Cooking Behavior Research Articles

A community feasibility study of a cooking behavior intervention in African-American adults at risk for cardiovascular disease: DC COOKS (DC Community Organizing for Optimal culinary Knowledge Study) with Heart

BackgroundCooking interventions have increased in popularity in recent years. Evaluation by meta-analyses and systematic reviews show consistent changes in dietary quality reports and cooking confidence, but not of cardiovascular (CVD) biomarkers. Interventions evaluating or reporting behavioral mechanisms as an explanatory factor for these outcomes has been sparse. Moreover, evaluations of cooking interventions among communities with health disparities or food access limitations have received little attention in the literature.MethodsThis study will occur over two phases. Phase 1 will assess acceptability among the target population of African-American adults living within an urban food desert. Phase 2 will consist of a 6-week cooking intervention delivered at a community kitchen setting. Pre and post intervention visits for clinical examinations and biomarker collection will be conducted, as well as dietary and cooking skill assessments. Primary outcomes include cooking behavior and feasibility measures. Secondary outcomes are related to dietary quality, psychosocial factors, CVD biomarkers, and food environment measures.DiscussionThis study seeks to demonstrate feasibility of a community-based cooking intervention and to provide necessary information to plan future interventions that identify cooking behavior as an outcome of participation in cooking interventions among African-American adults, especially in relation to dietary and biomarker outcomes.Trial registrationThis study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04305431) on March 12, 2020.

Culinary Versus Gastronomy

Food becomes one of main income of tourism sector which supports Gross Domestic Product. Food and beverage is also suspected to be the tourists’ motivation for travelling. People, publicly, and government recognize it more as culinary. However, there is a view that argumentation which is constructed by public seems to be not accordance with the real situation. Gastronomy, which accommodates foodshed, cooking, until foodscape and human behaviour, is perceived to be more appropriate as a comparison argument. Related to that matter, in this paper, researcher is trying to study and to compare two-sided definition of terminology over culinary and gastronomy as a way to eliminate argumentum ad populum.
 Keywords: culinary, gastronomy, foodshed, foodscape, argumentum ad populum

Are meal kits health promoting? Nutritional analysis of meals from an Australian meal kit service.

Meal kits are popular for consumers seeking greater convenience in preparing meals at home. The market share for meal kit subscription services (MKSSs) is growing in developed nations including Australia, however, literature about their health promoting qualities, e.g. nutritional composition, is scarce. This study aimed to assess the characteristics and nutritional composition of meals offered from an MKSS over 12 months. Nutritional data were extracted from recipes available to order from HelloFresh in Australia from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. In total, 346 (251 unique) recipes were retrieved. Per serve (median size 580 g), meals contained a median of 2840 kJ (678 kcal) of energy, 58 g carbohydrate (14 g sugar), 44 g protein, 28 g total fat (8 g saturated fat) and 839 mg sodium. Median energy from macronutrients was total fat (38%), carbohydrates (34%), protein (25%) and saturated fat (11%). This paper is the first to describe characteristics of recipes available from an MKSS over a 12-month period of time. With their growing popularity, meal kit delivery services have the capacity to influence consumer food behaviours, diets and subsequently population health. MKSSs may function to promote health though education, training, and enabling home cooking behaviours, and may be a powerful commitment device for home cooking behaviour change. However, it is important for health professionals, including dietitians and nutritionists, to understand the nutritional risks, benefits and suitability of this contemporary mealtime option before recommending them to clients and members of the public as part of health promotion. Meal kit delivery services are growing in popularity in developed countries, complementing busy lifestyles with pre-measured ingredients and recipe instructions delivered to the home. These meal kits have the ability to influence consumer diets and population health, and may support health promoting diet behaviours, e.g. eating vegetables, and enable home cooking. In this study, we reviewed a years' worth of recipes from a popular meal kit service. We report that a typical recipe contained approximately nine different ingredients, comprising three vegetables and required three ingredients from the home pantry. Meals took ∼35 min to prepare and were found to be relatively high in energy from fat and protein, and relatively low in energy from carbohydrates. The level of sodium varied widely and some meals exceeded the Australian Suggested Dietary Target for sodium (<2000mg). Meal kit recipes were found to have health promoting qualities, frequently including vegetable ingredients, however, improvements to recipes would make these meal kits more health promoting. Current diet intakes and the nutritional composition of meal kits recipes should be reviewed before being recommended by health professionals.

