Foods Lab: Dairy Senior Project Guide

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Georgia 4-H Project Achievement empowers young people with skills for a lifetime. Through a competitive process, students explore their interests, unleash their creativity, share their work, and celebrate their achievements! This guide provides 9th – 12th graders with examples for getting started with their project exploration.

Overview of Project Achievement Process

1) Choose project
2) Develop skills in leadership and service
3) Prepare portfolio for work completed from January 1 – December 31
4) Prepare presentation
5) Practice
6) Compete
7) Reflect

Description of Foods Lab: Dairy Project

4-H’ers may explore areas of foods and nutrition including food planning and preparation with an emphasis on dairy foods. Through this project 4-H’ers may:
• utilize MyPlate.gov to plan, select, and purchase appropriate foods for meals and snacks for good health and nutrition
• acquire skills in food preparation techniques including measuring, chopping, and mixing
• acquire skills in menu preparation, meal planning, purchasing, preparing, serving, and table setting
• develop an understanding of safe food handling and preparation techniques
• acquire an understanding of the role milk and other dairy foods play in providing nutrients for health and growth
• determine appropriate dairy foods, based on nutritional content, and the amount of milk or other dairy foods required by MyPlate to meet calcium and protein needs in different people and age groups
• investigate the balance of appropriate foods, according to nutrient, fat, and calorie content, and daily exercise
• explore career opportunities related to foods and nutrition

Examples of Project Development Experiences

• Experiment and prepare a variety of nutritious dishes using various cooking techniques
• Organize and conduct a local cook-off of dairy foods recipes
• Compete in Georgia 4-H Food Showcase and fair contest
• Attend Hospitality Career Academy at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia
• Try out for cooking shows such as Teen Chopped or Kids’ Baking Championship, etc.
• Shadow a professional chef or take a tour of a culinary arts school
• Become a Georgia 4-H Healthy Living Ambassador

Project Sharing and Helping Examples

• Conduct a food demonstration at a local store, a civic organization, or a nursing home
• Conduct a workshop on healthy cooking for teens, younger kids, civic groups, afterschool programs, nursing home residents, club members, and school classes
• Write an article for your local newspaper about the importance of nutritional foods and feature your recipe
• Work with Extension Agent on MilkMake and/or Peanutrition activity for younger 4-H’ers
• Organize a cooking school for younger 4-H’ers
• Collect and test recipes for a club cookbook. Host a tasting party
• Organize and conduct a local cook-off of foods recipes
• Lead your County 4-H Food Challenge Team
• Work with your Extension Agent to host your county 4-H Pantry Pride contest and assist 4-H’ers in developing recipes
• Lead a healthy foods project club for younger youth
• Mentor a 4th—6th grade 4-H’er in the their foods lab project

Special Considerations

• Prior to the competition visit the Georgia 4-H Project Achievement Foods Labs page and view the General Guidelines, Food Safety, Nutrition, and Dairy Foods training modules, as well as specific guidelines for preparing your dish. The webpage can be found at: georgia4h.org/programs/focus-areas/healthy-living/foods-and-nutrition/
• Provide all food, supplies, and equipment needed for the demonstration and display your recipe and menu for the judges. You may provide additional recipe copies for judges.
• In order to qualify, your dairy dish must contain a specified amount of real dairy products. See the Dairy Foods training module for more information on calculating dairy content in a dish.
• Use safe food handling techniques when preparing food.
• Answer judges’ questions about the dish and menu.

Recommended Resources

• Georgia4h.org/ProjectAchievement
• georgia4h.org/programs/focus-areas/healthy-living/foods-and-nutrition/
• fcs.uga.edu/extension/food
• myplate.gov/
• foodsafety.gov
• fda.gov
• thedairyalliance.com/meet-our-dairy-farmers/
• cdc.gov/food-safety/
• usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/whats-cooking-usda-foods

At Competition

Foods Lab: Dairy 4-H projects prepare and display one dairy dish in the time
allotted. Youth must provide their own equipment, ingredients, preparation, set
up, and display. Youth should measure and chop ingredients on site and demonstrate laboratory safety. See more at: georgia4h.org/programs/focus-areas/healthy-living/foods-and-nutrition/

Prepared by: Cheryl Varnadoe, Keri Hobbs, and Gabrielle Buono
Reviewed by: Lee Anna Deal and Jason Estep