AUTHOR=Schmidt Susanne , Goros Martin W. , Gelfond Jonathan A. L. , Bowen Katherine , Guttersen Connie , Messbarger-Eguia Anne , Feldmann Suzanne Mead , Ramirez Amelie G. 

TITLE=Children's Afterschool Culinary Education Improves Eating Behaviors

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.719015

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.719015

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Objective(s): Culinary education may be one way to improve children’s eating behaviors. We formatively evaluated the effect of a hands-on afterschool 12-module, registered dietitian-led culinary education program on healthy eating behaviors in a predominately Hispanic/Latino, low-socioeconomic community.
Methods: Of 234 children participating in the program, 77% completed both pre- and post-assessment surveys (n=180; mean age 9.8 years; 63.3% female; 74.3% Hispanic/Latino, 88.4% receiving free/reduced lunch). In addition to program satisfaction, we assessed changes in children’s self-reported fruit, vegetable, and whole-grain consumption, knowledge, and culinary skills using binary and continuous mixed effects models. We report false discovery rate adjusted p-values and effect sizes. 
Results: 95.5% of participants reported liking the program. Improved whole grain consumption had a medium effect size, while effect sizes for whole grain servings and vegetable consumption were small, but significant (all p<.05). Culinary skills increased between 15.1 to 43.4 percent points (all p<.01), with medium to large effect sizes. 
Conclusion(s): The program was well received by participants. Participants reported improved eating behaviors and culinary skills after program completion. Therefore, this hands-on afterschool culinary education program can help improve healthy eating in a predominantly Hispanic/Latino, low-socioeconomic community.