Cross-Sector Partnerships for Improved Cooking Skills, Dietary Behaviors, and Belonging: Findings from a Produce Prescription and Cooking Education Pilot Program at a Federally Qualified Health Center

Abstract

Participant engagement, psychosocial factors, and dietary behaviors are important components of “Food as Medicine” and cooking education programs. The purpose of this study is to describe a multidisciplinary cooking program at a Federally Qualified Health Center in central Texas. During biannual harvest seasons (2022–2023), patients participated in four or six weekly 1.5 h hands-on cooking classes with shared meals, education, and produce delivery. Pretest–posttest surveys assessed sociodemographic information, health, psychosocial factors, and dietary behaviors; follow-up assessed group cohesion/sense of community in classes. Survey data were described using means and proportions. Across four cohorts, participants (n = 33; mean age: 45 ± 16 years) were 30% Hispanic/Latino, 18% non-Hispanic Black, and 52% non-Hispanic White; on average, participants attended 66% of sessions. Increases in cooking self-efficacy (p < 0.001) and diet-related self-management strategies (p < 0.001) were observed for those with follow-up data (n = 16); further, 44% reported increased vegetable consumption. All participants (100%) reported feeling like a valued member of their cooking group and 94% reported high levels of belonging. In a diverse community health center serving low-income patients, provision of produce and cooking education classes supported strategies to improve diet-related confidence, skills, and behavior. Cross-sector partnership within a health care setting may help patients and physicians prioritize nutrition and food access.

Cultivating Healthier Habits: The Impact of Workplace Teaching Kitchens on Employee Food Literacy

“…A comprehensive review of thirty-four multidisciplinary nutrition education interventions revealed that incorporating a cooking component, particularly through hands-on cooking classes, consistently led to improved participant food choices and diets [36]. Recent research further validates this conclusion [37][38][39][40]. However, creating delicious, nutritious meals within the constraints of an individual's lifestyle demands more than just the mechanical skills of preparing food and cooking [41].…”

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Bilingual Nutrition Education Program in Partnership with a Mobile Health Unit

“…Examples of successful nutrition programs that involve culinary education include the Cooking Matters for Adults intervention, which demonstrated efficacy in improving food resource management skills for shopping and cooking healthy meals, as well as self-confidence in low-income participants [ 37 ]. Additionally, a produce prescription and cooking education pilot program at a Federally Qualified Health Center showed improvements in cooking self-efficacy, behavior change strategies for healthy eating, and vegetable intake in racially and ethnically diverse adult participants [ 38 ]. Further, a systematic review investigating the impact of culinary interventions on psychosocial outcomes reported that community-based cooking interventions positively influenced socialization, self-esteem, and quality of life in adults [ 39 ].…”