Perspective: Teaching Kitchens: Conceptual Origins, Applications and Potential for Impact within Food Is Medicine Research

Abstract

There is a need to identify innovative strategies whereby individuals, families, and communities can learn to access and prepare affordable and nutritious foods, in combination with evidence-based guidance about diet and lifestyle. These approaches also need to address issues of equity and sustainability. Teaching Kitchens (TKs) are being created as educational classrooms and translational research laboratories to advance such strategies. Moreover, TKs can be used as revenue-generating research sites in universities and hospitals performing sponsored research, and, potentially, as instruments of cost containment when placed in accountable care settings and self-insured companies. Thus, TKs can be considered for inclusion in future health professional training programs, and the recently published Biden–Harris Administration Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health echoes this directive. Recent innovations in the ability to provide TK classes virtually suggest that their impact may be greater than originally envisioned. Although the impact of TK curricula on behaviors, outcomes and costs of health care is preliminary, it warrants the continued attention of medical and public health thought leaders involved with Food Is Medicine initiatives.

Teaching Kitchens and Culinary Gardens as Integral Components of Healthcare Facilities Providing Whole Person Care: A Commentary

“…Collaboration among gardeners, chefs, architects, educators, and healthcare professionals can transfer traditional physician-driven care to patients, empowering and equipping them with the tools, knowledge, resources, and confidence to actively promote health and wellbeing for themselves. Hospital systems should consider integrating culinary medicine programming into their practice by forging community partnerships that include teaching kitchens and culinary gardens integrated as "shared assets" into their own campuses [5]. Implementing non-traditional care strategies can lead to cutting-edge changes in healthcare delivery.…”

“…Though not statistically significant, the proportion of participants with high micronutrient adequacy increased from 30% to 48% at 3-month follow-up and the seafood/plant protein score of the Healthy Eating Index significantly increased [10]. While teaching kitchens have received increased attention from the healthcare community over the last several years [5], there are limited examples of multi-disciplinary collaboration involving architects, chefs, and hospital systems in the formation of teaching kitchens on or in close proximity to healthcare campuses [11].…”

“…Providing access to experts in various health-related fields, including medicine (primary and specialty care physicians and providers), psychologists, dietitians, and educators. Experiential seed-to-table experiences in combination with a didactical component in culinary medicine are effective in actively engaging participants [5].…”

“…Culinary medicine, which includes the use of teaching kitchens, is an evidence-based approach to nutrition education, which blends the art of cooking with the science of 2 of 14 medicine [4]. Teaching kitchens provide nutrition-based knowledge and tools to individuals to promote the consumption of whole foods prepared at home [5]. The demonstrated benefits of teaching kitchen classes include food cost savings, increased nutrition and culinary knowledge, and improved confidence in the ability to regularly practice a healthier diet [6][7][8].…”

“…Providing research and learning "laboratories" as locations for the early determination of effective interventions in culinary medicine [5].…”