The Moon Lake 4-H club packaged over 2,000 meals with Mercy Meals to help feed the hungry in the U.S. and around the world. (NDSU photo)

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NDSU Extension) – 4-H’ers from clubs in 15 counties throughout North Dakota were recognized for incorporating nutrition, fitness and health activities into their club meetings in 2021-2022.

The 33 4-H clubs, with a total of 641 members, earned the special recognition of being “healthy clubs” by meeting the criteria, which could include having healthful snacks, having food demonstrations during meetings and doing community service. Twelve clubs also earned extra recognition for completing the Family Mealtime Challenge.

The program also provided leadership opportunities for teenage 4-H’ers. The teens can serve as role models for younger members.

To earn the Healthy North Dakota 4-H Club recognition, clubs are required to incorporate at least one nutrition or fitness activity into a minimum of six regular meetings during the year.

“Many clubs set healthy snack policies for their meetings, and they did a wide variety of community service. Some tracked the number of family meals they consumed,” says Julie Garden-Robinson, North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and Healthy North Dakota 4-H Clubs program coordinator. “These 4-H programs make a difference in their communities and in their homes. I especially enjoyed seeing the photos they submitted documenting their activities.”

“The Moon Lake 4-H club spent an afternoon packaging over 2,000 complete meals that can be prepared by simply boiling them in water,” according to Brenda Jarski-Weber, 4-H program coordinator in Stutsman County. “Mercy Meals was started to help feed the hungry in the United States and around the world.”

This was the 15th year some clubs were named a Healthy North Dakota 4-H Club. Each club member received a certificate of recognition and a small prize.

The clubs recognized this year are listed by county, number of members and number of years they have received recognition. Twelve Healthy North Dakota 4-H Clubs were recognized for completing the month-long Family Mealtime Challenge, and participating clubs reported 1,896 family mealtimes. Eating together as a family is linked to better school performance, healthier meals and less risk behavior.

The clubs provided ideas to expand the number of family meals served. They suggested having kids suggest the menus, help prepare food and clean up.

• Adams – Adventurers, 25 members, one year
• Barnes – Valley Friends, 12 members, 11 years, completed Family Mealtime Challenge
• Burleigh – Clover Cakes, 8 members, two years, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; Prairie Rose, 7 members, one year; Silver Colts, 12 members, 11 years; Meadowlarks, 18 members, one year, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; McKenzie Magnums, 10 members, 9 years
• Cass – Cass County Crusaders, 23 members, 2 years, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; Lucky Clover Buddies, 11 members, 2 years, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; Valley Adventurers, 14 members, 14 years; Golden Clovers, 14 members, one year; Rainbow Kids, 12 members, one year, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; Rush River Livestock, 35 members, one year; Wheatland Pioneers, 29 members, 14 years
• Divide – Flickertails, 42 members, 15 years
• LaMoure – Cloverleafs, 24 members, 10 years
• McHenry – Balfour Roughriders, 26 members, 8 years; Velva Guys and Gals, 22 members, three years
• McLean – Max Day 4-H, 34 members, one year
• Ramsey – Country Kids, 16 members, one year; 4-Leaf Friends, 19 members, 3 years
• Ransom – Tri-Country Ag, 25 members, 8 years; Hill and Valley, 10 members, three years; Heart and Soul, 24 members, 6 years; McLeod Ag, 35 members, one year, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; Aliceton, 29 members, 11 years, completed Family Mealtime Challenge; Sandy Critters, 13 members, 3 years
• Richland – Helping Hands, 18 members, five years
• Sargent – Busy Bobcats, 8 members, one year
• Stark – West River, 28 members, one year, completed Family Mealtime Challenge
• Stustman – Country Kids, 14 members, 4 years, completed Mealtime Challenge; Moon Lake, 12 members, two years
• Williams – Prairie Diamonds, 12 members, one year, completed Family Mealtime Challenge

4-H clubs interested in participating in the 2022-2023 North Dakota Healthy 4-H Clubs program should contact their county office of NDSU Extension.