A Qualitative Study of Community Kitchens as a Response to Income-Related Food Insecurity

A variety of self-help and community development strategies have recently emerged to address problems of hunger and food insecurity at a local level. One such strategy is community kitchens. Loosely defined as community-based cooking programs, "kitchens" are groups of people who regularly come together to prepare food for themselves and their families. This study employed grounded theory methods to examine the potential of community kitchens to enhance food security among those with constrained resources. Insights gained from participant observations of ten kitchens in progress were augmented by in-depth interviewing of a sample of participants and facilitators. Study findings suggest that, in some cases, community kitchen participation may enhance coping skills and provide valuable social support. However, the programs have limited potential to resolve food security issues rooted in severe and chronic poverty because they do not alter households' economic circumstances in any substantial way.