P18 - School Pantry Cook-Off: A Strategy to Create Food Insecurity Awareness and Develop Meal Planning and Cooking Skills in Teens

Abstract

Objective: To increase awareness of food insecurity in high school students; to provide basic understanding of nutrition, meal planning, and cooking skills using foods available in a school pantry. Target Audience: Students attending a high school with more than 50% free or reduced-priced lunch (FRPL) participants. Theory, Prior Research, Rationale: Social Learning Theory. Description: The Eat Smart Idaho (ESI) program partnered with a Family & Consumer Sciences teacher to increase students' awareness of an on-site school food pantry through a cook-off. Nutrition education classes were taught by ESI Nutrition Advisors on MyPlate guidelines, food safety practices, basic cooking techniques, and meal planning skills. Eighteen teams (10th-12th grade) participated in the cook-off. Each team was given a food pantry mystery box to plan, prepare, and present a nutritious meal consisting of at least three food groups using the foods provided. A panel of three judges evaluated the teams based on MyPlate variety, food safety, teamwork, creativity, flavor, and meal presentation. Evaluation: Post competition questionnaire results from 67 participants showed that 81% (n = 54) of participants were not aware of food insecurity in their local county or the presence of the school food pantry prior to the cook-off. After the competition, 93% (n = 62) of participants reported they would be willing to share information about the school food pantry and 90% (n = 60) would be willing to participate in a food drive for healthy food items. The majority of students reported they would plan before grocery shopping (n = 62, 93%), cook for themselves or their families (n = 62, 93%), and make healthier food choices (n = 60, 90%). Conclusions and Implications: These positive results suggest that a mystery box cook-off can increase awareness of local food insecurity and support for school pantries in high school students. Students developed their abilities to plan and prepare healthy meals with limited resources. Funding: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—Education.