title: An Experiential Cooking and Nutrition Education Program Increases Cooking Self-Efficacy and Vegetable Consumption in Children in Grades 3-8.
abstract: Evaluate the effect of a community-based, experiential cooking and nutrition education program on consumption of fruits and vegetables and associated intermediate outcomes in students from low-income families.
  
  
  
  Quasi-experimental program evaluation by pre-post survey of participating students and their parents.
  
  
  
  Underserved elementary and middle schools in Chicago.
  
  
  
  Students (n = 271; 65% girls, 44% Hispanic, 32% African American; 94% eligible for free/reduced price lunch) in grades 3-8 selected by school staff to participate by variable inclusion criteria. 59% of students who applied returned both pre- and post-surveys.
  
  
  
  Ten-week (2 h/wk) chef-instructor-led program held in cafeteria kitchens after school.
  
  
  
  Changes in student nutrition knowledge, cooking self-efficacy, fruit and vegetable liking and consumption, and communication to family about healthy eating.
  
  
  
  Changes from beginning to end of program were analyzed with paired t test. Results were considered significant at P < .05.
  
  
  
  Increased nutrition knowledge score from 0.6 to 0.8, cooking self-efficacy score from 3.2 to 3.6, and vegetable consumption score from 2.2 to 2.4 (all P < .05). Increased score for communication about healthy eating (4.1 to 4.4; P < .05) 6 months after the end of the course.
  
  
  
  Experiential cooking and nutrition education programs led by chef-instructors may be effective ways to improve nutrition in low-income communities.
authors: School of Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Jarpe-Ratner
authors: Common Threads, Austin, TX.
authors: Stephanie
authors: S
authors: Folkens
authors: Common Threads, Austin, TX.
authors: Sonika
authors: S
authors: Sharma
authors: Chapin Hall, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Daro
authors: Common Threads, Austin, TX. Electronic address: nedens@commonthreads.org.
authors: Neilé K
authors: NK
authors: Edens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002641:Chicago; D002648:Child; D003296:Cooking; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: cooking; elementary school; food preference; middle school; vegetable liking; vegetable preference