Perceptions of nutrition education classes offered in conjunction with a community-supported agriculture intervention among low-income families.

To examine participants' experiences with nutrition education classes that were implemented with and designed to complement a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CSA) programme. Qualitative analysis of data from twenty-eight focus groups with ninety-six participants enrolled in Farm Fresh Foods for Healthy Kids (F3HK). Transcribed data were coded and analysed by a priori and emergent themes. Rural and micropolitan communities in New York, North Carolina, Vermont and Washington (USA). Ninety-six F3HK participants. Participants found recipes and class activities helpful and reported improvements in nutrition knowledge, food preservation skills and home cooking behaviours for themselves and their children; they also reported that classes promoted a sense of community. Some educators better incorporated CSA produce into lessons, which participants reported as beneficial. Other obligations and class logistics were barriers to attendance; participants recommended that lessons be offered multiple times weekly at different times of day. Other suggestions included lengthening class duration to encourage social engagement; emphasising recipes to incorporate that week's CSA produce and pantry staples and offering additional strategies to incorporate children in classes. Complementing a cost-offset CSA with nutrition education may enhance programme benefits to low-income families by improving nutrition knowledge and cooking behaviours. However, future interventions will benefit from ongoing coordination between educators and local growing trajectories to maximise timely coverage of unfamiliar produce in lessons; synchronous scheduling of CSA pick-up and classes for participant convenience and creative strategies to engage children and/or provide childcare.

Pulsed electric field and mild thermal processing affect the cooking behaviour of carrot tissues (Daucus carota) and the degree of methylesterification of carrot pectin

For the first time, the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) and mild thermal processing on the texture of cortex and vascular carrot tissue during subsequent thermal processing (i.e. cooking behaviour) was compared and the degree of methylesterification (DM) of pectin from the pretreated tissues was investigated. The PEF and mild thermal pretreatment slowed down the cooking behaviour of the carrot tissues, especially when the pretreatments were combined. The DM of pectin from vascular tissue was lowered after both types of pretreatments, the effect being most pronounced in the case of the combination of the PEF and mild thermal pretreatment. In contrast, the DM of cortex pectin only decreased after the mild thermal pretreatment and after the combination pretreatment. This study demonstrates that besides mild thermal pretreatments also PEF pretreatments can be considered in the context of texture preservation of thermally processed fruits and vegetables.

Factors affecting home cooking behavior of women with elementary school children applying the theory of planned behavior

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESThe objective of this study was to examine factors affecting cooking behavior at home. We examined components of the theory of planned behavior, perception of cooking skills, and socio-demographic variables affecting cooking behavior at home.SUBJECTS/METHODSThe study sample included 425 women raising elementary school children living in South Korea. They responded to an online structured questionnaire. The variables affecting cooking behavior at home were assessed using hierarchical regression analysis.RESULTSThe frequency of cooking behavior at home was 14.1 meals per week. Most respondents showed an intention regarding cooking behavior. The average score for attitude toward cooking behavior at home was 15.1 points (scale of 1 to 25). Attitude and cooking behavior showed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.01, r = 0.22). The subjective norm was 14.6 points (scale of 1 to 25). The subjective norm showed a significant correlation with cooking behavior (P < 0.01, r = 0.18). The control belief was 2.8 points (scale of 1 to 5). The control belief and cooking behavior showed a significant correlation in all questions (P < 0.01, r = 0.25). The subjects were significant confident about their cooking skills, except for Kimchi. Perception of cooking skills showed a significant correlation with all questions concerning cooking behavior (P < 0.01, r = 0.30). Significant variables for predicting intention regarding cooking behavior were perception of cooking skills, employment status, income, and attitude. Significant variables for predicting cooking behavior were employment status, income, control belief, number of children, and behavioral intention.CONCLUSIONSIn order to provide nutrition education to increase cooking behavior at home, it is necessary to have a positive attitude toward cooking behavior, increase control belief, and improve confidence related to cooking skills. Moreover, differentiated education based on the employment status of women is needed.

