Virtual cooking class improves children's nutrition knowledge

Date:
April 7, 2022
Source:
Elsevier
Summary:
Amid parental concerns regarding poor nutrition and lack of cooking
skills among youth in Flint, Michigan, a team of local dietitians,
chefs, and researchers created Flint Families Cook during the
COVID-19 pandemic, a program for families with children ages
8-18 years old, delivered virtually to children and families in
their homes.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Amid parental concerns regarding poor nutrition and lack of cooking
skills among youth in Flint, Michigan, a team of local dietitians,
chefs, and researchers created Flint Families Cook during the COVID-19 pandemic, a program for families with children ages 8-18 years old,
delivered virtually to children and families in their homes.


==========================================================================
This addition to the great educational material (GEM) collection appearing
in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, reports that Flint Families Cookdemonstrated success in reaching youth
from families with low income and improving cooking self-efficacy,
nutrition knowledge, and self-efficacy for consuming fruits and vegetables among young participants.

Flint Families Cook, co-facilitated by a chef and dietitian, encourages families to cook healthy meals together at home, using local ingredients.

Through 7.5 hours of live, virtual instruction over five consecutive
weeks, children and families learn proper techniques for using knives, measuring, saute'ing, roasting, and baking from a chef, while a dietitian focuses on nutrition and health benefits of specific food groups and
nutrients.

"One very important part of the class that is happening because of
the virtual platform is that families are participating in the classes
together as opposed to children participating in the class individually,
apart from their family.

We started to see parents becoming much more involved in the education and sitting at the table once the meals were prepared for a family dinner,"
said Amy Saxe-Custack, PhD, MPH, RD, Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Division of Public Health, Michigan State University-Hurley Children's Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative, Flint, MI, USA.

The family-based, virtual format directly engages families in cooking
healthy meals together and expands the program's reach to entire
households, as well as extended family and friends. In addition to
holding a growing waitlist of eager families, Flint Families Cook
addresses challenges with preparing and consuming healthy foods at
home. Such programming is feasible and attractive to communities with
similar concerns about child nutrition.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Elsevier. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Amy Saxe-Custack, Sarah Egan. Flint Families Cook: A Virtual
Cooking and
Nutrition Program for Families. Journal of Nutrition Education
and Behavior, 2022; 54 (4): 359 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2022.01.002 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220407101056.htm

--- up 5 weeks, 3 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)