Poster: Morgan, C. and Maria Carabello. "Teaching Food Agency Through Inquiry and Action". 2017. (original) (raw)
Defining Food Agency: An Ethnographic Exploration of Home and Student Cooks in the Northeast
2015
According to popular and academic sources, home cooking is in decline. Nutrition and public health scholars concern that a loss of cooking abilities may diminish individuals’ control over their food choices, thus contributing to poor health outcomes. Yet, there are still many unanswered questions. What skills, strategies, and knowledge sets are required to cook a meal on any given occasion? What capacity separates those who cook with ease from those who struggle to incorporate cooking into their daily routines? I propose that this difference is determined by an individual’s capacity to employ a range of cognitive and technical skills related to meal preparation. I call this capacity “food agency”. Drawing upon discourses of human agency developed in the social sciences, this food-specific theory considers how a home cook employs cognitive skills and sensory perceptions, while navigating—and shaping—various societal structures (e.g., schedule, budget, transportation, etc.) in the cou...
Emergence and Repetition: Teaching Food and Culture Using a Foods Lab
Journal of pedagogic development, 2016
For almost a decade, a small group of teachers and hundreds of students at the University of Vermont have been involved in building an innovative pedagogy that combines learning about food (and associated issues) with learning how to cook. ‘Innovative’ might sound presumptuous, given the history of home economics courses in primary, secondary and post‐secondary American education since the early 20th century. However, our pedagogy, developed in a former home economics kitchen/classroom, integrates more recent theories as to the merits of experiential education, thus moving beyond the didactic instruction typical of home economics courses over the past fifty years. We have created a learning environment in the kitchen/classroom that more easily fits into a continuum between service learning, study abroad, and the newer ‘maker spaces’ now popular in business and engineering programs. The pedagogy for this Food and Culture course involves the clear, constant, and consistent integration...
Food and Families in the Making: Knowledge Reproduction and Political Economy of Cooking in Morocco, 2024
This most auto-ethnographic of book chapters relies on the ethnographer’s multisensory immersion in cooking and everyday life. It argues that learning to cook as well as understanding learning require the attunement of all bodily senses through ‘participant perception’, including that of the ethnographer. Learning through participant perception is composed of three elements of growing knowledge, which taken together illustrate that knowledge is regrown in each generation, under the control of older cooks. However, new technologies and media such as smartphones and social media apps partially reverse the flow of knowledge from younger cooks to older ones and thus alter the reproduction of taste knowledge and, ultimately, alter the making of a cook, too.
BMC Research Notes, 2011
Background: In Canada, there are limited occasions for youth, and especially at-risk youth, to participate in cooking programs. The paucity of these programs creates an opportunity for youth-focused cooking programs to be developed, implemented, and evaluated with the goal of providing invaluable life skills and food literacy to this potentially vulnerable group. Thus, an 18-month community-based cooking program for at-risk youth was planned and implemented to improve the development and progression of cooking skills and food literacy. Findings: This paper provides an overview of the rationale for and implementation of a cooking skills intervention for at-risk youth. The manuscript provides information about the process of planning and implementing the intervention as well as the evaluation plan. Results of the intervention will be presented elsewhere. Objectives of the intervention included the provision of applied food literacy and cooking skills education taught by local chefs and a Registered Dietitian, and augmented with fieldtrips to community farms to foster an appreciation and understanding of food, from 'gate to plate'. Eight at-risk youth (five girls and three boys, mean age = 14.6) completed the intervention as of November 2010. Pre-test cooking skills assessments were completed for all participants and post-test cooking skills assessments were completed for five of eight participants. Post intervention, five of eight participants completed in-depth interviews about their experience. Discussion: The Cook It Up! program can provide an effective template for other agencies and researchers to utilize for enhancing existing programs or to create new applied cooking programs for relevant vulnerable populations. There is also a continued need for applied research in this area to reverse the erosion of cooking skills in Canadian society.
