Market to MyPlate: Investigating the Impact of a Nutrition and Hands-On Cooking Intervention

Recent peer-reviewed research indicates that low-income families are at higher risk for unhealthy dietary intake and associated poor health outcomes. Interventions that teach individuals from low-income families about cooking and healthy eating are warranted to improve overall dietary behaviors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Market to MyPlate Program on participants' reported cooking, shopping, and dietary behaviors using a cluster randomized trial design, where class cohorts are randomly assigned to education with produce allocations, education only, or control conditions. A secondary aim is to collect program feedback and better understand facilitators and barriers to farmer's market use and food waste reduction.

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Key information

Conditions

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Cooking Frequency

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Illinois

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Recruited from SNAP-Ed eligible site (site where the majority of participants are eligible for US food assistance programs)
Must be 18 years or older, or parent of any age with child(ren) to participate in data collection (all ages including children could participate in intervention)

Exclusion criteria

Participated in an Extension nutrition education program in the last year

Treatment and study plan

Nutrition and hands on cooking classes for parents and their children

Behavioral

The adults and children will learn how to prepare the fresh produce during an age appropriate, evidence-based, family cooking school. The class will provide participants with a no-cost, low-risk incentive to try new vegetables, and will empower them to build healthier lives through nutrient-rich, locally sourced meals. Participants will also receive nutrition education and information on how they can integrate local produce into their food budget. One of the class sessions will focus solely on how to budget for healthy food, comparison shop, and make the most of their food dollars. Participants will learn how to use their SNAP benefits at local farmers markets.

Produce allocations

Behavioral

Participants will also receive a produce allocation from a local farm during each session of the class.

Primary outcomes

Self-reported vegetable consumption

Time frame: 7 weeks

Survey asks participants to self-report how frequently they consume fruits and vegetables.
self-reported shopping behaviors

Time frame: 7 weeks

Survey asks participants to self-report how frequently they compare food prices, make shopping lists, and plan meals before grocery shopping.
self-reported cooking behaviors

Time frame: 7 weeks

Survey asks participants to self-report how frequently they cook dinner at home.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Market to MyPlate: A Cluster Randomized Trial Investigating the Impact of a Nutrition and Hands-On Cooking Intervention on Dietary, Cooking, and Shopping Behaviors

Important dates

Study start: 2018
Primary completion: 2018
Study completion: 2018
First posted: Jan 27, 2020
Registry last updated: Jan 27, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed