Nutrition Education to Increase the Self-Efficacy of Low-Income Children to Make Healthy and Safe Food Choices

Abstract

To help youth make healthful and safe food choices. The target audience was low-income, SNAP-Ed eligible children (ages 7-11 years) attending an after-school program. This program is based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Activities and discussions were designed to help increase children’s self-efficacy, a core construct of SCT. The program was adapted from University of Missouri Extension’s Kids in the Kitchen, a research-based curriculum shown to improve youth dietary quality and food preparation skills. The program consisted of 5, 45-minute, weekly sessions. Each session included a food safety mini-lesson, preparation of a simple recipe, and discussion, including food groups represented the ingredients used, possible substitutions for ingredients, how children might ask an adult to purchase ingredients not typically found in their homes, and safe storage of ingredients and the food made if there were leftovers. To encourage active participation, adult leaders worked with small groups of 5-6 children. Thirty-seven youth participated in the program, divided into groups by grades 2-3 and 4-5. Pre- and post-assessments measured food safety knowledge, healthful food requests at home, and eating habits. Paired t-tests, pre- and post-program, revealed improved food safety knowledge and eating habits; healthful food requests increased for some but not all indicators. Student age had no effect. Parents completed a post-program questionnaire that showed improved ratings in program-related changes in children’s knowledge and cooking skills. Parents also provided examples of children’s new skills and the program’s benefits. A cooking program presented in five weekly sessions in an after-school setting is effective in helping low-income youth increase food safety knowledge and healthful eating habits.