Bringing Cooking Classes to Food Deserts: Addressing Food Insecurity Among Rural Older Adults

Top Things to Know

Participants reported achieving dietary goals and increased confidence in budgeting for groceries, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in enhancing food security.

The majority of participants rated the recipes highly and expressed willingness to participate in similar future programs, indicating strong engagement and satisfaction.

The success of the program was rooted in strong collaborations with local organizations, ensuring sustainability and continued support for rural older adults.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

The paper discusses the implementation of the Food is Medicine cooking series aimed at increasing food security among older adults in a rural region of the Southeastern United States. Over four months, 57 participants attended weekly cooking classes led by medical students, which included nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, and budgeting workshops. The program resulted in improved dietary goals, enhanced nutrition knowledge, and increased confidence in grocery budgeting. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the recipes and the overall program. The study highlights the importance of accessible nutrition education in reducing food insecurity among rural older adults.