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During the summer 2019, thirteen campers between the ages of 9 – 12 years old arrived at the NORD Gernon Brown Recreation Center in New Orleans to participate in LSU AgCenter’s Cooking Healthy and Enjoyable Foods camp, or better known as CHEF camp. During the five-day camp, campers learned about topics related to a healthy lifestyle such as different MyPlate food groups, cooking terminology, proper food and kitchen safety, and the importance of physical activity. This camp is provided in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD).
During the second half of each day, campers were able to get hands-on experiences making simple, easy to follow recipes that incorporated ingredients from the MyPlate food groups they learned about earlier in the day.The recipes used minimal ingredients and kitchen equipment, making it more manageable for the campers to cook at home by following their copy of each recipe.
Throughout the week, campers had opportunities to become more creative with their cooking and exercise their decision-making skills.For instance, during the “bread in a bag” cooking lesson, each group was able to decide how they wanted to shape their bread, either in four-leaf clover dinner rolls or in a loaf. When preparing the “kitchen pizza” recipe, they had the choice of round or rectangle pan. They also decided on what ingredients to put on their pizza. During the “chicken strip” cooking lesson, campers had their choice of no salt seasonings they could add to their crumb mixture that included onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, and basil. While some campers were skeptical of how some of the recipes would taste, once they tried the finished product, they would admit they enjoyed it and were excited to make it for their families.
It's that time of year again! If you live in Orleans parish, you can register your 9 - 12 year old for NOLA CHEF camp 2020. For more information contact Bertina McGhee by calling the office at 504-658-2900. Your child is guaranteed to have lots of fun!
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture
