This spring and summer, the Purdue Extension Montgomery County office offered the first Garden to Grill SPARK club for youth in grades 3-12. The goal of this program was to teach youth about the daily care and maintenance that a garden requires to be productive and healthy. Furthermore, youth learned how to cook many of the vegetables grown on the grill as a healthy dinner or snack option. So what is a SPARK club? A SPARK club is a 4-H club that is subject-specific and is designed to SPARK interest in various fields. Youth do not have to be 4-H members to register to participate in a SPARK Club, but will become 4-H members with their payment of the $15.00 State program fee

This six-week program introduced youth to a variety of topics such as plant biology, human nutrition, pest management, food safety, culinary skills, and STEM! Each week youth were responsible for pulling weeds, watering if needed, harvesting ripe vegetables, and preparing their own snack for the day.

After being actively involved in Garden to Grill, 100% of youth reported that they would consume more healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, and nuts and seeds. Furthermore, 87.5% of youth reported that they will follow healthy eating patterns such as: eating breakfast, eating as a family, making healthy snack choices, etc. 100% of the youth also reported that they will consume less unhealthy foods such as: sodium, solid fats, added sugars, and refined grains.

Not only were youth engaged in a hands-on, exciting, and educational program; but they also gained life skills that will help them make healthier choices in the future. The Garden to Grill program also helps youth discover their passion for gardening and/or cooking. This could potentially lead to future careers in these areas or develop a new hobby.

The Purdue Extension Montgomery County office looks forward to holding this program again in the future. If you would like to read more about Garden to Grill and to see pictures from our last session, please visit https://purdueag.exposure.co/from-the-garden-to-the-grill-in-montgomery-county. If you have any questions please contact the Montgomery County Extension office at (765)364-6363.

Abby Sweet is the Montgomery County Extension Education, 4-H Youth Development Educator. The office is at 400 Parke Ave., Crawfordsville. She may be reached by email at asweet@purdue.edu or call 765-364-6363.

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Garden to Grill program teaches youth skills to last a lifetime - Journal Review