Christopher Lovell works to chop up ingredients during a cooking class that featured egg muffins on the menu in the 4-H Culinary Lab at the Limestone County Extension Office.

From 2003 to 2013 there was a 38% decline in the number of students enrolled in home economics courses in grade schools, according to the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences. The decline in courses like home economics has left many children and teenagers lacking in useful life skills like cooking.

The Limestone County Extension Office has taken a big step in trying to teach local youth the basics of cooking. The Extension has completed a kitchen it calls the 4-H Culinary Lab in order to host classes where youngsters are taught how to make healthy meals.

4-H is a youth program through the Extension that seeks to teach 9-18-year-olds.

“We started this some time in March with a grant from the Alabama Mountains, Rivers and Valleys RC&D group,” said County Extension Coordinator Chris Becker. “That helped us kickstart it, and we got some contributions from local businesses, some private donors and 4-H Foundation funds to be able to do this. We have always wanted to do this, but we’ve never had the opportunity, so when the funds became available we decided to tackle it.”

The culinary lab has four stoves and multiple work stations complete with stainless steel tables, pots, pans, stand mixers, measuring devices and utensils. It also features marble countertops and newly refinished cabinets. Eventually the room will include cameras so that people can participate in cooking classes via Zoom.

“Unfortunately, a lot of kids’ meals are pulled out of a freezer and thrown in a microwave,” he said. “It’s processed food — quick meals. We are trying to teach kids how they can produce healthy meals with fresh, locally grown ingredients.”

Becker said the Extension has held cooking classes for a few weeks now, with meal preparation coming as a real surprise to some.

“It’s shocking how many kids truly have no idea where their food comes from,” Becker said. “They honestly think food comes from a grocery store, and that’s tragic. Everything we do in 4-H is youth development or leadership based, and we are big on teaching life skills. We are teaching kids to be more self-sufficient, and culinary arts are no different.”

Participants in the cooking classes have learned to make various items, from egg muffins to vegetable quesadillas and blueberry cheesecake.

Becker said he was skeptical when he saw the vegetable quesadilla recipe.

“I thought ‘these kids aren’t going to eat this,’” he said. “It had guacamole, zucchini and mushrooms in it. When they made those things they were fantastic, and every kid was eating them.”

Becker said many different groups have helped fund the culinary lab, including Allen Malone, Alabama 4-H, Lowe’s, Benjamin Moore Paints, Towe Farms, the Extension system, Alabama Farmers Federation and Women’s Committee, United Way, Huntsville Decorating and a personal donation from Jeff and May Peek.

Workers with the Limestone County Commission made sure the electrical system worked properly.

Becker said upcoming classes are advertised on the Limestone County Extension Office Facebook page, but anyone interested in signing up is asked to call 256-232-5510.

The Extension office is located at 1109 Market St. Suite A next door to the Limestone County Emergency Management Agency building.