LSU AgCenter nutrition agent Amy Juneau (right) helps youngsters prepare vegetarian tortilla roll-ups at a meeting of Operation Cook, a healthy lifestyle club aimed at reducing or preventing childhood obesity. (Photo by Tobie Blanchard. Click on photo for downloadable image.)

Jhalon Thomas (right), a 4-H junior leader, helps Joseph Duhon measure ingredients for no-bake oatmeal cookies. (Photo by Tobie Blanchard. Click on photo for downloadable image.)

News Release Distributed 09/28/10

FRANKLIN, La. – Twenty youngsters gathered at the St. Mary Parish courthouse to cook, learn and play. These nine- to 12-year-olds will meet monthly as part of the LSU AgCenter’s Operation Cook program.

The nutrition-based healthy lifestyle club is designed to help youth make healthy food choices, gain confidence in the kitchen and take part in physical activities, according to Amy Juneau, LSU AgCenter nutrition agent.

“We hope to show kids they can help their parents in the kitchen or they can cook healthy meals or snacks for themselves,” Juneau said.

Operation Cook also is one of seven LSU AgCenter programs to receive Louisiana 4-H Foundation Healthy Living grants.

“A private donor who is concerned about childhood obesity provided the funding for these grants,” said Eric Eskew, 4-H Foundation executive director. “He wants to make an impact on youth in Louisiana and is doing so through contributions to the Louisiana 4-H Foundation.”

Other programs receiving grants include Tune Into Food & Fitness in Rapides Parish, Vermilion Parish Food and Nutrition Project Club, Vernon Parish’s Backpack program, Washington on the Move, the West Carroll 4-H Food and Fitness Project Club and Winn Fit Bodies, Inc.

Programs chosen for the grants had to have long-term goals, demonstrate the ability to show outcomes and involve youth volunteers to implement parts of the program.

For Operation COOK, 4-H Junior Leaders will give food safety presentations and demonstrations and help participants prepare and cook food.

“Youth respond to other youth,” said Lanette Hebert, LSU AgCenter 4-H regional coordinator. “This also is a leadership opportunity for them.”

For the first Operation Cook meeting, participants learned about knife safety and saw how germs are spread using a black light.

“They put lotion on their hands, and they shook our hands,” explained participant Maddie Osburn. “We got to see under the light how germs are spread.”

The youth also cooked vegetarian tortilla roll-ups and no-bake oatmeal cookies, and then participated in a game of balloon wars – tying balloons around their ankles and trying to pop each others’ balloons.

“It’s just to get their heart rate up. It’s not about winning,” Juneau said. “We want to show that little things can contribute to the physical activity they need throughout the day.”

Future gatherings won’t be confined to a meeting room at the courthouse. Juneau said the group will tour a culinary school and local restaurants to learn about professions in the food industry.

Tobie Blanchard