Eleventh and 12th-Grade Students from an Economically Disadvantaged Charter School Express High Interest in...

The goal of this study was to examine needs and preferences for food and cooking skills education among older adolescents and to identify differences in cooking skills, dietary intake, and willingness to participate in interventions between those with and without food insecurity.

This mixed-methods study examined food security status, dietary intake, cooking self-efficacy, and preferences for intervention among 11-12th graders (n = 82 students). A subsample of respondents participated in follow-up interviews (n = 15 students) that explored current eating patterns, cooking experience, and interest in interventions in greater detail. Descriptive statistics and comparisons between groups were examined. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a semistructured hybrid coding approach.

Students noted overall high interest in participating in education related to food (86.6% report they are somewhat or extremely interested in learning more about food) and cooking (93.9% report they are somewhat or extremely interested in learning to cook). Students experiencing food insecurity reported no differences in diet or willingness to participate compared with peers with food security, but had lower overall cooking self-efficacy scores (3.3 ± 0.67 vs 3.6 ± 0.44, P = 0.02). Barriers to participation in classes included other responsibilities and transportation.

There is an opportunity to support healthy eating among older adolescents through food and cooking skills education, in particular programs that are in-person or hybrid. Barriers to participation, including time and transportation, may be overcome with hybrid programming. The findings from this study offer formative insight that may be used for future development of cooking and food education programs for older adolescents.