Achieving a healthy home food environment: perspectives on parents’ nutrition education needs when living with food insecurity

Abstract

Purpose: The familial food environment is influenced by many factors, including food insecurity, food accessibility, and foods accepted by the family. These factors can facilitate or hinder caregivers’ ability to support a healthy home food environment. The aim of this research was to explore the barriers to, perspectives on, and nutrition education needs identified by food-insecure parents which would then inform a community-based nutrition education program. Methods: A qualitative study used focus group data that were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a constant comparison approach to categorize the emerging themes. Results: Emergent themes: (1) Cooking confidence deficit; (2) Healthy meal preparation barriers; (3) Healthy meal acceptance barriers; (4) Meal planning, management, and adaptability. These themes suggest that supporting a healthy home food environment is connected to both food knowledge and competencies, known as food literacy. Conclusion: Food literacy competency should be assessed before nutrition education program implementation within community settings.