Healthalicious Cooking: Learning about Food and Physical Activity: Introduction
2012
Author(s): Smith, Dorothy; Horowitz, Marcel; Neelon, Marisa; Spezzano, Theresa; Lippitt, Nancie; McMurdo, Tammy J.; Kaiser, Lucia | Abstract: This after-school curriculum is a perfect setting for promoting a healthy lifestyle that includes good foods and plenty of physical activity, helping kids build good health skills that will last a lifetime. The 6-week, hands-on after-school curriculum is designed to give 9- to 12-year-olds a fun introduction to preparing and eating healthy meals. Download all 7 publications:
P39 Culturally Adapting Nutrition Education in a Food Pantry Setting
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2020
Background: Peer-led nutrition education programs have been effective in improving dietary adherence among adults. Few studies, though, have focused on the participants' perceptions of peer-led programs and their intention to consume nutritious foods. Objective: To identify campus community members' perceptions of peer-led teaching abilities and intentions to prepare the plant-based cooking demo recipes. Study Design, Setting, Participants: Based on constructs from the Social Cognitive Theory and Peer-led teaching principles, 1-hour cooking demonstrations that were offered once per month for 4 months were developed and conducted at a Southern university. Peer leaders (n = 4 dietetic students, 3 undergraduate and 1 graduate) prepared 3 plant-based dishes and incorporated an interactive learning component with participants (n = 32, 41% college students). Participants rated their perceptions and intention to prepare the recipes using a validated 5-item Likert scale and responded to 4 open-ended questions about the demos. Measurable Outcome/Analysis: The scale items included teaching abilities of the peer leaders and intent to prepare the recipes. The open-ended responses included knowledge gained, strengths, and improvements of the cooking demonstrations. Frequencies from the Likertscale items were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Main themes were identified from the open-ended responses using the content-analysis method. Results: All participants agreed that the cooking demonstrations were easy to understand and 93.8% agreed that the peer leaders were confident and knowledgeable. Over 62% of participants reported their commitment to prepare the recipes and 56% were very committed to learn more about preparing plant-based foods. As reported, strengths of the demonstrations included the discussions about the nutritional value of the ingredients and the details in various food preparation techniques. Participants indicated they would have liked more hands-on opportunities. Conclusions: This pilot study showed that participants perceived the peer-led cooking demos as effective and they enhanced some of the participants' intentions to prepare plant-based food recipes. A hands-on component in this cooking demo might be useful for more of the participants to prepare plant-based foods. Funding: None.
Journal of nutrition education and behavior
Evaluate the effect of a community-based, experiential cooking and nutrition education program on consumption of fruits and vegetables and associated intermediate outcomes in students from low-income families. Quasi-experimental program evaluation by pre-post survey of participating students and their parents. Underserved elementary and middle schools in Chicago. Students (n = 271; 65% girls, 44% Hispanic, 32% African American; 94% eligible for free/reduced price lunch) in grades 3-8 selected by school staff to participate by variable inclusion criteria. 59% of students who applied returned both pre- and post-surveys. Ten-week (2 h/wk) chef-instructor-led program held in cafeteria kitchens after school. Changes in student nutrition knowledge, cooking self-efficacy, fruit and vegetable liking and consumption, and communication to family about healthy eating. Changes from beginning to end of program were analyzed with paired t test. Results were considered significant at P < .05. I...
