P3.P301: Food for Salud: Nourishing Bodies and Minds through a Nutrition Education Program

Background: Food insecurity is a persistent national problem that has adverse effects on physical and mental health. In the U.S. in 2021, 12.8% of households with children were food insecure. In our local area, 14.3% of households with children experienced food insecurity. Racial disparities in food insecurity exist due to various systemic factors rooted in structural racism.

Food for Salud: Healthy Food for Healthy Kids is an initiative launched in 2022 at our free-standing children’s hospital that uses the power of food and nutrition to promote the wellbeing of children and families, with a focus on moving families from food insecurity to nutrition security. In 2023, we were awarded an AAP CATCH Grant to develop and implement a hands-on community-based nutrition education program.

Project Description: The goal of our program is to enhance exposure to and knowledge of preparing fresh produce by providing hands-on nutrition education to children in our community. Our program consists of bimonthly community-based nutrition education workshops led by a multidisciplinary team, including our Office of Community Health, dietitians, executive chef, medical residents and fellows, Child Life, and collaborators from local YMCA after school programs. Thirteen nutrition education sessions serving 72 students and 175 patients and family members were delivered between August 2023 to March 2024 at two elementary YMCA after school programs and our hospital’s daily patient experience events. Elementary schools chosen had >85% of families with low incomes. Our dieticians and chef developed six healthy, budget- and child-friendly recipes along with an accompanying nutrition lesson (e.g. Watermelon & Tomato Gazpacho). At each session, children were given their own ingredients and tools to actively participate in recipe preparation while learning about health benefits and cooking tips, and then had the opportunity to taste the dish and share their experience. At the end of each session at schools, children were given a bag with ingredients, measuring cups, and instructions to make the recipe at home. Longitudinal surveys are being conducted to assess children and family’s attitudes toward cooking and nutrition knowledge.

Discussion: Food for Salud education sessions successfully delivered budget-conscious and child-friendly cooking and nutrition lessons to students and patients in our community. Collaboration between hospital experts and community sites have led to robust programming that allows children to have continued experiences with families at home. Challenges faced included logistical issues resulting in a delayed start, research consent hesitancy, and difficulties obtaining meaningful feedback from younger participants and parents who were not present at the school events.

Conclusion: Food for Salud nutrition education sessions will continue through the end of this school year with plans to expand in the following year. Next steps include data analysis and development of new content for future sessions.