P43 Partnering with 4-H and High School Culinary Club to Provide School-Based Nutrition Education to Engage Latino Youth in Teaching Cooking Classes to Younger Youth and Adapting Healthy Eating Behaviors

ObjectiveTo implement Teens as Teachers Cooking Academy Program (TAT CAP) to underrepresented adolescents and explore their experiences in teaching younger youth and how the experience influences their attitudes and behaviors around healthy eating.Use of Theory or ResearchHaving adolescents serve as teachers of younger children is a promising approach to support positive youth behaviors. Research showed that teenagers improved their teaching skills, social and emotional learning during cross-age teaching by role modeling and hands-on cooking experience. It empowers youth to make healthy food choices by increasing their self-efficacy. A limited program has been implemented and evaluated among Latino adolescents in a high school setting.Target AudienceLow-income Latino high school (HS) students who participated in Culinary Art Club.Program DescriptionThe TAT CAP was developed through the partnership between University of California (UC) 4-H, CalFresh, and a local HS. UC Extension staff and HS chef gave trainings to 25 Latino HS students for them to use evidence-based cooking curriculum to teach the elementary students how to cook. During the sessions, teen teachers went over nutrition-related topics, cooking demonstrations, and gave younger youth hands-on culinary experience.Evaluation MethodsA post-program teen teacher survey assessed their attitudes and behaviors towards healthy eating, self-efficacy in cooking and teaching, and their experience of being teen teachers.ResultsTwenty-five HS students attended TAT CAP program and 19 completed the post-program survey. Over 50% of participants reported they paid attention to how many fruits and vegetables they were eating, ate breakfast most of the days, and ate meals with families after the program; 78% had given their family ideas of healthy meals and snack; and 100% participants said they learned healthy food choices. On average, over 90% of youth were confident in safe cooking behaviors, making change to a recipe, and being a teen leader.ConclusionsTAT program suggested an engaging way for Latino teenagers to learn nutrition and empower them to role model healthy eating behaviors to younger youth. To implement Teens as Teachers Cooking Academy Program (TAT CAP) to underrepresented adolescents and explore their experiences in teaching younger youth and how the experience influences their attitudes and behaviors around healthy eating. Having adolescents serve as teachers of younger children is a promising approach to support positive youth behaviors. Research showed that teenagers improved their teaching skills, social and emotional learning during cross-age teaching by role modeling and hands-on cooking experience. It empowers youth to make healthy food choices by increasing their self-efficacy. A limited program has been implemented and evaluated among Latino adolescents in a high school setting. Low-income Latino high school (HS) students who participated in Culinary Art Club. The TAT CAP was developed through the partnership between University of California (UC) 4-H, CalFresh, and a local HS. UC Extension staff and HS chef gave trainings to 25 Latino HS students for them to use evidence-based cooking curriculum to teach the elementary students how to cook. During the sessions, teen teachers went over nutrition-related topics, cooking demonstrations, and gave younger youth hands-on culinary experience. A post-program teen teacher survey assessed their attitudes and behaviors towards healthy eating, self-efficacy in cooking and teaching, and their experience of being teen teachers. Twenty-five HS students attended TAT CAP program and 19 completed the post-program survey. Over 50% of participants reported they paid attention to how many fruits and vegetables they were eating, ate breakfast most of the days, and ate meals with families after the program; 78% had given their family ideas of healthy meals and snack; and 100% participants said they learned healthy food choices. On average, over 90% of youth were confident in safe cooking behaviors, making change to a recipe, and being a teen leader. TAT program suggested an engaging way for Latino teenagers to learn nutrition and empower them to role model healthy eating behaviors to younger youth.

Vacuum impregnation: A methodology for the preparation of a ready-to-eat sweet potato enriched in polyphenols

Vacuum impregnation (VI) is a widely used methodology to add various substances of interest to porous foods, thus acquiring enhanced nutritional and sensory properties depending on the functionality of the impregnation solution. The work reported here was thus aimed at the preparation of sweet potato containing the addition of polyphenols through vacuum impregnation and low-pressure cooking. A commercial solution of polyphenol extract (95% [v/v] proanthocyanidins) was used as an impregnation medium.In the characterization of the vacuum-impregnated samples, the physicochemical parameters of pH, moisture, color, texture, and total polyphenol content were measured, the cooking behavior was evaluated, and sensory assessments were performed (preference tests and the CATA—check-all-that-apply—questionnaire). The result was a preparation of sweet potatoes that had been vacuum-impregnated with a subsequent increase of 473 % in the concentration of phenolic compounds compared to the control sample. The parameters such as color and texture remained stable. We conclude that VI enabled the preparation of a product providing some 220.0 mg of gallic-acid equivalents of polyphenols per 100 g (GAE/100 g) per serving, a value similar to those of vegetables rich in those compounds.

