P76 Engaging New Audiences Through the Healthy Food Fast: Using your Multi-Cooker Program

Abstract

<h3>Objective</h3> Provide an overview of Healthy Food Fast: Using your Multi-Cooker (HFF) as an effective one-time program for adults to increase knowledge and intentions for eating healthier, home-prepared meals. <h3>Use of Theory or Research</h3> Home cooking levels have steadily declined, leading to shifts in family meal frequency and form (Holm & Lund, 2019). Americans have decreased time spent on food preparation and increased reliance on convenience and takeout meals (Wang & Beydoun, 2007). However, research shows many households still view family meals as a priority (Smith et al, 2013). <h3>Target Audience</h3> Adults (19+ years) wanting to improve food preparation knowledge and skills, specifically on multi-cookers. <h3>Program Description</h3> HFF incorporates hands-on lessons and recipes to familiarize attendees with multi-cookers. Settings primarily included community organizations and centers, libraries, healthcare, faith-based organizations, and worksites. From 2019-2020, 45 one-time sessions were conducted (93% in-person; 3% virtually). <h3>Evaluation Methods</h3> Surveys (post-pre format) were conducted immediately post-program either in-person or online and included demographic, food preparation self-efficacy, and food safety questions. Significant differences were detected at <i>P</i> < 0.05 level based on 2 related samples Wilcoxon signed ranks test using SPSS. <h3>Results</h3> Survey respondents (n = 466; 42% return rate) were mostly female (95%) and ranged from 19 to 70 plus years (56% in 50–69-year-old range). Prior multi-cooker experience included: no experience using 1 (54%); using 1 <5 times (24%); and using 1 ≥5 (22%). Respondents reported significant (<i>P</i> < 0.001), positive increases across all food preparation self-efficacy/multi-cooker specific questions and 75% of food safety questions. Post-program, 75% planned to cook meals at home in their multi-cooker 1-5 times per week. Themes from open-ended comments were feeling less intimidated/scared, excited to experiment, enjoyed their experience, learned new ideas and/or healthy meal ideas/recipes, and improved multi-cooker operating knowledge. <h3>Conclusion</h3> HFF introduced attendees to the multi-cooker in a casual learning environment that was associated with improved self-efficacy. These one-time lessons have been effective at introducing adult community members to Extension who may not have been involved in programming previously.