“This smells pretty good, but I think it will taste even better,” said Jade Erwin, 15, as she stirred a pot filled with chicken fettuccine sauce.

Erwin, a ninth-grade student at Delcambre High School, knew she had made a smart decision when she decided to sign up for this semester’s Family and Consumer Science class. Erwin and her classmates had just completed a lesson on nutrition and were cooking a low-fat version of chicken fettuccine.

“You not only get to learn about nutrition, but also learn how to substitute ingredients to make a dish that is lower in calories and fat. The best part is you get to eat it after,” Erwin said.

Blake Smith, 16, was the only guy in the class but he didn’t’ seem to mind being surrounded by girls. Although cooking is a new experience for the 11th- grade student, he cut and measured the ingredients needed for the chicken fettuccine his group was preparing with confidence.

“This is all right. Now I will be able to cook for myself whenever I leave home. I’m learning a lot about nutrition and how to stay healthy,” he said.

Natalie Granger, Family and Consumer Science teacher, said students are learning how to make healthier choices and how they can prepare meals they enjoy eating without the added calories, but are still tasteful.

“They are learning to read labels and to make substitutions for the low-fat or fat-free versions. Most importantly, they are learning moderation is the key to healthy eating. I always tell them no food is considered bad if it is eaten in moderation,” she said.

After learning more about the fat content in foods, Shaely Landry, a ninth-grade student, will think twice before eating a Big Mac and order of fries.

“I’m going to stay away from it for a while and try to make some healthier choices,” she said.

Granger said the students selected a chicken fettuccine recipe to prepare for their first cooking lesson, but were not satisfied with the total calorie and fat count per serving. By substituting light margarine for butter, fat free half and half cream for the regular cream and 2 percent Velveeta cheese for regular Velveeta, students were successful in cutting the calorie count from 753 to 593 per serving and the total calories of fat per serving dropped from 352 to 182. Regular noodles were replaced with whole wheat.

“By making just a few simple changes in a recipe, they found out it is easy to eat healthy and there is not much difference in the taste,” said Granger.

Raley Moneaux, and Victoria Richard were busy conducting their own taste test.

The two 16-year old Consumer Science students were doing a taste comparison of chocolate chip cookies. Four cookie packages were opened and the taste test was on – is the low fat version of the chocolate chip cookie just as good as the chocolate chip cookie with a higher calorie count?

“This low fat cookie taste pretty good to me. I’ll have another” said Moneaux as she gave a nod of approval.

As more consumers use label information to help them choose foods that will meet their goals for good health, there is a driving trend for companies to change the recipes for some products. To stay in line with the latest health advice, many baked goods and snack foods are being changed to take out trans fats, Granger said.