A Six-Week Group-Based Advanced Quantity Meal Prep Program Improves Cooking Attitudes, Behaviors, and Body Composition

Abstract Objectives Consumption of food away from home is associated with higher caloric intake and poorer diet quality compared to home-cooked food. The group-based advance quantity meal prep (AQMP) program was developed to increase the frequency of consumption of home-cooked meals. This pilot study aimed to determine the effects of the AQMP program on the frequency of consumption of home-cooked meals, cooking attitudes, cooking self-efficacy, and anthropometrics. Methods Participants were recruited from a fitness center and met at a commercial kitchen once a week for 6 weeks to complete the AQMP program. At each session, participants prepared meals in bulk and packaged individual portions. Participants were sent home with 10 meals and 5 snacks each week. These meals are defined as home-cooked. A questionnaire, height, weight, hip circumference, waist circumference, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, body fat percentage, and body mass index (BMI) were taken at three time points: pre-program (T1), immediately post-program (T2), and 3 months post-program (T3). The questionnaire assessed: physical activity, cooking attitudes, cooking self-efficacy, and cooking behavior and consumption. Results Statistically significant increases were seen in total cooking attitudes between T1 and T3 (P = 0.01), cooking self-efficacy between T1 and T2 (P = 0.002), and reported percentage of home-cooked dinner consumption between T1 (52 ± 29%) and T2 (86 ± 14%, P = 0.04). Significant decreases in weight between T1 (85.1 ± 27.8 kg) and T3 (83.3 ± 27.4 kg, P = 0.03), body fat mass between T1 (32.0 ± 21.6 kg) and T2 (30.3 ± 21.4 kg; P = 0.01), and T1 (32.0 ± 21.6 kg) and T3 (28.6 ± 22.4 kg, P = 0.01), and BMI between T1 (31.7 ± 9.4 kg/m2) and T2 (31.0 ± 9.0 kg/m2, P = 0.03) were also observed. Conclusions This pilot study indicates that a 6-week AQMP program increased consumption of home-cooked meals and may have contributed to improvement in body composition suggesting the potential of AQMP as a tool for weight management. Additionally, incorporating a collaborative group dynamic with AQMP likely aided in increasing participant cooking attitudes and cooking self-efficacy. The positive results in this pilot study suggests that larger, controlled studies on the efficacy of group-based AQMP is warranted. Funding Sources None.

The Healthy Cooking Index: Nutrition Optimizing Home Food Preparation Practices across Multiple Data Collection Methods

BackgroundFood preparation interventions are an increasingly popular target for hands-on nutrition education for adults, children, and families, but assessment tools are lacking. Objective data on home cooking practices, and how they are interpreted through different data collection methods, are needed. ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to explore the utility of the Healthy Cooking Index in coding multiple types of home food preparation data and elucidating healthy cooking behavior patterns. DesignParent–child dyads were recruited between October 2017 and June 2018 in Houston and Austin, Texas for this observational study. Food preparation events were observed and video recorded. Participants also wore a body camera (eButton) and completed a questionnaire during the same event. Participants/settingParents with a school-aged child were recruited as dyads (n=40). Data collection procedures took place in participant homes during evening meal preparation events. Main outcome measuresFood preparation data were collected from parents through direct observation during preparation as well as eButton and paper questionnaires completed immediately after the event. Statistical analyses performedAll data sets were analyzed using the Healthy Cooking Index coding system and compared for concordance. A paired sample t test was used to examine significant differences between the scores. Cronbach’s α and principal components analysis were conducted on the observed Healthy Cooking Index items to examine patterns of cooking practices. ResultsTwo main components of cooking practices emerged from the principal components analysis: one focused on meat products and another on health and taste enhancing practices. The eButton was more accurate in collecting Healthy Cooking Index practices than the self-report questionnaire. Significant differences were found between participant reported and observed summative Healthy Cooking Index scores (P<0.001), with no significant differences between scores computed from eButton images and observations (P=0.187). ConclusionsThis is the first study to examine nutrition optimizing home cooking practices by observational, wearable camera and self-report data collection methods. By strengthening cooking behavior assessment tools, future research will be able to elucidate the transmission of cooking education through interventions and the relationships between cooking practices, disease prevention, and health.

