This post was sponsored by the National 4-H Council as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Before the days of parenting three little people consumed me, I was a food science teacher. I taught middle and high schoolers the importance of following a recipe properly, healthy meal choices, and eating on a budget, just to name a few. I enjoyed the lessons I brought to the table because I felt that my class taught them something math and science couldn’t – life skills. I’d like to think that as my students entered their early adult years, they were equipped with basic knowledge of how to take care of themselves.
I wondered if they would be the ones to teach their college roommates how to create healthy meals on a budget- like omelets or chicken and veggie fajitas. When parents would visit with me on open school night they would express how their child would come home excited, with a new skill to show off or a recipe to try with the family. Being that nearly 16 million children live in food-insecure households, this information touched me. Perhaps I can equip my students with the tools their entire family needs, by using the 4-H method of teens as teachers in a household.
So far, more than 4oo youth trained to be Teens as Teachers. With the tools they acquire through the program, they are able to mentor younger children as well as aid their parents to budget wisely and cook smarter. Not only are they educating others, but the teens themselves obtain sustainable habits for their own future. Through the 4-H Food Smart program, young adults are equipped with better eating habits-89% encourage family meals in their home and 86% will choose fruit for a snack over unhealthy options. There are so many more benefits of the 4-H program, which you can view on their website.
The 4-H program isn’t new. Since 2011 United Health Care have partnered to bring healthy living programs to over 340,000 families. These families are taught how to budget, shop, and prepare healthy meals, thus creating a more food-secure household. To find out more about the program and see how you can help, check out 4-H on their social media pages-
- 4-H on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4-h
- 4-H on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4H
- 4-H on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/national4h/
- 4-H on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/national4H