JERSEYVILLE, Ill. - This summer, University of Illinois Extension Unit 18 in cooperation with INEP Illinois Nutrition Education Program SNAP-ED hosted “Illinois Jr. Chef” cooking camp in Jerseyville. The camp was held July 15-19 at the Jerseyville Farm Credit. The free camp was open to children who are entering fifth grade. The camp offered kids the opportunity to make their own nutritious meals and get excited about healthy foods, such as whole grains and low fat dairy. The program also showed participants how to add more fruits and vegetables to their daily meals. Students not only learned how to prepare delicious and nutritious meals, but they also became aware of the importance of hand washing and good sanitation practices. Food and kitchen safety are good habits that will stick with them for years to come.

Illinois Jr. Chefs is a hands-on, interactive program that youth love. Participants received a certificate and a cookbook with recipes they had prepared and important educational handouts to take home to share with their families.

The camp was coordinated by Lizzy Conrady, Macoupin County Community Worker, SNAP-ED, with assistance from Meghan Wolff, Extra-Help and Breighann Dawdy, Extra-Help. The program was made possible through a partnership with University of Illinois Extension and INEP Illinois Nutrition Education Program.

University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact 618-498-2913. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs. Universidad de Illinois ofrece igualdad de oportunidades en programas y empleo. Si usted necesita un ajuste razonable para participar en este programa, por favor póngase en contacto con nuestra oficina.

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