Food Agency in the United States: Associations with Cooking Behavior and Dietary Intake.

“Food agency” is one’s ability to procure and prepare food within the contexts of one’s social, physical, and economic environment. In 2018, we used Amazon TurkPrime to field two large national surveys in the United States (US) to examine food agency and several food- and cooking-related factors. The first survey (n = 1,457) was fielded in a national sample of US adults. The second survey (n = 1,399) comprised of parents of 2–9-year-old children. Analyses included hierarchical linear regression to examine factors that explained variation in food agency and used Poisson and generalized linear models to examine the association between food agency and between cooking behavior and dietary intake, respectively. Cooking skills; food skills; and cooking confidence, attitudes, and perceptions explained a high degree of food agency variance. Higher food agency was associated with more frequent cooking of all meals, more frequent scratch cooking, and less frequent cooking with packaged ingredients among both adults and parents. Higher food agency was also associated with higher consumption of vegetables among both adults and children. Food agency encompasses a number of the interrelated factors important for home cooking and is a useful construct for understanding and promoting home cooking behavior.

Create Our Own Kai: A Randomised Control Trial of a Cooking Intervention with Group Interview Insights into Adolescent Cooking Behaviours.

Cooking is frequently associated with a healthier diet, however few youth cooking intervention studies have used control groups or follow-ups. Additionally, although cooking is associated with better mental well-being among adolescents, this has not been examined experimentally. This randomised controlled trial investigated whether a five-day intensive holiday cooking program, followed by six weeks of weekly meal kits with Facebook support groups, affected the cooking-related outcomes, diet quality and mental well-being among adolescents, with a 12-month follow-up. Adolescents aged 12–15 years (intervention: n = 91, 60% female; control: n = 27, 78% female) completed baseline, post-intervention and 12-month follow-up anthropometric measures, and questionnaire measures of mental well-being, diet quality and cooking attitudes, self-efficacy and behaviours. The intervention group’s post-intervention outcomes improved significantly more for mental well-being, diet quality, helping make dinner, cooking self-efficacy and positive cooking attitude, however body mass index (BMI) z-scores also increased. Differences were maintained at 12 months for self-efficacy only. Group interviews showed that participants’ cooking behaviours were strongly influenced by family factors. Adolescent cooking interventions may have many short-term benefits, however cooking self-efficacy appears most responsive and stable over time. Effects on BMI need further investigation. Family factors influence whether and what adolescents cook post-intervention.

Cooking Frequency Predicts Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among College Students

Cooking attitudes and behaviors among college students—and related implications to dietary quality—are largely unexplored. This study assessed the relationship between college students' fruit and vegetable intakes and cooking attitudes, confidence, and frequency (N = 448) using a cross-sectional survey. Hierarchical linear regression models examined associations between cooking attitudes, confidence, and frequency of fruit and vegetable intake. Fruit and vegetable intake was positively correlated with cooking attitudes, confidence, and frequency. Regression analysis indicated cooking frequency is a significant predictor of fruit and vegetable consumption when controlling for sex, kitchen access, and cooking attitudes and confidence. Future studies are needed to investigate the impact of cooking interventions on diet quality.

Overlapping of cooking behavior in high-rise residential buildings

The design of a centralized cooking-fume exhaust system for high-rise residential buildings lacks the parameters related to cooking behavior, such as the coincidence factors. This study surveyed 12-, 14-, and 25-floor residential units by using a thermometer to obtain the continuous temperature profiles for study cooking behavior. Python was used to identify the breaks of temperature gradient, and continuous temperature profiles were transformed into a group of step signals consisting of only “0” and “1” while interfering fluctuations were eliminated and turning points were determined. The hourly overlapping rate of the residential unit after data processing is highly similar. The abstraction of cooking behavior is a mathematical statistical model that obeys normal distribution. A typical cooking behavior model based on normal distribution was established using the main cooking periods, kurtosis, and skewness values, the modeling step length, the peak value of the coincidence factors, and the time corresponding to the peak. Using different correction coefficients to correct the peak value of the coincidence factors can extend the application scope of the model to buildings of any height. In addition, the coincidence factor of 50% can be used as a design parameter for the flue cross section and fan selection parameters. Thus, the selected fan, which is fully loaded during cooking periods and has low load during non-cooking periods, has significant energy saving potential.

