Abstract
Cooking skill and nutrition knowledge in youth is limited as nutrition education is not a mandated subject matter and home cooking has declined over previous decades (Reicks, Trofholz, Stang, & Laska, 2014; Schneider, Dumith, Orlandi, & Assunçāo, 2017). However, the ability to cook and the knowledge to make informed decisions about nutritious food is vital for good health, well-being, and the practice of food preparation and cooking (Utter, Larson, Laska, Winkler, & Neumark-Sztainer, 2018). Research shows that youth and adults that participate in cooking and nutrition education programs use those skills to make informed food choices and practice those healthy behaviors after the programs, which may mitigate adverse health effects like obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (Hersch, Perdue, Ambroz, & Boucher, 2014; Reicks et al., 2014). Thus, the need for afterschool intervention programs that teach practical life skills like cooking and nutrition is significant. One hundred and seventeen youth participated in a seven-week afterschool intervention program focused on cooking and nutrition education. The program utilized curricula from the 4-H Cooking 101 curricula series, a national non-profit organization, which aspires to increase self-efficacy and empower youth with life skills. During each two-hour class, participants prepared, cooked, and enjoyed a recipe completed within their assigned small group. Each lesson included a nutrition education message as well. All participants actively engaged in preparing and cooking food. Survey results indicated cooking self-efficacy, nutrition knowledge, and healthy habits increased after participants completed the intervention program. Furthermore, participants cited additional benefits such as pro-social behaviors like cooperation and teamwork. Hence, interventions that engage youth in life skills like cooking and nutrition education aid in their physical development and well-being.