Brief Research Review:
How well do school cooking classes improve children’s diet?

Three children in chef uniforms and aprons standing in a commercial kitchen, smiling with their arms crossed.

In a time when childhood obesity rates are climbing and vegetable intake remains worryingly low, a new systematic review published in Appetite (2024) offers a promising intervention: cooking classes in primary schools.

Conducted by researchers at the University of Leeds, the review examined 21 studies from 2001 to 2021, assessing the impact of school-based cooking programmes on children aged 4–12.

The evidence shows that cooking classes lead to small but meaningful improvements in:

  • Cooking self-efficacy: Children gained confidence in their ability to prepare food.

  • Vegetable intake: Participants consumed more vegetables than their peers in control groups.

  • Food literacy: Programmes that combined practical cooking with nutrition education improved children’s understanding of healthy eating.

Importantly, interventions lasting more than six hours were most effective, suggesting that sustained engagement is key.

Learning Points for Practice

  1. Embed Cooking into the Curriculum
    Short-term or one-off sessions are less impactful. Schools should consider integrating cooking into regular teaching schedules to maximise benefits.

  2. Focus on Practical Skills
    Hands-on activities—such as chopping, mixing, and cooking—are essential. These build confidence and encourage children to try new foods.

  3. Use Validated Tools
    Future programmes should adopt standardised tools like TFLAC and CooC11 to measure outcomes consistently and improve research quality.

  4. Address Implementation Barriers
    Schools may face challenges such as limited kitchen facilities or safety concerns. Creative solutions and policy support are needed to overcome these hurdles.

  5. Support Behaviour Change
    Incorporating behaviour change techniques (BCTs) into programme design—such as modelling, rehearsal, and positive reinforcement—can enhance effectiveness.

Conclusion

While the improvements in diet and confidence are modest, they are significant in the context of public health. Cooking classes offer a practical, engaging way to promote healthier eating habits and food literacy among children. With better programme design and consistent evaluation, school-based cooking could become a cornerstone of childhood obesity prevention.

References

  1. Vaughan KL, Cade JE, Hetherington MM, Webster J, Evans CEL. The impact of school-based cooking classes on vegetable intake, cooking skills and food literacy of children aged 4–12 years: A systematic review of the evidence 2001–2021. Appetite. 2024;195:107238. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2024.107238.

  2. World Health Organization. Report on the fifth round of data collection, 2018–2020: WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). 2022.

  3. NHS Digital. National Child Measurement Programme, England, 2021/22 school year. 2022.

  4. Amin SA, Lehnerd M, Cash SB, Economos CD, Sacheck JM. Development of a tool for food literacy assessment in children (TFLAC). J Nutr Educ Behav. 2019;51(3):364–369.

  5. Dean M, Issartel J, Benson T, et al. CooC11 and CooC7: The development and validation of age appropriate children’s perceived cooking competence measures. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2021;18(1):20.