn about this versatile kitchen appliance—how to operate it; selecting one that suits your needs; cooking safely with it; how to clean it; helpful tips, like handling leftovers; plus eight yummy recipes to get you started. Its slow but steady approach will soon fill your house with the irresistible aroma of a home-cooked meal.
Other Reference Material
From 4-H Programs
Team Cuisine – University of Minnesota Extension
Team Cuisine is a series of seven lessons demonstrating how youth can create nutritious meals while building and identifying cultural awareness and differences among recipes.
This series can be used with youth in grades K-13 in a 4-H club, after-school setting, day camp, at home or family events. Use the whole series, or individual lessons can stand alone for single-session programming.
From Higher Education Institutions
Food Hero – Oregon State University
Food Hero includes healthy recipes, gardening tips, and other information to help people connect with food in a healthy way. Materials are available in English and Spanish.
From Related Organizations, Journals, and Professionals
Indiana 4-H Cooking CurrculumOhio 4-H Cooking Project Guides