On June 26th, the 4-H Cloverbud Cooking Camp kicked off! This camp is designed for children between the ages of 5 to 8. Its objective is to initiate kids into healthy cooking and eating habits and to develop their passion for cooking.

On the first day of camp, the campers were tasked with personalizing their chef hats and aprons during the daily arts and crafts session. The campers thoroughly enjoyed coloring and painting their chef gear.

Once we completed personalizing our gear, we proceeded to learn how to prepare lasagna and tossed salad. The campers were given instructions on cooking lasagna noodles in the microwave and educated on the nutritional benefits of ground turkey versus ground beef. Interestingly, the campers preferred ground turkey. They also made ranch and French dressings for their salads. Lastly, they were taught the proper technique for dicing and slicing ingredients for the tossed salad.

As the lasagna was cooking, the campers ventured outside and honed their jumping rope skills. It was impressive to see the level of expertise some of them had.

After the lasagna finished cooking, we returned indoors to savor the meal. During lunch, Billy Barrow, Director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Bertie County, joined us. The campers proudly displayed their chef's hats and aprons to him, and he expressed his enjoyment of their delicious food.