MANHATTAN, Kan. – “Hold the fat, please …”

A new camp concept is targeting middle school students, who, according to nutrition educators at Kansas State University, are at the age when they are beginning to make their own choices about food, nutrition and health.

Imagine, for example, teaching a sixth grader how to read and evaluate nutrition labels on food products, and then watching he or she begin choosing lower-fat versions of familiar foods.

Such is the case for middle school youth (from Shawnee County, Kan.), participating in a first-time 4-H Food Science Camp, said Sarah Laib, Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development agent in the county.

“Just when you begin to think they haven't been listening, they speak up," said Laib, who accompanied campers on a grocery shopping trip for ingredients to make a pizza.

While watching campers read the nutrition facts labels before choosing the cheese, one male camper warned companions: "We can't buy this. It's got too much fat in it.”

His comment was enough to encourage co-campers to help look for -- and choose -- a lower-fat cheese as a healthier ingredient for making pizza for their lunch, she said.

Laib and June Martin, Extension youth nutrition educator in Shawnee County, brought 13 middle school youth and three high school age youth, who are training to serve as mentors for upcoming nutrition education classes in the Topeka, Kan., school system, to the two-day food science camp.

"The nutrition education effort was funded by a Cargill 4-H Science Grant from National 4-H Council with additional support from USDA's Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Strengthening Communities Project," said Carol Fink, who was a Kansas 4-H youth development specialist at the time she wrote the grants to fund the camp concept.

Thirty-five middle school students from McPherson, Shawnee and Wyandotte Counties attended the camp session, Fink said.

The food science camp was planned and managed by Kansas 4-H, but the youth attending were identified through school and community groups, and many had no previous experience with educational 4-H programs, Fink said.

Camp sessions focused on food, food safety and science along with the practical aspects in choosing and using food, everyday nutrition and health, Fink said.

Introductory sessions conducted by Fadi Aramouni, professor of food systems in the Department of Animal Science and Industry in K-State's College of Agriculture, explained basic food safety concepts, including adequate hand washing.

"Hand washing is a simple and effective step in reducing the transfer of disease-causing bacteria, spread of illness, and cross contamination of foods," said Aramouni, who emphasized the importance of hand-washing before and after handling raw or cooked foods and before and after eating.

The amicable professor followed the hand-washing exercise with a short lesson on grains, their role in diet and health and bread making. And, after explaining how varying combinations of ingredients dictate choosing leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda and yeast, for example), Aramouni divided students into groups and invited them to choose a recipe and try their hand in preparing it in the mini-kitchens used by nutrition students in Justin Hall on K-State's Manhattan campus.

"Different bread recipes challenged campers to read and interpret the recipe, do the math needed to measure ingredients and follow directions exactly," said Fink, who noted that numbering off into groups also allowed the diverse group of students attending the camp to get acquainted with others from urban and rural areas with varying knowledge about food and food safety.

Prior knowledge of food, food safety and preparation for students attending the camp ranged from near zero to baking a German chocolate cake, which one young camper has learned to prepare with her Dad, who likes to bake special occasion-foods. 

In addition to bread making and baking, students also were invited to prepare chicken fingers and a salad, which then became part of their supper, Fink said. The kitchen experience was first for many, and results, which varied, were both edible and educational.

Campers were treated to evening activities to get further acquainted at K-State's Recreational Center along with lessons on how and why physical activity is needed to balance calorie intake and maintain overall health, Fink said.

On the second day of the camp, youth came together again in the educational center at HyVee, a large supermarket in Manhattan, for sessions with Aramouni and Karen Blakeslee, K-State Research and Extension food scientist, who focused on nutritional elements in favorite foods, portion control (so as not to add extra calories and pounds unnecessarily) and food shopping tips.

Blakeslee's presentation included a sugar and fat display, with tubes containing the sugar and fat in familiar snack and meal choices, before leading a discussion about reading and interpreting nutrition facts labels on food products.

"Reading labels is helpful in choosing lower-fat ingredients when preparing meals and snacks," said Blakeslee, who offered tips for reducing the calories and fat in pizza before providing a recipe and inviting the cooking groups to choose ingredients for preparing their pizza for lunch.

"If we can teach kids to be aware of what they are eating and how the ingredients in the foods they choose impact their health, we can help them begin to improve their health, manage their weight and prevent disease now and in the future," said Gary Gerhard, K-State Research and Extension professor of youth development and grant collaborator and evaluator.

In looking at the campers' evaluations, Gerhard noted an enthusiastic willingness to try new foods and new experiences.

Many had little, if any, kitchen experience, but enjoyed the food labs and were impressed with the realization they could follow directions and produce an edible product, Gerhard said.

"Campers also were anxious to copy recipes to take them home and share them with their parents," he said.

For visual images and a narrative to illustrate the food science camp concept, go to www.ksre.ksu.edu/news, click on Audio slide Shows, then "Food Science Camp."

The food science camp is the first in a series and the plan is to offer it annually and/or as long as funding is available. For more information, contact Gary Gerhard at 785-532-5800.

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