Outcome evaluation of the super star chef summer youth nutrition education program

Abstract

Super Star Chef is an experiential summer youth nutrition education and cooking program designed toenhance participants' nutrition knowledge, food preparation skills, cooking self-efficacy, and intention to eatmore fruits and vegetables. In a program evaluation comprising a single-sample pretest-posttest design, participants' pretest and posttest scores on variables of interest were compared. Gender and grade leveldifferences in outcomes also were examined via analysis of variance tests. Results showed statisticallysignificant preprogram-to-postprogram gains in participants' nutrition knowledge, food preparation skills, andcooking self-efficacy and a grade level difference in food preparation skill outcomes. Study limitations andimplications for further research are discussed.