Successes and Challenges of Improved Biomass Cooking Stoves Adoption along the Product Value Chain in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

The aim of this study was to assess the adoption of ICS along the value chain. The existing studies have focused much on measuring adoption based on the user’s installation or purchase of the ICS and few have gone to the level of assessing other aspects along the ICS value chain. The argument of this paper is that adoption is a multidimensional concept that goes beyond the initial acquisition of the stove to the sustained use of the same. Using a cross-sectional study design data were collected from 294 households in two Districts of Kilimanjaro regions and were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings show that at the lower levels of value chain i.e. promotion and distributions the efforts have been somehow successful since people are aware of ICS benefits and negative effects of using traditional fuels and stoves. In addition, various stove distributors and technicians are in place. On the other hand, the uptake is limited since only 26% of all households had ICS in place of which only 22.1% had functional stoves. The intensity of ICS use is very limited and households have not integrated the stove into household cooking behavior. The study concludes that the stoves program implementers have adopted a disintegrated approach that disconnects various levels of the value chain. The efforts are much concentrated at lowers levels with limited interventions to address challenges limiting uptake, the intensity of use and sustained adoption. The study recommends that a holistic and integrated approach that will facilitate ICS adoption along the value chain should be adopted. This approach will facilitate forward and backward communications on challenges facing each level of the value chain.

Ternary diagrams SiO2-Al2O3-K2O as tool for the analysis of ceramic materials behavior

The present study about ternary diagrams of SiO2-Al2O3-K2O has been conducted from the determination of two possible optimal clay mixtures through hydrometric tests of a company dedicated to the manufacture of masonry products for construction in the North region of Santander in Colombia; this work is the continuation of others carried out previously. In this raw material (clay) the dominant minerals are silica, alumina, iron, potassium, among others, which provide the plasticity and adequate granulometric distribution. Two optimal m7 and m8 mixtures were selected from 5 samples (M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5) of clays from different points of the company’s mine, these mixtures were analyzed by Fluorescence and X-ray diffraction tests with the purpose of determining the chemical elements in their maximum percentage and to be able to graph them in ternary diagrams with the help of FACTSAGE software and finally determine their cooking behavior. The results of the investigation showed that the physical characterization of the clays provides a broad view on the technological behavior of the raw material and consequently the quality of the final product.

Dine-in or take-out: Modeling millennials’ cooking motivation and choice

Students, in general, get into undesirable eating habits, partly due to the decrease in consumption of unhealthy, prepared food items (e.g., take-out). This research applies a multi-method approach to modeling the motivations behind cooking behavior for this cohort of young-adult consumers. Focus groups are conducted and findings are incorporated into an integrative framework to develop and estimate three quantitative choice models for predicting millennials’ cooking behavior. Data for this analysis are collected from surveys of millennial college students in two large metropolises in the US. Extending previous research, self-fulfillment (i.e., sense of achievement from consuming an activity) is found to positively predict cooking behavior. Cooking skill also has a positive association with the incidence of cooking and eating at home. Furthermore, the adverse effect of time needed to cook diminishes with greater cooking skill. Not conforming to previous literature, social motivation (i.e., motivation to socialize with others) has mixed support, and hedonic motivation (i.e., feeling of pleasure from cooking) is a negative predictor of cooking behavior. We offer first-hand implications for research on cooking as a consumed activity, and develop practical interventions.

P70 Hands-On Culinary Education Program for Youth Improves Cooking Skills, Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, Behaviors, and Food Preferences

Objective Evaluate the impact of a revised version of the Illinois Junior Chefs (IJC) program using pre- and post-intervention surveys and observational assessments of hands-on cooking skills. Use of Theory or Research To date, evaluations of nutrition education and cooking programs in youth have been limited to self-reported assessments of cooking skills. Along with using an established IJC survey, this study developed a novel observational protocol to assess hands-on cooking skills in youth. Target Audience Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education (SNAP-Ed) eligible youth (n = 591) aged 8-13. Program Description IJC is a hands-on culinary and nutrition education program implemented by the University of Illinois Office of Extension and Outreach. IJC is taught over five 2-hour lessons which include nutrition education, culinary skill building activities, recipe preparation, and food tastings. Evaluation Methods Pre- and post-intervention evaluations assessed hands-on cooking skills (observational assessment, n = 37) and psychosocial predictors of dietary behaviors (IJC survey, n = 591). Results Analyses of surveys indicated participants experienced significant improvements pre- to post-intervention in cooking self-efficacy (t(590) = 18.63, P Conclusions IJC participants experienced significant improvements in cooking self-efficacy, attitudes, behaviors, and food preferences. The observational assessment was established as a feasible data collection method which demonstrated significant improvements in youth participants’ cooking skills. Funding SNAP-Ed, USDA, EFNEP, 4-H Foundation.