Cook Like a Chef 1- and 4-Week Camp Models
Journal of extension, 2015
Children participating in cooking classes gain confidence in their abilities to prepare food. If children are to make informed, healthy, food ingredient and cooking method choices, they need to be equipped with these necessary skills, as well as with nutrition competence. Extension programs that incorporate nutrition and hands-on cooking can present a challenge; yet with tools and support this mission can be accomplished with ease and finesse. the participants' perceived motivation and confidence in preparing and consuming more vegetables,
Confident, fearful and hopeless cooks Findings from the development of a food-skills initiative
One of the many barriers to a healthier diet in low-income communities is a presumed lack of practical food skills. This article reports findings from exploratory qualitative research conducted with potential participants in a cooking skills intervention, in low income communities in Scotland. The research found widely varying levels of skill and confidence regarding cooking, supported the need for a community-based intervention approach, and demonstrated the importance of consumer research to inform the content of interventions. Challenges the view that low income communities lack skills, suggesting that food skills should be defined more broadly than " cooking from scratch ". Other barriers to healthy eating, such as poverty, food access and taste preferences, remain important. Background The need to increase the intake of fruit and vegetables, fibre-rich starchy carbohydrates and fish is well recognised but many people are failing to put these dietary changes into practice (The Scottish Office, 1996; Scottish Executive, 2001; National Consumer Council, 2003). A low practical food skills base may limit intake in relation to the preparation of basic foods. There is a possible double jeopardy effect for those on low incomes without food skills, who cannot buy themselves out of the dilemma as readily as can those on high incomes. This article describes the exploratory qualitative research conducted to inform the content of an intervention designed to address this low food skills base among low income communities. The intervention, called Cookwell, is a community-based, food skills initiative, consisting of a series of practical cookery classes run in a community setting. It aims to improve the nutritional quality of the diets of participants and their families, specifically by encouraging increased consumption of fibre-rich starchy carbohydrates, fish, vegetables and fruit and decreasing consumption of fat, among adults living in areas of deprivation. Between 2000-2002, Cookwell courses were run in
Modern Transference of Domestic Cooking Skills
Nutrients
As the primary source of learning cooking skills; it is vital to understand what mothers think about the transference of cooking skills to their children. The current analysis aimed to highlight mothers’ perceptions of children’s involvement and cooking practices within the home setting. Sixteen focus group discussions were conducted on the island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland [UK]) with 141 mothers aged 20–39 years old. All focus groups were transcribed verbatim and an inductive thematic analysis using NVivo software was undertaken. Seven themes emerged from the dataset; (1) “How we learned to cook”; (2) “Who’s the boss”; (3) “Children in the way”; (4) “Keep kids out”; (5) “Involvement means eating”; (6) “Intentions versus reality”; and (7) “Kids’ ‘interest’ in cooking”. These themes illustrate a lack of cooking skill transference in relation to everyday meal preparation in modern times. The culture of children in the kitchen has vastly changed; and opportuni...
Learning cooking skills at different ages: a cross-sectional study
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2016
Background: Cooking skills are increasingly included in strategies to prevent and reduce chronic diet-related diseases and obesity. While cooking interventions target all age groups (Child, Teen and Adult), the optimal age for learning these skills on: 1) skills retention, 2) cooking practices, 3) cooking attitudes, 4) diet quality and 5) health is unknown. Similarly, although the source of learning cooking skills has been previously studied, the differences in learning from these different sources has not been considered. This research investigated the associations of the age and source of learning with the aforementioned five factors. Methods: A nationally representative (Northern/Republic of Ireland) cross-sectional survey was undertaken with 1049 adults aged between 20-60 years. The survey included both measures developed and tested by the researchers as well as validated measures of cooking (e.g. chopping) and food skills (e.g. budgeting), cooking practices (e.g. food safety), cooking attitudes, diet quality and health. Respondents also stated when they learnt the majority of their skills and their sources of learning. The data was analysed using ANOVAs with post-hoc analysis and Chi 2 crosstabs with a significance level of 0.05. Results: Results showed that child (<12 years) and/or teen (13-18 years) learners had significantly greater numbers of, and confidence in, their cooking and food skills, cooking practices, cooking attitudes, diet quality (with the exception of fibre intake where adult learners were higher) and health. Mother was the primary source of learning and those who learnt only from this source had significantly better outcomes on 12 of the 23 measures. Conclusions: This research highlights the importance of learning cooking skills at an early age for skill retention, confidence, cooking practices, cooking attitude and diet quality. Mother remained the primary source of learning, however, as there is a reported deskilling of domestic cooks, mothers may no longer have the ability to teach cooking skills to the next generation. A focus on alternative sources including practical cooking skills education starting at an early age is required. This study also highlights the need for further longitudinal research on the impact of age and source of learning on cooking skills.
