Modern home cooking practices, the role of new media, and implications for culinary medicine: A qualitative study among mothers with low income

Authors: RABER, MARGARET - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); VAZQUEZ, MARIA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); KHAN, SYEDA - University Of Houston; MYENI, SAHITI - University Of Texas Health Science Center; Thompson, Deborah - Debbe

Submitted to: American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2023
Publication Date: 8/24/2023
Citation: Raber, M., Vazquez, M., Khan, S., Myneni, S., Thompson, D.J. 2023. Modern home cooking practices, the role of new media, and implications for culinary medicine: A qualitative study among mothers with low income. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276231197181.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276231197181

Interpretive Summary: Dietary habits established in childhood track into adulthood and influence future risk for cardiovascular diseases. Culinary medicine offers a practical approach to nutrition education, and digitally-mediated interventions may offer a scalable approach. The purpose of this study was to examine modern home cooking practices and the role of new media from the perspective of parents with low income. Parents of 6 to 11-year-old children that qualify for free/reduced school lunch programs completed a survey and interview examining current cooking habits and environment, factors that influence healthy cooking, and the role of the internet in home cooking. We found parents rely on new media for recipe ideas, nutrition information and cooking skill training. These factors in turn influence their beliefs and attitudes about the role of cooking in health, and their home cooking practices. These findings suggest new media such as social media and smartphone apps may be salient avenues for promoting health through culinary medicine in this population.

Technical Abstract: Culinary medicine offers a practical, experiential approach to nutrition education, but in-person programs are resources intensive. Digital interventions may offer a scalable, acceptable approach to culinary medicine in populations that are at increased risk for poor diet, such as parents with low income. The purpose of this study was to examine modern home cooking behavior and the role of new media from the perspective of parents with low income and identify implications for culinary medicine research. Twenty parents from 6- to 11-year-old children that qualify for free/reduced school lunch programs completed a survey and interview examining online cooking information seeking behaviors, current cooking practices, and factors that influence healthy eating. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a semi-structured hybrid coding approach. Three major themes emerged from the data: (1) Current cooking habits and environment; (2) Factors that influence healthy cooking; and (3) The role of the internet in home cooking. This research may be used to inform the creation of digital culinary medicine intervention tools to promote healthy eating in this population.