Food & Nutrition

Healthy Living Project

Food and Nutrition projects are very popular in 4-H! Learn how to choose healthy foods, get a better understanding of what your body needs to stay healthy, and gain cooking skills. We also have projects that you can join as a Teen as Teacher - leading a cooking lesson with younger youth.

2 young boys holding large platter of tomatoes

Food & Nutrition Projects

The availability of projects varies by club and county. Please check with your club and county to see what is available and to let them know your interest in a project. If it's not already offered, there may be an adult volunteer willing to start a new project!

Project Sheets are a guide for Project Leaders to develop lessons with meaningful content. Families and youth may reference these as a guide for what can be covered in the project.

Baking

Learn about foods by partnering in the kitchen to plan and create baked goods. Explore the science, nutrition and history of baking while promoting healthy eating and resource management.

Baking project sheet (PDF)

Breadmaking

Learn the many methods and history of bread making. May include traditional practices or machine practices. May include commercial introduction.

Breadmaking project sheet (PDF)

Cooking

Partner with adults in the kitchen to plan and cook food. Explore the science, nutrition, and history of cooking while promoting healthy eating and resource management.

Cooking project sheet (PDF)

Food Preservation

Learn a variety of food preservation methods. Make delicious foods, explore fun facts about nutrition, produce, and the history of food preservation. Engage in real life applications of science and mathematics such as heat transfer, chemistry, and measuring.

Beginner Food Preservation project sheet (PDF)

Food & Nutrition

Learn how to shop for, prepare, and serve nutritious food safely, and how to maintain good health through a good diet. Food may be whatever the leader selects, with subcategories including but not limited to: Beginning, Dairy, International, Nutritional, and Preservation.

Food and Nutrition project sheet (PDF)

Junior Master Food Preserver

Extend your knowledge of the science and art of safe home food preservation and to extend this knowledge with others in your community.

Requirements:

Completed the Beginning Food Preservation Project.
Requires County Director and Advisor approval with participation of a Certified Master Food Preserver.

Junior Master Food Preserver project sheet (PDF)

Curriculum

The following 4-H curriculum support learning about nutrition, food preparation, and food safety. With a Teens as Teachers model, 4-H teens ages 14 and up are taught how to deliver the lessons to younger youth. It has been a big hit for both the teen teachers and the youth participants to cook together!

Approved by the USDA

The curriculum listed below is approved by the USDA for use with low-income individuals who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 4-H can partner with the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC or California EFNEP program in their county to deliver the curriculum.

Group of youth standing behind table of fruits & vegetables

4-H S.N.A.C. Club (Student Nutrition Advisory Council)

4-H SNAC (Student Nutrition Advisory Council) Clubs are student-led 4-H clubs that promote leadership skills focusing on healthy living, nutrition, physical activity, cooking, and public speaking.

USDA approved curriculum for use with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC and EFNEP.

Order from SHOP 4-H

Young boy holding cup of cut up vegetables

Grub Club (ages 5-9)

The Grub Club curriculum contains 6 hands-on lessons. Each lesson includes activities, a cooking demonstration, preparation of a recipe, mealtime with discussions, and clean-up.

The Grub Club was adapted from the Cooking Academy by CalFresh Healthy Living, UC in Yolo and Sacramento counties.

Lessons can be led by adults or 4-H teens ages 14 and up who are educated to be the "Teens as Teachers."
Simple recipes for younger ages to prepare and taste.
USDA approved curriculum for use with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC and EFNEP.

Grub Club Guide

Adults supervising youth cutting up vegetables

Youth learn basic cooking skills to prepare healthy recipes.

Cooking Academy (ages 9-12)

Cooking Academy inspires upper elementary school age “chefs” to engage actively with food. They learn basic culinary skills to prepare healthy recipes from start to finish with guided supervision. There are six 1-1/2 to 2 hour lessons.

Lessons can be led by adults or 4-H teens ages 14 and up who are educated to be the "Teens as Teachers."
Kitchens are not necessary! Electric skillets and griddles are used.
USDA approved curriculum for use with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC and EFNEP.

2025 Cooking Academy Leader Guide UPDATED (PDF, 647.2MB)

The updated guide contains recipes and parent consent forms in English & Spanish.