Nutrients
Domestic cooking education programs are typically designed to improve an individual’s food and cooking skills, although not necessarily diet quality. Currently, there are no comprehensive models to guide the planning, implementation and evaluation of domestic cooking education programs that focus on improving diet and health. Our aim was to address this through development of the Cooking Education (“Cook-EdTM”) model, using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model as the underlying Cook-EdTM framework. A review of the food and cooking skills education literature informed the content of the Cook-EdTM model. Cook-EdTM was critiqued by experts in consumer behaviour, cooking and nutrition education research and education until consensus on model content and format was reached. Cook-EdTM leads cooking program developers through eight distinct stages, engaging key stakeholders in a co-design process from the outset to tailor programs to address the need of individuals and inform the development of progr...
2018
Background: Consumption of convenience foods is one factor that is potentially contributing to the high rates of obesity in New Zealand adolescents. The increased availability of these convenience foods now means that cooking skills are no longer needed to put food on the table. Cooking foods from scratch can often be a healthier way to consume food, however adolescents are no longer receiving adequate education to learn the basic cooking skills required to do this. Additionally, the lack of opportunities for them to learn to cook may lower their confidence (self-efficacy) for cooking, and therefore demotivate them to cook from scratch. Cooking programmes conducted overseas suggest that hands on cooking classes may be an effective method to improve cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking, however limitations with study design and methodology makes it difficult to determine their level of success. Additionally, little is known about what effect interventions in the home environment can have on adolescents' self-efficacy for cooking. Objective: To determine whether participation in phase one (hands on cooking classes) and phase two (take home food bags) of the COOK programme, affects short-term cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking in adolescents from Dunedin, New Zealand. Design: A randomised control trial was initiated in adolescents aged '13-15 years'. Participants were randomly assigned to the control group (n=18) or the intervention group (n=66). Participants in the intervention group attended a 5-day cooking programme (COOK week) and then received take home food bags, one bag a week for six weeks. A selfadministered questionnaire assessing mechanical cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking was completed at baseline, and at seven weeks (immediately post the six weeks of food bags). Additional questions for these measures were taken immediately after the cooking programme (before the food bags were initiated) in the intervention only. iii Results: The intervention group showed increases in total cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking post intervention. These increases were significantly greater than changes observed in the control group for both the cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking. Additionally, self-efficacy in the intervention group increased significantly from pre-to-post COOK week, and these changes were maintained up until the end of the take home food bags. Conclusion: This interim analysis provides evidence that the COOK programme may have the ability to increase adolescents' cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking in the shortterm. Additionally, take home food bags may play an important role in transferring the selfefficacy gained within cooking classes, into the home environment. Follow-up analysis of the COOK study will help to provide information on the long-term effects that this intervention could have on adolescent cooking skills and self-efficacy for cooking. I would like to acknowledge the people who have helped me in the process of completing this thesis: All participants and parents involved, thank-you for being part of this study and for all the positive feedback throughout the programme. My supervisors, Paula Skidmore, Katherine Black, and Carla Thomson. Thank-you for the opportunity to be involved in the COOK study, and for your continuing support and feedback with writing this thesis. Dr. Jill Haszard, thank-you for your help and enthusiasm with the statistical analysis of this thesis. You made this process a lot less stressful. Callum Hann and Themis Chyssidis, thank-you for your help in developing the COOK programme. It was such a great experience to meet both of you and learn about the successes of the Sprout cooking school in Adelaide. Caleb Robinson, Rosie Finigan and Nick Scullion, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you all. Thank-you for the entertainment along the way. Olivia Toldi, I could not have asked for a better partner to complete this study with. Thankyou for all the advice, and coffee dates over the last few months. My fellow MDiet office group, you have all been a great bunch of people to work with. To Harriet Carter and Courtney Brierly, thank-you for helping me though my whole MDiet experience, it would not have been the same without you both. To my partner Simon, thank-you for your love and support throughout this thesis. Lastly, to my family, thank-you for your support and encouragement throughout all my years at university.
