After the school day ends, Eagle Ridge Middle School students in Scott County roll up their sleeves and put on their aprons for the six-week Cooking Matters for Teens program.
Guided by University of Minnesota SNAP-Ed* and EFNEP** health and wellness coordinators, school mentors and teachers, teens dive into their two-hour weekly sessions.
Cooking Matters for Teens prioritizes youth in schools across Minnesota with significant numbers of families with limited income. Students learn to read food labels and recipes, practice food safety, plan menus, shop on a budget, and prepare tasty and nutritious meals.
Before the group can graduate from the class, they put their knowledge into action with an “extreme makeover” cook-off challenge. Divided into teams, students have 45 minutes to prepare a three-course meal for a panel of guest judges. As they chop, sauté and season, students reimagine some of their favorite meals with healthy alternatives.
With recipes ranging from shrimp alfredo to lemon-ginger chicken and mushroom enchiladas, students present their meals to the judges to be evaluated on the categories of creativity, presentation, technique, nutritional value and taste.
Awarded with kitchen supplies and recipes so that they can apply what they learned at home, students depart with knowledge, skills and a newfound joy for cooking up health and wellbeing.
-*Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education
** Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
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