Area young people attend cooking school

The University of Illinois Extension Center in Anna sponsored a youth cooking program earlier this summer.

The program was offered at no charge and allowed for fun and learning with friends.

The program centered on teaching Union County children the importance of home cooking in a society that is dominated by fast food and microwave dinners.

Each day, the youth prepared a healthy and delicious meal. They enjoyed their hard work when it was time for lunch.

Participants learned about various food preparation and nutrition labels. Through the week, they discovered how to prevent contamination and illness due to improper food usage.

As an added bonus, McDonald’s donated several goody bags for those who attended. The gifts included a water bottle, crayons, food certificates, small toys and more.

Esther Waddy was coordinator of the cooking school.

This is her first year to run the program in Union County, but Waddy isn’t new to the idea. She volunteered at another cooking school, and attended many cooking programs as a child.

Waddy hopes to continue the program next summer and would like to see more children attend the cooking school.

For more information on the cooking program, contact Esther Waddy at 833-6363.