Bruce High Nutrition Class

Jennifer Melton is in her third year of teaching nutrition, family dynamics, health and also drama at Bruce High School. In nutrition, students start with basics like how to read a recipe, measuring and sanitation. They also take a regular recipe and try to come up with ways of making it more healthy.

The first thing they did was bake cookies. They discussed nutritional content of a recipe they chose, then tweaked it, making only one small change. “The Choc-Oat-Chip cookies are healthier than regular chocolate chip cookies because they contain oats, which is a whole grain. We increased the nutritional value in these cookies by replacing half of the flour with whole wheat flour,” said Melton. “They loved them, but didn’t think they would.  It’s a good moment for me when they like something (nutritious).”
Every time she teaches nutrition, she learns something new, especially that eating nutritionally is a gradual thing, and she emphasizes that to her students and encourages them to choose one thing to change at a time. When they learn about something they can change, it makes them a little more receptive to other changes.

Standing, Jennifer Melton, teacher; Wayne Huffman, Tyrique Gunn, Jadarrius Benson; seated, Jamar Brown, Tyuna Thornton and O.D. Glaspie. Not pictured is J.D. Langford.

“If they take one thing from this class, I hope it is eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to have a nutritious, healthy life.”
Her class of six guys and one girl all agree they have learned a lot about healthier eating, and they do think about it more, but not necessarily do it. She hopes they understand that just because there might be a preventable disease in their family it is not a death sentence, and nutritional eating can help.
Students have also made fruit smoothies and microwave popcorn. “Instead of the bought kind full of chemicals,” they put 1/4-1/3 cup unpopped popcorn into a lunch-size paper bag, and microwave 2-4 minutes depending on the microwave. (Add salt and melted butter as desired.) It will pop just like microwave popcorn, Melton said.

They also made a breakfast casserole, again finding recipes and voting on one–it was one with French toast, but it turned out not to be a favorite. Last year her class made one loaded with veggies–peppers and mushrooms–and students loved it, even though they thought they wouldn’t.
Three of the four recipes students submitted were for desserts. Tyuna Thornton likes to help her mother, Annie Thornton, make Strawberry Punchbowl Cake. It is a favorite dessert they make often for the holidays.  She likes to help with dinner and desserts.

Jadarrius Benson says chocolate chip cookies are his favorite to make and are easy, but his mom, Rhonda Smith, doesn’t trust him in the kitchen by himself. He likes to make them at least twice a week. Another favorite is fried chicken, but he has tried that. He loves to cook and says he is trying to eat healthier.
“I like eating!” said O.D. Glaspie, who can make cornbread. He likes banana pudding and helps his mother, Martha,  make it sometimes. He also likes Hershey pie and peach cobbler for the holidays. Nutrition class has made him think about eating healthy and says he’s even started watching Food Network some.

Tyrique Gunn likes to help his grandmother, Marsha Jackson, make cinnamon pancakes. He likes to cook and would like to learn to make fried Oreos. About the class, he said he realizes he is eating better than he was.
Wayne Huffman’s favorite food is shrimp, cooked any way. He doesn’t cook shrimp, but he does make tater tot casserole. The class has made his think about eating better, but he is not really doing it.
Jamar Brown’s favorite food is meat lovers’ pizza. While he says he’s eating more fruit and vegetables since taking this class, he was a little hesitant about saying he would try a veggie or fruit pizza.

Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake
(Tyuna Thornton)
1 pkg. angel food cake
Cool Whip topping
Strawberry pie filling
Vanilla pudding
Strawberries
Trim brown from cake after baking and tear into bite size pieces. Mix vanilla pudding and Cool Whip until well-blended and starting to thicken. Place a third of cake bites into another bowl. Top with a third of  whipped topping  mixture and strawberry pie filling. Repeat with layer of cake, topping, strawberries, and top  with strawberries.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Jadarrius Benson)   
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. hot water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Homemade Banana Pudding
(O.D. Glaspie)  
1 cup sugar
2 heaping Tbsp. flour
3 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 box vanilla wafers
3-5 bananas-add more if you want
Layer bananas, then wafers in oven proof medium bowl. In saucepan add sugar and egg yolks. Mix well, adding milk as needed. Add flour to egg mixture, then rest of milk. Mix well. Add vanilla, stirring constantly on medium until thick and smooth. Pour over wafers and bananas. Make topping from egg whites. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add 3 Tbsp. sugar, beat. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, beat. Lightly brown in oven.

Cinnamon Pancakes
(Tyrique Gunn)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. vanilla extra
Maple syrup
In bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. In lightly greased electric skillet, drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls; press lightly to flatten. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve with syrup.
Smoothies
2-3 types of fruit, (banana, pineapple, blueberries)
Ice
Splash of juice or milk
Blend together. To increase nutritional value, add in a handful of spinach or kale.

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1 1/4 cups packed sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) Nestle Toll House semi sweet chips
Preheat oven to 375°. Combine flour, baking soda and salt into small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12-13 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on baking sheets one minute. Remove to wire racks to cool.