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Family Menu-planning Workshop: A Pilot Study on the Feasibility of Adult- and Peer-led Instruction
Cassandra J Nikolaus1, Sharon M Nickols-Richardson2
1Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL.
Objectives:
We evaluated the feasibility of a menu-planning workshop led by adults or by adolescents (ie, peers), delivered to parents and their adolescent children.
Methods:
We randomly assigned a convenience sample of 15 parents and their 17 adolescent children to menu-planning workshops taught by either an adult or peer leader. We conducted process evaluation using workshop observations and participant perceptions. Parents and their adolescents completed questionnaires before and immediately after attending and 3- and 6-months after the workshop. Questionnaires measured menu-planning-related knowledge, self-efficacy and program strategy use.
Results:
We observed adult and peer leaders completing the majority (≥ 80%) of program tasks well. Participants had positive perceptions of the workshop. Menu-planning-related self-efficacy significantly increased for parents and their adolescents from baseline to all follow-up assessment intervals.
Conclusions:
Adult and peer leaders may feasibly teach a menu-planning workshop to parents and adolescent children. Additional outcomes provide limited but promising indications that menu-planning-related self-efficacy increases after workshop participation and remains elevated when assessed 6-months later, regardless of adult or peer leader mode.
