C.H.E.F.S – Culinary and Healthy Education for Fueling Students Study Overview Approximately 3.8 million college students in the United States experience food insecurity (FI), which can negatively impact academic performance, health, and overall well-being. Evidence suggests that many students lack basic culinary skills and nutrition knowledge needed to prepare balanced, affordable meals. Although the rates of FI have been investigated among this population, very few interventions have been created to address building culinary efficacy and addressing food insecurity. This research aims to investigate the impact and feasibility of a 5-week pilot culinary intervention program at a large university. Specifically, this study aims to: Increase fruit and vegetable consumption among college students experiencing food insecurity Improve college student culinary self-efficacy around basic cooking skills We hypothesize that participation in a 5-week culinary intervention will improve dietary intake and culinary efficacy among college students at a large university. Partners This work is proudly supported by the Moritz Center for Societal Impact in the School of Social Work. Food Security Lab PhD students, Lauren Bell and Madilyn Bradley, were awarded a $5,000 grant to support their proposed project, CHEFS: Culinary and Healthy Education for Fueling Students, at the inaugural Social Impact Challenge in Fall of 2025. Participation