Can't cook, won't cook: A review of cooking skills and their relevance to health promotion
International journal of health promotion and education, 1999
This paper explores the relevance of cooking skills to modern living and health promotion practices. Drawing on UK data and particularly the 1993 English Health and Lifestyles Survey but in terms common to many Western economies, the paper explores the health education implications of the possible demise of cooking skills. The paradox of low skills and confidence alongside high interest in food is explored. The evidence linking cooking skills to health is explored. A schema of different policy and theoretical perspectives on the teaching of cooking skills is outlined. Although even within the UK there is variation in educational practice, a case is made for the inclusion of cooking skills within a coordinated health promotion approach, based on a health development framework. Cooking classes or some practical aspect of 'handson' skills could feature in a young person's curriculum at some stage at school as part of a wider education about life skills and citizenship. There is little point in purveying nutrition advice about healthy eating if people lack the skills to implement it. Equally, it is insensitive to target cooking skills only at females or certain socioeconomic groups as a form of remedial education. Changes in the role of cooking within culture illustrates wider social changes in which health can too easily be marginal.
Sustained impact of a culinary intervention with university students: a multimethod approach
Academia Nutrition and Dietetics, 2025
This qualitative and quantitative study investigated the effects of the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen (NCK) Program on the development of cooking skills and the eating practices among university students after a 4-year follow-up. In Stage 1 of the NCK Program, students in the intervention group participated in five hands-on cooking classes and a food selection and purchase class at a popular food market. In Stage 2, they also participated in cooking knowledge refresher classes (CKRC). Quantitative data were collected using an online self-report questionnaire adapted and validated for assessing cooking skills in Brazil. Cooking skills scales were compared between time points using the Friedman test and Dunn’s post hoc test. In Stage 3, four years after the end of the intervention, online interviews were conducted with participants of Stages 1 and 2. These interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis. There was an increase in five of the eight cooking skills scales (p < 0.05), which persisted throughout the 4-year follow-up period. Participants reported that the NCK Program helped them acquire healthier habits, such as going to farmers’ markets, analyzing packaged food labels, eating more fruits and vegetables, and decreasing the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Participation in the NCK Program improved cooking skills as well as autonomy, motivation, and confidence in preparing food at home. The CKRC promoted the maintenance of Stage 1 results. This study provided insights into the enduring effects of interventions designed to enhance cooking confidence and knowledge through a multimethod approach.
Healthy Eating Improvement Course for School Cooks
DEMETRA: Alimentação, Nutrição & Saúde, 2017
Introduction: Schools are considered to be an optimal space for health education. The meals offered to students are an opportunity for learning and socialization. In this context, the role of the cooks goes beyond the preparation of meals, as they often need to plan the menu and replace some food items. Objective: This study promoted a Professional Development Course with cooks from public schools in Xerém district, in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to broaden knowledge about healthy eating. Methods: The course was attended by 26 school cooks, and it was taught for four consecutive days in classrooms of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, at the Institute of Nutrition Josué de Castro. Previous and later evaluations about knowledge of healthy eating were performed by means of games: the Healthy Dish Game and the Pyramid Food Game. The proposed activities consisted of a lecture, development of educational materials by the participants, and a cooking workshop. The software R and the Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to evaluate if the data has a normal distribution, and the Wilcoxon test (p <0.05) was used to evaluate whether or not learning took place after intervention. Results: The participants' scores had significant improvement in the evaluation of games after the educational activities had been performed. Conclusion: The professional improvement course promoted knowledge among most participants, as shown by the results of the games used in their evaluation, i.e., with improved scores. Activities involving the whole school community are suggested in order to promote better quality of life and health within this group.
Creating Classroom Community through Cuisine: Culinary Arts in Third Grade
Given the increased societal attention to food literacy (Block, et al., 2011), more evidence is needed to document how food literacy develops in school settings. Most studies of food literacy focus on garden contexts; few studies examine the contributions of cooking instruction to food literacy. In this study, I report how one teacher nurtured a classroom food community through the culinary arts. Using ethnographic field notes of participant observations, interviews, and informal conversations, along with documents and photographs as data sources, I analyzed how food knowledge and practices were co-constructed in a third grade classroom. Findings demonstrate how culinary arts instruction honors diverse food traditions, provides opportunities for students to connect seasonal food cycles, and engages students in cooking practices.