Understanding the Relations Among the Storage, Soaking, and Cooking Behavior of Pulses: A Scientific Basis for Innovations in Sustainable Foods for the Future.

The world faces challenges that require sustainable solutions: food and nutrition insecurity; replacement of animal-based protein sources; and increasing demand for convenient, nutritious, and health-beneficial foods; as well as functional ingredients. The irrefutable potential of pulses as future sustainable food systems is undermined by the hardening phenomenon that develops upon their storage under adverse conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Occurrence of this phenomenon indicates storage instability. In this review, the application of a material science approach, in particular the glass transition temperature concept, is presented to explain phenomena of storage instability such as the occurrence of hardening and loss of viability under adverse storage conditions. In addition to storage (in)stability, application of this concept during processing of pulses is discussed. The state-of-the-art on how hardening occurs, that is, mechanistic insights, is provided, including a critical evaluation of some of the existing postulations using recent research findings. Moreover, the influence of hardening on the properties and processing of pulses is included. Prevention of hardening and curative actions for pulses affected by the hardening phenomenon are described in addition to the current trends on uses of pulses and pulse-derived products. Based on the knowledge progress presented in this review, suggestions for the future include: first, the need for innovation toward implementation of recommended solutions for the prevention of hardening; second, the optimization of the identified most effective and efficient curative action against hardening; and third, areas to focus on for elucidation of mechanisms of hardening, although existing analytical methods require advancement.

Cooking Beliefs and Culinary Program Interest of College Students with Overweight and Obesity from Different Environments (P21-012-19)

ObjectivesCollege students with overweight/obesity previously reported a lack of confidence in meal planning/production, which may contribute to current weight status and subsequent weight gain. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine cooking beliefs of students with overweight/obesity from different environments and 2) assess interest in a culinary-focused, weight loss program. MethodsStudents with overweight or obesity (BMI > 25), ages 18–24, enrolled in New York University (NYU) or LaGuardia Community College (LCC) were recruited. Participants completed a Qualtrics survey that included: 1) Cooking Attitudes Subscale, 2) Cooking Behaviors Subscale, 3) Cooking Self-Efficacy Scale (SEC), 4) Self-Efficacy for Using Basic Cooking Techniques Scale (SECT) and 5) a culinary program preference questionnaire. Height and weight were objectively measured. Descriptive, Chi square, Kruskal-Wallis, and post hoc Dunn test statistics were conducted. ResultsStudents (N = 91; 19.6 ± 1.6 years; BMI 31.7 ± 5.6) were 64% female and 24% non-Hispanic. Institution type was associated with ethnicity (P = 0.03), with a higher percentage of non-Hispanic students from NYU. NYU students had a significantly lower BMI (P = 0.01) and were younger (P = 0.005). There was a significant difference in the Cooking Behaviors Subscale between institutions, with NYU students having overall lower scores (P = 0.0001). For LCC, there was a significant difference in BMI between the lowest and third quartiles of SECT scores (P = 0.04); students with a higher BMI had lower scores. At NYU, there was a significant difference in BMI between the lowest and second (P = 0.004) and third (P = 0.01) quartiles of the Cooking Behaviors Subscale; the lowest quartile had a higher mean BMI. Regardless of institution, the majority of students were interested in participating in a culinary-focused weight loss program for 6–8 weeks. However, NYU students reported a greater interest in weekly group meetings (P = 0.0001). ConclusionsThere is heterogeneity in cooking beliefs by college environment and BMI. However, interest in a culinary-focused, weight loss program is high for both 2- and 4-year tertiary institution students with overweight/obesity. Focus groups will be used for the development of population specific interventions. Funding SourcesNYU College of Arts and Science Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund Grant (Spring 2018).