Fruit and Vegetable Preparation Changes During and After Cost-Offset Community-Supported Agriculture Plus Nutrition Education

Abstract

ObjectiveInadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) can negatively impact health. Cost-offset, or subsidized, community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) may change FV preparation behaviors among caregivers in low-income households. We assessed changes in FV preparation frequency and methods during and after participation in a CO-CSA plus tailored nutrition education intervention. DesignLongitudinal comparison of outcomes at baseline, end of CO-CSA season, and 1 year later. ParticipantsCaregivers of children aged 2–12 years from households with low income in rural areas of 4 US states (n = 148). InterventionSummer season, half-price CO-CSA share plus tailored nutrition education classes. Comparison to a control group not included in this analysis. Variables MeasuredMonthly frequency of preparing 9 FV for children's snacks and 5 vegetables for dinner; use of healthy preparation methods for dinner. AnalysisRepeated measures ANCOVA including state with Bonferroni correction and 95% confidence. ResultsAt baseline, caregivers prepared fruit for children's snacks and vegetables for dinner almost daily and vegetables for children's snacks every other day. The frequency of total FV preparation and most vegetable varieties increased during the intervention. Increases in total vegetables for snacks, dinner, and leafy greens were maintained 1 year later (n = 107). Conclusions and ImplicationsCommunity-supported agriculture plus education is a promising approach to sustained increases in vegetable preparation for children's snacks and dinner meals.