Penn State Extension’s Mini and Me stirs up cooking, nutrition fun
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MIFFLINTOWN -- The Penn State Extensions in Mifflin and Juniata counties are looking to stir up some fun for parents and children.
A five-session Mini and Me Cooking and Nutrition course began Thursday evening, and continues weekly.
The series focuses on educating families on MyPlate, food safety and hygiene, eating on a budget, and the importance of fruits and veggies. Each session will include a lesson, a hands-on activity with the kids, and a recipe for parents to make with their children.
Mini and Me Cooking and Nutrition began last year and was formerly known as Mommy and Me Cooking and Nutrition.
"Knowing changes in society, we wanted to make this more inclusive," said Clarissa Beaver, the Mifflin/Juniata Penn State Extension's nutrition education adviser.
The program evolved from Beaver's job of educating local families about the importance of healthy eating habits. "Last year it was a hit," Beaver said. "The parents and kids all loved it."
The main goal of Mini and Me Cooking is to educate parents on how to make good decisions when feeding their families. It also helps by sharing ideas of simple, healthy recipes to make at home, and teaching parents the skills needed to create these dishes.
This course is free to those who attend.
The lessons are sponsored by a USDA Government grant, and the Department of Agriculture. The course also serves as a research project. The families take a survey at the beginning and end of the course to demonstrate how effective it was in helping to adjust their lifestyle.
The first session is offered to families in Mifflin County and will last six weeks. Beaver wanted to be able to include Juniata County families in these sessions because the area faces the same economic struggles as Mifflin County does, and she wanted to reach as many families as possible.
The next set of sessions will be held in Mifflin County, for Mifflin County families. The course will begin on July 12 and end on Aug. 9.
For more information or to sign up, email clb6063@psu.edu.