Funded Projects

Battling Food Insecurity Through Cooking Education

Project Year

2025

City & State

Houston, Texas

Program Name

CATCH Planning

Topic

Food Insecurity

Program Description

Problem: Food insecurity, the limited access to nutritious foods for a healthy life, is a public health concern which is disproportionately experienced by children from low-income communities. Although some food resources are available at food banks/pantries, families often do not even utilize fresh fruits and vegetables obtained due to lack of culinary skills. In addition, families often resort to fast food instead of cooking, because they do not know how to prepare basic meals at home. This gap contributes to persistent nutritional deficits, perpetuating health disparities and chronic disease risks. Integrating culinary medicine education in low-income communities represents a promising strategy to address food insecurity and promote improves dietary behaviors among children, especially in underserved neighborhoods. Providing culinary medicine education in the community can be a powerful tool to address food insecurity and improve nutrition among at-risk youth. Culinary medicine, an emerging field that combines the art of cooking with the science of medicine, empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills to prepare healthy, enjoyable meals that are culturally relevant and tailored to their personal tastes and health needs. Culinary medicine empowers individuals/families to make sustainable dietary changes. Cultural adaptation of the curriculum to reflect diverse cultural backgrounds would ensure that the program is relevant and accessible to diverse populations, fostering broader community engagement.   Primary setting: The primary setting for this project will be community centers in low-income areas of Houston, Texas. We will recruit participants through outreach with the Texas Children’s Mobile Clinic Program community partner system, Epiphany Church Health Outreach Services (ECHOS), and Houston Food Bank (HFB).   Number of children affected: Our initiative focuses on supporting low-income families with middle school-aged children. In 2023, 924,000 residents in the Houston area lived below the poverty line, with African and Hispanic households being the most affected. In 2023, the poverty rates for children under 18 were generally higher than those for adults. Specifically, 23% of children in Houston lived in poverty, compared to the state average of 18.4% and the national average of 16%.  Project goal: This initiative aims to develop a community based culinary medicine program that will address food insecurity and improve nutrition among children in low-income neighborhoods. This will be accomplished by integrating a community-based culinary medicine program in low-income neighborhoods in Houston, Texas to teach them and their families how to prepare healthy, enjoyable meals using available food resources. By involving parents and engaging community organizations, the program seeks to create a supportive network for sustained behavior change. The project also seeks to engage parents and the community in the process, ensuring that the program is culturally adapted and relevant to diverse populations.  Proposed Intervention: Development of a community-based culinary medicine program to teach families to prepare healthy, enjoyable meals using available food resources. This initiative aims to improve dietary habits of middle school aged children and their families and provide a strong support to the community.   Anticipated outcomes: Using quantitative and qualitative feedback from stakeholders (Houston Food Bank, middle school district leaders, parents, and middle school aged children), we will develop a culturally relevant culinary medicine curriculum and optimize parent engagement. Feedback from diverse stakeholders will shape a curriculum that resonates with the unique needs and preferences of the target populations. By addressing the intersection of food insecurity, nutritional education, and community engagement, this initiative seeks to create a scalable, impactful model for improving health and reducing disparities in underserved communities. 

Project Goal

The goal of the Battling Food Insecurity Through Cooking Education (BITE) project is to develop a community-based culinary medicine program aimed at families with middle school aged children in low-income neighborhoods in Houston, Texas. This initiative aims to address food insecurity and improve nutrition among children by teaching them and their families how to prepare healthy, enjoyable meals using available food resources. The project also seeks to engage parents and the community in the process, ensuring that the program is culturally adapted and relevant to diverse populations

Project Objective 1

By the end of the second month of the grant, we aim to have met with the Houston Food Bank, Texas Children’s Mobile Clinic, and other relevant community partners to discuss the goals of the project. In collaboration with the Houston Food Bank and the Texas Children’s Mobile Clinic, we will have identified community partners in the Greater Houston area who are interested in collaborating on a culinary medicine program.

Project Objective 2

By the end of the ninth month of the grant, we aim to assess the knowledge of Houston Food Bank staff and the usage and preferences of families from low-income neighborhoods regarding culinary medicine education and classes. 

Project Objective 3

By the completion of the grant, we aim to have developed a culturally adapted culinary medicine curriculum through research study meetings and engagement with the Houston Food Bank and community partners.

AAP District

District VII

Institutional Name

Baylor College of Medicine

Contact 1

Elizabeth Onugha, MD MSCI FASN

Contact 2

Estrella Garcia