Zamiya Marrow dices red bell peppers for a crispy taquitos recipe during an International Culinary Cuisine camp, part of Cooperative Extension’s “Kids in the Kitchen program”.
Ten-year-old Zamiya Marrow dreams of becoming a master chef. A summer program through Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T has played an important role in her culinary education.
“I really like to cook and try new foods and spices,” said the fifth-grader who lives in Henderson. “In my last class, I tried an Indian dish.”
Zamiya participates in Kids in the Kitchen, a program offered through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and the 4-H program in Vance County. Virtual and in-person classes offered duringthe past three summers have given children a chance to do cooking demonstrations and gain an introduction to international cuisines and cultures.
The program targets children in grades 3-8 and encourages families to cook and eat healthy meals together at home. The 2021 program taught children and their families the basics of Italian cooking. In 2022 participants learned about cuisine from all over the world. Participants receive all the ingredients for a healthy recipe once a week. They also are encouraged to cook together with family members during monthly sessions offered virtually and in person.
“It’s something we get to do together and something to look forward to,” said LaQuinta Daniels, Zamiya’s mother. “It motivates a healthy lifestyle. Now my kids know they have healthy options. They can make things that taste good but are better for them.”
Parker Greene, 13, another Henderson resident, said he enrolled in the 2021 camp because he thought it would be fun to learn some new recipes and improve his culinary skills. He enjoyed the experience so much that he also took part in 2022.
“I wasn’t very good with knife skills or cooking vegetables without burning them,” Parker said. “Now, I cook almost every day, and I’m using the knowledge I learned to get better at it.”
While Parker and Zamiya both have their eyes on becoming professional chefs, Kids in the Kitchen has a larger purpose. Nitasha Kearney, EFNEP educator in Vance and Warren counties, said both counties have high rates of obesity. Coupled with poor eating habits, obesity can lead to chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
“Teaching youth to prepare healthy meals will help them become healthier and decrease their chances of developing chronic diseases as they grow into adulthood,” Kearney said.
During the 2022 classes, participants learned recipes from Mexico, Australia, Kenya, Japan, Thailand and Ethiopia. They took part in the Camp, Cook, Play curriculum, which teaches nutrition fundamentals. They learned about the importance of handwashing. And they did activities popular in other cultures — such as building a djembe, learning salsa dancing, eating with chop sticks and sculpting traditional Tanzanian art.
Zamiya said she enjoyed trying Indian food and making chicken fajitas. She also has been exposed to a variety of spices, including turmeric, lemon pepper, garlic powder and — her favorite — Old Bay Seasoning.
“It helped me with knife skills and measurements,” she said. “And I learned how to safely use the stove.”
Timothy Bowden uses a cookie cutter to cut Himbasha bread, an Ethiopian flatbread made during the holiday season. The activity was part of “Kids in the Kitchen,” held at the Aycock Recreational Complex in Henderson, NC.
Zamiya’s stove safety tips: Always pay attention when burners are lit, never leave a plastic spatula in a pan, and don't let towels, rags or plastic touch a hot stove.
“It makes her feel accomplished and it makes me feel confident,” Daniels said. “Some of the kids her age can hardly use a microwave. This is setting the stage for having a healthy lifestyle when she is an adult.”
Nikeena Boyd-Kearsey, a Warren County resident who participated in 2021 program with her daughter, Camryn, said she was grateful to have access to the camp in a rural area that has been hit hard by COVID-19 and lacks summer activities and educational opportunities for youth.
“It brought some excitement to our summer,” she said. “It was a time for us to come together and learn what Camryn could do. She was used to watching her older siblings doing things and this was a chance for her to share her skills. We tasted her ratatouille, and it was good!”
Parents have been overwhelmingly positive about the program because it teaches them to save money and improve their families’ health. For the children, the main attraction is the fun of cooking and creating in the kitchen.
“Everyone should do this because it’s really fun,” Zamiya said. “It’s not like you’re cooking and nobody pays attention to you. They ask questions and put you in the spotlight. It’s fun and you get to eat different things that are healthy.”
