The University of Illinois Extension host an “Illinois Jr. Chef” cooking camp in Taylorville in late June. The Extension partnered SNAP-ED to host the free camp for kids ages 8 to 12 years old. The camp, which was hosted by the First Presbyterian Church in Taylorville, offered kids the opportunity to make their own nutritious meals and get excited about healthy foods.

In addition to meal preparation, the camp taught students the importance of hand washing and good sanitation practices to also help improve their lives long-term. Participants receive a certificate and cookbook with recipes they had prepared along with educational handouts to take home and share with their families.